Then the devotional contact today. Today’ s Bible reading begins in the first
second verse of Corinth, chapter eight. Likewise, brethren, we make known
the grace of God which has been given to the churches of Macedonia, that,
in great trial of tribulation, the abundance of their joy and their deep
poverty abounded in the riches of their generosity, for I bear witness that they
have pleased according to their strength and even beyond their strength, asking us with
many supplications to grant them the privilege of sharing in this service for the saints,
and not as we expected, but to themselves they first gave themselves to
the Lord and then to us, by the will of God, so that
we exhorted Titus, as he began before himself, to finish this work of
grace among yourselves. Therefore, as in all things you abound in faith,
in word, in knowledge, in all care and in your love for us,
abound also in this grace. I speak not as one who commands,
but to test, through the diligence of others, also the sincerity of your
love, because you already know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who,
for your sake, became poor and rich so that you, with his
poverty, might be enriched. And in this I give my Council, because
this is in the interests of you who first started not only to do it,
but also to want it. Since last year. Now therefore carry on
doing so also, that, as you were ready to do so, you
may also do it according to what you have, for if there is a
willing will first, it will be accepted according to what one has, not
according to what one does not have, for I do not say this so
that there may be for others ease and for you other straits, but that
at this time your abundance may supply their scarcity, that their abundance may also
supply your need, that there may be equality. As it is written,
the one who collected much had no more and the one who had little had
no less. Christmas is, by tradition, the time of the year when
many people show generosity, since the birth, life and ministry of Lord Jesus
were characterized by giving his followers must also be known for that quality, but
not only in December. Generosity is part of our identity in Christ and must
be our natural reaction to God' s blessings and provision. The Lord Jesus
himself said more blessed is to give than to receive the New Testament Church.
He showed it by sharing with one another what they had sometimes we focused more
on ourselves when it came to giving at Christmas. We buy gifts for our
family or close friends, but what we can do this Christmas to extend generosity
beyond our homes In today' s passage, the apostle Paul mentions the generosity
of the churches of Macedonia who collected an offering to send poor believers to Jerusalem.
Similarly, we could give part of our Christmas spending budget to a family
friends or neighbors who need it, or we can give the service gift,
which could be as simple as caring for a child, cleaning a house or
visiting someone sick. Giving It is not remembered that God is the source of
all we have and the most precious gift he has given us is eternal life.
We share that gift with others when we give our time and our money,
because generosity reflects the abundant love and grace of God