TENTH - GOD’S GRACE

Water cooler conversation:  

  • What was your biggest win this week? What was your biggest challenge?

  • What image is on your phone’s lock screen?

Unpack the Message:

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 cautions us that whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly. Think of it in terms of a farmer sowing his crops. If he hoards seeds and plants only a few crops, his harvest will be meager though he has a storeroom full of seeds. Conversely, if he scatters a large number of seeds, holding back little, his harvest will be bountiful. Likewise, though we may be apprehensive about being generous, giving cheerfully without fear of the future brings a rich harvest of blessings. 

As followers of Christ, we should not give grudgingly, but because we want to. The ancient Greek word for cheerful (hilaros, used only here in the New Testament) is the root for our English word hilarious. God wants us to give happily because that is how God Himself gives. Sowing generously is cheerful giving; sowing sparingly is reluctant giving. 

In 2 Corinthians 9:8-12, Paul encourages us that God always blesses the right kind of giving. Just as God is able to bring a great harvest from the sowing of seeds, He can bless our giving. God is powerful to overflow—He promises that you will be enriched in every way so that you, in turn, can be generous on every occasion. He blesses us so we can be a blessing to others. God is faithful to provide. Just as He supplies the seed to the sower, He meets every need we have, and every time we give, we demonstrate that we trust God to meet our needs.

In 2 Corinthians 9:12-15, we see that giving is part of the economy of God’s grace. Speaking to the Corinthians, Paul reminds that since they experienced God’s grace in their lives, they were transformed, and from this transformation, He empowered them to give freely. Thus, grace abounded in and through them.

Paul rejoices in 2 Corinthians 9:15; “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” What is that indescribable gift? John 3:16 reminds us, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Because of Jesus’ sacrifice and God’s immeasurable grace, we have been reconciled to God through salvation. 

  • Is Paul promising riches and prosperity to the one who gives a lot? Why or why not? What is the danger of the “prosperity gospel?” Is it a doctrinally sound concept? 

  • What does it then mean to sow sparingly?

  • What might be some symptoms or signs of reluctant giving?

  • What does cheerful giving look like?

  • Jesus spoke often about money. How can wealth stand in the way of following God’s will?

  • It’s often stated in churches that Jesus spoke about money more than any other topic, but that’s only part of the story. Many of the references were an illustration of salvation. Why is it important to recognize that distinction? What danger lies in using these verses as “proof texts” for giving? What other passages or principles have you seen taken out of context to support a position or defend a behavior or lifestyle? (Jesus’ Most Common Teaching Wasn’t About Money)

  •  What giving experience has taught you the most about God?

  • “Giving is a tangible expression of our trust in God. Do you agree or disagree with that statement?

Make a Move: 

Examine your heart? Are you trusting God with your resources? Ask Him to reveal to you any areas where you need to be more generous and to expand your faith. 

Prayer Prompt: 

Lord Jesus, teach me to be generous. Transform me so that my testimony will be a living example of your provision and generosity to those who follow You. Help me to give without hesitation, with a cheerful heart, eager to see the harvest to come. Help me to trust that when I am generous, You will ensure that my needs are met because giving is part of the economy of Your grace. Amen