Kerwin Baptist Church Daily Sermon Broadcast

Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the Word of God to be spread throughout the world so that all may know Christ.

Join us now for a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church located in Kernersville, North Carolina. I want you to look at verse 1 of 2 Corinthians chapter 8. Moreover brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God. In other words we do you to understand, to know, to take notice of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia. How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. In other words even though these bad things happened to them it literally propelled them to be even more generous in their giving.

Wow. Notice verse 3. For to their power I bear record and beyond their power, I have a ring up here a little bit John, beyond their power they were willing of themselves. Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves unto the Lord and unto us by the will of God. We're going to continue with some verses as we continue to deal with this passage.

Let's pray and ask God to open our hearts. Am I good on everything by the way? Can you all hear me good out there? Everybody good? And everybody in the balcony good?

Like what? What did you say? Let's pray. Lord I love you. Thank you for our people. Lord I pray that you'd bless as we try to dig into your Word and rightfully divide it today in Jesus' name we pray, Amen. This testimony of the Macedonian churches given to us here in Scripture is something that should motivate us in our lives. Now I know you don't understand this yet, but I'm asking you to give me a few minutes of your time because you and I need to learn from this passage.

Let me share this that two years ago our church theme for the entire year was beyond their power. So we're going to go back to this passage and we want to talk about this a little bit through the aspect of stewardship. Why is their testimony so powerful? It's because of the significance of their motive.

Now listen to me. God in His economy, and you and I need to operate in God's economy by the way. We're going to talk about that. In God's economy, listen to me, the motive is as important as the gift itself. The motive is as important as the gift that is given. Why we are giving. What is the objective of our giving is as important as what we're giving. And that's what we need to learn here. I was doing research this week a little bit and I wanted to read this to you. I thought this was good. A man had a heart, well it's not good that he had a heart attack, but listen to me as I'm reading you this story.

I think that was a misplaced modifier or something in the English language, I don't know. A man had a heart attack and was rushed to the hospital. He could receive little company and was not to be excited. The doctors did not want his heart rate going up. While in the hospital a rich uncle died and left that man a million dollars. His family wondered how to break the news to him with the least amount of excitement so it would not cause him health issues. It was decided to ask his preacher that if he would go and break the news quietly to the man. So the preacher went and gradually he led up to the question and the preacher asked the patient what he would do if for some reason he inherited a million dollars. He said, I think I would give half of it to the church and the preacher dropped dead.

That wasn't as good a reaction as I was thinking that one was going to be. Thank you Frank. Thank you Frank. Lois Cheney in her book, God is No Fool, she wrote this. Trying to act so serious about this but, once a man said, if I had some extra money I'd give it to God, but I have just enough to support myself and my family. And the same man said, if I had some extra time I'd give it to God but every minute is taken up with my job, my family, my clubs, and what have I left from all that. The same man said, if I had a talent I'd give it to God but I have no lovely voice, I have no special skill.

I've never been able to lead a group. I can't think cleverly or quickly the way I would like to, but if I had it I would give it to God. And God was so touched and although it was unlike Him God gave that man money, gave him time, gave him a glorious talent. And then he waited, and waited, and waited, and after awhile God began to wonder why this man had not given all the things that He said He would give. So God took all those things right back from the man, the money, the time, the talent. After awhile the man sighed and said, if I only had some of that money back I'd give it to God. If I only had some of that time I'd give it to God.

If I could only rediscover that glorious talent I'd give it to God. And God said, oh shut up. I thought that was hilarious. I thought that was hilarious. You're not supposed to say that but I thought that was funny. I was waiting for this grand and God said, ah shut up.

You know kind of a thing. You don't mean nothing you're saying anyway but anyway. Okay, let's get on to the Word of God today now that I have ruined it enough. What are we to learn from 2 Corinthians chapter 8? There are a number of reasons why people give. And then there are some people that just don't give at all. We all know that that's the case and sometimes people have their reasons and their excuses and how somebody did something wrong and mishandled this or that. And we can come up with a whole lot of reasons and excuses or whatever we want to call them.

