2 Corinthians 9 - Cheerful Giver

Fall is the season of Stewardship.  Every season should be a season of stewardship. Churches do stewardship mainly so that they can create a budget and hopefully increase their income.
It shouldn't be that way.
But even in the early church, the apostles wrote fundraising letters.  2 Corinthians is, at its heart, a fundraising letter.  Corinth has made its pledge to Jerusalem. Paul is concerned about collecting from them.  Truly, he wants them to give as a response to God, "as a voluntary gift and not as an extortion." (v 5)
For Paul, God is all about abundance.  God the giver has made us all wealthy; we share on God's behalf.  The grace of God should transform us in many ways, even our attitude towards giving. We "share abundantly in every good work." (v8)  Money enables us to do mission and evangelistic work vicariously in other places. The bounty of this work is the "harvest of [our] righteousness." (v 10)
Rather than increasing budgets, the goal for stewardship is to increase our own cheerfulness and thanksgiving, and to sow God's righteousness in the world.
"Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" (v 15)