Citizens:

Are partners in the Gospel. God has saved us to a people, not as Lone Rangers.

– we are in this together.

– It is a two way street.  Giving and receiving.

– God has placed us together for a purpose and design.

The gifts we give are an act of worship, perfected by Jesus.

– a fragrant offering points back to OT worship.

– earlier in the book he makes it clear to us that our righteousness is based only on the finished work of Jesus, so when we worship by sharing with others, God sees it as worship.

To bear fruit for God.

– ever since the fall our nature has been to worship the creation, rather than the creator, to worship gift over giver. Paul is reminding them here that he sees the gifts they give him merely as means to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

– when we forsake the desire to worship possessions, and demonstrate it by by sharing with others, God uses that to bear fruit for His kingdom by spreading the Good news and drawing us to himself.