II CORINTHIANS 9:6-15 | THANKS-GOD-GIVING

THANKS-GOD-GIVING

II CORINTHIANS 9:6-15

NOVEMBER 29, 2015

IN 1863, WHEN PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN OFFICIALLY ESTABLISHED THE HOLIDAY AMERICANS CALL THANKSGIVING, HE CALLED FOR:

“A DAY OF THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE TO OUR BENEFICENT FATHER WHO DWELLETH IN THE HEAVENS.”

WITH THE ANGUISH OF THE CIVIL WAR ON HIS HEART, LINCOLN SPOKE OPENLY OF PUBLIC SIN, ENCOURAGING THE NATION “WITH HUMBLE PENITENCE FOR OUR NATIONAL PERVERSENESS AND DISOBEDIENCE” TO COMMEND TO GOD’S CARE THE WIDOWS, ORPHANS, AND SUFFERERS OF THE WAR, PRAYING FOR ALMIGHTY GOD TO “HEAL THE WOUNDS OF THE NATION.”

IT HARDLY SEEMED LIKE THE TIME OR PLACE TO BE OFFERING THANKSGIVINGS TO GOD, BUT LINCOLN DECLARED IT TO BE A TIME FOR SUCH JUST THE SAME.

I WONDER IF WE WOULD BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO DO THE SAME THING IN TIMES LIKE THESE.

IN THE MIDST OF THE FEAR AND FOREBODING THAT IS OUR WORLD AT WAR WITH TERRORISM;

WHERE FEAR MONGERING AND A HATRED FOR OTHERS HAS BECOME THE STEADY DIET AND DIATRIBE OF MANY WHO ARE RUNNING FOR THE OFFICE LINCOLN ONCE SO NOBLY HELD;

AND WHERE “WIDOWS AND ORPHANS AND SUFFERERS OF WAR” ONCE AGAIN LIVE IN OUR MIDST IN PLACES LIKE PARIS, MALI, SYRIA, EGYPT, AMERICA, RUSSIA, AND ELSEWHERE;

ARE WE WILLING AND ABLE TO TAKE TIME TO STOP AND GIVE “THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE TO OUR BENEFICENT FATHER WHO DWELLETH IN HEAVEN”?

I HOPE SO, AND NOT JUST THIS PAST THURSDAY ON THANKSGIVING DAY, AND NOT JUST FOR THE FACT THAT OUR KIDS ARE HOME FROM COLLEGE, OR FOR A TABLE LADEN WITH FOOD, OR FOR THE FACT THAT OUR TEAM WON THE BIG GAME THAT NIGHT.

AS SOMEONE ONCE WROTE: “THANKSGIVING WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE SHUT UP IN A SINGLE DAY.”

THE APOSTLE PAUL KNEW A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT GIVING “THANKS AND PRAISE TO OUR BENEFICENT FATHER WHO DWELLETH IN HEAVEN;”

AND BEYOND THE MERE WORDS OF IT, PAUL KNEW THAT ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO SAY THANK YOU TO GOD IS BY SHARING WITH OTHERS.

ONE OF OUR COMMON PRACTICES AS BELIEVERS AND AS THE CHURCH IS TO BELIEVE THAT THE WRITINGS OF PAUL AND THE OTHER AUTHORS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT WERE WRITTEN FOR US. THEY ARE NOT!

PAUL NO MORE WROTE THESE LETTERS WE HAVE IN THE BIBLE TO YOU AND I THAN WAS YOUR POSTCARD TO YOUR DEAR AUNT ROADIE ABOUT HOW THE WEATHER IS BEAUTIFUL AND YOU WISH SHE WERE HERE, WAS MEANT FOR THE CORINTHIANS.

DON’T GET ME WRONG, THERE’S PLENTY OF THINGS FOR US TO LEARN AND FROM WHICH WE CAN BENEFIT BY READING SOMEONE ELSE’S MAIL HERE, AND THAT’S WHY WE DO IT, BUT PAUL WAS NOT WRITING TO US.

HIS WORDS, HIS IDEAS, HIS SENTIMENTS, HIS INSTRUCTIONS WERE SPECIFICALLY TO THE PEOPLE, AND TO THESE HOUSE CHURCHES TO WHICH HE WAS WRITING IN HIS OWN DAY.

AND INTERESTINGLY, ONE OF THE THINGS PAUL WROTE ABOUT MOST OFTEN WAS SENDING HIM MONEY. HE’S LIKE A COLLEGE KID AWAY FROM HOME WRITING HIS PARENTS TO SEND MORE MONEY.

