Shalom dear brothers and sisters, my dear friends, we are going to continue to study together the second epistle to the Corinthians, and we have arrived to 2 Corinthians chapter 8 and chapter 9, and these two chapters deal with the subject of giving to the Lord's work, giving to the ministry of God's work, giving to the saints, simply the subject of giving. And so I would like to read now the 8th chapter, 2nd Corinthians chapter 8 and verses 1 to 24. And the Apostle Paul is saying, moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia, how that in great trial of a philcan and abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

For to their power I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves, praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God. Inasmuch that we desired Titus that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. Therefore, as ye abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. And herein I give my advice, for this is expedient for you, who have begun before not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. Now therefore perform the doing of it that as there was a readiness to will so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have for if there be first a willing mind It is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened, but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want, that there may be equality. As it is written, He that has gathered much has nothing over, and he that has gathered little had no lack. But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you, For indeed he accepted the exhortation, but being more forward of his own accord, he went unto you. And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches, and not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and the declaration of your ready mind.

Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance, which is administered by us, providing for honest thing, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent upon the great confidence which I have in you. Whether any do inquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellow helper concerning you, Or our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of the churches and the glory of Christ. Wherefore, show ye to them and before the churches the proof of your love and of your boasting on your behalf.

So, beloved brothers and sisters, this is the second book of Corinthians, chapter 8. And in this 8th chapter, along with chapter 9, the apostle Paul is writing to the Corinthians concerning the subject of giving. Well, it is very interesting how now after the first seven chapters, beloved brothers and sisters, that Apostle Paul was writing to the Corinthian, opening his heart concerning the comfort that he was comforted by the Lord. And now he's moving we might say from the subject of comfort encouragement and he's now moving into the subject of giving practical giving for the Lord's work for the various needs that exist among the people of God for the gospel ministry for ministering to the saints the needs of the people of God in these two chapters 2nd Corinthians 8 and 9 the Apostle Paul will present before the Corinthians the subject of giving of course it is important to realize that God have given to us everything that we have had been given to us by the Lord in fact the prophet Haggai said to Israel in days of old he says the silver is mine God is speaking to the nation of Israel through Haggai in the second chapter in verse 8 Haggai 2 8 the silver is mine and the gold is mine says the Lord of hosts in other words everything here in this world belong to the Lord including that which he given to each and every one of his own people but really to each and every mankind everything.

Belongs unto the Lord in fact the psalmist said that is asaf concerning the word of the Lord that the Lord said to again to Israel in days of old for every beast of the forest is mine and the cattle upon a thousand hills i know all the fowls of the mountains and the wild beasts of the field are mine if i were hungry i would not tell thee for the world is mine and the fullness thereof this is in Psalm 50 verses 10 11 and 12 and so God owns everything and therefore it is important for God's people to remember that he is the one that everything belonged to him the silver is mine he said the gold is mine saith the Lord of hosts and so when it comes to giving the apostle Paul is seeking to remind the Corinthians and us all of the grace of God and of the provision of God to each one that belongs to him and therefore in chapter 8 and chapter 9 of second corinthian the apostle Paul is going to.

Speak about the collection the support the giving but in the context specifically he is dealing with the giving for the poor people in judaea in the Jerusalem that because of their faith in the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah they have lost their possession and they therefore became poor and believers in macedonia and then the believers in Corinth were encouraged to seek to meet the need of these Jewish believers in Jesus the Messiah who now have entered into a challenging time in their lives in fact in act chapter 11 we do read in verse 27 28 29 and 30 we read and in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch, and there stood up one of them by the name of Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be a great famine, dread, death throughout all the world, which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar, and the disciples.

Every man, according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwell in Judea, which also they did and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Shaul. Notice in Saul, this is so beautiful to see that while the prophet, while Agabus stood up and gave a prophetic word saying that there will be a famine throughout all the world it specifically affected the Jewish people even more in Judea because they did not only experience the famine as the rest of the world and the rest of the people in the land of Israel but also because of their faith in the Lord Jesus the Messiah they have experienced tremendous sufferings and loss in which there was a need and the apostle Paul have encouraged the believers to recognize that need and he determined Paul determined that he will gather the needs to meet the need of his own brethren in chapter 20 of the book of Acts the apostle Paul said in verse 35 i have showed you all things how that so laboring he ought to support the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus of the Lord Yeshua how he said and he's referring to a statement that was said in the days when Jesus the Messiah.

