Dennis R Wiles
FBC Arlington
May 22, 2022
2022 Re- . . .
SPRING 2022 Re-Concile
April 18 – June 4, 2022
Re-Oriented Through Generosity
2 Corinthians 9:6-15
RE-CONCILE: In the New Testament, the Greek word underneath the family of English words associated with reconciliation is taken from the accounting industry where coins were “exchanged”, and accounts were “reconciled.”
Jesus speaks clearly about the importance of reconciliation in Matthew 5:23-24, “If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”
-Katy Reed-Hodges
CONTEXT: Paul collected a special offering from the Gentile churches for the impoverished members of the mother church in Jerusalem.
CHALLENGE: We all face the temptation of selfishness and stinginess!
A selfish man is never rich. His day is as long as his neighbour’s, yet he has no leisure except for his own amusements, no sympathy or concern beyond his own perplexities, no strength but to fight his own battles, and no money except for his own need; what haunts his mind at every turn is the dread of having too little for himself.
-W.M. MacGregor, Jesus Christ Son of God
CORRECTIVE: Consider God ----- Who is so rich and so generous!
CONFORMING WORK OF CHRIST: The goal is not giving (in and of itself) – the goal is grace, growth, and generosity!
A key point in this matter of generosity is described in chapter 8. "Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have. Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have." Paul literally says, "let your doing complete your willingness based on what you have." It's important that all gifts be given joyfully, not grudgingly. That's why he refers to it as "the grace of giving."
-Curt Grice