Give yourself to the Lord

Sermon Transcript

INTRODUCTION (Reach Graphic on Screen)

I have this repeated experience in the fall. I’m standing in my backyard looking at a sea of leaves, wondering how I could have ever let it go this far. Actually, I know exactly how I let it go this far. Being a pastor, having little children, and keeping up on home projects don’t tend to mix well. The leaves get the back burner – thank God for Andrea. So I’m standing there taking on faith that I actually do have grass under the leaf ocean, knowing exactly how it got this far, and what I am really wondering is, “where do I start?” Where do I start? You may be asking yourself the same question. If you’re somewhat new to Citylight, over the past two weeks we’ve been immersing ourselves in what God’s word has to say about everything that we have (time, treasure, and talent), so that we can steward it all for God’s glory, the advance of the gospel of Jesus, and our joy in it. God’s word has invited us to joyfully join Jesus’ cause by making an eternal impact with our Masters money. And at this point you may be wondering, where do I start? You’re all in. The Master has entrusted you with his money, and you want to generously give it away for the sake of the advance of the gospel through your local church. But how do you budget, how do you decide exactly how sacrificial to be, and work out the details of making an eternal impact with the Master’s resources? Where do I start?

In 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, the Apostle Paul details the outlandish generosity of a particular church and at the end of the passage he tells us where they began: 2 Corinthians 8:5 – …and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Now, let’s be crystal clear. Paul is not saying that they gave their money first to the Lord. That’s a biblical concept, giving our first fruits, giving out of our gross, not our net income. But that’s not what Paul is talking about here. He’s not saying that they gave their money first to the Lord. He’s saying that they gave themselves first to the Lord, and everything else flowed from there. Where do we start? Big idea: Give yourself first to the Lord. Don’t start with budgeting, financial planning, spreadsheets, or giving plans. Give yourself first to the Lord. Why is that where we begin? 1. Others already have. 2. He will lead you to joyful generosity.

OTHERS ALREADY HAVE

As we step into 2 Corinthians 8-9, some historical background is helpful. In the earliest days of the Christian movement, few followers of Jesus suffered more than the Jewish-Christians in Jerusalem. Whatever the details of their suffering, financial destitution was part of the story. And since Christians consider one another family, the Apostle Paul took it upon himself to raise a significant financial collection from churches outside of Jerusalem, Gentile churches, to relieve the suffering of the saints in Jerusalem. And as important as this collection was for the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, there was even more significance to the collection than meets the eye. It’s likely that the Apostle Paul also saw this collection for the poor Jewish-Christians in Jerusalem as a partial fulfillment of the promises in the OT prophets that the Gentile nations would one day bring their wealth into Jerusalem. And this very important financial collection is the topic being addressed in and the background behind 2 Corinthians 8-9, the chapters we’ll be exploring over the next four weeks. In 2 Corinthians 8-9 Paul is writing to inspire the Corinthian Church to give themselves first to the Lord and then to their fellow Christians in a wealth of generosity because, first of all, others already have. Who are these others?

2 Corinthians 8:1 – We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia… Paul wants to inspire the Corinthians to give themselves first to the Lord because the Macedonian churches in modern-day Greece already have. Circle the word “grace” in your Reach workbook. “Grace” is a very important word that is used ten times in 2 Corinthians 8-9. In 2 Corinthians 8:1, “grace” refers to the Macedonian’s financial generosity. Paul considers financial generosity among Christians to be grace, a gift from God. Commenting on this verse, scholar David Garland writes, “When people are spontaneously generous toward others, Paul takes it as clear evidence that God’s grace is at work in and through them.” Theologian Nils Dahl calls the gift of money, “a visible sign of an invisible grace.”

It’s God’s grace, not Paul’s arm twisting that has produced the Macedonians’ overwhelming generosity. Citylight – I see God’s grace in your generosity as well. Throughout Citylight’s history, we’ve never missed budget. During the early days of the pandemic when we needed money to provide for the needs of our neighbors, you freely gave $100k in one month to meet those needs. At the end of 2021, we asked you to give $100k to help Citylight toward a long-term facility and you gave $200k. I see God’s grace in your giving and, frankly, that relieves temptation for me as your primary preaching pastor. I genuinely feel no temptation to turn this sermon series into a six-week financial ask with Bible sprinkled on. Instead we simply get to soak in God’s word and presence throughout the Reach series, and watch his grace at work as we make our Reach commitments on March 6.

