FOR THE WEEK NOVEMBER 17-21, 2025 “EXCEL IN GIVING” 2 Corinthians 8 SERMON BY
Rev. Lara “Willis” Greene
“Faith for the Week” devotions are produced in a partnership with Centenary UMC Sunday sermon transcripts and SermonShots.com. FAITH FOR THE WEEK | 2 | CENTENARY UNITED METHODIST
| monday |
THE JOY OF LETTING GO Have you ever held something so tightly that your knuckles turned white? Maybe it was a childhood toy, a relationship, or even your financial security. There’s something deeply human about our tendency to grip what we think belongs to us. But what if I told you that the very thing you’re holding onto so tightly might be keeping you from experiencing true joy?
Think about the last time you gave something meaningful away. Remember that feeling of release, that sense of participating in something bigger than yourself? That’s the joy of letting go. When we open our hands and release our gifts to God, we get to witness something miraculous: God takes our ordinary offerings and does extraordinary things with them.
When we think about money and possessions, our natural instinct is to accumulate and protect. We work hard, save diligently, and guard our resources carefully. But there’s a beautiful paradox in the Christian life: our greatest need isn’t to get more money, but to give it away. This isn’t about God needing our contributions – He owns everything already. This is about our souls needing the freedom that comes from generous giving.
This joy isn’t found in the amount we give, but in the act of giving itself. It’s the joy of trusting God with what He’s already given us. It’s the joy of watching divine power flow through our simple offerings to transform lives and communities.
- 2 Corinthians 8:1 ‘We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia.’
What are you holding onto so tightly that it might be preventing you from experiencing the joy of generous giving?
“He missed out on the joy of giving. This sense of letting go and releasing to God and then watching what God does with our gifts, of letting go of a portion of our gifts which God gave to us in the first place, and then trusting after we have released them, trusting that God’s power will be unleashed through those gifts.”
prayer
Father, help me to loosen my grip on the things I think are mine. Give me the courage to experience the joy that comes from letting go and trusting You with my resources. Show me the freedom that comes from generous giving. Amen.
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| tuesday |
PARTNERING WITH THE DIVINE Imagine being invited to partner with the most successful entrepreneur in the universe. Someone who never fails, whose investments always yield incredible returns, and who has unlimited resources at their disposal. Would you hesitate to join such a partnership? This is exactly what happens when we give generously. We become partners with God Himself. Our giving isn’t just about meeting budgets or funding programs – it’s about making an investment in God’s kingdom work and trusting Him to multiply our contributions in ways we could never imagine. When your family gives, you’re not just writing a check or making a donation. You’re making a strategic investment in eternity, and God promises to unleash His supernatural power through that investment. The returns aren’t
measured in dollars and cents, but in transformed lives, healed relationships, and communities touched by divine love. This partnership changes everything about how we view our resources. Instead of seeing our money as something we’ve earned and deserve to keep, we begin to see it as seed money for God’s kingdom work. We can’t compute the return on this investment because God takes our ordinary gifts and does something extraordinary with them. The beautiful truth is that God doesn’t need us, but He chooses to work through us. He invites us into this divine partnership not because He lacks resources, but because He wants us to experience the joy and privilege of being part of His redemptive work in the world.
2 Corinthians 8:2 ‘For during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.’
How might viewing your giving as a partnership with God change your perspective on your financial resources?
“When my family gives, we are making an investment and we believe that God is going to unleash God’s power through that investment. And then we get to be partners with God.”
prayer
Lord, thank You for inviting me to be Your partner in kingdom work. Help me to see my Heavenly Father, I confess that fear often paralyzes me. I look at the enormity of needs giving not as a loss, but as an investment in Your eternal purposes. Give me faith to trust around me and feel that what I have to offer is too small. Help me to trust that You can You with the returns on this divine partnership. Amen. use my limited resources for Your unlimited purposes. Give me courage to step out in faith today. Amen.
