What do I get out of giving what I got? - 2 Corinthians 9:10-15

 About 15 years ago Warren Buffet and Bill and Malinda Gates convinced a handful of their fellow billionaires to give away a majority of their wealth to charitable causes.  They called it the Giving Pledge.  According to givingpledge.org more than 250 of the world’s wealthiest people have signed the giving pledge.  It has been estimated that $206 billion dollars has been given to charities, foundations, and donor advised funds. 

I find the practice of philanthropy fascinating yet confusing.  I can’t help but ask, what do they get out of giving?  At least two of the founders of the giving pledge are reportedly agnostics. (meaning they feel they lack enough information to either affirm or deny the existence of God).  It seems clear these unbelieving billionaires aren’t hoping to get anything from a God who may or may not exist so then what are they hoping to get for their giving.  I suppose some of my fellow cynics would suggest they get tax writes offs or get building and monuments named after them, maybe even some of them are trying to atone for ill-gotten gain.  I am sure there are some billionaires motivated by such things, but I want to believe at least some of them have more civically noble motives.  Perhaps they want to ensure their passions like music and the arts are supported for years to come, perhaps they have been personally affected by a disease and want to see it cured before it does any more damage, or maybe they’re just trying to make the world a better place in which their children and grandchildren can live.    

I’m not sure what a billionaire gets out of giving, but I know what the believer gets out of it.  I know, I know, we are not supposed to talk that way.  It is crude and rude to ask, “what do I get out of giving?”  In Acts 20:35 the Lord Jesus himself is quoted to have said, “‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”  Jesus wants believers to focus on the blessing of giving and not think about the benefit of getting.  In the verses right before the ones we are going to focus on today saint Paul tells the Corinthians, “7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”  God wants us to give because we want to give not because we want to get.  Believers don’t give so that they get, however, believers do get so that they have something to give and in their giving believers do get. 

I’ll unpack that tongue twister in a moment but first we need to make sure this conversation of giving and getting is put into the proper context.  The section of God’s word that is before us this morning is a portion of Paul’s letter to the Christians living in Corinth.  This group of believers had made a giving pledge of their own.  They had made a commitment to take part in an offering that was being collected to support impoverish Christians living in Jerusalem.  In fact, Paul brags about these believers.  He tells us these believers “were the first not only to give but to have the desire to do so.”[1] This giving pledge that these believers had made is what prompted this conversation about giving and getting.  But it is essential for us to recognize this is a conversation that takes place between a shepherd and his sheep.  This is a believer talking to fellow believers.  Paul is not talking to the Buffets and Gates of his day.  Paul is talking to people who, by the work of the Holy Spirit, have come to know Jesus as their Lord and savior.   It is absolutely essential that we recognize this before we continue our conversation of giving and getting.  Because the giving of an unbeliever might be used by God to clean the oceans, cure disease, or cloth the homeless, but the unbeliever doesn’t really get anything for their giving, at least not anything of any real value.  They might get a building named after them, they might have books written about them, and films memorializing their lives, but, before God, the unbeliever doesn’t get anything for their giving, even if they are giving billions. 

You, however, do.  As a believer you get something for your giving.  But before we get to what you get for your giving let’s back up and talk about what you got before your giving and getting.  First and foremost, you got God’s grace.  You got God’s undeserved love that has paid your debt of sin and purchased your salvation.  I want to be very clear, no one, not even a believer gives so that they can get forgiveness and salvation.  God in His grace has already given us that.  Earlier in this same letter Paul reminded the believers in Corinth how they got God’s grace. In 2 Corinthians 5:21, Paul wrote, “21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”  You got God’s grace because of Jesus, because God made Jesus who had no sin to be sin for you so that you might become the righteousness of God.  You got the righteousness of God because God in His grace gave it to you.

First and foremost, you got God’s grace, but that is not all that you got.  In verse 11 Paul tells the believers in Corinth, “11 You will be made rich in every way…”.  This is no doubt a reference to that giving pledge the Corinthians had made.  Paul is talking about their supply of seed and enlarged harvest.  However, Paul does not limit the ways in which we are made rich.  Paul wrote, “11 You will be made rich in EVERY WAY…”. We often speak of three of the ways God makes us rich by referring to treasures, talent, and time.  Typically, we list them as time, talent, and treasure but I am listing them in the order of what I believe is most important or impactful.  I list treasure first because as I have recently stated money in the hands of a believer can do good things.  Money is a gift, and I am happy to have some myself, but, in my opinion, the money you manage is not as important as the talents you possess.  You may not be Liam Neeson, but God has given you a very particular set of skills, skills that you have acquired over a very long life. Skills that make you a blessing to the people around you.  But out of the three, and again this is my personal opinion, the most important or at least the most impactful thing God has given you is time.  My wife rather bluntly taught me this lesson.  Years ago, I would spend all my free time hunting in the woods, running across the countryside, or working on a jeep.  On day my wife informed me that she wanted me to stay home with her.  I said, “sure what do you want to do?”  She said, “Nothing.  I just want you to spend time with me.”  Never underestimate the value of time. 

