Acts of Grace
Acts of
Grace
Last Sunday, we sang Chris Tomlin's Amazing Grace, My Chains Are Gone. I love to be reminded of the grace of God toward me. To meditate on his undeserved favor toward me, a sinner is the most marveling and enjoyable practice a person can endeavor to do. Paul loved the grace of God and wrote of it often. He wanted the Corinthians to know "about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia." The gospel had been preached, God brought about believers, and churches had been planted. This was something to report: God's grace saving sinners. But 1 Corinthians 8 describes an act of grace that may seem strange. He connects grace with giving, calling it "an act of grace."
Paul vividly describes how the gospel sparked an overflow of joy among the Macedonian believers, leading to a generous and sacrificial act of giving. They gave not out of obligation but out of the sheer joy of contributing to the 'relief of the saints.' Paul urges the Corinthians, who may have had more resources, to continue giving in the same spirit. They had started well, but their enthusiasm seemed to have waned.
Although we, like the Corinthian church, might excel "in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in...love." May we, too, be filled with an overflowing joy that can be seen in our generosity. Last year, the RIC members agreed, in faith, on a higher budget than our projected giving. Last Sunday, we reviewed the trends to see how we are doing. By God's grace, more has been received from you than expected! That's great news!
However, church giving remains lower than our basic expenses (rent, utilities, supplies, salaries, etc), but not by much. We know that Jesus builds his church and supplies our needs. Therefore, two questions should be asked:
How is your joy in the Lord these days?
If your joy is full, even overflowing, what might that look like in your giving to your church?
Give Now
Together with you for His Kingdom,
Loren