IT WASN’T FOR HIM, OF COURSE; NO PAUL WAS RAISING FUNDS FOR THE CHURCH IN JERUSALEM;

AND THE SORTS OF REQUESTS WE FIND HERE IN II CORINTHIANS CAN ALSO BE FOUND IN I CORINTHIANS, AS WELL AS IN ROMANS, GALATIANS, AND ELSEWHERE.

WHAT PAUL WAS TRYING TO DO WAS TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE MOTHER CHURCH; THE FIRST CHURCH; THE CHURCH WHERE IT ALL HAD BEGUN; IN JERUSALEM.

THE FIRST CHURCH OF JERUSALEM ALSO HAPPENED TO BE A POOR CHURCH, AND WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF BEING IN A MAJOR CITY AND TRADE ROUTE LIKE ROME, GALATIA, CORINTH, ETC. IT LACKED THE FUNDS TO REMAIN OPEN AND ACTIVE AS A CONGREGATION.

SO THIS IS WHY PAUL WAS WRITING TO THE WEALTHIER CONGREGATIONS IN THE CHURCH, SO AS TO RAISE FUNDS FOR FIRST CHURCH, JERUSALEM.

MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, PAUL WAS A CLEVER FUND RAISER; HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING; AND NOT IN A DECEITFUL OR DISHONEST WAY; NO, WHAT HE WAS TELLING THESE OTHER CHURCHES WAS THE EXACT TRUTH.

IN FACT, YOU HAVE TO ADMIRE HIS HONESTY AND STRAIGHTFORWARDNESS.

“THE POINT IS THIS:” HE BEGINS OUR PASSAGE FOR THIS MORNING. YOU CAN’T GET ANY MORE DIRECT THAN THAT!

“THE POINT IS THIS: THE ONE WHO SOWS SPARINGLY WILL REAP SPARINGLY, AND THE ONE WHO SOWS BOUNTIFULLY WILL ALSO REAP BOUNTIFULLY.”

THAT’S SIMPLE MATH.

UNLESS YOU ARE A PARTICULARLY INEPT FARMER, IT JUST MAKES SENSE THAT THE MORE SEED YOU PUT IN THE GROUND, THE BIGGER THE HARVEST.

A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHEN I WAS TRAVELING WITH RON ZEMLICKA ACROSS THE FARMLANDS OF WISCONSIN, HEADED FROM MILWAUKEE TO GREEN BAY TO WATCH THE PACKERS PLAY, I LEARNED SOMETHING FROM A FRIEND OF RON’S, BUD, WHO GREW UP ON A FARM.

“SEE THOSE SILOS IN THE DISTANCE,” HE SAID, “IF THE SILOS HAVE AN AMERICAN FLAG PAINTED ON THEM; THAT MEANS THEY ARE PAID FOR.”

EVIDENTLY FARMERS BORROW MONEY TO PURCHASE THE SILOS WHICH ARE INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE; THEN PAY THEM OFF AS THEY CAN; AND WHEN THEY ARE PAID FOR IN FULL, THE SILO COMPANY ACTUALLY SENDS SOMEONE OUT TO PAINT AN AMERICAN FLAG ON THEM TO SHOW THAT THEY ARE PAID OFF.

MORE SILOS – THE BIGGER THE FARM; THE BIGGER THE FARM – THE GREATER THE HARVEST; IT IS SIMPLE MATH.

THE APOSTLE PAUL IS TELLING THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH THAT THE MORE THEY SOW, THE MORE THEY WILL REAP;

THAT THEY SHOULD TO GIVE TO THE JERUSALEM CHURCH AS THEY HAVE MADE UP THEIR MINDS, NOT RELUCTANTLY OR UNDER COMPULSION, FOR GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER;

BUT PAUL ALSO LET’S THEM KNOW THAT THERE IS SOMETHING IN IT FOR THEM AS WELL; THAT GOD WILL PROVIDE THEM WITH EVERY BLESSING SO THAT ALWAYS HAVING ENOUGH OF EVERYTHING, THEY MAY SHARE ABUNDANTLY.

PAUL GOES FURTHER, TELLING THEM THAT GOD WILL NOT ONLY MULTIPLY WHAT THEY GIVE, INCREASING THE HARVEST OF THEIR RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT THAT GOD WILL ALSO ENRICH THEM IN EVERY WAY FOR THEIR GREAT GENEROSITY;

AND WHAT’S MORE, “IT WILL PRODUCE A THANKSGIVING TO GOD THROUGH US…”

IN OTHER WORDS, PAUL SAYS, THIS IS A WIN, WIN, WIN SITUATION.