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| wednesday |
FOLLOWING JESUS’ EXAMPLE Every great leader leads by example, and Jesus is no exception. When it comes to generosity, He didn’t just teach about giving – He demonstrated the ultimate act of sacrificial love. Though He possessed all the riches of heaven, He chose to become poor so that we might become spiritually rich. Jesus’ generosity wasn’t measured in percentages or calculated based on His means. It was radical, complete, and transformative. He gave up His divine privileges, His heavenly comfort, and ultimately His life. This wasn’t a 10% tithe – this was everything. When we follow Jesus’ example of generosity, we’re not just imitating a good moral principle. We’re participating in the very character of God. Generosity flows from the heart
of our Savior, and when we give generously, we reflect His nature to the world around us. This doesn’t mean we’re all called to give away everything we own, but it does mean our giving should reflect the same heart that motivated Jesus. It should be sacrificial, joyful, and focused on blessing others rather than protecting ourselves. Jesus never mentioned percentages when He talked about giving. He talked about hearts. He talked about priorities. He talked about the radical generosity that flows from a life transformed by grace. When our giving reflects Jesus’ example, it becomes a powerful testimony to His love and a source of spiritual growth in our own lives.
2 Corinthians 8:9 ‘For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.’
In what ways can your giving more closely reflect the radical generosity that Jesus demonstrated in His life and death?
“For you know, the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.”
prayer
prayer
Jesus, thank You for Your incredible generosity toward me. Help me to follow Your example by giving sacrificially and joyfully. Transform my heart to reflect Your generous nature in all areas of my life. Amen.
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| thursday |
EXCELLENCE IN EVERY AREA Think about the areas of your life where you naturally excel. Maybe you’re known for your kindness, your work ethic, your knowledge, or your faith. You’ve probably invested time, energy, and resources to develop these strengths. But here’s a challenging question: does your giving reflect the same level of excellence? Paul noticed that the Corinthians excelled in many areas – faith, speech, knowledge, and love. They had developed these spiritual gifts and were known for their strengths. But Paul challenged them to add one more area of excellence to their repertoire: generous giving. Excellence in giving isn’t about the amount – it’s about the heart behind the gift. It’s about giving according to your means, not according to what feels comfortable or
convenient. It’s about honestly examining your lifestyle and ensuring your giving reflects your actual capacity, not just your leftover resources. When we pursue excellence in giving, something beautiful happens. Our generosity begins to match our other areas of strength, creating a more complete and mature faith. We become people who don’t just talk about God’s love – we demonstrate it through our sacrificial giving. This kind of excellence requires intentionality. Just as you’ve worked to develop your other strengths, generous giving requires practice, growth, and commitment. But the reward is worth it: you get to experience the joy of being excellent in an area that directly impacts God’s kingdom work.
2 Corinthians 8:7 ‘Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.’
If someone evaluated your life, would they say you excel in giving the same way you excel in other areas of your faith?
“Paul says you excel in so many areas. You excel in faith, you excel in speech, in knowledge and in love. Now, excel in this generous undertaking. In other words, excel in giving.”
prayer
God, help me to pursue excellence in giving just as I pursue excellence in other areas of my life. Show me where I need to grow in generosity and give me the courage to give according to my true capacity. Amen.
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| friday |
GIVE ACCORDING TO YOUR MEANS Honesty can be uncomfortable, especially when it comes to money. But here’s a gentle truth that might challenge you: God knows exactly what you can afford to give, even when you’re not being completely honest with yourself about it.
If giving feels uncomfortable or causes you pain, that might not be a financial issue – it might be a spiritual one. Sometimes discomfort is the Holy Spirit’s way of knocking on the door of our hearts, inviting us to grow in an area where we’ve been holding back.
Paul’s instruction was beautifully simple: give according to what you have. Not according to what you wish you had, not according to what others expect, but according to your actual means. This requires an honest assessment of your lifestyle, your spending habits, and your true financial capacity.
God isn’t a harsh creditor waiting to repossess your belongings. He’s your loving Father who wants the best for you. He knows that generous giving will transform your life, deepen your spirituality, and bless His church. So simply do your best, give according to your means, and trust Him with the results.
Take a moment to think about your house, your car, your clothes, and how you spend your leisure time. Now consider how your standard of living relates to your standard of giving. Are they aligned? Does your giving reflect the same level of priority as your other expenses?
Remember, this isn’t about meeting a goal or hitting a target. It’s about making an investment in God’s kingdom and experiencing the joy that comes from generous, openhearted giving.
2 Corinthians 8:12 ‘For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has—not according to what one does not have.’
When you honestly examine your lifestyle and spending habits, what does your current giving pattern reveal about your priorities and trust in God?
“Let’s all think about the houses we live in and the cars we drive and the clothes we wear. And let’s think about how we spend our leisure time. And then let’s tie our standard of living to our standard of giving so that we can give according to our means.”
prayer prayer
Father, give me the courage to be honest about my financial capacity and to give according to my true means. Help me to align my standard of living with my standard of giving. Transform any discomfort I feel into spiritual growth. Amen.
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