Love That Brings Help
Be Bold
March 8, 2020
Rev. Gabe Sylvia
Using Herb Brooks' two-goal analogy, the sermon shows that Paul’s example of the Macedonian churches—who first gave themselves to the Lord, rested in God's grace, and then gave joyfully and sacrificially despite poverty—teaches that kingdom commitment comes from entrusting ourselves wholly to God, which produces bold, sacrificial giving and faithful service to others.
Summary
The sermon contrasts primary and secondary goals (Herb Brooks’ Olympic aim vs. his critical secondary objective) with Paul’s aims in 2 Corinthians 8, where the collection for Judea is a secondary goal rooted in a primary call to entrust ourselves to God. The Macedonian churches provide the model: they first gave themselves to the Lord, rested in the permanence of God’s grace, and responded to severe affliction and poverty with joy, generosity beyond their means, and a desire for partnership in serving saints. Their view of suffering as sanctification, refusal to blame God, and willingness to be agents of repair challenge listeners to pursue 100% engagement with Christ, observe rest in the Lord (honoring the Lord’s Day), and be bold in sacrificial giving.
Key Points
- Illustration: Herb Brooks had a primary goal (gold) and a critical secondary goal—an analogy for spiritual priorities
- Thesis: Kingdom commitment is gained by entrusting ourselves to God
- Paul’s secondary goal in 2 Corinthians 8: collect relief for the church in Judea; the deeper issue is discipleship and faithfulness
- Macedonian example: they first gave themselves to the Lord, then to Paul and the work of ministry
- Their giving: according to ability and beyond ability, voluntarily and joyfully
- Their context: severe affliction and extreme poverty, yet they responded with joy in tribulation
- Theology of suffering: they did not blame God but saw trials as sanctifying (the “sandpaper” of sanctification)
- Grace: rest in God’s permanent, personal grace (grounding for perseverance and Sabbath/Day of Rest practice)
- Call to action: pursue 100% engagement with Christ, be bold with what God has given, and partner sacrificially to meet others’ needs
- Challenge question: Are we willing to give so that we ourselves have less in order to serve others?
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