Paul sees God’s grace in the Macedonian church’s generosity and he wants to inspire the Corinthian Church, and Citylight Church, by their example. Give yourself first to the Lord because others, like the Macedonians have. So, let’s look closer at the inspiring grace that was at work in churches of Macedonia. 2 Corinthians 8:1-2 – We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. The Macedonians’ generosity flowed not from their wealth, but their poverty. I love that. As theologian and professor Issiaka Coulibaly, The alacrity with which these churches gave confirms that those who are most faithful in the support of God’s work are not necessarily those who are rich in the eyes of the world. In fact, if we wait until we are wealthy to give generously, we’ll probably never consider ourselves wealthy enough. The Macedonian churches were red beans and rice poor, they were ramen noodles poor (not restaurant Ramen!), they were living on student-loans-poor, but still overflowed with a wealth of generosity. What is most beautiful about the Macedonian example is not the amount of their giving, but the attitude that drove their generosity. By God’s grace, when their abundance of joy was poured in with their extreme poverty, they overflowed in a wealth of generosity. In the New Testament, joy has very little correlation with outward circumstances. Their joy in the Lord + affliction + poverty = wealth of generosity. That’s inspiring!

Give yourself first to the Lord, first, because others have. This brings me to a question: Whose grace-driven generosity can inspire you to give yourself first to the Lord?

I’ll tell you about a couple people who inspire me. I have a friend who makes less money than I do. Every year he and his wife do their best to increase the % of their income that they give to the Lord. For some reason knowing that they make less money than us is especially inspiring because I know their giving is not wealth-driven. They gave themselves first to the Lord and it makes me want to give myself first to the Lord too because they have. They’re inspiring. I have another friend who probably could be wealthy. However, he and his wife have decided that they’re going to give 20% of their pre-tax income to the Lord. This commitment alters their life and their generosity really inspires me. These couples are like the Macedonians to me. There was once a generous person who inspired the Lord Jesus, but only gave a penny. We read about it in Luke 21:1-4 – Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. 3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Generosity is a heart posture and generous giving honors the Lord. We all need examples like that. Give yourself first to the Lord because others already have. Who are the “others” that will inspire you? Gentle challenge: Maybe if we talk a little more openly to one another in our Citygroups about our generosity commitments, we can inspire one another. Until then, be inspired by the Macedonians. Give yourself first to the Lord because others have.

HE WILL LEAD YOU TO JOYFUL GENEROSITY

I want us to discover together some of the key characteristics of the Madeonians generosity. We’ve covered some of this already, but I think it will really help us to see it all laid out before our eyes. We’ve already seen the illogical equation of their generosity. Affliction + poverty + joy = wealth of generosity. So, the first characteristic of their generosity is that it’s illogical, in the best sense of the word. Let’s keep reading beyond the wonderfully illogical equation. 2 Corinthians 8:3 – For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord… Let’s pause there for a moment. We see in these verses two more inspiring characteristics of their generosity. The first is that their generosity was beyond what would typically be thought of as wise or logical. Their giving would have made any financial advisor worth their salt blush, and the Lord loved it so much that their example is preserved in Holy Scripture. These poor Macedonians gave beyond their means, beyond what makes sense. I love that. As a Christian, I want some stuff in my life that only makes sense if Jesus really is ruling and reigning and makes no sense if he’s not. If everything we do with our money adds up in the eyes of wise financial planning, the world has every right to wonder if we’ve given ourselves first to the Lord. In a world addicted to living beyond its means, it’s so inspiring to see that the Macedonians gave beyond their means and were commended for it. The next characteristic of their giving is that it’s of their own accord. In other words, they were not compelled to give. No one manipulated or bullied them into it. Compelled giving is about as honoring to God as compelled flowers are honoring to a woman. Gentlemen, how do you think it will make your wife or girlfriend feel if when you buy her flowers and she thanks you, you respond by saying, “don’t mention, I had to”? She won’t feel good. She will feel like there is nothing in her so beautiful that it inspires you to buy her flowers. You just had to. That’s what manipulated giving is like to God. Now, your wife may prefer compelled flowers over no flowers, and that may apply to giving too, but giving of our own accord, cheerful giving is what glorifies God. Let’s look at two more characteristics of their giving. 2 Corinthians 8:4-5a…begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected… The next characteristic of their giving is that they saw their giving as a gift, to themselves. You can imagine that Paul might have been a little apprehensive about such impoverished churches giving their meager money to his collection. But the Macedonian churches would not be denied. They begged Paul for the favor of getting to give. “Favor” is the same Greek word as “grace.” They didn’t see giving as a burden, but as a gift. They begged for the gift of getting to give. The final characteristic of their giving is that it was unexpected. Paul was blown away by their joyful, willing, eager, illogical generosity.