Was here still among his own disciples where he said it is more blessed to give than to receive and so it is amazing to see how the apostle Paul determined to be used as a vessel to minister to his Jewish brethren who were not only experiencing a famine but they also have experienced persecution and a lack of help from their brethren simply because of their faith in the Lord Jesus, Yeshua the Messiah. Paul spoke about this when he was speaking to the Roman believers in Romans chapter 15, where he said to the Roman believers in the Lord Jesus the Messiah, to the brethren in the city of Rome, he said to them in verse 25 of Romans chapter 15 he said but now i go to Jerusalem to minister unto the saints for it has pleased them of macedonia we will read about the brethren from macedonia here in the first few verses of second Corinthians chapter 8 and of achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem then notice what he adds in the next verses it has pleased them verily and their debtors they are for if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal thing verse 28 said when therefore i have performed this i have sealed it to them this fruit i will come by you into spain so Paul is saying when therefore i have performed this.

And i have sealed to them this fruit i will come by you he's saying to the Roman assembly and then by Spain into and going through Spain and so Paul Shaul Paul reminded the believers at Corinth that he is intending to bring a relief offering to the Jewish people and by doing so they will meet the believers in Judea the Jewish believers will be ministered unto by the people of Corinth as well as by the people of whom we are going to read from Macedonia. Paul wanted to remind the Gentiles, the believers, that they were debtors to the Jewish believers because through the Jewish people the gospel came to the world.

But also, beloved brothers and sisters, the offering that Apostle Paul will bring to the Jewish brethren of his would show that Paul was not an enemy of his brethren the opposite he loved his Jewish brethren we was willing as we read elsewhere to be even accursed for his people Israel but his brethren that because he was ministering to the Gentiles he became the apostle to the uncircumcision many perhaps felt that he has abandoned them and the apostle Paul really wanted to show that he does care for his brethren we read in act chapter 20 in verse 17 we read these words notice that we read and from miltus he sent to Ephesus and he called for the elders of the church there and they came to him and as you read towards the end he ultimately beloved brothers and sisters he went as it's as we read here he went to the land of Israel and he eventually arrived to Jerusalem as we read it in Acts chapter 21 and he showed that his love for his brethren.

Never ceased even though he became the apostle to the nations of the world so this is very important so the Corinthians needed to be reminded of the care for their brethren in judea and so in second Corinthians chapter 8 specifically here in this verse 10 the apostle Paul will remind them of their commitment. He says, I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others and to prove the sincerity of your love. In other words, he's appealing to them to fulfill promise that they had in mind to be helpful to the Jewish brethren in Judea. Well, we are now entering into this important eight chapter and you notice beloved brothers and sisters in verses one to six we have the example amazing example of giving that the believers in macedonia have which is philippi and tassanaica and others of the believers in macedonia they were so faithful.

What an example. Macedonia is north of Corinth, the city of Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. Then later on, a little bit south, you have Delphi, and ultimately you have Corinth. Even further south, and it's on the western side of Athens. And this is Macedonia. The Macedonian believers of the assemblies were really setting an example of giving this is extremely interesting as we are looking at these verses together and so you notice in the first six verses the example of giving then for verses 7 to 15 we have a the apostles exhortation to the believers at Corinth and ultimately as he enter into chapter 9 he's explaining to the believers at Corinth concerning giving and he will continue and enter into chapter 9 and he will encourage the believers at Corinth to give to give to the Lord's work to give to the ministry of the gospel to give to the poor saints in the case here in Judea and to meet the needs of people giving is in the heart of God and you will notice that he will present the greatest gift that was given for all mankind the gift of salvation through the grace that provided for us through the death.

