For PMC’s final week of preparing for our Consecration Sunday — the pledging of our time, talents, and finances — Rob Muthiah walked us through 2 Corinthians 8:1-15. He personalized the passage for us as he read it, and then introduced the passage as a sort of fund-raising letter — like those we receive from people raising support for mission trips. Paul is raising support for the mission of the church in Jerusalem. He introduces the churches in Macedonia as generous givers. They give out of poverty, but with happiness. In addition, Paul offers Jesus as a model of generosity to us through the act of incarnation.

Rob shares a story of someone that modeled generosity for him and his family. He then goes on to walk through the passage noting the various motivations we might have for giving generously: joy, need, a cause, duty, loyalty, and personal formation. Rob shares his own motivations for giving, with an invitation for us to look at what motivates us to give.

He closes with an example of generosity experienced within our church community — with the hope that we might continue to be inspired to grow into the spirit of generosity as a body.

Rob offers some questions to ponder around our motivations for giving:

1. If you were to assign percentages to the various motives mentioned in the sermon (generosity, joy, need, cause, duty, loyalty, financial blessing, personal formation), what would your motive mix look like currently? Does this feel about where you want it to be right now, or is there a different motive mix you imagine striving toward?

2. What for you are the strongest connections between your faith and your giving? To put it another way, how does your faith in Christ shape your giving?

Don’t miss Rob’s thoughts on motivations for giving — or the lovely examples he shares. Listen here: