"Money Monster" - Sacrifice: Plead for the Privilege
- Series: "Money Monster" - Tame the Beast
- by: Chris Mayfield 11/01/09
Sacrifice With Joy
The context of 2 Corinthians 8 is important to understanding the chapter. The church in Jerusalem, still under Roman rule, was being oppressed and persecuted with vivid brutality. Many men had been placed in jaiI, beaten, even crucified for the sake of the gospel. This left their children and families to endure hardship and poverty. Furthermore, the church in Jerusalem was made up of mostly Jewish converts. This meant that Jewish Christians now suffered oppression from both their own people (Jews) and from the Roman government. Paul calls upon the surrounding churches, most of which were made up of Gentile (non-Jewish) converts, to demonstrate their love and unity with the Jerusalem church by sacrificially giving money to ease their suffering.
In every area of our life we are to make sacrifices and accept suffering for the sake of glorifying Jesus Christ and loving others. This includes the area of finances. When we give these areas of sacrifice up to God, sometimes He will see us through the sacrifice and suffering by supplying us with more than we could have hoped for. Other times He sees us through by supplying just what we need to get by and nothing more. Either way God proves that in every situation, He alone is sufficient for our needs, and that faith in Him—not money—is what will faithfully see us through.
Engage the Text
2 Corinthians 8:1-15
- With what kind of attitude did the Macedonian church give to the Jerusalem church? What was it in the mindset of the churches of Macedonia that compelled them to give in spite of their poverty?
- What does it mean to give “beyond their means”?
- Verse 5 is one of the keys to us learning how to give unselfishly. Verse 5, “…but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us”.
- What is the relationship between genuine love and generosity (V.8)?
- How did Christ, who is rich, become poor for our sakes and make us rich? How is giving generously Christ-like?
Mark 12:41-44
- Does Jesus commend the amount or the amount of sacrifice of those who gave?
- What compels a widow to give like this?
From Thought to Action
- Paul earnestly encourages the Corinthian church to grow in the grace of sacrificial giving (verses 6-7). Just as we make efforts to grow in knowledge, faith and love, we must make efforts to grow in the grace of giving. What efforts are you making currently? What will you do in the future? How can we as a community group grow in this together?
- If you look at Mark 12:41-44, Jesus makes a point to show that he values the sacrifice in giving, not the gift. In regards to time or skills, how can you change your attitude to be more like the poor widow? Does your heart's attitude differ when you are called to give in times of less abundance? An example might be a busy week at work in the midst of great ministry needs in the lost around you or at church- how is your attitude then?
Share your experiences of sacrifice and giving and how God used those to minister to others and mature and bless you.
