Connect Church
Giving Like God
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  • Have you ever noticed that the most meaningful gifts are never about the price tag—they’re about the heart behind them?
    I remember hearing about a little boy who wanted to buy his mom a birthday gift. He only had a few coins, so he went to the store and bought her the smallest bottle of perfume he could find. When his mom opened it, she didn’t see how little it was—she saw how much love it carried.
    That’s the kind of giving that moves the heart of God.
    The Bible says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son.”
    John 3:16 NIV
    16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
    Our God is a giver—and not just any giver, but the most generous giver in all creation. He didn’t give out of His leftovers; He gave His best.
    When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he reminded them that our giving should look like God’s giving—overflowing, cheerful, and full of grace. In 2 Corinthians 9:6-11, he shows us that generosity isn’t just something God expects—it’s something God empowers.
    Because when we give like God, we don’t lose—we sow.
    We don’t decrease—we increase.
    And the result isn’t just meeting needs—it’s producing thanksgiving to God.
    Now, when Paul wrote these words to the Corinthians, he wasn’t speaking to a poor or struggling church.
    Corinth was one of the wealthiest cities in the Roman Empire—a booming trade center built between two seaports. Archaeologists have uncovered grand temples, markets, and even luxurious homes there. People came to Corinth to make money, chase status, and enjoy pleasure. It was a city full of opportunity—but also full of pride.
    In that culture, generosity was often about status, not sacrifice. Wealthy citizens gave to get their names carved on buildings or honored in the public square. Giving was about being seen.
    So when Paul told the Corinthians that true generosity comes from a heart like God’s—cheerful, sacrificial, and rooted in love—it was revolutionary. He was calling them to a kind of giving that didn’t glorify the giver, but glorified God.
    That’s the heartbeat of our passage today in 2 Corinthians 9:6–11—Paul reminds them, and us, that God’s generosity toward us should fuel our generosity toward others.
    Let’s look at 2 Corinthians 9:6-11
    2 Corinthians 9:6–11 NIV
    6 Remember 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. 8 And 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. 9 As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
    Let’s look at three truths Paul teaches about what it means to give like God.

    Truth #1 - God’s Giving Flows from Love, Not Obligation

    Obligation means doing something because you have to, not because you want to.

    It’s when your duty outweighs your desire—you do the right thing, but your heart isn’t in it.
    Obligation says, “I guess I should.”
    Love says, “I want to.”
    That’s the difference between religious giving and relational giving.
    One gives to meet a requirement.
    The other gives to reflect the Redeemer.
    Imagine a husband walking in on his wedding anniversary, holding a bouquet of flowers.
    His wife smiles and says, “Oh, you didn’t have to!”
    And he answers, “Well, I kind of did—it’s our anniversary.”
    Now, he fulfilled his obligation, but he missed the opportunity.
    The act was right—but the attitude was wrong.
    That’s how it is with giving.
    God isn’t looking for people who give because they must—He’s looking for people who give because they’re moved.
    That’s why Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9:7
    2 Corinthians 9:7 NIV
    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.
    When we give out of obligation, it drains us.
    But when we give out of love, it delights us—and it delights God.
    When God gave Jesus, His son, to come and die for our sins, it wasn’t out of obligation, but compassion.
    When we give out of love, there is a move in our heart toward generosity.
    How many of you like leftovers? How many of you prefer leftovers over the original meal?
    God didn’t give us leftovers. He gave us His best. He gave us Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins.
    When we truly give, it costs us something.
    God’s giving had a purpose. Look at John 3:16
    John 3:16 NIV
    16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
    God gave so we can have eternal life. Our giving should always point others to life.

