Chapter 9: 2 Corinthians 9: 1-15, sowing and reaping
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we pray for spiritual ears to hear, spiritual eyes to see, spiritual minds to understand, spiritual hearts to receive, and divine enablement to obey. We permit You to perform radical surgery, to conform, transform, and renew us from inside out, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
VV 1-3, 1 Now concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you; 2 for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority. 3 Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready,
Ancient Achaia was a province of the Roman Empire and Corinth was its capital. Achaia had already started the collection for the mother church in Jerusalem 1 year ago but the collection might have slowed down.
Paul sent Titus and 2 other brothers ahead of him to them to encourage them to continue and complete the collection. Paul boasted about the Corinthian Christian’s zeal to the Macedonian Christians.
VV 4-5, 4 lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this confident boasting. 5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation.
If Paul came to Corinth with some Macedonian Christians and found them unprepared with the offering it would not be edifying. Therefore, Paul took the liberty to send Titus and the two other brothers to them ahead of him to prepare their generous gift beforehand.
VV 6-9, 6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor, His righteousness endures forever.”
Paul explained the principle of sowing and reaping. In planting, whoever sows a lot of seeds will reap a plentiful harvest. Whoever sows a few seeds will reap only a meagre harvest. The same principle applies to giving to the Lord’s work. Whoever givea lot to the Lord’s work will reap a bountiful reward from the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:10. We should not give grudgingly because God loves a cheerful giver. Paul quoted Psalm 112:2.
Paul quoted, Psalm 112:9, “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor.”
2 Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
VV 10-11, 10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.
The principle of sowing and reaping also applies to evangelism. God is the gardener. He supplies us with the seed of the gospel. Our job is to sow the seeds far and wide to increase the fruits of our labour. Whoever sows bountifully will reap bountifully. Whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly.
VV 12-15, 12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, 14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
The collection of the offering would supply the needs of the famine and poverty-stricken Judean Christians of the mother church. Their generous offering would be proof of their obedience, glorify God, and answered the prayers of the Judean Christians. Paul thanked God for their generous and indescribable gift.
Application:
2 Corinthians 9:6-7 should be committed to memory. “But this I say, He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Whoever sows generouly to the Lord’s work will reap a generous reward from the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:10. Sowing into God’s kingdom on earth translates to depositing into our heavenly bank accounts. Whatever is deposited into our accounts in heaven lasts into eternity.
Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, help us not to lay up for ourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