THE JERUSALEM CHURCH WINS BY BEING THE BENEFACTOR OF THEIR GIVING;

THE CORINTHIANS WILL WIN BY VIRTUE OF GOD BLESSING THEM EVEN MORE FOR THEIR GENEROSITY;

AND GOD WINS BY RECEIVING THE THANKSGIVINGS OF ALL CONCERNED.

WITHIN THIS PASSAGE AND ELSEWHERE IN THE WRITINGS OF PAUL TO THE WEALTHIER CHURCHES ASKING THEM TO SUPPORT THE POORER CHURCH OF JERUSALEM, PAUL IS VERY MATTER OF FACT ABOUT WHY ALL OF THIS IS SO IMPORTANT;

AND WHY IT ALL WORKS OUT TO BE A WIN, WIN, WIN FOR EVERYONE.

1. IT WILL ALLEVIATE THE FINANCIAL NEED AMONG THE POOR IN THE JERUSALEM CHURCH;

2. IT WILL CREATE SOME DEGREE OF FINANCIAL EQUALITY AMONG THE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS, AND IF THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH SHOULD EVER FIND ITSELF IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE, THEY CAN BE ASSURED THAT OTHERS WILL STEP UP TO HELP THEM;

3. IT WILL SERVE AS A GOAL OF UNITING THE GENTILE BELIEVERS (IN PLACES LIKE CORINTH, GALATIA, THESSALONICA, ETC.) WITH JEWISH FOLLOWERS OF JESUS IN JERUSALEM AND ELSEWHERE, STRENGTHENING THE BONDS BETWEEN THE VARIOUS CHURCHES AND ETHNICITIES;

4. AND FINALLY, IT WILL PROVIDE THE DONORS AND THE RECIPIENTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORSHIP GOD AND PRODUCE THANKSGIVING – NOT FOR THEMSELVES BUT FOR GOD WHO HAS GRACIOUSLY ENABLED THEIR GENEROSITY.

IT’S A WIN, WIN, WIN.

NOW WE COULD TURN THIS SERMON INTO A STEWARDSHIP SERMON ABOUT HOW ALL OF THIS WOULD BE TRUE FOR US AS WELL, IF WE WERE TO FOLLOW THIS MODEL OF GIVING:

GIVING GENEROUSLY; GIVING CHEERFULLY; GIVING THANKFULLY;

BUT THAT IS NOT OUR PURPOSE HERE THIS MORNING.

INSTEAD, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE THANKS-GOD-GIVING.

WHAT I HOPE WE’VE SEEN IN ALL OF THIS IS HOW GOD IS AT THE CENTER OF BOTH OUR GIVING AND OUR RECEIVING, AS WELL AS AT THE CENTER OUR THANKS.

WE THANK GOD FOR GIVING TO US;

WE THANK GOD FOR ENABLING US TO GIVE TO OTHERS;

AND WITH OUR GIVING, WE PRODUCE THANKSGIVING TO GOD ON THE PART OF BOTH THE GIVER (OURSELVES) AND THE RECEIVER.

IT IS A WIN, WIN, WIN FOR US AS WELL.

RELIGIOUS AUTHOR NANCY GIBBS TELLS THIS STORY OF ONE OF HER FAVORITE THANKSGIVINGS:

