WHAT TO DO WHEN TROUBLE COMES

2 Corinthians 8:1-7

Victor Hugo was one of he great French writers of the 19th century. Les Miserables, one of his more famous works appeared as a Broadway musical just a few years ago. Hugo was a controversial figure in his time. When Napoleon III rose to power, he banished Hugo to the isle of Guernsey in 1851. During the time of his exile, he would climb to a point on a cliff that overlooked the ocean, every evening just as the sun went down. Every day he picked up some small rocks and threw them into the water. Children were curious about the old man's strange behavior, so they asked why he threw the stones into the water. He said, "It's not stones I'm throwing, my child. I'm throwing self-pity into the sea."

In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul wrote about Christians living in Macedonia. They were poor people. He described their economic condition as "extreme poverty." Like Victor Hugo, they refused to feel sorry for themselves. They behaved in a way that's very unusual among disadvantaged people. They dug into the pockets of their threadbare garments and offered assistance to the poor Christians in Jerusalem. They were so adamant about expressing generosity that they begged Paul for the privilege of helping out the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem. In the process, their hearts and lives overflowed with joy.

Preachers have often been drawn to the example of the Macedonians when they wanted to preach on giving and with good reason. Some of the most extensive teaching on the nature of stewardship is contained in 2 Corinthians 8 and 9. I would suggest, however, that we miss the impact of Paul's message if we only think about money when we read these two chapters. Indeed Paul spoke about money, but he spoke about more than money. Paul spoke about the benevolent work of the church, but he spoke beyond benevolence. Paul was discoursing on the subject of human contentment. He was addressing problem-solving skills. He was teaching importance concepts concerning grace.

THE PLIGHT OF THE MACEDONIANS

Although Paul didn't elaborate on the details of their economic condition, he did clearly let it be known that the Christians in Macedonia were poverty stricken. They were in "extreme poverty." The original language means "pauperism to the depth." J. B. Phillips says, "They were down to their last penny." Here in the United States we sometimes use the expression "as poor as Job's turkey." The Macedonian Christians were that poor.

Historians say the Macedonians had endured three civil wars just prior to this time. War destroys a nation's productivity. It displaces families. It drains the economy. Worst of all, it robs an entire generation of manpower. I once knew a lady who came to the United States as a German war bride after the end of World War I. She married an American solider, who came to her town with the occupational forces after the end of the war. She married an American because all of the eligible young men in her town had been killed in the war. War means suffering, hardship and want. Imagine how impoverished a nation would be if it had gone through three wars fought on its own soil in one generation. Historians claim that poverty was so intense that Tiberius Caesar actually exempted that region from paying taxes. The emperor was not known for his compassion.

Hardship was even more intense among the Christians of that area. According to Acts 16, it was in Philippi, a city of Macedonia, that Paul and Silas were beaten unmercifully and placed in stocks in the city jail. Apparently, hostility continued after Paul left. According to Acts 16:39, Paul and Silas were asked to leave the city. Thessalonica was another Macedonian city. This is the place were a mob rushed the house of Jason and placed him under arrest. According to Acts 17:8, "the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil." They had to sneak Paul and Silas out under the cover of darkness. 1 Thessalonians 1:6 says the church in Thessalonica was enduring "severe suffering."

So they were being hit from both sides (1) economic destitution on one side and (2) persecution on the other.

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