The Gift of Sharing

Pentecost 6 – June 30, 2024

Lamentations 3:22-33
Psalm 30
2 Corinthians 8:7-15
Mark 5:21=43

A careful reading of Paul’s letter to the Galatians will show that there was tension in the early church. That tension was over who could join the church. Was the church only for Jews or could gentiles join? If you read Acts it seems that the expansion of the church from Jewish followers to include gentiles was a smooth transition. Paul’s letter in Galatians shows that it was not. In that letter he is angry because, it seems, some are misconstruing a meeting he had in Jerusalem about the issue of circumcision. It sounds like they claimed Paul agreed that for a gentile to become a Christian he had to be circumcised. Which Paul did not do. Out of that meeting Paul began a collection to help the church in Jerusalem hoping that the gifts from the gentile churches would bring the whole church together. That offering, which he encourages the Corinthians to give to, is the subject of our lesson from Paul’s letter today. 

We do not know how well the idea of this collection was received by the churches. Here it seems that the Corinthians were questioning whether they should give to it. Although, it seems, they had agreed to give something to it. They may even had designated an amount and were finding it hard to meet their agreement. So Paul is trying to help them decide what they should do. We do not know why the Corinthians seem to be hesitating but Paul’s argument is about balance. This would indicate that the Christians in Corinth had more wealth than those in Jerusalem and Paul is talking about evening out the difference. He reminds them that it is not a command that they give to this offering. Instead, knowing what Christ had done for them, they should joyfully share their gifts with others less fortunate than themselves. In his argument he brings up Christ’s sacrifice one much greater than what he was asking of them.

We all have been showered with God’s gifts. We saw two dramatic examples of those gifts in our gospel text today – Jairus’ daughter and the women who suffered illness without relief for years. Gifts that God has given to us so that we may live the life God desires for us. That life is one that involves sharing the gifts that God has given us. Just as Paul is encouraging the Corinthians to share all that God had given them, he is calling us to do the same. We do live in a much different world than the early Christians but the basic facts are the same – God has gifted us with life eternal and all that we have. Jesus calls us to share those gifts so that others may experience God’s love through us. Look at all that God has given you and pray that you will always be able to share those gifts with others.