Overflowing Joy (8th)

2 Corinthians 8:1–15

The churches in Macedonia show us how to be truly generous, moved by Jesus’ amazing sacrifice where He became poor to help others. The Ten Commandments and even Shakespeare’s writings teach us about life, and commandment eight specifically talks about money and how we should think about it. The church welcomes everyone just like Alcoholics Anonymous does, reminding us that money, depending on how we see it, can be helpful or harmful. We’ll look at three important ideas about dealing with money.

1. Everything belongs to God

The Macedonians were not rich, but they gave a lot because they knew they were just taking care of God’s wealth. This really helped the poor people in Jerusalem. Wealth is a gift we’re supposed to use wisely. In God’s design, humans are meant to look after the world, which gives us a sense of worth. Extreme socialism and collectivism, which take away personal property, are seen as dehumanizing and not successful.

The role of owning and caring for things in maintaining our dignity is highlighted. It’s like being a trustee, where we have to respect the owner’s wishes but can still enjoy what we’ve been given. Capitalism lets people use money however they want while communism and socialism focus on the community. But in Christianity, money is all God’s and we have to follow His directions.

Different views on money and stealing from capitalism, socialism, and Christianity are discussed. It’s important to respect others’ rights and dignity. Even things like wasting work time are considered theft. We’re encouraged to respect others, be generous to God’s work, the poor, and those in need. If we’re not generous, it’s like stealing.

God sees generosity as a duty, and holding onto wealth is like stealing. God gives us wealth and resources and wants us to be generous. Being too attached to wealth can bring shame and stop us from reaching our full potential. Deciding how much to give can be hard, but generosity is always important.

2. Jesus gave everything

Understanding Jesus’ grace is a big step towards financial freedom. When we truly experience this grace, it changes our hearts and our view of money. It encourages us to give even when it’s difficult and to live differently. The New Testament may not talk about tithing, but it does encourage us to be as generous as Jesus was, which should make us eager to help others.

3. You can take it with you

Paul teaches us to think about long-term, spiritual investments instead of short-term, earthly ones. We need to focus on how we can make a lasting impact by investing in people and God’s work. Regardless of how much money we have, our identity should not be based on wealth. Instead, it should be based on trusting God and being generous, just like Jesus was. Giving, which is even more important than receiving, brings joy and blessings.