Burial and resurrection of our Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah and so we read in verses one and two giving in spite of circumstances was evident among the believers in macedonia i'm reading verses one and two moreover the apostle Paul is saying brethren we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of macedonia and you notice these beloved brothers and sister he's speaking macedonia this is philippi teslonica berea and he's saying look how that in great trial of affliction and abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounding unto the riches of their liberality notice verses three and four for to their power i bear record And beyond their power, they were willing of themselves, praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

You remember, beloved brothers and sisters, how the Apostle Paul is encouraging the Corinthians but by setting before them the example of the believers in Macedonia. Notice that Paul reminds the Corinthians of God's grace. The first time in this chapter that we read of the word grace, which is mentioned here in 2 Corinthians 8, nine times. An additional, a few more times, it's mentioned in chapter 9. 2 Corinthians 8, verse 1, verse 4, verse 6, verse 7, verse 9, verse 16, verse 19, chapter 9, verse 8, and verse 14. The grace of God you notice that moreover brethren we do you wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of macedonia how and now notice that the local assemblies of macedonia this is northern Greek they had much affliction yet they gave liberally for the special need that existed in judea but by doing so they became an example of giving of the Lord's people for the Lord's work and the Lord's people's need and the needs all around us pacifically mentioned in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality not as he using kind of a it seems to be like a contradiction on the one hand he's saying great trial of affliction but then on the other hand he says that his abundance unto their joy well trial and joy seems to be contradicting then he said and their deep poverty in other words they were poor and then at the same time they abounded unto the riches of their.

Liberality notice this it seems to be kind of going one thing against the other on the one hand we have trials and affliction that the macedonian believers have experienced on the other hand they had joy which was from the Lord then once again they were poor perhaps they were poor like of judea and yet at the same time they were rich in being liberal to recognize the need that existed in judea amazing two verses he continued in verses three and four it's not only that they were giving by grace and the grace of God that was bestowed upon them as it says in verse one in verses three informed they did not do it with anger or with harshness or we have to give they've done it apparently been enthusiastic in their giving it says in verse 3 for to their power or to their ability i bear record yeah and beyond their power beyond their ability they were willing of themselves and notice that praying or actually supposed to be begging us they were beseeching us.

With much entreaty they were entreating us that we should receive the gift and take upon us that fellowship the fellowship of the ministering to the saints this is the saints in Jerusalem in judea interesting beloved brothers and sisters these first four verses it's giving us Paul is giving us an example of a local assembly of believers in macedonia the example that they were to all the churches in Asia Minor and elsewhere what an example what an example we read in verses 5 onwards now their giving was not only in spite of difficult circumstances their giving was not only done joyfully but their giving according to verses 5 to 9 their giving was done as the Lord Jesus the Messiah set the example before them as the one that gave himself we read in verse five and this they did not as we hoped but first they gave their own self to the Lord and unto us by the will of God notice that it's this verse is beautiful.

Because if there will ever be a proper giving an attitude of giving from the heart one must first give himself to the Lord notice the order here it's so beautiful Paul is saying look what they did and not as we hoped but even more because first of all they gave themselves their own self to the Lord and then they gave themselves to us by the will of God in other words they first of all gave their life to the Lord. They committed to the Lord their life. Everything they had, they committed to the Lord. They committed to the Lord their possession, their life, their gifts, and they committed to the Lord all what they were.

But then, they follow up with the example that they had from the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. They gave themselves not as dead unto us By the will of God. The will of God is that God's people will learn from the person of the Lord Jesus and have an attitude of appreciation of the grace that He has extended unto them. And so in the next verse we read that Titus was a good influence on these churches. Inasmuch, we read in verse 6, that we desire Titus that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. So again, you notice, beloved brothers and sisters, that grace, the word grace is a charis in the Greek, chesed in the Hebrew, grace in the English.

But that word for grace is also mentioned here the word gift in verse 4 praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift notice that word for gift here in verse 4 is the same word for grace in verse 1 and in verse 6 is the word charis in the Greek chesed in the Hebrew so verse 1 the grace of God verse 4 the gift the grace gift of the grace of God in the gift that they were giving towards their fellow believers in judea once again the same gift Titus is the one that who began to work with the macedonian and now we desire Titus that as he had begun so he would also finish in you the same grace also in other words he began to share the gospel with you you have heard the message of the gospel from us all now you have accepted the Lord and not only that you need the gift of the grace of God for salvation but also the grace of God for.

Enabling the believer to live the life of the godly life and that enablement is also grace because neither they nor you and i are able to live the life of the believer without the grace of God we cannot do it on our own we fail every time the flesh in us is no better than the flesh in the unbeliever and that's why it is the same grace that saves us is the same grace that we all need as they had approved it in their life that this is the macedonian believers that today by their behavior and attitude and grace giving have shown this as an example And so in verse 7, Paul is encouraging the Corinthians to abound in grace giving also.

