The letters of I Corinthians and II Corinthians were written to the church in that city of Corinth, in the area known as Achaia. In the book of I Corinthians, Paul had mentioned that it was his plan to return to that congregation that he had visited, but his plans had changed. And so, instead of visiting that congregation in person, he chose to write another letter, because there were some difficulties that were taking place there.

In the chapters leading up to the one that we look at this morning, Paul is first of all defending his reputation. After he had left, some false teachers had come in and were trying to undo, what Paul, through the Gospel of God’s Word, had done, in bringing the Corinthian congregation to faith.

Also, in the chapters previous to the one that we looked at this morning, the Apostle Paul was reminding them of the message of reconciliation - how God was reconciling the world to Himself, in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.

In the book of I Corinthians we are also told how the Corinthian congregation had started to gather together a special offering. That special offering was going to go to the church in Jerusalem. Jerusalem was going through a difficult time. There was a famine in the area. The Christians there were struggling. And so, many churches desired to bring this special offering to the church in Jerusalem.

Some things then happened that stopped the Corinthian congregation from continuing on with that special offering. One of the things that happened in the congregation was there was some church discipline taking place. In the book of I Corinthians, we are told that a man had taken to himself his father’s wife. He was having sexual relations with his own mother. The congregation did not address this open sin in their congregation. They were not concerned about it. And so, the Apostle Paul had to address the issue. That is part of the reason why they had stopped in their special offering. They were consumed with what was taking place in their church.

As Paul was unable to make a second visit to them, false teachers had come in and were really trying to undo what Paul had established - that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

Well, both of those issues had been taken care of and they were both set aside. And Paul now comes to them, encouraging them to bring forth that special offering, for those other Christians that were in need, down in Jerusalem.

Based on our text, let us look at how Paul uses strong encouragement and Christ-centered motivation, on the subject of the God pleasing use of our financial resources. In our text for today, there are two shinning examples before us. One, the Macedonian churches and also Christ, Himself.

I mentioned earlier that the city of Corinth was in the area known as Achaia. Just to the north of them was the area known as Macedonia. The cities in Macedonia were cities like, Thessalonica, Berea, and Philippi. Paul was complementing those congregations, because they were very rich in their generosity in giving of that special offering to the church down in Jerusalem.

Now, in our text for today, Paul does not prod the Corinthians. Paul does not badger the Corinthians. But, rather Paul encourages them, by using a comparison of another church body and their offerings that they had given to the church down in Jerusalem. Those churches in Macedonia knew how God the Father, had lavished love on them, how God had sent His Son, and how Jesus had gone to the cross. And there, Jesus suffered and died to forgive them of all their sin. They looked at the rich generosity that God had given to them. And out of their hearts, cheerfully, they wanted to give a gift to those Christians, down in Jerusalem.

You might say that the Macedonians gave in response to grace. And that is what the first five verses of our text for today are talking about (if you want to look at that, while I read those verses again). Paul says, "And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. They did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord, and then to us, in keeping with God’s Will."

Then in verses 7 and 8 Paul reminds those believers in Corinth, not that "this is what the congregations in Macedonia did, therefore you should do it," but he shares it as an example or a comparison with them. And so, in verses 7 and 8 Paul says, "But just as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us - see that you also excel in this grace of giving."

We don’t see comparisons as a reason for joining in a project. Rather, we should see comparisons as a wonderful example of another congregation or another person taking the lead in a certain project. And out of our love for their leadership in that project, oh how we want to join in, and help out with whatever the opportunity may be.

Today before us we have that wonderful shining example of the Macedonian Christians and churches. And how, in their rich generosity, they gave a special offering to the church in Jerusalem.

We even have a greater example, (that the Macedonian church cannot even compare to), is the example of Christ, Himself. Paul reminds us from our text,

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

that though He was rich,

yet for your sakes He became poor,

so that you,

through His poverty,

might become rich."

To think and imagine that Jesus left the riches of Heaven, and He became one of us! He became a man, so that He could take our place and suffer and die to save us from our sin!

