Devotional : The example of the Macedonian Christians.

 

The LORD has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.

Our topic for today is The Example of the Macedonian Christians.

The scripture we are working with is 2 Corinthians 8:1-5:

“Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.”

From this scripture we would see that the church at Macedonian gave willingly even though they didn’t have much. But we can also see from the scripture that the main point is not just giving willingly, but giving ourselves to God only then can everything we are and what we own belong to God.

Paul now writes about other churches and their example in giving. In his first few words on this subject, Paul shows he considers both the opportunity and the willingness to give a gift from the grace of God.

The churches of Macedonia: The northern part of Greece was called Macedonia. The southern part was called Achaia, and the city of Corinth was in the region of Achaia. Paul writes about the example he sees in the churches of Macedonia. The churches of Macedoniawere in cities such as Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea.

That in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality: Paul reports to the Corinthian Christians the example of the Macedonian Christians. The Macedonians, though they were in a great trial of affliction and though they were in deep poverty, still gave generously (abounded in the riches of their liberality).

Why did Paul write about giving at all? What was he collecting money for? Paul was raising money to help the Christians in Jerusalem, who were very poor. He had previously mentioned this effort in 1 Corinthians 16:1-4.

 The poverty of the Macedonians is confirmed by secular history. The Romans took most of their wealth when they conquered this former homeland of Alexander the Great.

 For I bear witness: Paul knew that the Macedonians gave in two ways. First, they gave according to their ability in the sense that in total, their gift wasn’t very much. It was not a “large” gift in a total dollar sense. Secondly, since their heart was freely willing to give, and they gave in proportion to the little they did have, they gave beyond their ability.

iThe account of the widow’s giving in Luke 21:1-4 illustrates the same point. She only gave two mites, which was a very small amount of money. In that sense, she gave according to [her] ability. Nevertheless, since she gave all she had – after all, she might have kept one mite to herself – she gave beyond [her] ability. The same principle of giving was evident in the Macedonian Christians.

“That poor widow’s mite was beyond the rich man’s magnificence, because it came out of a richer mind.” 

Freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift: Paul didn’t have to beg for money from the Macedonian Christians (which he wouldn’t have done anyway). Instead, they were begging him (imploring us) to receive the gift!

Imploring us means that it was the Macedonians who begged Paul for the privilege of giving, not Paul who begged them for money.

So, though the Macedonian Christians didn’t have much to give, they really wanted to give. They saw it as a privilege to give. True Christian generosity can’t be measured by how much one has to give. Often those who have less are more generous with what they have.

“The example of the Macedonians is practical proof that true generosity is not the prerogative of those who enjoy an adequacy of means. The most genuine liberality is frequently displayed by those who have least to give. Christian giving is estimated in terms not of quantity but of sacrifice.” 

 Not as we hoped: The Macedonian Christians gave far beyond what Paul hoped for. What made their giving so spectacular? It wasn’t the dollar amount. It was that they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. Why were the Macedonians such good examples of giving? Because they first gave themselves to the Lord; then they gave their trust to Paul and the other apostles.

In giving, the real issue isn’t giving money. It is giving ourselves to the Lord. If we really give ourselves to the Lord, then the right kind of material giving will naturally follow.

Let us pray 🙏 

Thank you lord for the revelation of your word this beautiful morning.

Lord this day I give my self to you, everything that I have and everything that I am is yours lord.

Lord in any case that I forget this declaration let your spirit in me bring it to my remembrance.

In Jesus name amen 🙏