2 Corinthians 8:1-24 Abundant Grace
Two Stories – Scarcity and Abundance
I want to tell you two stories this morning. Both about being stranded on a deserted island.
Lord of the Flies by William Golding tells the story of a bunch of boys who during a wartime evacuation flight, crash land on a remote island in the Pacific.
What unfolds in the novel is a story of humanity at its most raw. Through the story we see the boys try and govern themselves and work out the tension between the individual and the group, the impulse to survive vs the care of each other.
Things go awry very quickly and the story degenerates into rivalry, suspicion, and brutality. The boys kill one another, and anarchy ensues. Lord of the Flies is an extended allegory on politics and social organization. It highlights the worst that people are capable of.
It points out that when resources are scarce people can do some terrible things.
There is another story about stranded boys on an island, not from a novel but one that really happened. It’s been told in a recent book by Rutger Bregman, a Dutch historian.[1]
One day in 1966 six boys went out from Tonga on an expedition. They were at a strict boarding school together, and bored out of their wits they decided that they would go on an adventure.
The boys stole a local fishing boat, they got caught in a storm and end up stranded on an island all on their own.
What happens next is vastly different to the Lord of the Flies story. The boys spent 15 months on the island. Given up for dead back home, funerals were held for them. Yet they survived. By the time their rescuers passed by and picked them up, in the form of a fishing fleet, the boys were storing rainwater in a hollowed out tree, they had found chickens on the island and had them in pens. They had discovered taro and bananas and they were flourishing. One boy broke his leg at one point and the others nursed him back to health.
Early on the boys had made a pact never to quarrel and they looked out for each other.
Two stories on a desert island – one goes horribly wrong, the other tells as story of cooperation and care.
For me, these two stories highlight the great contradiction in us as humans. We are as the Bible teaches, made in “God’s image.” Psalm 8 tells us humans are “crowned with glory and honour.” We are capable of great good and of love and given great responsibility to steward and care for the resources of this world.
At the same time, we are capable of great evil. The “Lord of the Flies” although fiction captures the sense of much of our history. We fight and compete; we hoard stockpiles while some starve. There is vast inequality in our world. We are capable of greed and selfishness too.
This contradiction in our nature has been clear over the past year…
We have seen the survival impulse in humanity at its worst with people hoarding toilet paper and stock-piling food in the face of pandemic.
However, in these moments of hardship it’s not always like this. These moments are also moments where we see the best in people.
We have seen people sharing food, checking in on others and cooperating, showing compassion.
It seems that when it comes to our stuff, our money and our resources we can come view things from two different places – from either a mentality of scarcity on one hand (i.e, there is never enough to go around), or abundance on the other (God has provided more than enough).
In today’s reading from 2 Corinthians this issue crops up. This week and next week we will explore the theme of generosity. Today we will look at chapter 8 and next week chapter 9 of 2 Corinthians.
It’s purely coincidental by the way that we are talking about generosity on Father’s Day. Just in case any of you thought there was a hidden agenda here! Though of course I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt…
So, we’ve been exploring Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. One of the big themes at the heart of this letter is how God’s love is expressed through the suffering and the death of Jesus on the cross. God’s love expressed in this way changes everything.
Paul in chapters 8 and 9 highlights what a response of worship looks like. It’s not just about prayer or about singing songs, it is about a life turned inside out – focused on God and our neighbour.
So, let’s dive in. Turn with me in your Bible’s to 2 Corinthians chapter 8.
Before we get into the passage, just a note about the context.
One of Paul’s big projects, considered by some as one of his greatest missionary achievements was the collection he raised for the church in Jerusalem.
The church in Jerusalem was extremely poor and plagued by famine and persecution. So, over a five year period Paul organized relief for them from churches all around such as Achaiam, Asia, Galatia, and as we hear today Macedonia.
Paul’s motivation for this was to care for the poor Christians in Jerusalem and it would also make sense that Paul also sought to build the divide between the Jewish Christians and the non-Jewish (Gentile) Christians, as this was part of his commitment and calling from Jesus.
And so, Paul appeals to the Corinthians to get involved in this big collection he is doing. He wants them to do something that is much bigger than themselves. Paul invites them to respond in worship to what God is doing by living lives of generosity.
Paul begins by giving them an example to aspire to.
(v1-5) The EXAMPLE OF MACEDONIA
8 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 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. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.
Paul uses the Macedonians as an object lesson.
The Macedonians were poor in comparison to Corinth. Macedonia wasn’t itself a poor region, but likely the Macedonian Christians were poor because they had been persecuted for their faith.
Yet even though they are poor, they give out of their abundant joy.
It seems that initially Paul hadn’t even considered asking the Macedonian’s to help with the collection for Jerusalem, yet they beg Paul to get in on it. Paul considered their poverty and wanted to let them off the hook, but they wouldn’t have it.
There is certainly a lesson here about not saying no for people and the joy in being able to contribute from whatever we have.
There is a great word we find in this section. Paul speaks in verse two of an “overflowing” generosity. This verb is used several times by Paul here in chapters 8 and 9. It is translated as “overflowing” or “abounding” and has a sense of having more than enough.
Like when you go to a party and there is a table laden with food, or you fill a cup full of lots of fizzy so it pours over the sides – there is plenty.
The Corinthians in contrast with the Macedonians were very wealthy, yet it seems they were lacking in the spiritual wealth the Macedonians so readily drew on. Paul knows this and so presses on.