Therefore, as you abound in everything, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that you abound in this grace also. In other words, you know, when you think about this, beloved brothers and sisters, in the previous letter that the Apostle Shaul Paul wrote to the Corinthians, it was a very harsh letter. It was a letter of correction. But here in the second epistle to the Corinthians especially in chapter 8 the apostle Paul is telling the Corinthians things that he graciously telling of them because there is a change that happened with the Corinthians he's saying to them in verse 7 ye abound yes ye abound in others everything now he's overlooking their failure overlooking what happened in the past in their behavior towards him overlooking the the accusation against him overlooking everything that they've actually have done by their behavior and when they have repented and turned back to the Lord things change and therefore Paul says as he abound in everything verse 7 in faith and in utterance and in knowledge and in diligence and in your love towards us now he's saying to them also abound in this grace giving also in other words have a change in your conduct even with respect to giving giving to the Lord's work giving to the ministry of God's work giving to the poor giving to the needy there that's the thought that we have here.

In second Corinthians chapter eight and chapter nine and so in verse eight and nine Paul did not want to command them to give but that they should do it as an act of love and that's why Paul is pointing to them the example in the person of our Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. So in verses 8 and 9, Paul is saying, I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here again, he used the word grace. You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor that ye through his poverty might be rich and that's beloved brothers and sisters speaks volume because the only way that God's people will be able to abound in faith abound in utterance abound in knowledge abound in diligence abound in love towards one another also abound in grace giving is when they realize that it's not the commandment and by force to give to the things of the Lord and to the needs that exist around God's people it ought to be done after recognizing the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the grace of our Lord Jesus the Messiah notice that though he was rich he Jesus the Messiah is the eternal son the eternal son of God he is according to the gospel of John in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God. And then we read, if you remember in John chapter 1 and verse 3, all things were made by Him and without Him was nothing made which was made. In Him was life and the light was the light of man and the light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not. He is that Eternal One. In John, later on in chapter 1, verse 14, we read, And the Word became flesh. He became a man. But not only that he became a man. He is the one that was born, as Isaiah said, For unto us a child is born, and to us a son is given.

He is the one that was called to be the one that is the wonderful, the counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. He is that eternal one who is God, who is the mighty God, the father of eternity. And yet at the same time, he became poor. How he became poor, he entered into this world, he became a man. And as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient. Obedient, even he went all the way to the cross, as we read in Philippians. Chapter 2 as we read being in a fashion as a man he humbled himself and he became obedient unto death and that is the death of the cross this is exactly what the apostle Shaul Paul is emphasizing here both in a from the fact that he the Lord Jesus is the eternal son Isaiah 9 6 John 1 verses 1 to 3 and verse 14 who became a man and became poor and ultimately have gone to the cross where he died for the sin of this world so you and i can become rich you remember what Jesus the Messiah said according to Matthew chapter 8 the foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head in his life he had nothing the foxes they have holes the birds they have nests but the son of man Ben HaAdam he is the son of man that had nowhere to lay his head but even more beloved brothers and sisters he went to the shameful cross paid for our sins he died.

He will judge the just one for the unjust you and i in order to bring us to God in order that we might become rich this is a reminder that grace giving is given to us by the example of what the Lord Jesus the Messiah has done when he came down to this world to give his life a ransom for many and so as the apostle Paul is emphasizing these beloved brothers and sisters he is now in the next verses in second Corinthians chapter 8 verse 10 to 12 he's speaking about this grace again the giving is a it has to be done willingly just to learn from the people of macedonia who although they were going through trial of affliction yet they are abundant abundant in joy although they had deep poverty yet they're they were rich in liberality and so in the next verses second Corinthians chapter 8 and here in verses 10 11 and 12 we read and herein i give my advice Paul is giving the advice now to the Corinthian believers for this is expedient.

For you who have begun before not only to do but also to be forward a year ago one year ago now therefore he's saying to them in verse 11 now therefore perform the doing of it in other words they were promising in the past that they will do so they began before to do so they began to do so but now he's saying to them in verse 11 now therefore a completed perform the doing of it that as there was a readiness to will so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have in other words beloved brothers and sisters the Corinthians needed to fulfill their commitment in other words already in verse 6 we have read in as much that we desired Titus as he had begun in other words in they began when Titus came to that they began to assure that they will give and be part of the special a gift that was given to the believers in Judea Paul is saying to them now.