But I do want to give you a couple today that are not necessarily the right kind of reasons. And as we look at 2 Corinthians chapter 8 what these people were going through I want us to understand what should be going on in our life. First there is guilt giving. There are some people that give out of guilt. There are some people that they feel pushed or coerced or they know if they don't give that they are just going to feel guilty. And so sometimes their giving literally comes from the fact that they are guilted into it either by their own conscience or by a preacher or by a teacher or by whoever but they are guilted into giving. Now I knew as a child that whatever I got I gave 10% immediately and my mom and dad made sure of that. And I would say this I knew that I would be in trouble if I didn't.

And I knew that that wasn't going to fly if I decided that I didn't want to do that. But some people give out of guilt. I want you to look at a couple of these verses and by the way this Macedonia church they didn't give because of that. Now the Bible does say some things and notice this it says praying us. In chapter 8 verse 4 look where you are at there at verse 4 it says praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift. Paul literally said that these people were going through such horrible things that they literally had to beg Paul to take their offering that they gave to him.

It means that Paul saw what they were going through and saw the Bible says their deep poverty that literally Paul said in this verse that they had to entreat us, they had to beg us to take the money. They wanted so badly to give to the Lord that even though even Paul the preacher said, you just can't afford to do this they begged him to take it. Notice in 2 Corinthians chapter 9 verse 7 this verse will be up, every man according as he purposeth in his heart so let him give not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth a cheerful giver. There are some people that practice guilt giving and that's not going to end up well. Number 2 there are some people that practice greed giving.

The Macedonian Christians did not do that. They did not give because they hoped that God would then give them something back. There are a lot of people that give from the heart that I'm going to give to God so that He'll give me more back. Now they would never say that but deep down that's just kind of how they have formed their opinion of giving that either I'm going to feel guilty if I don't so I'm obligated to give or literally well I'll tell you why I'm going to do this because God said if I give that He is going to bless me abundantly so that's why I'm going to give. Now listen to me this church did not give because of what they thought God would give back to them. They gave because they loved God. Now there are some health and wealth preachers and teachers out there and we all have seen that and they promise that if people will give to their ministries that God will make them wealthy in return. And so we have a generation of people that are giving in good motives in a sense to Christian ministries but the motive is that that man said that if I give there that God will make me wealthy. This is not only unbiblical but it promotes an unscriptural motive. Now let me tell you what the Bible does say in Luke chapter 6 verse 38 and it's up here. Give and it shall be given unto you.

Good measure pressed down shaken together running over shall men given to your bosom for with the same measure that ye meet with all it shall be measured to you again. What is our basic motive for giving? It should not be personal gain. If we give because we feel that that's going to help us financially eventually then we're missing the big picture. We're missing the joy of giving.

We don't give to get. We give because we trust God to take care of our needs. I think you understand where I'm going with this but number 3 there are people that give in grace and it's what we call grace giving. There's guilt giving or greed giving but then there's grace giving and that's what this church in Macedonia practiced. Paul was careful to explain that the reason they gave so generously even when they did not have it it was because verse 1 said, the grace of God that was bestowed to the churches in Macedonia. In other words their giving was a testimony of God's grace.

Grace giving. Philippians 2 13 this verse is up on the screen. Have you ever heard this verse? For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. You all heard that verse before? What is it that phrase where it says it is God which worketh in you?

What is that? That's grace. Grace is God working in you. That's what grace is. And so God literally brings grace into our life and He gives grace into our life for one purpose to enable us to do His will. So the more we do His will the more a testimony it is to others of the grace of God. The more that these people face difficulty it seems the more they gave and the more that they gave the more God's grace was shown.

It's amazing. Spiritual givers are motivated by grace. Not by guilt. Not by greed. Spiritual biblical givers are motivated by grace.

Now look at me I want you to get this. What the Bible calls their abundant liberality. We're going to go over this in a second. What the Bible calls that, now listen to me they were not able to show that, to have that. They did not have abundant liberality in and of themselves. The Bible said that the grace of God bestowed on them and it was beyond their power to be able to give like that.

Why? Because they gave because of grace. I think for years in churches we have guilted people into giving.

And when that didn't work then we came up with all the wonderful reasons why they would have so many more things in their life if they did. So we have created either guilt giving or greed giving. But what is in the Bible is grace giving. So what is the objective of our stewardship?