First and foremost, you got God’s grace, but that is not all that you got.  You also got things like treasure, talent, and time, and, as we are about to see, you got these things for a reason.  Take another look at verse 11 there Paul tells us God has given you what you got, “11 … so that you can be generous on every occasion”.  God has given you what you got so that you can give.  God did not give you treasure so that you could hoard it in a bank vault.  God gave you treasure so that you could give it.  God did not give you talent so that you could neglect it.  God gave you talent so that you could give it.  God did not give you time so that you could waste it.  God gave you time so that you could give it.  God has some guidance as to how you give, when you give, and to whom you give your treasure talent and time, but for today let’s just make sure we understand God has given you the things you got so that you got something to give.

As long as we all understand that believers do get so that they have something to give, I think we are ready to talk about what we get for giving what we got.  As I see it, in verses 12-15 Paul highlights three things we get for giving what we got.

In verse 12 Paul told the believers in Corinth their giving was “supplying the needs of God’s people.”  When you give what you got the people who get what you gave benefit by having their needs met.  But the needy are not the only one who benefit from your giving.  Jesus told His followers not to worry about what they will eat drink or wear because the Lord will provide for them.  God has promised His people that He will meet their needs.  On countless occasions God has met the needs of His people through miraculous means, or through the intervention of an angel but, more often than not, God meets the needs of His people through His people.  When God stretches out His hand to meet the needs of His people some people have seen miracles, others have seen angels, but most people will see fellow believers like you.  By giving what you got you get to be the hands of God that meets the needs of His people.

In verse 13 Paul told the believers in Corinth their giving was causing people to “praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ.”  I wonder if this is how Chara feels when she stands up here and directs the church choir.  After months of transforming a group of voices from a “joyful noise” into a “melodious harmony” she has a front row seat as she directs her choir to sing praises to God.  That has got to be a satisfying feeling.  It is a feeling we get to share with people like Chara.  When we give our treasure, talent, or time to people we are demonstrating, what Paul describes as, “obedience that accompanies your confession” or to say that differently we are practicing what we preach.  When people see us practicing what we preach they become curious about us, they want to know why we give what we got and when they learn it’s because we got grace from God, they too end up praising God.  By giving what you got you get to be like a choir director who leads people in praise.

Then finally in verse 14 Paul told the believers in Corinth their giving would cause people to say “prayers for you” and their “hearts will go out to you.”  I suspect a common motivation among the billionaires who have taken the giving pledge is they want to be remembered.  Getting a hospital or concert hall named after you is pretty cool but you have something better.  Instead of having your name engraved in granite or stone or steel, your name is imprinted on the hearts of people.  And unlike a building people tend to talk about the people that are on their hearts.  They talk about those people to other people, which is nice, but more importantly they talk about those people to their God.  They say things like, “dear heavenly Father, thank you for bringing this person into my life.  I am so grateful for your love that is reflected in their lives.  Please bless them as they have blessed others.”  The bible tells us the prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective.  So, when a believer prays for you, it is not a sappy sentiment they are expressing.  God hears that prayer and God answers that prayer in a way that will bless you.  When you give what you got you get people praying for you.

Before God the unbeliever doesn’t get anything for their giving, even if their giving is in the billions.  You, however, through the working of the Holy Spirit are not unbelievers.  Because of Jesus you got God’s grace and because you got God’s grace you give what you got to others, and, though it is not the reason you give, you get to be the hands of God that help people in their time of need, you get to be a director of people’s praises, and you get people praying for you.  I know, I know you don’t give to get but you actually get a great deal for giving what you got. 

Believers don’t give so that they get, however, believers do get so that they have something to give, and, in their giving, believers do get.  May our God who has so generously given to you, bless you in your giving to others.  Amen

[1] 2 Corinthians 9:10