In our previous message “The Superiority Of Love” we began to understand more about the power of God’s perfect love toward mankind, which He displayed to all people through the public offering of Jesus Christ His Only Begotten Son at Calvary according to the Law and the Prophets. Today we shall learn more about the Church, who are the people who have been chosen to be “Investing With God Exporting His Love”

Old Testament Scripture Reading Nehemiah 8:8-12 (NASB)

Neh 8:8 They read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading.

Neh 8:9 Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law.

Neh 8:10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Neh 8:11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.”

Neh 8:12 All the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and to celebrate a great festival, because they understood the words which had been made known to them.

New Testament Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:1 – 9 (NASB)

2Co 8:1  Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia,

2Co 8:2  that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.

2Co 8:3  For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord,

2Co 8:4  begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints,

2Co 8:5  and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.

2Co 8:6  So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well.

2Co 8:7  But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also.

2Co 8:8  I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also.

2Co 8:9  For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.

Transforming Power Statements / Special Scripture Notes:

1) Because of the great love God has shown us, the believers, we are now equipped with His Holy Spirit, and sent out with the Gospel of His Son; and are commissioned to finance the mission to reach as many as possible with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

2) There have always been two types of people in the world; Believers and unbelievers; even though God’s love has always tolerated the unbeliever; He has always called the believers to a higher commitment to perpetuate His desires in the world toward all people; with the hope that even the unbeliever might eventually learn to trust God and believe in Him also, Who has given His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

3) Since God has invested Jesus Christ for us, what should our response be to our mission as His Church; other than Investing With God Exporting His Love which is the only right thing to do!