2. The Great Commission Work of our church for the next year
Mat 17:20b …if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.
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3. MOVING

4. “16 out of 38 of Christ’s parables deal with money; more is said in the New Testament about money than heaven and hell combined; five times more is said about money than prayer; and while there are 500 plus verses on both prayer and faith, there are over 2,000 verses dealing with money and possessions. “ —Pastor John MacArthur—

5. 2Ti 3:1-2  But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.  2  For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

6. John 12:32  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

7. 2Ti 3:1-2  But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.  2  For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

8. The gift is more than one can naturally afford (8:2-4)
The gift flows from personal commitment (8:5)
The gift is optional, but "tests" our love of God (8:8)
The gift is previously promised (9:5)
The gift is a tool for blessing in our own lives (9:6)
The gift is personally planned and purposed (9:7)
The gift can be given cheerfully (9:7)
The gift is provided by God (9:8)

9. “These two chapters connect grace with giving ten times, placing emphasis upon both the gift and the giver. God promises the power to abound in giving just as He promises the power to abound in other Christian graces.”

10. Grace is three-dimensional
2Co 8:1  Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,
2Co 9:15  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

11. Grace is three-dimensional
2Co 8:1  Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,
2Co 8:6  So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well.
2Co 9:15  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

12. Love expressed in giving provision Love expressed in giving gratitude
2Co 8:1  ….the grace of God which has been given …
2Co 9:15  Thanks be to God …
Love expressed in giving provision
Love expressed in giving gratitude
Love expressed in giving offerings
2Co 8:6  …this gracious work …

13. 2Co 8:1-15  Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,  2  that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.  3  For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord,  4  begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints,  

14.  5  and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.  6  So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well.  7  But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also.  

15. 8  I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also.  9  For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.    

16. The First not the Last
2Co 8:5  and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.
The first thing we should offer to God is ourselves.

17. The First not the Last
2Co 8:5  and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.
The first thing we should offer to God is ourselves.
The last thing we should offer to God is any cheap substitute.

18. The Best not the Worst
2Co 8:7  But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also.
The best thing we can offer God is everything.

19. The Best not the Worst
2Co 8:7  But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also.
The best thing we can offer God is everything.
The worst thing we can offer God is just what is left.

20. The Most not the Least.
2Cor. 8:3  For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord,
The most we can offer God will just never be enough.

21. The Most not the Least.
2Cor. 8:3  For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord,
The most we can offer God will just never be enough.
The least we can offer God is just never an option.

22. The FIRST, the BEST, the MOST
2Co 8:9  For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
2Co 9:15  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

23. The FIRST, the BEST, the MOST
Psa 84:11  For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.
Rom 8:32  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

24. Four levels of engagement:
1) Compliance says, “I’ll do it because I have to.”
2) Cooperation says, “I’ll do it because I should.”
3) Coordination says, “I’ll do it because I want to.”
4) Collaboration says, “I’ll do it because I believe in what we’re trying to accomplish.”