Considering the overflowing generosity of the Macedonians, Paul urges the Corinthians to be generous too.
6 Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 7 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. 8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine.
Paul acknowledges the areas in which the Corinthians are strong. He refers to faith, speech, and knowledge particularly. In the first letter to the Corinthians we read that these spiritual gifts characterized the Corinthian church. They were very spiritual people. They are now invited by Paul to put their money where their mouth is.
Paul knows that there aren’t hard and fast rules about what this looks like. In his writings, Paul distinguishes between commands and his encouragement or appeals – When Paul talks about commands, he is usually quoting those teachings which are directly from Jesus (like love God and love your neighbour).
Here Paul is simply encouraging the Corinthians to join in on his project of caring for the poor Christians in Jerusalem.
Why should they do this? We find the heart of the matter in the next verse.
Paul points out that JESUS IS THE SUPREME GIFT at the heart of the Christian faith and the core out of which we give…
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
Here we see some of Paul’s theology at its best in this clear description of who Jesus is and what Jesus has done.
Paul refers to Jesus being rich and for our sakes becoming poor.
This refers to the incarnation of Jesus.
Paul points to the pre-existence of Jesus, the eternal son of God who lived the life of heaven and gave this up to dwell with us, to live amongst us and to end his life in “the absolute naked poverty of crucifixion.”[2]
This calls to mind another letter written by Paul. In Philippians 2, Paul writes:
5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7 but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form,
8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross.
(Philippians 2:5-8)
Reflecting on this theme, Gregory of Nazianzus, a 4th century Bishop said: “Christ was made poor that we through His poverty might be rich. He took the form of a servant that we might regain liberty. He descended that we might be exalted. He was tempted that we might overcome. He was despised that He might fill us with glory. He died that we might be saved.”[3]
This message is at the very heart of Christianity – JESUS IS GOD’S ULTIMATE GIFT GIVEN FREELY AND IN LOVE FOR US.
God’s gracious initiative then invites us to respond in worship, and as Paul makes clear with a life of generosity and gift giving toward others.
It’s clear that Paul sees the giving of Christians as a tangible and very real sign of God’s grace in the world.
And so Paul continues…
(v10-11) FINISH THE GOOD WORK
10 And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have.
Paul invites the Corinthians to finish the work that they have started.
The work had perhaps broken down because of the broken relationship with Paul, but now that things are on the mend Paul invites the Corinthians to keep up their work.
He invites the Corinthians to give readily.
(v12-15) SHARE WHAT YOU HAVE
12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15 As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”
What we see in Paul’s words is an encouragement to give what one has. We don’t see him give any rules. The New Testament tends toward a principle of giving what you have in a loving and sacrificial way, not a rule like a tithe.
Paul is cultivating a culture of generosity, a tendency toward generosity and overflowing love in the church. Paul wants to move the Corinthians hearts.
We might think of the story in Mark chapter 12 that Jesus tells of a poor widow who gave only a small amount but much of what she had.
In verse 15 we see another principle too. Paul also refers to the story of the Exodus when God provided the people with food in the desert. They weren’t to hoard it, but rather to share it and trust God day by day.
Verse 16-24 of todays passage go on to point out some practical matters where Paul commends Titus, the messenger and co-worker of Paul who is doing the collecting on his behalf.
So, in sum, what we see in chapter 8 is Paul developing practical and theological reasons for generosity and a culture of abundance in the church.
What might this mean for us?
I believe that this passage invites us to think big when it comes to church. It invites us to collaborate and to share. It invites us out of a mentality of scarcity and fear and into one of abundance and trust.
In our world right now many are struggling, and we will continue to see the effects of COVID on business. Now is a time as churches where we are invited to step up and out with our generosity and our care toward one another.
Not only this, but we also face the issue of wealth inequality in NZ.[4]
In an article just a few days ago in the Guardian we hear these statistics:
“The typical (median) person in the 1% is worth $6.2m. In contrast, the typical New Zealander is worth only $92,000 – 68 times less.
Among those in the poorest half of the country, the average person owns assets worth just $46,000 and has debts of $33,000, leaving them with a net worth of $12,000. They have negligible wealth in trusts and on average just $4,000 in the bank, leaving them vulnerable to sudden financial shocks.”
This is the reality we face.
Paul is talking about the churches sharing among one another, yet it’s worth us thinking about the wider implications of this teaching for our world.
Let’s finish where we started, with the two stories at the beginning. Two lots of boys stranded on an island. One lot cooperated and cared, the other lot competed and self-destructed.
Both postures are open to each of us – competition or cooperation, hoarding and selfishness or generosity and open handedness.
Paul’s vision for the Christian community is that they become a generous hearted and other focused community caring for the least and the last amongst them.
This is for Paul, always grounded in the greatest gift ever given – the gift of Jesus himself.
As we worship Him today, may we like the Corinthians hear the challenge that the joyful Macedonians present to us with their wholehearted generosity and worship.
Amen.
[1] https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/may/09/the-real-lord-of-the-flies-what-happened-when-six-boys-were-shipwrecked-for-15-months. Rutger Bregman’s book is titled “Humankind: A Hopeful History.”
[2] C.K. Barrett “Black’s New Testament Commentary: 2 Corinthians”
[3] Gregory of Nazanius quoted in: David E. Garland “THE NEW AMERICAN COMMENTARY Volume 29 2 Corinthians.”
[4] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/31/new-zealands-astounding-wealth-gap-challenges-our-fair-go-identity