GRACE ABOUNDING FOR EVERY GOOD WORK 2 Cor 9:1-15

Sermon by Goh Say Hong: Snippet:

Giving is the litmus test of our living. As we give, we gain some measurement of the quality of our spiritual lives.

2 Cor 8:9 (Message Version) Definition of Grace : "You are familiar with the generosity of our Master, Jesus Christ. Rich as he was, he gave it all away for us—in one stroke he became poor and we became rich. " (cf. v 15: the indescribable gift).

The dilemma: we want to be known as generous yet we do not always want to be generous.

The context: Paul was urging the Corinthians not to be outdone by their fellow believers at Macedonia who were newer in the faith. He praised one church to the other and spread the contagious enthusiasm of the believers at Macedonia.

Principles of Giving:

1. v6-8 We will harvest in proportion to our giving. Paul gives the analogy of planting seeds. Giving begins with individuals and no one is exempt from this practice of generosity, see v 7 "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give." It is a deliberate and thoughtful decision, not impulsive, only acting when it appeals to one's emotions. To be able to give bountifully and cheerfully is a reflection of the measure of God's likeness in us.
2. v 8 "And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." This is a staggering promise for us and our family. This grace does not remove poverty (as in the case of the Macedonians), Cf. Eph 2:10 these works have been ordained by God for his glory and He will give grace for us to accomplish them. The question is whether God will have all the resources? Will you give generously from what you have to accomplish these works?
3. v10-11 There is a reciprocity that happens in giving: God will enrich you! "he will increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹ You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion." The grace he gives will go beyond dollars and cents: joy in the midst of storm, peace beyond understanding etc.

v12-15 Giving glorifies God because it awakens a wonderful response in the people to whom we give. From the personal obedience of each believer in Corinth, the entire community of believers will be encouraged and blessed. There will be many lifting up prayers of thanksgiving and praise to God, multiplying the glory that is due to God.

How balanced is your Christian life? How dedicated are you when it comes to giving as compared to your dedication to worship, to bible reading, evangelism etc.?

Many of us confine the grace of giving to the gift of money. But there is so much more that needs to be given. Our 125th anniversary project to help the bottom 10% in our society, we were able to raise the required funds within 2 months. But there were not many who were willing to give their time, their effort to bring the gifts to the families. We had but 1,600 befrienders. By the middle of the project, there were still many who could not benefit from the gifts. It is easy to provide the monetary means but it is more difficult ot offer oneself, one's time, energies.

John Wesley and the Poor

By Bishop Dr Robert Solomon JOHN WESLEY, THE FOUNDER OF METHODISM, had a big heart for the poor. He came from a family where his father was a relatively poor clergyman, and saw on at least one occasion how his father was marched off to the debtor’s prison for not being able to repay money to his lenders. Perhaps that left a big impression in his mind, and he did not want to be a clergyman like his father. But God had other plans for him. In Oxford University, where John studied, he became a Fellow and was paid a rather comfortable sum which he spent quite happily on things he needed or wanted, including a number of luxuries. But all this changed after a particular incident in his life.  “He had just finished paying for some pictures for his room when one of the chambermaids came to his door. It was a cold winter day, and he noticed that she had nothing to protect her except a thin linen gown. He reached into his pocket to give her some money to buy a coat but found he had too little left. Immediately the thought struck him that the Lord was not pleased with the way he had spent his money. He asked himself, Will thy Master say, ‘Well done, good and faithful steward’? Thou hast adorned thy walls with the money which might have screened this poor creature from the cold! O justice! O mercy! – Are not these pictures the blood of this poor maid?” That incident made a permanent change in Wesley in the way he looked at his possessions, and in the way he saw the needs of the poor. He made a decision to live frugally, to buy only what he really needed, and to give the rest away for the poor and needy. During his long lifetime Wesley earned more than £30,000, almost all of which he gave away to the poor. After his death in 1791, it was discovered that the only personal possessions he left behind were a few coins in his pockets and dresser drawers.

For Reflection:

1. How is your "harvest"? Is it proportional to your "planting"? How can you (as an individual) make an intentional decision about how you prepare your gift to the Lord?
2. Will the Lord have all the resources from you to accomplish his ordained works in which you have a part? Will you give generously from what you have to accomplish these works?
3. How balanced is your Christian life? How dedicated are you when it comes to giving as compared to your dedication to worship, to bible reading, evangelism etc.?

ON FAITH, GRACE AND GIVING (2 COR 8:1-15)

Sermon by Rev Helen Hoe: Snippet

GIVING & GRACE
For Paul, the basis for giving to others is not what we have done but what God has already done for us in Christ. God's grace is the foundation of our giving. The Macedonians illustrated the ways in which God's grace is shown towards them. Their first hand experience of knowing the Lord God had brought them so much joy that they in turn wanted to bless others and in this case, to contribute to the collection for the Church in Jerusalem that was experiencing famine at that time.

Paul longed for the Corinthians to grow in the manner that the Macedonians have done. He had desired that they "bring to completion this act of grace on their part (v 6)" by also participating in the collection. Giving is not merely an expression of compassion for the needy. It is also a spiritual gift to be exercised.

How are we growing in this aspect of expressing the grace that we have received towards others?