Now, I want to show you Paul’s explanation for the Macedonians’ illogical (remember the equation), joyful, beyond their means, willing, earnestly desirous, and unexpected giving. I want to show you where it all began. I want to show you where joyful, illogical generosity begins. 2 Corinthians 8:5 – and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Everything we see that stuns us about the Macedonians generosity didn’t begin with money. It didn’t begin with wise financial planning, a windfall of wealth, a promotion at work, a successful business, pastoral encouragement, or even embracing God’s perspective on their money. All of those things are wonderful, but that is not where a wealth of generosity begins. It begins in the heart. It begins when we give ourselves, our very hearts, first to the Lord.

Has anyone ever asked you what the best day of your life was? As cliche as it may sound, I believe that mine was my wedding day. I still can’t believe she married me. I’m so complicated, she’s so wonderful, and I’m light years better than I was back then. What’s so powerful about marriage is that it’s two people giving themselves completely to one another. I gave everything I am to Andrea that day. The Bible says that we became one. As Ray Ortlund says, Two selfish “me’s” learning to live as one unified “us” for one life long. We’ve been growing into oneness and giving ourselves to each other ever since. Marriage is a totally unique human relationship. Every other relationship has boundaries, but not marriage. Andrea and I have given ourselves fully to one another. Of course, everything that’s mine is hers and vice versa. Of course, I provide for her. Giving my time, treasure, and talent to her simply flows from the reality that I gave myself first to her. That’s what it’s like with the Lord. We give ourselves, everything we are, no boundaries or exceptions, first to Him. Of course, a wealth of generosity flows from there.

Citylight, over these next few weeks of Reach, my most important prayer for you is that you’ll give yourself first to the Lord. And to be totally transparent with you, I have some fears about that. We’re looking at what the Master says about money and money is a touchy topic. And I’m honestly afraid. I’m afraid that you might be triggered by the topic of money and miss out on what God wants to do in you through his word in this season. I’m afraid that you’ll miss out on giving yourself first to the Lord. Give yourself to Him. Others have, let that inspire you. It will lead to a free, joyful, illogical generosity. Look forward to that. But the ultimate reason I pray that you give yourself first to the Lord is that he is lovelier than any bride or groom, and he’s given himself first to you. He’s given himself first to you, completely. Before the foundation of the world, he predestined to give himself first to you. When you were running as hard as you could away from Him, He left an embarrassment of riches in Heaven to give himself first to you. When you failed to do and be what God requires in his word, he obeyed and succeeded in every place we failed to give himself first to you. When you owned an infinite debt for your sins, he paid it all on the cross to give himself first to you. When you were dead in your trespasses and sins, he died to give himself to you. When you were without hope and without God in the world, he rose from the grave to give himself first to you. When your sins accuse you and feel full of shame and completely unclean, he lives to intercede and give himself first to you. Citylight – give yourself first to the Lord because the Lord who is good, great, and glorious has given himself first to you to save you from your sins and make you his own forever. Give yourself first to the Lord.