March 23, 2025 Sermon Notes and Questions

Posted on March 21, 2025 Posted By: Jenni Nikolakakis Categories: Message Notes, Weekly Program

2 Corinthians – The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

WK 12 – Do You Know How to Sow?

2 Corinthians 9:1-15

March 23, 2025

John Arobio

Paul has been Talking About Giving with Grace.

For the last two weeks Justin has been talking about giving.

We continue with giving this week.

The Greek word “Charis” is sometimes translated as grace, but it can also be translated as thanks. So, Charis to God can mean either giving thanks to God or grace to God. So, when Paul says give with grace, it also means giving with thanks.

2 Corinthians 9:1-2 NIV

¹There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord’s people. ²For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action,

Macedonia was the northeastern part of Greece about a 1000 miles from Jerusalem. The churches that Paul established in Macedonia are Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea.

Achaia is the Roman name for the Provence that included the southern and central parts of Greece. Corinth was the capital of the providence and is the first of the churches Paul established in in Achaia. Another churches were also established there. So, when Paul says Macedonia and Achaia he it really saying all of Greece.

Paul Gives Encouragement for Christian Giving.

2 Corinthians 9 6-9 NIV

⁶Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷ Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. ⁹As it written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”

To sow was to plant the seeds. In those days, the seeds were planted by hand. To reap is to gather the harvest, to collect the crop from the fields. If you did not plant much then there will not be a lot to gather up and collect.

Mark 12:42 NIV

But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

We remember the widow giving two mites. A mite was the smallest coin they had. Less than a penny today. It was about half of a cent. Jesus pointed out what the poor widow did in her giving was more than all the other contributors did in giving their gifts and tithes.

Acts 20:35 NIV

In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give then to receive.”

Paul Talks About the Results of Giving.

2 Corinthians 9 14-15 NIV

¹⁴And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you because of the surpassing grace God has given you. ¹⁵Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

Paul tells the Corinthians that in their ministry of supplying the needs of the saints, the people will because of their generosity and thank God. Because of the proof that is shown by our actions in our ministries, people will glorify God.

All we can say then is thanks to God for His generous gifts to us and through us to have it be given to others.

BOTTOM LINE:

Give generously with thanksgiving and love

and you will reap a large ripe harvest.

4-Minute Challenge!!!!

Set a reminder on your phone for a part of the day when you are usually free and spend 4 minutes in the Word

Dan Hall is the transition team lead. Please contact him with any questions.
Areas the church needs your help with:
- Tech—Audio/Video and worship lyric technician.
- IT/Hardware—manage the various connections of the service IT components/internet/wifi, etc.
- Worship team/leader—play an instrument? Able to carry a tune? Ready to use that gift for God?
- Donut & Coffee Ministry—bring in donuts and make that oh so important drink for many of us, coffee!!!

A Search Team will be put together to start the process of finding a new pastor.
The typical time to replace a Pastor is 12-18 months. Please wait on the Lord with us!
The team will update the church regularly.
Prayer is a critical part of this process! Please pray continually for the board’s guidance in seeking God’s will.

Men’s Bible Study

Looking to gauge interest in a Men’s Bible study.

Please see Justin if you have an interest into digging into God’s Word further!

Details to be determined based on input.

Aces Baseball Faith & Family Night

July 25^th at 6:10 PM. Need a headcount of those interested so the church can book the reservation.

Need about 10 more people. Tickets are highly discounted at $24 for seats in the shade.

Please let Paulette know if you are interested.

Refresh Woman’s Bible Study

Series on “Personal Growth” continues this week.

This week: Movie Time! ““THROUGH HER EYES—MAGDALENA”

See Dondra for details.

Also Wednesday night group 7:00 PM at the church

Continuing to go through the “New Believers Guide”.

Zelle

Zelle is up and running! Zelle is a digital option for giving your tithes or offerings to support the church to fulfill the Great Commission.

If you would prefer to give digitally:

Go to your bank app on your phone or computer. Go to the payments section. Go to the Zelle payment option. If available, scan the link below in the payment section that lists Zelle as an option. There should be an icon asking to “scan the pay” or something similar.

Zelle Link

Account email is: accounting@thebridgespanishsprings.com for the Account “The Bridge Church Spanish Springs”. As a security measure, your bank may want to send you a text to verify your first payment.

How many letters did Paul possibly write to the church in Corinth? How many do we have in our Bible? How many letters that are in the Bible did Paul write?
When considering the context of any verse, what are some tools we can use?
Read 2 Corinthians 9:1-5, where is Macedonia? Where is Achaia? What are some of the churches that Paul either started or visited?
Read 2 Corinthians 9:6-9, what does it mean to sow? What does it mean to reap? Paul references an Old Testament scripture in verse 9, what scripture is referenced? Why do you think Paul would reference Old Testament scriptures in so many of his letters?
What is the word in the original Greek for “cheerful” in verse 7?
Read Mark 12:42, what stands out to you in this verse? What are ways we can give back to God?
Read Acts 20:35, do you find it is more blessed to give than to receive in your life? Is it easy to become materialistic?
Read 2 Corinthians 9:10-15, what is God’s “indescrbable gift” in verse 15? What are some ways we can show expressions of thanks/thanksgiving to God(verse 12)?
Please pray for both the men’s and women’s ministries and the children’s ministries. Pray that God’s Word will touch hearts and guide us in His will.