Titus is an example of stewardship for God’s grace and goodness toward the Corinthians believers. This becomes an invitation for the Corinthians—and us—to prioritize stewardship for God’s glory.
(2 Corinthians 8:16-24)
SERMON OUTLINE:
“He was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help.” (2 Corinthians 8:19)
Stewarding Generosity for Good (2 Corinthians 8:19-21)
- The offering given to honor the Lord
- The offering given to bring goodness to the church in Jerusalem
- The offering given out of goodness from churches around the Mediterranean
- The offering entrusted to faithful stewards to remain above board
Stewarding Generosity in Good Community (2 Corinthians 8:16-24)
- Titus (vss 16-17, 23)
- Paul’s co-worker in ministry
- Enthusiastically willing in this work
- “The brother” (vss 18-19)
- Praised by all the churches
- Chosen by the churches to accompany the generous work
- “Our brother” (vs 22)
- Zealous and diligent
- Even more so in this work
Stewarding Generosity for Good
- Generous and good for the honor of the Lord
- Generous and good within community
- Generous and good with integrity
- Generous and good in service of others
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Open Up (answer 1 of these 2 questions):
- Who is the most “trustworthy” person you know? What traits make them that way?
- Who do you most trust with your money? The bank? A financial advisor? Your “piggy” bank? No one? Why?
Follow Up: Let’s touch base on how we did with our generosity challenge from last week…does anyone have a story about a need you identified in your workplace or neighborhood and how did you take action on it?
Dig In:
- In this section, Paul describes the team coming to Corinth to help with the collection and to accompany the gift back to where it will be distributed. How does he describe those coming?
- Why do you think these attributes were worth mentioning in this context?
- What are some of the benefits of sending a team to accomplish this task?
- Notice Paul’s care and design in sending this particular team to collect the offering from the Corinthians: For the glory of the Lord (19) So that no one should blame us (20) We aim at what is honorable (21) Not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man (21) (See also 1 Corinthians 16:1-3)
- What does the way Paul approaches the offering and his plan to gather / collect / transport it say about his view of it? In other words, why did it matter to him so much to handle this the right way and stay above reproach?
Look Up:
- Pray that God would give you the wisdom to handle your finances and generosity in an “above reproach” way.
Live It Out:
- Participate in the Boxes of Love project. How can you, your household or your small group serve this initiative?
DIG DEEPER:
- Exploring Faith: Why do you think many people are skeptical of how churches or charities handle money? What would “integrity” look like to you in a spiritual community?
- New Disciple: Stewardship means God owns it, and we manage it. What is one area of your life (e.g., talents, schedule, money) that you still feel like you “own” rather than “manage” for Him? Who can you ask to hold you accountable as you give this over to God?
- Christ-Centered Disciple: Titus and the other brothers were used by God to enable and encourage the Corinthians in their generosity. Who is God using you to help develop their generosity? Are there people in your life that you can invite to participate in things like the Boxes of Love or other generosity initiatives?