When Jesus left the riches of Heaven, to become poor like one of us, He didn’t become a full-grown human being. He didn’t become a full-grown man. But rather, He became a baby.

To think that Jesus, Himself, who created man and woman, was now dependent upon a man and a woman! He was dependent upon His mother and father, to keep Him warm.

The One, who is the Bread of Life, and the Water of Life, was dependent upon His mother for food.

The One, who with His mighty arms created everything, now was just flailing them around, dependent upon all of those around Him.

Jesus, our Savior, left the riches of Heaven. He became poor, so that we, through His poverty, could become rich.

It is amazing that Jesus, who lived a perfect life, was obedient to His parents. He kept the Fourth Commandment. Here we have a young boy, who was perfect, and there were probably instructions that His imperfect parents gave to Him. Jesus followed what His parents asked Him to do. He who made the heavens and the earth, He who created man and woman, He who was Lord over His own mother and father, He did that for you!

This morning we have two shining examples before us. The wonderful example of the Macedonian congregations and the greatest example of all, that of Christ Himself, "who became nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance of as man He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross."

Jesus said,

"I did not come to be served,

but to serve,

and to give my life

as a ransom for many."

As we see those two shining, wonderful examples, we now can look at the wonderful opportunities that we have before us. No matter what those opportunities are.

If you grab your bulletin and look at the back side, you see the Holy Cross statistical information on the left hand side, you will see those bottom two numbers, $575,412 and $515,918, (the difference there is about $60,000). The line above that says, "Weekly budgeted offerings," which is $31,000. What that means is in the last two weeks, of this fiscal year, we need about $60,000 in order to meet the budget. Now what a wonderful opportunity we have before us. We look at the example of the Macedonian Christians, and how they gave. We see the shining example of Christ, and how He gave everything. He left the riches of Heaven. He became poor, so that we, through His poverty, might become rich. Here we have an opportunity to put our faith into practice and to give back unto God what He has so graciously given to us.

Or, look at the other side of the back of the bulletin, underneath the Relocation Fund Appeal, at the bottom line, there. It says the amount needed for the November land payment is $107,000. In a just a little over 4 months we are going to need to make that second payment for our land. Here before us is another wonderful opportunity to give back unto God what He has so graciously given to us – on the subject of the God pleasing use of our financial recourses.

Stepping aside from financial things, for a moment, as you walked into church this morning, through our parking lot, or through our front doors, you may have seen that some of our weeds have sprouted into ‘shrubs.’ We have a need to help take care of church property. That does not necessarily take financial resources, but it does take time, to come and to help to beautify God’s property. May we look at the shining example of the Macedonian Christians and Christ Himself, and use that as an opportunity to give back to God what he so graciously has given unto us.

This last year the nominating committee found it difficult to fill all of our boards and committees. There is an opportunity for us to serve with our time and our talents, to give back to God what He has given to us. Again, we look at the shining example of the Macedonian Christians and Christ Himself.

Finally, I use the example of our 35^th all school reunion or the 80^th anniversary of the church, which will be coming up in September. Much of the groundwork for that has already been laid. And yet, you may be called upon or asked to help out with that whole weekend. So, be looking for signup sheets in which you will be able to serve and use your time and talents to help out with that.

A man once said, "The basic question is not how much of our money we should give to God. But, how much of God’s money we should keep for ourselves."

In our text for today we see the Macedonians were generous in their giving. The greatest example of all from our text is the example of Christ, who gave up the riches of Heaven, and became poor, so that we through His poverty might become rich.

Dear Christian brothers and sisters,

we sit here today redeemed.

We sit here today forgiven of all of our sin.

And we sit here today, waiting for those riches of eternal life in Heaven, where we will have life and salvation.

As opportunities present themselves, (and I mentioned just a few this morning), may we remember the two shining examples from our text, that of the Macedonians and Christ, and look for ways with our time, with our talents, and with our treasures, to give back unto God what He so graciously for Christ’s sake, has given unto us.

Amen.