    Truth #2 - God’s Giving Multiplies Blessing - Not Scarcity

    Look at our text again at verse 10
    2 Corinthians 9:10–11 NIV
    10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
    Paul reminds the Corinthians that God is both the source and the sustainer of our blessing.
    He’s the one who gives seed to the farmer—and then multiplies that seed into a harvest.
    That means every resource you have—time, talent, treasure—started in God’s hands before it ever reached yours.
    When we give, we don’t lose what we have; we plant what we have.
    And when God’s involved, what we plant in faith comes back as abundance.
    In God’s economy, giving doesn’t empty you—it enlarges you.
    Generosity opens the door for God to do more through you than you could ever do for yourself.
    God doesn’t pour blessings into our lives just to fill our barns—He fills our hands so we can fill others’.
    That’s what Paul means when he says,
    2 Corinthians 9:11 NIV
    11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
    God blesses us not to increase our comfort, but to expand our capacity to bless others.
    When God gives you more, it’s not a signal to raise your standard of living—it’s a call to raise your standard of giving.
    Think of Abraham—God said,
    Genesis 12:2 NIV
    2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
    That promise hasn’t changed. The blessing of God is never meant to stop with us—it’s meant to flow through us.
    There are two main seas in Israel: the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea.
    Both are fed by the same Jordan River.
    But one is alive, teeming with fish and vegetation. The other is dead, filled with salt and unable to sustain life.
    The difference?
    The Sea of Galilee gives what it receives—it has an outlet.
    The Dead Sea keeps what it receives—it has no outlet.
    One sea gives and lives.
    The other keeps and dies.
    When we give like God, we become like the Sea of Galilee—life flows through us.
    When we hoard, we become like the Dead Sea—stagnant, lifeless, and cut off from what God wants to do.
    You are blessed to be a blessing.
    When you give, you make room for God to multiply—not just your resources—but your impact.
    Every time you sow generosity into someone’s life, you plant a seed of hope that produces thanksgiving to God.
    God’s math is miraculous: when you pour out, He pours in—and His supply never runs dry.

    Truth #3 - God’s giving Produces Gratitude - Not Pride

    Look at the end of verse 11.
    2 Corinthians 9:11 NIV
    11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
    When Paul says our giving “results in thanksgiving to God,” he’s reminding us that the ultimate purpose of generosity is not recognition but it’s worship.
    Think about what I told about the city of Corinth.
    The wealthy citizens of Corinth gave to gain status and honor. Their names were carved into stone, and their gifts were meant to make them look good.
    But what does Paul do. He flips the script.
    He says when believers give with God’s heart, God gets the glory.
    This was completely different from their normal thinking.
    Our giving becomes a mirror that reflects His goodness to the world.
    When someone’s need is met through your generosity, they don’t say, “Wow, look what they did!”
    No! They say, “Thank God for what He’s done!”

    Giving is never just a financial transaction—it’s a spiritual expression of gratitude.

    Every time we give, we are saying,
    “God, everything I have came from You, and I trust You with what’s next.”
    Our generosity is both a response to God’s grace and a reflection of it.
    The early church understood this: their generosity wasn’t about building wealth, it was about building witness.
    Their giving caused people to thank God. It caused them to glorify Christ. And because of their giving it drew them to the gospel.
    How many of you have ever thrown a rock into a still pond? What happens? Ripples happen.
    You can think of your giving like throwing a stone into a still pond.
    The moment you give, just like those ripples, your generosity continues.
    One act of obedience creates waves of impact.
    When you give to someone in need, or to this church, or to one of our Kingdom Builders projects, it doesn’t stop with that moment.
    Your generosity ripples out. Your touching families, and changing futures, and ultimately your causing thanksgiving to rise to God.
    You may never see the full ripple effect of your giving, but Heaven does.
    That’s why we give. We don’t need applause. We don’t do this so our name is remembered.
    We give because we want His name to be praised.
    When we give like God, our generosity points people to Jesus. Our generosity fuels thanksgiving.
    Our worship to God multiplies.
    And here is another amazing thing to think about. When we give like god, our ordinary resources turns into eternal impact. Impact that will continue long after your gone. Because that’s how God works.
    As we close today, I want to leave you with a challenge:
    God has blessed each of us—not to store it up for ourselves, but to be a blessing to others. He has given you resources, time, talents, and treasures so that through you, His love can reach someone in need.
    This week, I challenge you to give. Give intentionally. Give with a generous heart. Give joyfully unto God.
    Maybe it’s your time, reaching out to someone who’s lonely or hurting.
    Maybe it’s your talent, using the gifts God has given you to serve in a ministry or project.
    Maybe it’s your treasure, sowing into the Kingdom through tithes, offerings, or our newest Kingdom Builders project that we are going to hear more about in a minute.
    Remember, giving like God isn’t about the amount—it’s about the heart. God wants your giving to be cheerful, sacrificial, and intentional.
    So, as you give, watch what happens.
    I believe God will multiply what you sow. I know others will be blessed. And God is always glorified through our obedience.
    So today, I want to ask you: Who will you bless this week? How will you sow generously like God has sown into your life?
    Take that step of faith. Trust God to provide. And let your giving produce thanksgiving—not to you—but to God.

      • John 3:16NIV2011

      • 2 Corinthians 9:6–11NIV2011

      • 2 Corinthians 9:7NIV2011

      • John 3:16NIV2011

      • 2 Corinthians 9:10–11NIV2011

      • 2 Corinthians 9:11NIV2011

      • Genesis 12:2NIV2011

      • 2 Corinthians 9:11NIV2011

  • Gratitude

      • 2 Corinthians 9:6–8NIV2011

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