Give Yourself to the Lord

I. THE OVERVIEW OF THE CHAPTER

A. The Example of the Macedonians (2 Corinthians 8:1-6; see Romans 15:25-27)

B. The Challenge of the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 8:7-15)

1. The call set forth (2 Corinthians 8:7-8)
a. Their praise (2 Corinthians 8:7)
1.) They abound in faith.
2.) They abound in utterance.
3.) They abound in knowledge.
4.) They abound in all diligence.
5.) They abound in their love toward Paul and those with him.
b. Their call—“see that ye abound in this grace also” (2 Corinthians 8:7; 2 Peter 3:18)
c. Their evidence—“to prove the sincerity of your love” (2 Corinthians 8:8); Note: This was not offered by commandment (see 2 Corinthians 9:7).
2. The example set forth (2 Corinthians 8:9)
a. The person—“our Lord Jesus Christ”
b. The motivation—“the grace”
c. The outcome
1.) “Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor,”
2.) “That ye through his poverty might be rich”
3. The performance requested (2 Corinthians 8:10-12)
a. The nature of the advice (2 Corinthians 8:10-11)
1.) They had begun (2 Corinthians 8:10).
2.) They needed to perform the doing (2 Corinthians 8:11).
b. The principle of the advice (2 Corinthians 8:11-12)
1.) It all begins with a readiness of mind (2 Corinthians 8:11).
2.) There must be a performance out of that which ye have (2 Corinthians 8:11).
3.) A man is unexpected to go beyond what he has (2 Corinthians 8:12).
4. The balance desired (2 Corinthians 8:13-15); Note: Concerning the manna, excess bred worms.

C. The Resources of the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 8:16-24)

1. The care of God’s men (2 Corinthians 8:16-23)
a. The care of Titus (2 Corinthians 8:16-17; 23)
b. The care of other brothers (2 Corinthians 8:18-22)
2. The appeal to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 8:24)
a. The audience
1.) To them
2.) Before the churches
b. The confirmation
1.) The proof of your love
2.) The proof of our boasting on your behalf

II. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF GIVING (2 Corinthians 8:1-2)

A. The Desire for Understanding (2 Corinthians 8:1)

1. The expression—“we do you to wit”
2. The example—“the grace of God bestowed upon the churches of Macedonia”

B. The Expression of Their Conditions (2 Corinthians 8:2)

1. In a great trial of affliction
2. In their deep poverty

C. The Results of Their Conditions (2 Corinthians 8:2)

1. The abundance of their joy
2. The riches of their liberality

III. THE EXCESS IN GIVING (2 Corinthians 8:3-5)

A. The Power of Their Giving (2 Corinthians 8:3)

1. The record of their power—“to their power, I bear record”
2. The stretch of their power—they were willing beyond their power.

B. The Request of Their Giving (2 Corinthians 8:4)

1. The Macedonians prayed Paul that he would receive the gift.
2. The Macedonians prayed Paul that he would take upon him the ministering to the saints.

C. The Excellence of Their Giving (2 Corinthians 8:5)

1. The recipients of their giving
a. To the Lord
b. Unto us
2. The surpassing of their giving
a. This they did
b. Not as we hoped
3. The substance of their giving—“first gave their own selves”
4. The obedience of their giving—“by the will of God”

IV. THE CONTINUATION OF GIVING (2 Corinthians 8:6)

A. The Work of Titus

1. We desired Titus
2. As he had begun, so he would also finish

B. The Desire for the Saints—“in you the same grace also”