The Head of Generosity | 2 Corinthians 9:1-15
How many of you think you are rich? Studies show that people in America believe that they are poor. Gallup did a study that asked people who made $30,000 a year, “what income qualify you are being rich?” The answer was $75K. They then asked people who made $75K what would make you feel rich and they said, “120K.” Then they went those making 120K and they said, “200K.” The study found that what made people feel rich was money than they were currently making. Perspective: the average global household income is $12,235 per year. If you make over $40K a year, you are in the top 10% in the world. If we are honest, some of us are struggling, but most of us are all living better than we deserve. The Bible says, “To whom much is given, much is required.” Everything we have is from God. 15% of the Bible talks about money and how we think about it: 2,350 verses: The reason why the Bible teaches so much about money is because if you get your view of money right then everything else in your life with take care of itself. It’s all
about perspective.
Paul spends two chapters persuading the Corinthians to follow through on their promise to participate in an offering for the suffering saints in Jerusalem. They were a wealthy, talented group of believers, but having second thoughts about giving. Paul is encouraging them and teaching them and us that: Generosity is the overflow of grace in my life based on the generosity of Jesus. As God has done for me, I should do for others. The goal is not people who become generous for a season in response to a sermon, but generous for a lifetime in response to the gospel. How we think about generosity matters: Generosity comes from having the grace-filled mentality that trusts God for the ability to give in order to reflect His glory to the world around us.