Now you've got to look at this I'm going to go through this quickly but you need to watch this. Notice number one the objective of stewardship is to depend upon the grace of God. Do you know that's the whole objective of our giving? The whole objective of our stewardship. The fact of taking whatever God gives and honoring Him with it.

Giving Him the first portion of that. The motive for all that is literally to depend on the grace of God. I want you to notice look at verse one while you're there.

I think it might be on the screen too. Notice what he says, Moreover brethren we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches. Look at verse three and beyond their power they were willing of themselves. The objective of stewardship is to show dependence upon the grace of God. Dependence how preacher? Dependence in what? Notice first to show dependence upon God in great trial.

Notice what the Bible says. The Bible says in verse two how that these people were in a great trial. They had testings coming at them. They had difficulty coming at them. I mean they had things they didn't expect.

Things that showed up that needed fixed that they hadn't budgeted for. Is that you crying or God crying? I don't know. I'm preaching on stewardship.

What's going on here? I hear the tears flowing. Anybody leave your windows down?

I hope not. Great trial. You know what's interesting you and I when we face great trials that's when we get out of the Bible. That's when we get out of church and don't even think about giving. In our great trials our attention turns to us.

In our great trials we think of how bad I have it and you don't know all that I've had to unexpected. Wait a minute these people were in great trials but they never brought it up. Paul did. Paul's the one that saw what they went through. All they saw was an opportunity to give.

Now listen you and I aren't born with that ability. That's the grace of God. Notice secondly in great affliction. He said in verse two that there was a great trial of affliction.

I mean this wasn't just difficulty. It got down to where this hurt. It got down to where this was an affliction.

I mean these people were taking it. I mean they had everything come at them. They had Satan coming at them. They had difficulty coming at them. They had trials coming at them. There was literally affliction in their lives and Paul says that in the middle of this affliction that it literally propelled them to give more.

Almost knocked that over. Great affliction. Notice thirdly they were in deep poverty. Verse two gives us a good synopsis. Man they had great trial, great affliction and deep not just poverty.

The Bible says these people were in deep poverty. Listen to me you know the whole objective of our stewardship is to show that we depend upon the grace of God even in trials, even in afflictions and even if poverty comes our way. We will continue to give and give and give and the greater the trial the more we're going to give. The greater the affliction the more we're going to give.

The greater the poverty the deeper we go. The more we're going to give to God. That takes grace. What person in their right mind would give more when they have less? Only a person that depends upon the grace of God.

Can I ask you a question? Are you depending upon God's grace when you give or is it just something you came up with? Is it just an obligation or is it just, I know I'm supposed to so I do. Where is God's grace in all of that? Let me put it this way.

I want you to get this and you can see this on the screen. Some Christians give below their ability. That means it costs them nothing. They just give a little. Some Christians, number two, give at their ability.

It means that what is left over or what is available or maybe something that they budgeted as far as giving so they don't necessarily give below their ability but they give at their ability. In other words it makes sense on paper to be able to do this for God so that's what they do. But number three, there are some Christians that give above their ability. Anybody else convicted this morning besides pastor Haughtry? Should I just preach this to myself and gone some other direction this morning? Could I ask you something? Are you giving below your ability? Are you giving at your ability?

Or are you giving above your ability? You see when you give above your ability that's grace giving. That means it might not make sense but I so trust in the grace of God that I'm going to give what God lays on my heart even if it doesn't make sense on paper. Man, look at this verse, 2 Corinthians 9 verse 7.

I know this is rough on a Sunday morning but hey it's February. 2 Corinthians 9 verse 7 look at this, every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth the cheerful giver. You say preacher we just read that verse earlier in another point why are you repeating it but look at the end of this.

Look at the next verse. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you. So give above, give with purpose, give cheerfully knowing that God is able to abound grace toward you. Look at this, that ye always having all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work.

Don't you love the Bible? What's grace giving? It means I have the objective to show not just people but God that I'm dependent upon His grace because I believe that when I give cheerfully and I give abundantly I have no doubt that the grace of God is able to abound towards me. And I have no doubt that the grace of God will give me sufficiency in all things.

