2 Corinthians 8 (5)

Pray Psalm 122.1-4.
I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go into the house of the LORD.”
Our feet have been standing
Within your gates, O Jerusalem!
Jerusalem is built
As a city that is compact together,
Where the tribes go up,
The tribes of the LORD,
To the Testimony of Israel,
To give thanks to the name of the LORD.

Sing Psalm 122.1-4.
(Nettleton: Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing)
I was glad when they said to me, “To the LORD’s house let us go!”
Holy City, let our feet be firmly planted in your soil.
Jesus builds His Church forever, where His people sing His praise!
As Your Word decrees forever, we will thank You all our days.

Read 2 Corinthians 8.1-21; meditate on verses 16-21.

Preparation
1. Who was coming to the Corinthians?

2. What would glorify God?

Meditation
It was important to Paul that the Corinthians participate in the relief of the brethren in Judea, as they had promised. Paul seems to have exhorted Titus to go to Corinth, but that exhortation was unnecessary; Titus was most eager to return (vv. 16, 17). The Corinthians had refreshed his soul during his previous visit, and he was happy to return and bring this work to a completion. Another brother—Luke? Barnabas?—well known to the churches would be coming with Titus to aid in the project. These were both honorable men (vv. 18, 19), so the Corinthians need not worry that their “lavish gift” (v. 20) might be compromised.

Paul mentioned that the administration of this gift would “be to the glory of the Lord Himself” (v. 19). Think of all that went into getting this gift ready: the initial challenge, follow-up communications, coordinating the giving among the churches in Corinth, counting and packaging the money, getting the offering ready for Titus and the others to bear away. That doesn’t sound like very “high and holy” work. Mostly tedious, we might think. But Paul insisted that this would glorify and honor God (his “by us”, v. 19, is all-inclusive, I think). All that we do as acts of obedience are done by the grace of God at work within us (Phil. 1.13). Thus, even something so “mundane” as collecting, tallying, and delivering monetary gifts can be a way of demonstrating the oneness of Christ’s Body, the orderliness of His ways, the generosity of His grace, His care for all His people, and the power of grace over self-indulgence. God is glorified in our giving, and we should give Him praise and thanks for everything that goes into the work of administering our gifts.

The way the gifts were prepared, the men who would deliver them, and the gratitude with which they would be received would all be done decently and in order, so that the honor of God would be visible to Him and the world (v. 21)

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162.
I love what Paul wanted to “avoid” at all costs: “that anyone should blame us in this lavish gift which is administered by us” (2 Cor. 8.20).

“But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly” (Matt. 6.3, 4). Of course, this gift was open knowledge to those observing it; but Paul wanted the gift to “be to the glory of the Lord Himself” (2 Cor. 8.19) and not to anyone else. So don’t blame me for it!

Peter spoke to this same issue when he and John had gone up to the temple together to pray. On the way, they encountered a lame man who was asking for money. Peter nor John had anything to give him monetarily, but what they did have was life changing. “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk” (Acts 3.6). And he did!

But in the follow-up explanation, to take the blame and focus off themselves, they said that it was Jesus Who had done this great work through them: “And in His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all” (Acts 3.16). So, don’t blame us. Jesus did it! Praise Him, not us.

As an aside, there is an occasion written of in Scripture that tells what happened to Herod, when he blamed himself for God’s goodness. “Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died” (Acts 12.23). Much better to blame God for His goodness, than to blame oneself.

“I AM the LORD, that is My Name;
and My glory I will not give to another,
nor My praise to carved images” (Is. 42.8).

There is glory in giving; just be sure to blame God for it (Jms. 1.17).

For reflection
1. What daily details in your life have the potential for bringing honor and glory to God?

2. Do you ever see God glorified in the “everyday” ways of people you know? Examples? Have you told them so?

3. Whom will you encourage today to give God honor and glory for all the “everyday” ways they serve Him?

Seeing that the Corinthians are making progress in good works, Titus has become particularly concerned about their attitude and has even volunteered to go to visit them. Ambrosiaster (fl. 366-384), Commentary on Paul’s Epistles

Pray Psalm 122.5-9.
Pray for your church, that it may fulfill its calling to spread the grace of God throughout your community, and that you may know the peace of God and the unity of His love.

Sing Psalm 122.5-9.
(Nettleton: Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing)
On the throne of David, Jesus sits to judge the nations all.
As our holy peace increases we are safe who on You call.
Grant us peace, LORD, by Your favor; for Your people’s sake we pray.
For the Church’s sake, O Savior, we will seek Your good today.

T. M. and Susie Moore

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter, available by clicking here.