In verse 10 that they need to fulfill their commitment why he's saying to them not as there is a different beloved brothers and sisters between promises and a fulfilling the promises as we read here in verse 11 now therefore perform it do it yes you have promised but follow through and so you notice that he's encouraging them to follow through with their promise of giving to the needs of the believers in judea and to follow through with their promise and to do it with a willing heart and willing mind that's what we read in verse 12 for if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not you notice that Paul is not forcing of them to give what they don't have but in verse 12 he said it is you know accepted according to that which a man has and not according to what he does not have so Paul in these beloved brothers and sisters in this verse.

12 he's emphasizing the fact that one is to give as according to what he has doesn't it remind us the willing giving of what happened when the tabernacle was built years ago in the in the wilderness you remember what we do read in the first a few verses of Exodus chapter 25 when Moses have asked the nation to bring for the building of the tabernacle the nation of Israel it said that the Lord speak unto Moses saying speak unto the children of Israel that they bring me an offering of every man that giveth it willingly notice that the word for willingly come from the Hebrew word in other words it's following these words what he has willingly what he has in his heart with his heart ye shall take my offering and he gives us the list and so on and you can see later on we read that the people brought willingly that he had to stop them from bringing anymore because they have given too much and that is so interesting that.

In this portion of second Corinthians chapter 8 Paul says in verse 12 for if there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man has to what a man has and not according to what he has not you see God is not going to force anyone but it has to come out of a willing mind. In 2 Corinthians 8 verse 12, willing mind. In Exodus 25 verses 1 and 2, willing heart. It has to come from the heart and from the mind, beloved brothers and sisters. And so as the Apostle Paul continues to speak about this grace giving in verses one and two giving in spite of difficult circumstances in verses three to four grace giving should be done with joy verses five to nine grace giving is as an example from the grace of God that was shown to us as an example in in the person and the work of the Lord Jesus the Messiah and then grace giving is when we give willingly giving.

Has to be done willingly out of the heart and so the remaining portion of second Corinthians chapter 8 in verses 13 to verse 24 grace giving must be done by faith trusting that God will use the the giving for the ministry of the work of the Lord so in these next verses the apostle Paul continues here in verses 13 to 24 and you notice what he's saying for i mean not that other men be eased and ye burdened in other words when you give it's not in order that you will have burden and others will just have an easy time and will not work will not take responsibility of course not that is not the purpose of giving in fact the giving is in order that the ministry of the Lord the needs of the Lord will be met then he says in verse 14 but by an equality that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their wants or their need that their abundance also may be supplies for your need that there may be equality as it is.

Written verse 15 he that has gathered much has nothing over and he that has gathered little had no lack and so in these verses 13 14 and 15 beloved brothers and sisters Paul is emphasizing the fact that it's not giving so somebody will be eased and you burdened but that at time there is a need that they have that others have but the time of life you will be in need and you would appreciate others who help you during a time of need and he's very interestingly quoting a verse from Exodus chapter 16 and in Exodus chapter 16 if you remember beloved brothers and sisters this 16th chapter deal with the man the manna that came down from heaven to meet the need of the children of Israel in the wilderness and you remember what we do read in verse 16 this is the thing that the Lord has commanded gather of it every man according to his eating and omel for every man according to the number of your person take he every man for them.

Which are in his tents when they were gathered the man this amazing bread that came from heaven everyone would gather according to the need of his family then he says if you remember beloved brothers and sisters in these verses it does say in these verses it said that the children of evil did so and they gathered some more some less and when they did met it with an omel he that gathered much had nothing over and he that gathered little have no lack they gathered every man according to his eating and so we learn from these verses that God wanted him to trust him and to gather just as they needed and to do it by faith and so in verse 16 the apostle Paul points to God's grace who gave Titus the heart for the Corinthians.

