2 Corinthians 8 - Calvary Chapel of Roswell

Sowing the Word
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2 Corinthians 8
September 17 - September 23, 2015
So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God;
and they gave the sense, and
helped them to understand the reading.
(Nehemiah 8:8)
Table of Contents
Outline…………..…………………………………..2
Study Questions.…………….…………………..3-4
With the Word Commentary………………………5
Matthew Henry……….………………………….6-7
Ray Stedman………………………………………8
Online Helpful Sources:
Precept Austin - Amazing Online Resource with many
commentaries and helps: Including David Guizik,
Chuck Smith, John MacArther, Ray Stedman
CH Spurgeon, John Piper and many more!
http://preceptaustin.org/2 Corinthians_commentaries.htm
You Version - with multiple translations
You can get this online or with a moble device.
They even have audio files you can listen to of the Bible
http://www.youversion.com/
Calvary Roswell - Previous messages and overview studies
by Pastor Jim
http://www.calvaryroswell.com/biblestudies/
WednesdayBibleStudies/2 Corinthians/Index.htm
Outline
I.
Ministry Explained (1-5)
A. Power and place of Comfort (1)
B. Sorrowing, but not despairing (2)
C. Sufficiency in God (3)
D. Earthen vessels with heavenly destinies (4)
E. Living in light of standing before Christ (5)
II.
Exhortation to the Church (6-9)
A. Paul’s ministry examined (6:1-3)
B. Paul encourages separation from sin (6:14-7:1)
C. Paul requests reconciliation in the Lord (7:2-16)
D. Paul asks for cooperation in the offering (8-9)
III.
Ministries Reality (10-13)
A. A Spiritual War (10)
B. A Spiritual Family (11)
C. A Fool for Christ (12)
D. A Loving Care (13)
Study Questions
Questions
Study
for
for
1 Kings 15
2 Corinthians 8
1. What was the quality of the giving of the Macedonian churches? What
was their attitude toward giving? Besides an offering, what did the
Macedonian church give?
2. In addition to the gifts of the spirit, what else did Paul want the
Corinthian church to abound in? What would this be recognized as? In
what ways can we show others Christian love?
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3. Who set the greatest example of giving? How was that shown?
What is the result of that act of love? What must we do in order to
receive that gift?
4. What is the “equality factor” in giving? Why did Paul intentionally
not handle the money himself? What did Paul encourage the
Corinthian church to prove?
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With the Word Bible Commentary
2 CORINTHIANS 8–9
Chapters 8–9 focus on the offering Paul was taking for the
needy believers in Judea. The Corinthian church had
agreed to share in the collection but had been remiss in
doing so. Paul reminded them of their promise and at the
same time explained some principles of Christian giving.
It begins with surrender to the Lord (8:1–7). You
cannot give your substance until you first give yourself (v. 5;
Rom. 12:1–2). When you belong to the Lord, you start
looking for opportunities to give instead of excuses not to
give.
It is motivated by grace (8:8–9). Jesus was rich in
heaven but became poor on earth (even to death on a
cross!) that we might share His eternal riches. It was all by
grace because giving is a grace. Law commands, but grace
consents and does so joyfully.
It requires faith (8:10–15). The example of the manna
(Exod. 16) shows that God always provides what we need.
Paul also used the image of sowing to encourage generous
giving (9:6). God’s promises can be trusted.
It also requires faithfulness (8:16–24). Those who
handle the Lord’s money should be dedicated and faithful,
making certain that everything is honest and honorable.
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“For the Macedonian Christians, giving was not a chore but a
challenge, not a burden but a blessing. Giving was not
something to be avoided but a privilege to be desired.”
George Sweeting
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Wiersbe, W. W. (1991). With the Word Bible Commentary (2
Co 8:1). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
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Matthew Henry
The reason for sending Titus to collect their alms. (1-5) The
Corinthians to be liberal and cheerful, The apostle thanks God for his
unspeakable gift. (6-15)
Verses 1-5 When we would have others do good, we must act toward
them prudently and tenderly, and give them time. Christians should
consider what is for the credit of their profession, and endeavour to
adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour in all things. The duty of
ministering to the saints is so plain, that there would seem no need to
exhort Christians to it; yet self-love contends so powerfully against the
love of Christ, that it is often necessary to stir up their minds by way of
remembrance.
Verses 6-15 Money bestowed in charity, may to the carnal mind seem
thrown away, but when given from proper principles, it is seed sown,
from which a valuable increase may be expected. It should be given
carefully. Works of charity, like other good works, should be done with
thought and design. Due thought, as to our circumstances, and those
we are about to relieve, will direct our gifts for charitable uses. Help
should be given freely, be it more or less; not grudgingly, but
cheerfully. While some scatter, and yet increase; others withhold more
than is meet, and it tends to poverty. If we had more faith and love, we
should waste less on ourselves, and sow more in hope of a plentiful
increase. Can a man lose by doing that with which God is pleased?
He is able to make all grace abound towards us, and to abound in us;
to give a large increase of spiritual and of temporal good things. He
can make us to have enough in all things; and to be content with what
we have.
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God gives not only enough for ourselves, but that also wherewith we
may supply the wants of others, and this should be as seed to be sown.
We must show the reality of our subjection to the gospel, by works of
charity. This will be for the credit of our profession, and to the praise and
glory of God. Let us endeavour to copy the example of Christ, being
unwearied in doing good, and deeming it more blessed to give than to
receive. Blessed be God for the unspeakable gift of his grace, whereby
he enables and inclines some of his people to bestow upon others, and
others to be grateful for it; and blessed be his glorious name to all
eternity, for Jesus Christ, that inestimable gift of his love, through whom
this and every other good thing, pertaining to life and godliness, are
freely given unto us, beyond all expression, measure, or bounds.
Henry M. (1994) Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible
(Concise)
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Ray Stedman
Chapters 8 and 9 of Second Corinthians are all about Christian giving -- not
tight-fisted, miserly, grudging giving, or wild, spendthrift, careless giving, but
true, generous, gracious, abundant, what Paul calls "hilarious" giving. The
amazing thing is that Paul does this all in two chapters without once
mentioning money! So we are not going to talk about money, but we are
going to talk about giving. He begins Chapter 8 with an example of giving
he ran into when he was in Macedonia. The background is the great famine
that struck in the land of Palestine (reported also in First Corinthians), in
which many people were deprived of their livelihood. There was a great
drought, much as we had in California a few years ago, resulting in a
famine in which many of the Christians of Jerusalem suffered because they
did not have enough to eat. When word of this came to Paul, he determined
to enlist the aid of all the Gentile churches for the relief of Jewish
Christians. He thought it would be a marvelous way of expressing the
oneness of the body of Christ and the breaking down of the middle wall of
partition between the Jews and the Gentiles, so, wherever he went, he told
them about the need in Jerusalem. When he mentioned it to these
Macedonian churches (the churches of Philippi and Thessalonica and
Berea), the response was tremendous, and he was greatly encouraged, as
he tells the Corinthians. Never once in the epistles do you ever read of
Christians being asked to tithe. A lot of Christians today are taught to tithe,
but I am always sorry to hear that, because that is not New Testament
teaching. The tithe was a tax levied upon people for the purpose of
supporting a priesthood, a separate body of people who did religious
things. When you come into the New Testament you find the priesthood
has, in a sense, been eliminated. Now every Christian is a priest. We are a
royal kingdom of priests, the epistles tell us, and there is no special
collection or tax to support it. It is laid upon us to give voluntarily, as our
hearts are stirred and moved by the grace of God. That is what these
Macedonians did. They understood that once you have given yourself it is
easy to give anything else.
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