Friday Devo
Scripture:
2 Corinthians 8:1–5
Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters,[a] what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. 2 They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.
3 For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. 4 They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem.[b] 5 They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.
Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters,[a] what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. 2 They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.
3 For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. 4 They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem.[b] 5 They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.
Commentary:
8:1 the grace of God … given among the churches of Macedonia. A reference to the generosity of the churches in the region of Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea (see Acts 16:9–17:15; 18:5; 19:21–22, 29; 20:1–4; 27:2). Here and throughout 2 Corinthians 8–9 Paul calls the collection an act of “grace” because contributing to the needs of others is made possible by God’s undeserved gifts in their lives (8:1, 4, 6–7, 19; 9:14–15; see also 8:9; 9:8).
8:2–5 God’s grace was manifested in that the Macedonians gave even though they were poor. not as we expected. What surprised Paul was that the Macedonians also gave themselves first to the Lord (a recommitment of their lives) and then … to us; they offered not only money but also any other personal help they could give to Paul.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2233.
8:2–5 God’s grace was manifested in that the Macedonians gave even though they were poor. not as we expected. What surprised Paul was that the Macedonians also gave themselves first to the Lord (a recommitment of their lives) and then … to us; they offered not only money but also any other personal help they could give to Paul.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2233.
Questions:
The churches in Macedonia didn't have much to give. Paul describes them as experiencing deep poverty and severe trouble, but their joy still overflowed into generosity. They gave beyond what anyone might have expected, even begging for the opportunity to help other believers. Their circumstances didn't keep them from giving.
Paul explains why. Before they gave their money, they gave themselves to the Lord (2 Corinthians 8:5). Their generosity started with a heart that belonged to Jesus. They understood that everything they had was already His, and they wanted their lives to reflect that.
Deuteronomy 6:5 calls us to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength. That reaches far beyond what we put in an offering. It includes our time, our abilities, our relationships, our opportunities, and our resources. God isn't asking for one isolated part of our lives. He wants ALL of us.
It's easy to approach generosity by starting with a number. We decide what we can afford, what we're comfortable giving, and what we'd rather keep for ourselves. But the Macedonian believers challenge us to start somewhere else. Have we given ourselves to the Lord? Do we see our money as something we own completely, or as something God has entrusted to us to use for His purposes?
One day we will stand before Jesus and give an account for how we've used what He's given us. The money we've earned, the time we've spent, the opportunities we've been given, and the abilities we've developed are all part of a life entrusted to us. What will we have done with them? How much of our lives will have been spent building something that lasts beyond us?
We can spend decades working toward a comfortable life, building savings, gaining recognition, and pursuing things we've always wanted. Some of those things may be good gifts from God. But they can also consume our attention until there's little room left for His work. We can become so invested in building our own kingdom that we give very little thought to the Kingdom of God.
Living generously will require some decisions. It may mean giving more than feels comfortable, using an ability to serve someone, making room in your schedule for ministry, or helping support the work of sharing the gospel. It may mean changing the way you've handled money for years. And sometimes generosity means giving up something you want because you see a greater opportunity to invest in what God is doing. The Macedonian believers remind us that generosity isn't reserved for people who have plenty. Their willingness to give came from their devotion to Jesus.
Paul explains why. Before they gave their money, they gave themselves to the Lord (2 Corinthians 8:5). Their generosity started with a heart that belonged to Jesus. They understood that everything they had was already His, and they wanted their lives to reflect that.
Deuteronomy 6:5 calls us to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength. That reaches far beyond what we put in an offering. It includes our time, our abilities, our relationships, our opportunities, and our resources. God isn't asking for one isolated part of our lives. He wants ALL of us.
It's easy to approach generosity by starting with a number. We decide what we can afford, what we're comfortable giving, and what we'd rather keep for ourselves. But the Macedonian believers challenge us to start somewhere else. Have we given ourselves to the Lord? Do we see our money as something we own completely, or as something God has entrusted to us to use for His purposes?
One day we will stand before Jesus and give an account for how we've used what He's given us. The money we've earned, the time we've spent, the opportunities we've been given, and the abilities we've developed are all part of a life entrusted to us. What will we have done with them? How much of our lives will have been spent building something that lasts beyond us?
We can spend decades working toward a comfortable life, building savings, gaining recognition, and pursuing things we've always wanted. Some of those things may be good gifts from God. But they can also consume our attention until there's little room left for His work. We can become so invested in building our own kingdom that we give very little thought to the Kingdom of God.
Living generously will require some decisions. It may mean giving more than feels comfortable, using an ability to serve someone, making room in your schedule for ministry, or helping support the work of sharing the gospel. It may mean changing the way you've handled money for years. And sometimes generosity means giving up something you want because you see a greater opportunity to invest in what God is doing. The Macedonian believers remind us that generosity isn't reserved for people who have plenty. Their willingness to give came from their devotion to Jesus.
- When you look at how you've spent your time, money, and energy over the past year, what has received the greatest investment? What are you working hard to build or hold onto? Are those things helping you invest in God's Kingdom, or have they taken priority over it?
- Paul said the Macedonian believers gave themselves to the Lord before giving their resources. What would it mean for your money, abilities, opportunities, and plans to truly belong to Jesus? Is there an area you've been holding back because you're more concerned with what you might have to give up?
- Consider what God has placed in your hands right now. Is there a specific way you could use your resources, time, or abilities to support your church, serve someone in need, or help make Jesus known? Identify one change you need to make and take a step toward it this week.
Prayer Topics:
- Ask God to help you see your money, time, abilities, and opportunities as things He's entrusted to you.
- Confess the ways you've spent more of your life building your own comfort or success than investing in God's Kingdom.
- Thank Jesus for giving His life for you and inviting you to give your life in service to Him.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to grow generosity in your heart and show you how to use what you have to serve others and make Jesus known.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
2. Are there sources outside the Bible that confirm the Biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? Many Roman and Jewish historians have confirmed that the apostles died as martyrs for preaching that they saw Jesus risen from the grave. No one dies for something they know to be a lie.
(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
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