结果累累的奉献
哥林多后书九章6至15节
6少种的少收,多种的多收,这话是真的。
7各人要随本心所酌定的,不要作难,不要勉强,因为捐得乐意的人是神所喜爱的。
8神能将各样的恩惠多多的加给你们,使你们凡事常常充足,能多行各样善事。
9如经上所记:他施舍钱财,赒济贫穷;他的仁义存到永远。
10那赐种给撒种的,赐粮给人吃的,必多多加给你们种地的种子,又增添你们仁义的果子;
11叫你们凡事富足,可以多多施舍,就借着我们使感谢归于神。
12因为办这供给的事,不但补圣徒的缺乏,而且叫许多人越发感谢神。
13他们从这供给的事上得了凭据,知道你们承认基督顺服他的福音,多多的捐钱给他们和众人,便将荣耀归与神。
14他们也因神极大的恩赐显在你们心里,就切切的想念你们,为你们祈祷。
15感谢神,因他有说不尽的恩赐!
信息分享
撒下的种子,到了成熟的时候便会丰收。倘若农人撒下很少种子,他的收成便会很少;相反,他撒得愈多,收成便会愈多。收成的多少,全在乎他撒下的种子有多少。
保罗说,我们的奉献也是一样。我们捐得少,将来所得的也少。我们若慷慨捐输,所得的祝福就更多。
此外,他还补充两个有趣的见解。他在第8至11 节指出,我们若乐于奉献,神便会保证我们一定有能力去奉献。许多基督徒都一再证明这点的真实。
许多教会也能印证这点。例如,教会奉献愈多金钱支持宣教事工或帮助有需要的人,神就会愈多祝福那间教会,供应它的需要。
保罗的第二个见解是,捐献的人会为自己得蒙神的使用,使他有能力去帮助别人而感谢神。保罗在第12节指出,许多人会愈发感谢神,他们为神给他们奉献的权利而感恩。至于那些领受捐献的人,则会为所得的餽赠和捐献者而感恩。
神不会要我们捐献过于我们所有的(八12)。祂只期望我们按照自己的能力去捐献。其实,神并非看我们捐些甚么,却是看我们留下甚么。我们若要作神的忠心管家,也当这样衡量我们的奉献──不是看自己捐出多少,而是看自己留下多少。
FRUITFUL GIVING
2 Corinthians 9:6-15
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
9 As it is written: “ He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever.”
10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,
11 while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.
12 For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God,
13 while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men,
14 and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you.
15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
Message
Sowing will in due course bring remarkable results. Where a farmer has sown only a few seeds, he will have a small harvest. Where he has sown widely, he will have a bountiful harvest. The return on his investment depends largely on how much he sows.
Paul said it will be the same in our giving. When we give little, the return will be small. When we give generously, our investment will bring a rich harvest of blessing.
He also added two interesting comments. In v.8-11 he stated that if we give, God will see that we will always have something to live. This has been proved over and over again by many Christians.
Churches too have discovered this. For example, the more a church gives to missionary work and to others, the more God will bless that church and supply its local needs.
Paul's second comment was that there will be real thanksgiving to God because He has been allowed to use you in this way. In v.12 Paul spoke of many expressions of thanks to God. Those who give will thank God for the privilege. Those who receive will thank God for the gift and the giver. God doesn't expect us to give what we don't have. He asks us to give (see 8:12) according to our means, according to what we have, not according to what we don't have.
God doesn't look at what we give, but rather at what we have after we give. That is how we should look at our giving and our stewardship.

