Giving to missions is based on God’s promise in 2 Cor 9:6, “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” You sow sparingly and you will reap sparingly. That’s a truth. Likewise, you sow bountifully and you will reap bountifully. That’s a promise. In giving to missions, we should, therefore, seek to sow bountifully and reap bountifully.
To sow bountifully, you need 5 things:
Willingness – you must have:
- A willing self, 2 Cor 8:3-5, like Rom 12:1-2
- A willing mind, 2 Cor 8:12a
- A willing heart, 2 Cor 9:7
Planning – you must set aside each week [1 Cor 16:2] or each pay period a set amount to give to missions:
- Based on what you have, 2 Cor 8:12
- Based on equality, 2 Cor 8:13-15. In giving to missions, everybody should plan to give what they can, so that no one is eased or burdened.
Commitment – you must commit to give what you have willingly planned to give, 2 Cor 9:1-2. When Paul wrote that “Achaia was ready a year ago,” he was reminding them of their prior commitment to give to the necessity of the poor saints who were in Jerusalem.
Faithfulness – when you willingly plan to give to missions, and you are committed, there must be:
- A performance of the commitment, 2 Cor 8:11
- A performance despite poverty or affliction, which may cause you to question your ability to give, 2 Cor 8:2. This leads to the final point.
Dependence – giving sacrificially to missions requires us to:
- Trust God’s grace for the riches we need to give, 2 Cor 8:1, 9
- Trust God’s grace for our sufficiency in all things, 2 Cor 9:8
When you sow bountifully and give cheerfully, 7 things occur:
- You prove the sincerity of your love, 2 Cor 8:8
- You increase the fruits of your righteousness, 2 Cor 9:10
- You are enriched and thankful, 2 Cor 9:11
- You meet the needs of the saints, 2 Cor 9:12
- You help to glorify God, 2 Cor 9:13
- You encourage others to pray for you, 2 Cor 9:14
- You reap the great benefit of God’s love for you, 2 Cor 9:7