But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care unto the heart of Titus for you. You see, Titus cared for the Corinthians. Somehow, God gave Titus a heart for the believers at Corinth, and he sought to minister unto them and to help them to grow in appreciation of the things of the Lord to remind us that we read of him already in verse 6 of this chapter we desire Titus that as he had begun so he would also finish in you the same grace also just like the macedonian have shown the grace of God it was evident in their life in their giving so the Corinthians are exalted to do the same and Titus was used by the Lord to minister to them and to develop this in their heart as well and so we read beloved brothers and sisters in verses 17 18 and 19 Titus and another brother together with Paul um traveled with the grace gift that was given to minister to the saints notice there is a brother that is mentioned here that is unnamed it says beloved brothers and sisters verse 17 for indeed he this is Titus accepted the exaltation but being more forward of his own accord he went unto you.

Titus went to the two coins to receive from them the grace gift for the believers in judaea and not there and he continues said and we have sent with him the brother this is unnamed brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches this particular unnamed brother apparently was a faithful brother to preach the gospel message and not only that only but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace which is administrated by us to the glory of the same Lord and declaration of your ready mind so notice the Titus the unnamed brother and other brethren including the apostle Paul with these brethren they were chosen by the churches to travel and to to take this a grace gift and to bring it to the believers that are poor in Judea.

So nice to see that there is a brother here that is not even named. Just call a brother. He apparently was faithful in preaching the gospel. And the Lord. Used him to go with Titus and others and Paul to go to minister the gift to the needy in Judea. So as the apostle concluding these eight chapters, beloved brothers and sisters, Paul wanted to avoid any blame. So he said in verse 20 and 21, he said, Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us, providing for honest thing, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

So Paul and all the others went together to show that they are together working and ministering these needs to the saints in Judea to avoid any blame. And therefore, in verse 22, the unnamed brother, another one that is so interesting here, it says in verse 22, And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent upon the great confidence which I have in you. It seems to be that the brother in verse 22 is distinguished from the brother in verse 18. It seems to be that we have here two unnamed brothers seem to be insignificant but faithful brothers and they were used to go to administer to bring that a grace gift that was given to them to carry over to the believers in Judea and finally beloved brothers and sisters in verses 23 and 24 as we are going to kind of conclude with chapter 8 and in the next time we'll continue with chapter 9 to deal with the grace giving as well continuing with the grace giving not only now an exhortation but also in chapter 9 there will be an explanation an encouragement to give to the things of the Lord in chapter 8 we have a summary comment about these men that have gone notice that it says in verse 23 and 24 whether any do inquire of Titus he is my partner and fellow helper concerning you or our brethren be inquired and they are the messengers of the churches and the glory of Christ.

If somebody asks about these individuals, here they are. Titus is my partner. The fellow helpers, they are the ones that are brethren. And they are fellow helpers. And they are messengers of the churches and the glory of Christ. Here, beloved brothers and sisters, in this eighth chapter, the Apostle Paul is emphasizing the grace giving, and he said, number one, he said the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord Jesus the Messiah, as the one that was rich, who became poor, that through his poverty we might be made rich. At the same time, he began that eighth chapter by setting the example of the believers in the local churches in Macedonia, And specifically, Philippi, Thessalonica, Perea, the believers there, he set them as an example that they were the one who, though they've gone through trials and affliction, and though they were poor, yet their joy was evident, And they were liberal in their giving and their support of the things of the Lord.

And they have done it willingly. And they have done, they beseeched, as it says in verse 4, in the beginning of chapter 8. They praying us, they beseeched us with much entreaty that we would receive from them the gift and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. What an example beloved brothers and sisters we have in the believers in the churches in the assembly of Macedonia thank God for such an example beloved brothers and sisters and above all the greatest example that we all need always to be reminded of even when trials coming our way or when there are things that are good in our life always to remember this amazing truth and to know of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ Jesus the Messiah that though he was rich yet for our sake Paul is saying for your sake he became poor that ye, that you and I my dear friend through his poverty when he became poor we might be rich and the richness that he's speaking here beloved brothers and sisters the wealth that we receive here according to this text is not so much the physical the material wealth that we receive but the spiritual and eternal wealth that we receive is the forgiveness we received forgiveness from the Lord who forgave our sins and gave us spiritual wealth eternal wealth that we will in eternity.

Will be with the Lord Jesus the Messiah the Savior and the Redeemer who gave himself for us so beloved brothers and sisters with this we conclude 2nd Corinthians chapter 8, may the Lord encourage our hearts and help us because we need the help of the Lord in every area of our life which is including the area of grace giving God bless you until the next time we say Shalom Shalom