He'll meet the needs. I feel like I'm kind of trudging up Mount Everest here but you can't argue with the Bible. The objective of our stewardship is to show dependency upon God.

Now listen to me and we'll go on. Grace is the powerful work of God in a Christian's heart. That's what grace is. Anything short of grace giving is not biblical giving.

No, we're going to finish this out before the end of the month which is next week but you just got to listen to me for a second. I believe we in our churches and I believe in tithing. I believe that tithing is a biblical principle. But what a lot of confusion with people and we're going to cover this by the way. You know when I try to cover something I want to give you all the data on it is that people always say well tithing was required under the law.

And that's true. And we are not saying today like under the law that if you don't tithe God is going to kill you. We're not saying by the way that under the law that if you eat meat that's not clean you're going to get killed.

Listen to me. We're not saying that tithing is required. We're saying that tithing is a principle of God's Word. And the principle is this that God always gets His portion first.

Because everything else He gave it all so we honor Him with that portion. It's okay for some reason if you don't feel that tithing applies to what we live in which is the age of grace or the dispensation of grace. What I'm saying is this you cannot justify anywhere in the Bible that because we live in grace it excuses you or me from giving.

Let me tell you what I believe since we're into it. I believe that over the years we in our churches have limited ourselves because we have solely taught the doctrine of tithing. We have told everybody and tithing means that word tithing means the 10th. And we have taught everybody that we ought to give the 10th. And may I say this I personally believe that we should but that was never supposed to be the extent of our giving.

Look at me. In the Old Testament God required them to give a 10th. In the New Testament Jesus requests that we give it all.

So you know what? A 10th of our income is where we should all start. Because that was what we gave under law. And Jesus died for our sins since then. And Jesus purchased our redemption since then.

So we don't necessarily, we're not required to just give a 10th. We're now required to honor God with all of our substance. That's the New Testament principle. That's the age of grace principle. Some of you are like, can you just go back and teach that Old Testament principle of the 10th? That sounds a whole lot better. May I say this that the people of this church they would have been criticized by their friends for giving so much at a time when they were hurting so badly.

The people in this church probably were criticized by their own family. You're going too far. I mean come on now. Listen, you're hurting here and you've had such and such. This came up unexpectedly. You don't make what everybody else makes.

You don't make as much as, you need to quit whatever. And listen, if they had listened to their friends or their family or their culture or anything, listen, they would have missed out on the blessings of God. But because they chose to get involved in grace centered giving. Oh, if you and I would only look at our giving like that, God, I need your grace to give more. God, I'm depending on your grace.

I believe in it. So God, I'm just going to give and I'm going to give sacrificially even if it doesn't make sense because I have full confidence that your grace is going to meet all the needs in my life. It'll be sufficient. Your grace is enough. God's grace is always enough the Bible says. His grace is sufficient for thee and we need to let God know that we believe that. Number two, the objective of our stewardship is not just to depend upon the grace of God.

Number two, the objective of our stewardship is to display the grace of God. Notice in verse four, Paul said this, remember, he said that they literally begged us to take this gift even though we didn't want to take it. Look at verse four, praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, notice this, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. What these church members did in Macedonia, Paul said, they did for us. They did it for others. They displayed the grace of God. Notice if you would in verse five, but first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us. Notice how often Paul says they gave to us.

They gave to us. All of their giving was centered on others. It was centered on the Lord, not themselves. Do you know the whole objective of us being good stewards of what God's given in our life is to show others the grace of God. Not just to depend on it ourselves, but to show God's grace to others.

I can't tell whether you're convinced of that or not. You say, so what do you mean by that? Well, how do we display the grace of God? Notice what Paul did in number one, to display abundant joy. Look at verse two.

How that in great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy. Thank you for listening today. We hope you received a blessing from our broadcast. The Kerwin Baptist Church is located at 4520 Old Hollow Road in Kernersville, North Carolina. You may also contact us by phone at 336-993-5192 or via the web at kerwinbaptistchurch.com. Enjoy our services live and all our media on our website and church app. Thank you for listening to the Kerwin broadcast today. God bless you.