Sermon outline

g iving
is a g ift
Sermon Outline
Text: 2 Corinthians 9.11-12
He will always make you rich enough to be generous at all
times so that many will thank God for your gifts which they
receive from us. For this service you perform not only meets
the needs of God’s people but also produces an outpouring
of gratitude to God.
Aim: To (re-)introduce the concept of Christian Giving and its
constituent aspects which have both personal and corporate
implications. To emphasise that Christian Giving is an integral
part of our discipleship and to invite a personal response
within a congregational context and as part of a Christian
Giving programme.
Introduction
A personal recollection of receiving an invoice for payment
for goods and/or services provided. In such cases a monetary
value has been put on the material and labour involved. This
is a normal pattern of life - money is used as the ‘language’ of
economic relationships and the areas of life covered by such
relationships are increasing.
Main points
1. Christians have to decide how they view such a world.
Is God as we have come to know him in Jesus, Lord of all
including the money markets, trade and commerce, industry
and IT Or do we come to church in an attempt to escape a
world where corruption is commonplace God declares His
world (with all its potential for good and evil) very good
(Gen.1.31). It is the same world to which He comes in Jesus
to redeem and restore.
If Christians are faithful to the Judaeo-Christian
tradition of being world-affirming rather than
world-denying, then we have to learn how to
handle the difficult bits including money.
2. The text is part of a letter written by Paul as he organises a
collection amongst the early Church congregations for poor
Christians in Jerusalem. The example of the Macedonians is
held up as a model. Their extreme poverty has not inhibited
their generosity. That is not a contradiction in terms because
amongst Christians, carefully calculated value for money has
been replaced by a willingness in very practical matters to
reflect and celebrate God’s generous grace in Christ. The
transformation of the heart changes our estimation of
ourselves and our possessions (“Are you jealous because I am
generous” (Matt.20.15)).
This is Paul at his pragmatic best - working out
a theology of giving in response to the practical
problems raised by the need of the Jerusalem
Christians.

3. What are the essentials of his understanding
a) God is creator of all and everything we are and possess is
a gift held in trust for which we are asked to act as stewards.
Discipleship is about how we live in God’s world, not how
we escape from it.
b) The “riches of Christ” change the way in which we think
of our poverty/wealth. No-one is too poor to be generous
nor too rich to give in proportion to their wealth.
c) Giving to the work of the Kingdom is to be “thanks-giving”
done willingly and cheerfully.
d) God’s continued commitment to His world should trigger
our response of regular and committed giving.
Conclusion
Christian giving is an act of thankfulness and belonging to
God’s people. Value for money is not the language of the
Kingdom and congregations should be anticipating the
Kingdom by the way in which they administer their affairs.
The vision is of members of congregations growing into
loving and faithful discipleship who give thankfully and
generously and who never refer to “balancing the books”.
It is a vision of a church which has a lively sense of its place
in its community whose mission is not inhibited because “we
can’t afford it” and which struggles not to pay the bills but
to decide how best to use all the money at its disposal.
Would you like to belong to a church like that You can.
If the church is people then overall we are not poor - it’s just
that pockets and purses have yet to be converted.
Illustration: Minister to congregation “This morning I
have two pieces of bad news and one piece of good news.
The first piece of bad news is that the church roof needs
replacing. The good news is that we have the money.
The second piece of bad news is that it’s still in your pockets
and purses!”.
A Christian Giving programme is not about persuading each
of you to give a little more to “balance the books”.
It is an invitation to take a step of faith in your discipleship -
giving thankfully and cheerfully in proportion to your means
and discovering what a liberating experience that is for you
and for the church.
When you get your letter please:
Read it carefully and prayerfully.
Receive your visitor graciously.
Make your response thankfully.