GIVING STRETCHES OUR FAITH

Giving is an expression of faith. Paul used their "earnestness in giving" as a criterion for "testing" the genuineness of their recent expression of repentance. God is not looking at the amount but the submission and trust in Him. Charles Wesley often said, "If the Lord would give me wings, I'd fly" to which John Wesley answered, "If God bids me fly, I will trust Him for the wings." Do we have the courage to give by faith? to simply obey and give even when the sums do not add up. But when we submit, we can experience his grace and enabling and our faith stretches and grow.

Habbakuk 3:17-18 "¹⁷ Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, ¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. "

GIVING IS A MATTER OF LORDSHIP

A person will always have difficulty accepting the biblical principle of giving until he has first given himself completely to God.

QUESTIONS TO PONDER

1. Is God truly the Lord of my life? my possessions? finances? marriage? relationships? ministry? family?
2. What are my fears, inhibitions, frustrations, burdens and even ambitions? Would I surrender them to God?
3. What are my five loaves and two fishes? Will I take them out  for God's purpose in faith?
4. Is God calling me to something? What should my response be? How can I respond in faith?

If you like Corrine May's song 5 loaves and 2 Fishes
Check out Link to Corrine May's Song 5 Loaves & 2 Fishes

A little boy of thirteen was on his way to school
He heard a crowd of people laughing and he went to take a look
Thousands were listening to the stories of one man
He spoke with such wisdom, even the kids could understand

The hours passed so quickly, the day turned to night
Everyone was hungry but there was no food in sight
The boy looked in his lunchbox at the little that he had
He wasn't sure what good it'd do, there were thousands to be fed

But he saw the twinkling eyes of Jesus
The kindness in His smile
And the boy cried out
With the trust of a child
He said:

"Take my five loaves and two fishes
Do with it as you will
I surrender
Take my fears and my inhibitions
All my burdens, my ambitions
You can use it all to feed them all"

I often think about that boy when I'm feeling small
And I worry that the work I do means nothing at all

But every single tear I cry is a diamond in His hands
And every door that slams in my face, I will offer up in prayer

So I'll give you every breath that I have
Oh Lord, you can work miracles
All that you need is my "Amen"

So take my five loaves and two fishes
Do with it as you will
I surrender
Take my fears and my inhibitions
All my burdens, my ambitions
You can use it all
I hope it's not too small

I trust in you
I trust in you

So take my five loaves and two fishes
Do with it as you will
I surrender
Take my fears and my inhibitions
All my burdens, my ambitions
You can use it all
No gift is too small

PULSE CHECK JAN 2011 #2

THE GOOD END of GODLY REGRET (2nd Cor 7:5-13)

SERMON BY PASTOR ANDREW PEH

SNIPPETS
7 Degrees of Repentance
1. Earnest: to be serious towards your attitude to sin
2. Eager to clear yourselves of sin by distancing yourself from it
3. Indignant rather than indifferent, from "bochap" to "pik chik" about sin
4. Alarm: have a heightened sense of a Holy God and what he cannot tolerate
5. Longing: to make things right
6. Concern to go beyond right beliefs, to right behavior and attitudes
7. Readiness to see justice done.

God's Holiness and Grace that must be held in tension

1. Grace without a sense of holiness: will negate the goodness of the good news that we have received. Salvation is free but it doesn't mean that it is without cost to God.
2. Holiness without grace: Suffocating, blind obedience done without joy.

Quotation from Dietrich Bonhoeffer
" Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our Church. We are fighting today for costly grace. Cheap grace means grace sold on the market like cheapjacks’ wares. The sacraments, the forgiveness of sin, and the consolations of religion are thrown away at cut prices. Grace is represented as the Church’s inexhaustible treasury, from which she showers blessings with generous hands, without asking questions or fixing limits. Grace without price; grace without cost! The essence of grace, we suppose, is that the account has been paid in advance; and, because it has been paid, everything can be had for nothing....[45]7]"
Cheap grace means grace as a doctrine, a principle, a system. It means forgiveness of sins proclaimed as a general truth, the love of God taught as the Christian 'conception' of God. An intellectual assent to that idea is held to be of itself sufficient to secure remission of sins.... In such a Church the world finds a cheap covering for its sins; no contrition is required, still less any real desire to be delivered from sin. Cheap grace therefore amounts to a denial of the living Word of God, in fact, a denial of the Incarnation of the Word of God.[45-46]

Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner. Grace alone does everything they say, and so everything can remain as it was before. 'All for sin could not atone.' Well, then, let the Christian live like the rest of the world, let him model himself on the world’s standards in every sphere of life, and not presumptuously aspire to live a different life under grace from his old life under sin....
Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession.... Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.[4
Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man’ will gladly go and self all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble, it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him.

Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: “ye were bought at a price,” and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.

Application:

1. Godly grief begins with an Act of repentance. John 8:11b And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either Go From now on sin no more."
2. The need for accountability, being our brother's or sister's keeper so that he/she can keep a steadfast walk with God.

 Thoughts for the Week

1. Do I care more about my brother's feelings rather than his faith in the Lord?
2. Will I allow a friend to speak hard things to me?
3. Will I live with having no rest in my spirit by prayerfully confronting a friend about the error of his ways?