First, give yourself to the Lord

Romans 15:25-26 but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. There’s a lot more to this story than first meets the eye. Paul’s plans for Spain had to be put on hold so he could deliver the contributions of the churches in Macedonia (Thessalonica and Philippi) and Achaia (Corinth) to the saints in Jerusalem. Believers in Jerusalem and the surrounding vicinity were suffering famine conditions. It was a big deal for Paul that the Gentile churches were showing the love of Jesus to the Jewish believers in Jerusalem. These verses lead us to 2 Corinthians 8 for our encouragement to live to love with Jesus. In Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth which was in the region of Achaia, he encouraged them to love like the Macedonia churches were loving. 2 Corinthians 8:1-8. “Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well. 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.” Paul was confident that the Corinthians would give to the poor in Jerusalem because they had been inspired to love. Remember 1 Cor. 13, the love chapter? The encouragement today is this. We need to be inspired by our brothers and sisters to love. I want to inspire you, to urge you, to encourage you to live your life out of the life of Christ dwelling within you. He lives to love His own, and He loves through them. Do you know of a saint in poverty or in dire straights? Are you aware of someone who needs love and encouragement today? The Macedonians first gave themselves to the Lord and then they were moved to give. Let’s remember to give ourselves to the Lord so He can love through us today and every day.