By Ken Yates
THE CHALLENGE
In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul wrote about an offering he was collecting for poor believers in Jerusalem. He wanted the believers in Corinth to contribute to this offering.
In 2 Cor 8:1-4, he described how other churches had responded. The churches in Macedonia, north of Corinth, had given sacrificially to help their fellow believers in Israel. It had not been easy for them to contribute; Paul pointed out that they had financial needs themselves.
Paul used the churches in Macedonia as an example to spur the believers in Corinth to give sacrificially. The churches in Macedonia should be a challenge to believers today as well.
Giving to poor believers in Israel was difficult for the believers in Macedonia. They themselves were poor and could have easily justified not giving their resources to others. But they decided to give, even beyond their ability (v 3). In fact, they begged Paul for the privilege of giving to believers who were in worse circumstances than themselves. When they gave, they gave more than anybody would have expected.
Why did they do it? How were they able to overlook their own needs in order to aid brothers and sisters in Christ whom they had never met?
THE MACEDONIANS NEEDED HELP THEMSELVES
Though the Macedonian believers wanted to give, that desire was not only difficult but also made little sense. They needed the money for themselves. They had heard about the great need in Israel, but how could they lay aside their own anxieties? It would have been understandable if they had decided to let others who were in better financial situations than themselves send money. Giving to the believers in Israel was a noble cause, but nobody would expect them to contribute.
Even Paul seemed to understand. Evidently, because of their own poverty, he had not asked the Macedonians to give. Amazingly, they had come to him and asked that they be allowed to give.
Their generosity was praiseworthy. Paul tells us how they did it. In their flesh, they would not have given. They would have looked after their own needs. Instead, Paul says, they “gave themselves to the Lord” (v 5).
We could look at that phrase in a very general sense and conclude that the Macedonians simply decided to give because they believed the Lord wanted them to do so. But it involved more than that. They went to Him for help. They wanted Him to give them the faith needed to give, even though they had their own needs. They wanted Him to instill in them the proper attitude toward giving to the poor in Israel. They wanted to give cheerfully and willingly, not out of compulsion (2 Cor 9:7). That would be difficult to accomplish. They could not do it on their own.
But they “gave themselves to the Lord” in the sense that they knew He could effect that change in them. The author of Hebrews says that when believers face difficult times, they can go to Christ to find the grace and help they need (Heb 4:16). I have no doubt that part of what the Macedonian believers did was to go to the Lord in prayer, asking Him to make them willing and cheerful givers in the midst of their poverty.
No wonder Paul says that God gave the Macedonians the grace needed so that they could give to their fellow believers in Israel (2 Cor 8:1). They had approached the throne of God’s grace and found what they needed in order to please the Lord.
But the believers in Macedonia had something else that helped them give sacrificially. They had the perfect example to follow.
THE LORD SHOWED THE WAY
Not only did the Lord give them the grace to give in the midst of their own afflictions, but He also gave them an example to follow. Paul discussed what the Lord did when He saw a need. In verse 9, he said that the Lord became poor so that the Corinthians and Macedonians could, through His poverty, become rich.
Every believer can look to the Lord for guidance in serving others. He died on the cross so that He could give eternal life to all who believe in Him for it. In His death and resurrection, He broke the power of sin so that all who believe in Him could live righteously. Such a life will result in great rewards in His eternal kingdom. Christ became poor so that we could have eternal life and eternal riches. He became poor so that we could become rich beyond our wildest imaginings.
Paul spoke of the rewards believers can receive for serving others. In giving to the believers in Israel, the Macedonians were sowing in hopes of reaping a great harvest in Christ’s coming kingdom (2 Cor 9:6). The Macedonian believers gave the way they did because they wanted to be like the Lord. They wanted His approval when they stand before Him at the Judgment Seat of Christ. If they earned His approval, He will reward them on that day.
The author of Hebrews also spoke about looking to Christ as our example. This is especially true during difficult times. Talking about Christ on the cross, he writes:
…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:2)
Christ suffered, looking toward the joy of the kingdom over which He would rule forever. We are to look to Him. If we rely on Him, He will carry us through our difficult times, and we will reign with Him.
That is what the Macedonian believers did. They went to Him and asked for the strength to be like Him. He gave so that others could be rich. They wanted to do the same. They were experiencing difficulties, but wanted to give so that others would benefit. Christ was highly exalted. The Macedonians were following His example and could expect a bountiful harvest when they stand before Him.
CONCLUSION
We must be careful not to apply 2 Corinthians 8–9 to every opportunity to support ministries financially. Some ministries should not be supported because of their unbiblical theology. There are also many scam artists out there.i
But the Macedonian believers did not have those problems. Paul, the Lord’s apostle, was behind the offering for the needy believers in Jerusalem. The Macedonians knew the need was real and that the Lord approved.
Still, it was hard to do. Because of their financial situation, they would need the grace of God. They knew where to go to find it. Jesus Christ was their High Priest who would give them the strength to do what pleased Him. He was also their example par excellence.
Every believer will find himself in situations in which it will be difficult to serve the Lord and others. We do not have an apostle here to tell us what to do. But we have the Word of God. When the Word instructs us to do something we are initially reluctant to do, we should do what the Macedonians did.
Look to the Lord. Approach His throne of grace. He will give us the grace and strength to do what should be done. We will gain His approval for doing so. Eternal riches await.
Ken Yates is a retired Army chaplain (Lt. Col). He has many theological degrees, including a Ph.D. from D.T.S. in New Testament. He leads the GES international ministry, cohosts the daily podcast, and assists Bob in all aspects of the GES ministry. His new book, Mark: Lessons in Discipleship, is a wonderful explanation of Christ’s call to discipleship. He and his wife, Pam, live in Columbia, SC.
i Editor’s note: Ken’s point applies both to churches corporately and to individual believers. Churches and individuals are often confronted by people and ministries (including foreign churches) asking for money and assistance. Some of those needs and ministries are legitimate and worthy of support, but many are not.
