II Corinthians 9:1-15
When We Sow…

Introduction
1. God has done many things for the Corinthians and they abound in everything…faith, knowledge, all diligence, your love toward us. (v. 7) …abound in giving also. The church at Corinth had promise to give. In chapter 8 Paul challenges them by explaining Grace Giving. In verses 16-24 he assures them that their money was safe with Titus and fellow ‘brothers’ and the money would be used as intended. Chapter 9…give that special offering.
2. Paul encourages them by using the illustration of planting the seed. It’s all of Grace. It all belongs to God. They first of all gave themselves (v. 5). When God has you, He has your pocketbook.
3. Why is it so hard to give? Think of everything good that God has given to you: life, breathe, family, salvation, intellectual ability…every good thing comes from the Father.
4. Do you need an encouragement to give? In II Corinthians 9:1-15 Paul provides 4 encouragements to give:

Do you need an encouragement to give? When We Sow…
I. YOUR GIVING WILL PROVOKE 9:1-5
Your giving encourages others to give.
A. The Challenge
1.Paul had used the zeal of the Corinthians to challenge the Macedonians in (8:1-5). He also had used the Macedonians to challenge the Corinthians. A year before the Corinthians had enthusiastically boasted that they would share in the offering to Jerusalem. They faltered. Paul didn’t want his boasting to be in vain. The Macedonians had given.
2.You are either an asset or a liability to the cause of Christ. Consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works. (Heb. 10:24)
3.An ‘on fire Christian’ as an example of caring, giving, going can be used by God as a means of stirring up a group of believers. He can use an individual or individuals to move others to greater praying, greater serving, greater witnessing or greater giving.
B. The Collection
1. Paul wanted the entire contribution to be ready when the ‘financial committee’ arrived.
He didn’t want any last-minute collections.
2. Words of collection are used: ministering to the saints…bounty…generous gift.
C. The Conclusion
1. Giving is always by Grace not covetousness (squeezing it out of them).
2. When you give someone is watching…your children, your grandchildren…they know
whether God has your pocketbook. They know whether things are more important to
you than the things of God.
3.Who is going to teach them that it all belongs to God if you don’t?

Do you need an encouragement to give? When We Sow…
II. YOUR GIVING WILL PROVIDE 9:6-11
Giving becomes a showcase to see God work! Give, and it shall be given unto you: good
measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over…For with the same measure
that you measure it shall be measured to you again. You can’t outgive God. The good
measure is not always material or money, but what we get is always for more than we give.
A.The Principle of Increase 6
1.We reap in the measure we sow. “If you don’t plant the seed, you won’t pick the fruit.”
2.Let’s say you plant 5 pieces of grain…50 bushel…500 bushel which one would provide the biggest harvest? You get back what you plant.
3.Giving…you have nothing to show at the time. Giving is an investment with guaranteed returns. God is a giver.
B.The Principle of Intent 7
Motives make no difference to the farmer, but it does to God.
1.Purpose in your heart…that is an amount.
2.There are 3 givers: the Sad Giver (grudgingly)…Mad Giver (out of necessity) …Glad Giver (cheerful) the English word is hilarious.
3.God can use any offering, but you lose if done with the wrong attitude. If it is grudgingly or a have too attitude God doesn’t want your money. He wants you!
C.The Principle of Immediacy 8-11
We reap even while we are sowing.
1.Again, you can’t outgive God. 8, 11 Abound…All sufficiency in all things…Abound to every good work…Enrich…To all bountifulness.
2.We share in the miracle of multiplication 10 The farmer must decide how much food and how much to plant. Money here is seed. If we give according to Grace it will multiply to the glory of God and needs will be met. As you put money in the offering plate it invests in children, youth, homes, families, overseas…the planting of churches…multiplication goes on.
3.As we give, we enrich others and others enrich us. 11 All the glory and thanks is going to Him. God enriches us so we can give even more.
4.We really believe that God is a great Giver… “God shovels it in and I shovel it out. God just has a bigger shovel.”

Do you need an encouragement to give? When We Sow…
III. YOUR GIVING WILL PROVE 9:12, 13
A.Sacrifice
For is a purpose clause. Service is another word referring to their give.
1.The word in the New Testament always refers to a religious service like the priest in the temple.
2.Paul lifts giving to its highest lever possible… ‘priestly service’. He saw this gift as a special sacrifice to God, the way a priest presents a costly sacrifice before the Lord.
3.We no longer bring animal sacrifices. That which you give (if given in the right spirit and with the right motive) is a sacrifice to God. In a sacrifice you give your best!
4.It supplies a genuine need…you give…God receives the glory!
B.Service 13a
1.Ministration in verse 12 is sacrifice. Here it is different. The word, diakonos is
‘service to God.’
2.Giving is a service rendered (they glorify God). It’s not “Wow what a giver, but wow, what a God!”
C.Salvation 13b
For your professed subjection to the Gospel
1.Proof is a military term, “under the authority” of the Gospel.
2.The gift helped provide proof of the Gentiles yielding to the Gospel. In (8:8) it proves the sincerity of your love for Christ. It is proof today also that you are surrendered to the Gospel.
3.Are you saved? Provide the proof. One way is you want to give to the sharing of the Gospel. You can give and not be saved, but you cannot be saved and not want to give.

Do you need an encouragement to give? When We Sow…
IV. YOUR GIVING WILL PROMOTE 9:14, 15
A.Prayer 14
1.The hearts of the Jews and Gentiles will be united. They will be bound by prayer.
2.Giving is one of the evidences of a surrendered heart… the Grace of God in you.
3.You want to pay for that which you have an investment.
B.Praise 15
Paul cannot help but think of the ultimate Gift as in (8:9). Jesus Christ is the ultimate Gift.
1.The ultimate issue in God’s giving…He gave Himself.
2.The ultimate issue in our giving…We give ourselves! We give in light of this unspeakable Gift.
3.Let’s say someone gives you $10 million. What do you say? When Jesus Christ gave His life so that I might have eternal life. “Thanks” is so inadequate. Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.
4.No amount can ever repay the debt we owe.

It’s All of Grace…It all belongs to Him. I simply give what He gave.
First: Give Yourself: In Salvation…In Surrender!