“ARE YOU GOING GROCERY SHOPPING TODAY?” MY HUSBAND, ROY ASKED WHEN I PICKED UP THE TELEPHONE.  “I PLAN TO,” I ANSWERED.
THANKSGIVING WAS ONLY A COUPLE DAYS AWAY.  EVERYONE IN OUR FAMILY WOULD BE COMING TO OUR HOUSE.  MY FUNDS WERE LIMITED, THEREFORE MY BOX OF COUPONS AWAITED ME IN THE CAR.  I KNEW I HAD TO BE CREATIVE IN MY SHOPPING THAT DAY.  I HAD TO STRETCH EVERY DOLLAR. FOR A FEW SECONDS, ROY SAT SILENTLY ON THE OTHER END OF THE LINE. “WHY DO YOU ASK?” I UTTERED, FEARING WHAT HE MIGHT SAY. “NANCY, THERE’S A FAMILY WITH A HALF DOZEN KIDS THAT WILL NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO EAT FOR THANKSGIVING.  THE LITTLE ONE IS ONLY FIVE-YEARS-OLD.” “SO WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?” I WHISPERED.
“WHILE YOU’RE AT THE STORE COULD YOU POSSIBLY BUY SOMETHING FOR THEM?”  ROY’S WORDS ECHOED IN MY HEART.  GROCERIES, A FIVE-YEAR-OLD, EIGHT IN THE FAMILY, MY HEAD BEGAN TO SPIN THINKING ABOUT THE FIFTY DOLLARS I HAD RESERVED FOR OUR FAMILY’S THANKSGIVING DINNER. IN THE BACK OF MY MIND I COUNTED THE HUNGRY GUESTS WHO WOULD BE COMING TO OUR HOUSE FOR DINNER.  I PUT MY HEAD DOWN ON MY DESK, ALREADY FEELING DEFEATED. THERE’S NO WAY POSSIBLE, I THOUGHT.  BUT THE COMPASSION I HEARD IN MY HUSBAND’S VOICE STRUCK A NERVE INSIDE ME. “SURE,” I REPLIED.  “BUT ONLY IF GOD HELPS.” “THANKS, SWEETHEART,” ROY WHISPERED.  “JUST DO WHAT YOU CAN.” HE THEN HUNG UP THE TELEPHONE.  I FINISHED MY WORK AND PRAYED ALL THE WAY TO THE NEAREST GROCERY STORE. I ENTERED THE PARKING LOT.  I NOTICED A BIG SIGN IN THE GROCERY STORE WINDOW:  TURKEYS – 29 CENTS A POUND.  “THIS IS THE PLACE, LORD” I WHISPERED.  I GRABBED MY BOX OF COUPONS, WENT INSIDE, SECURED TWO BUGGIES, AND HEADED TO THE FROZEN FOODS.  THE TURKEYS WERE INDEED ON SALE, BUT I DISCOVERED ONE BIG PROBLEM.  WHEN I READ THE SIGN POSTED ON THE FREEZER DOOR MY HEART SANK.  “LIMIT ONE.” “BUT I NEED TWO,” I UTTERED TO MYSELF.  I DECIDED TO FIND THE MANAGER.  I EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM.  HE MADE AN EXCEPTION. AFTER TOSSING A TURKEY IN EACH BUGGY, I BEGAN MY SHOPPING FURY.

IT WAS AMAZING HOW MANY BUY-ONE, GET-ONE FREE ITEMS WERE BEING FEATURED THAT DAY.  THE FIRST ITEM WENT INTO ONE BUGGY.  THE FREE ITEM WENT IN THE OTHER.

IN ADDITION, I HAD ALL THE RIGHT COUPONS TO GET EXACTLY WHAT BOTH FAMILIES NEEDED FOR A HEARTY THANKSGIVING DINNER.

I PROCEEDED TO THE REGISTER AND HELD MY BREATH WHILE THE CASHIER RANG UP MY GROCERIES. TO MY SURPRISE, I HAD ENOUGH MONEY.  I WAS EVEN ABLE TO PURCHASE A PACKAGE OF COOKIES FOR THE FIVE-YEAR-OLD WHO HAD STOLEN MY HEART, EVEN THOUGH I HAD NEVER MET HER. LATER THAT AFTERNOON, ROY AND I MADE A SPECIAL DELIVERY TO A HOME FILLED WITH CHILDREN OF ALL AGES.  I WILL NEVER FORGET THE SMILES ON THE SIX KIDS’ FACES, AS THEY MADE SEVERAL TRIPS FROM MY CAR CARRYING NUMEROUS BAGS OF GROCERIES INSIDE. THIS EVENT REMINDED ME OF A STORY.  EVEN THOUGH HE ONLY HAD A FEW LOAVES AND FISHES, JESUS MULTIPLIED THEM AND FED FIVE THOUSAND PEOPLE.  AND TO TOP IT OFF, THERE WAS FOOD LEFT OVER.

I WONDERED IF GOD WAS DOING THE SAME THING THAT DAY. BY FAR, THAT WAS THE GREATEST THANKSGIVING DAY OF MY LIFE.  MY ENTIRE FAMILY SHARED A HEARTY MEAL WITH US.  WE HAD PLENTY TO EAT. WE EVEN HAD ENOUGH FOOD LEFT OVER FOR THE EVENING MEAL. THAT AFTERNOON, WHEN I HAD TIME TO THINK ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED, I IMAGINED A HOME, NOT FAR FROM WHERE I LIVED.

THERE WAS A MOTHER AND A FATHER AND SIX CHILDREN SITTING AROUND THE KITCHEN TABLE, LAUGHING AND REJOICING.  THEY ENJOYED THE SAME MEAL THAT OUR FAMILY HAD SHARED TOGETHER THAT DAY. THEN I REALIZED THAT MIRACLES HAPPEN WHEN WE STEP OUT IN FAITH,

AND IN STEPS GOD.

WITH US, SOME THINGS ARE IMPOSSIBLE.  BUT WITH GOD, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.”

IT’S WHAT WE CALL A WIN, WIN, WIN SITUATION.