Generous New Life (2 Corinthians 8:1-7)
Gary McManus, 04/19/2015Part of the New Life series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
Money! The Bible talks about money.
There are 2,300 verses in the Bible on money.
Fifteen percent of what Jesus said had to do
with possessions. There are fifty-six places
in the Bible that talk about offerings.
The Bible mentions the poor or poor people over 150 times.
Proverbs 31:9: “. . . defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
What was the ancient world like?
There were poor people, but how many poor people?
New Testament mentions beggars, widows, orphans.
There are warnings for the rich. (Matthew 19:23)”
(Luke 18:19-27)
What does the Bible say?
In instructions to congregations,
it says that the leadership of the church,
the Elders should not be “lovers of money.” (!)
(1 Timothy 3:3)
How are things supposed to be?
We are getting a NEW life. . so we will see ourselves differently
we will see others differently.
Generosity is the key —11 times in the New Testament.
Commanded even of those who WERE poor.
(2 Corinthians 8)
This is generosity based on a NEW LIFE.
We often forget the existence of slavery in the ancient
world and the ancient church!
(1 Corinthians 6:20, 7:23)
“You were bought with a price.”
1 Peter 1:17-19
redeemed. . . RANSOMED.
Ransoms are a price.
The price of our ransoming was Jesus’ blood.
. . .Redeemed from the empty way of life handed
down to you. . .we were ransomed from our OLD life.
We can live a new life. . a free life.
Paul: slaves to Jesus. .he bought us with a price.
(Ephesians 6:6,
Amen.
Other resources:
http://food.nationalgeographic.com/
A class on “Understanding People in Poverty”
will be held (again) June 17th 10 a.m.- 12:15 pm
at Whitinger and Company, 1100 W White River
Blvd, Muncie.
See the Spring 2015 issue (Vol 1, No. 1) of
Poverty Insights, http://teamworkql.org/
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The Bible, Money, Giving and God
There are 2,300 verses in the Bible on money.
Fifteen percent of what Jesus said had to do with
possessions. There are fifty-six places in the Bible
that talk about offerings. Gifts are also listed in an
additional twenty-five places in scripture.
There are a few hundred citations in the New Testament
with the word "give". In the great majority of scriptures
God is GIVING TO US. 120 times in the New Testament
God is giving to us while we are asked to give twenty times.
"Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way
the Lord your God has blessed you.."
--Deuteronomy 16:17
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