Good News, Good Ground | Scott Silcox
Trusting God or Trusting Fear
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. - Matthew 6: 19-24
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written,
“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”
10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. - 2 COR. 9:6-11
Why can God’s people live generously without fear?
+ Jesus answers:
Matthew 6
> Because your Father provides <
“Your Father knows what you need” (6:8, 32)
“Seek first the kingdom… all these things will be added” (6:33)
“Do not worry” (6:25–34)
2 Corinthians 9
+ Paul answers:
> Because God multiplies what you release <
“God is able to make all grace abound to you” (9:8)
“He supplies seed to the sower and bread for food” (9:10)
“You will be enriched in every way to be generous” (9:11)
Provision → Posture → Purpose
The order of Kingdom Generosity
Purpose 2 Cor 9:11–12
God’s generosity reaches others
Posture 2 Cor 9:7
God loves a cheerful giver
Provision Matthew 6
God takes care of His children
“Be the true Israel . . . trusting the Father, not wealth.” -Jesus
How a Jewish audience hears Matthew 6:
True righteousness vs Pharisaic display
God as covenant Father/provider
Wealth as A trust test
Kingdom loyalty vs Mammon
How Gentiles would hear 2 Cor 9
Grace
participation
sowing is worship
thanksgiving
*instead of Roman patronage (give to gain honor)
“Give because God supplies.”
-paul
Kingdom vs Mammon = two systems of security
covenant trust vs stored security
(dependence on God)
(self-secured life)
dismantle wealth-security
Jesus forms the heart, Paul directs the hand
- Howard Thurman
“The power of God in human life is not measured by the absence of struggle, but by the presence of trust.”
Trusting God or Trusting Fear
