Building Project

“And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian Churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own. They urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.” (2 Cor. 8:1-5)

The Roman province of Macedonia was located in what is today Northern Greece. Paul founded the churches he refers to here during his highly, eventful Second Missionary Journey, recorded in Acts 15-18. The churches were located in Philippi, Berea and Thessalonica, cities which suffered greatly under the domination of Rome.

One only has to read Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians and Philippians to know how he loved the Macedonian believers. His writing overflows with warmth and brotherly concern for their welfare. He was encouraged by them and also used them as an example to help encourage others, including the Corinthian Church. 2,000 years later, we who are here in Burbank, California may also look to them for example and inspiration.

Paul says that God had given them “grace.” We are all familiar with the idea of the grace associated with salvation as being “God’s unmerited favor.” And this is certainly true for the Macedonians as well. But here Paul means that they had a divinely appointed virtue or excellence. There is also the connotation of moral strength, and beauty. Paul says that the Macedonian Churches displayed grace in and through their giving. They were experiencing “severe trial” and “extreme poverty” to the point that he had apparently not asked them to contribute. But when one has a spiritual gift difficult circumstances do not deter the exercise of it. How powerful was this grace? “Entirely on their own they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.” Come what may, true believers manifest God’s grace in and through their lives. One can picture Paul being pressed to accept a gift that he knew the givers could not “afford” to give, his reluctance being swept away by a tide of “overflowing joy” and “rich generosity.” The Macedonians considered it a privilege to give! Authur Pink wrote that spiritual senses are developed through their use. “As the muscles of the athlete or the fingers of the craftsman become fit or skillful through constant exercise, so the spiritual graces of the new man are developed by regularly calling them into play.” Put another way, if you find it difficult to give it is probably just because you lack practice. Lest we forget, Paul points out that the Macedonians had their priorities straight to begin with, having first given themselves to the Lord. “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms” wrote the Apostle Peter. (I Pet. 4:10) Like the Macedonians, let us consider it a privilege to give and exercise our spiritual graces in obedience to God, for the blessing of His Church and our overflowing joy.