2 Corinthians 8:16-9:5
Where Do You See Glory?


I. Where Do You See Glory?
1. “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord,” by Julia Ward Howe in 1861.
2. In a spectacular view? In an “awesome” basketball performance? In an army camp?
3. “Cape Flattery” on the extreme northwest corner of the continental US is a beautiful sight.
4. Many people assume that glory is not something seen in people or nature, that it is mystical.
II. People (8:16-21)
A. Titus
1. Paul thanks, not Titus, but God for Titus being concerned for God’s people (the church).
2. He was willing; he had a heart for the church and so gave his time and his life (v. 17).
B. The “Famous” Man
1. He does something for the gospel. The glory of God is shown in somehow serving the gospel.
2. This famous man is helping Paul deliver an offering from the Greeks to the Jew.
a. Concern is crossing ethnic lines, breaking down the “dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2). The Greeks and the Jews were separated, even hostile.
b. It’s not so remarkable that Chinese people would want to be around other Chinese people.
c. What else could bring people together from such different backgrounds? Jesus!
d. When people come together who have nothing else in common, that’s supernatural.
C. Accountability: The “famous” man helps ensure the money is handled right, that there can be no false accusations to take away the glory of the offering.
III. Partners (8:22-24)
A. The “Earnest” Brother
1. He’s a reliable partner so he’s being sent “with” the other two to provide accountability.
2. If there were not multiple witnesses, they wouldn’t have any way of denying accusations.
B. Titus is Paul’s “Partner” (8:23).
1. They work together for the benefit of the Corinthians. Titus and others are partners.
2. When people see us working together, they should be able to see the glory of God.
C. Churches: “The Glory of Christ”
1. There is a dimension to the church higher than any other human institution.
2. Not the family or the nation: the church is the glory of Christ.
3. The glory of God is seen on earth in the church, called out of the world (from all kinds of people) to be one people around one Lord.
4. We have to “give” proof by giving. Our love for the church has to be seen.
IV. Passion (9:1-5)
A. Earnestness Already Important: for example, Paul mentions the earnestness (enthusiasm, or zeal or diligence) of Titus (8:17); Mr. Earnest!
B. Be On Fire for God!
1. The glory of God should inspire in us a passion – great zeal. They were “on fire” for God
2. That makes us willing to give. Have a plan for generous giving. You’ve got to love it!
3. Don’t leave giving up to what we feel like giving at any given time, to impulse giving.
4. The problem is that our heart loves our money too much and our Lord too little.
5. Why do we have so little zeal for God that it doesn’t compel us to give eagerly?
6. Robert Murray M’Cheyne: “To give largely and liberally, not grudgingly, desires a new heart. An old heart would rather part with its lifeblood than with its money.”
V. New Hearts Needed: Our first problem is a disease of the heart. Are we sick, needing healing, poisoned, maybe, by too much love for all the other things we could buy to glorify ourselves or are we dead? Our need is to be made new so that we want to give, like a poor teenage girl in Singapore who saved bus fare money and drinks so she could give. She insisted she wanted to give: ‘You can’t stop me from giving.’ What do you see as you see that poor girl walking down the crowded sidewalks? Your eyes have seen the coming of the glory of the Lord!