WEEKLY
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An
international Sunday school lesson commentary
For
Sunday May 6, 2018
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GIVING
FROM A GENEROUS HEART
(Devotion
to GOD is best expressed in our giving)
(Exodus
35:4-36:7 and 2 Corinthians 9)
Throughout
all the ages we can find that, one of the oldest principals of life, which
continues to persist in both, the physical, and the spiritual world, is that,
the size of a harvest, under normal circumstances, always corresponds directly with
the amount of sowing which had been done. Typically, the more generously we sow,
the greater our harvest is.
JESUS tells us in Luke 14, verses 28-30
that we should not begin a building project until we know exactly what it will
cost, and, have already procured in advance, the finances necessary to complete
the job. In other words, we should never have to construct a Christian Church
assembly building, for example, on borrowed money. If and when we do, we make
GOD’s House a slave to the worldly lending institutions that financed us, who,
by the way, are not governed by the Word of GOD, but rather, are luciferic in
their policymaking. When we borrow money from the devil, he, quite literally,
becomes our landlord, and I promise you, nothing GODly is going to be happening
inside that structure.
In Exodus 35, Moses, the man of GOD, calls
all of the people together and instructs them on what ”thus says the LORD”
about how he wants HIS Tabernacle (Church buildings) to be constructed. Here Moses
tells them that it will be built on the “generous giving of the time, talent,
and treasure of the faithful members of the assembly”.
In verse 21 we see that the completion of
the project would be made possible only by those, whose hearts were stirred by
what GOD wanted, and who desired very earnestly to please HIM. The people
aligned their interests with GOD, and, as a result, both men and women came
with many possessions, their time, and, their GOD-given abilities, to donate those
assets, to the fulfillment of the goal.
In Exodus 36, verses 1-7, we see that,
after the skilled laborers, Bezalel, Oholiab, and others, whom the LORD had chosen
to oversee the project, came to Moses and confirmed that they had everything
they needed “to complete the work”. Then, and only then, did Moses give the order
“to begin the work”.
Over in 2 Corinthians 9, the New Testament
records that, as Paul was continuing on with his written lecture to the
Corinthians on generous giving, he begins to focus his efforts more clearly on
the collection for the Christians central “Mother Church” at Jerusalem.
In this section of his letter, Paul issues
a not- so-subtle reminder to the Corinthians of how eager they were to help the
cause of the central church when they had first heard of their troubles a year
earlier. This reminder is issued here, first in written form, so as to spare
their branch of the Christian Church Network the embarrassment of not being
prepared as promised, or, not being willing to follow through on what they had
started.
Paul had been boasting about the generosity
of the Corinthians to the Macedonians, and his boasting had helped to stir up
enthusiasm there, and, in a lot of other churches along the Christian network
of believers. In addition, he had sent Titus, along with two other trusted men
from the Church to help ensure that the gifts they had promised would be ready
when he himself arrived some time later.
The relationship between Paul and the
brethren at Corinth had been plenty strained in the three years since Paul had
visited there, and he had suffered much while he awaited their reaction to his
“sorrowful letter” that he had sent earlier by Titus. However, he truly cared
for the Christians at Corinth and he wanted to make amends with them, but more
importantly, he needed to uphold the integrity of his apostolic credentials.
Paul did spend the following winter months in Corinth, and it was at that time,
that, he probably wrote his, now famous, letter to the Romans.
This second letter to the Corinthians,
however, is most personal, and perhaps, the least doctrinal of all of Paul’s
known letters to the Christian churches of the first century. He tells of some
very personal experiences in this letter as he vividly reveals an intense
emotion and personality, not seen in any of his other epistles. This letter
truly shows us Paul’s deep sincerity and determination to live by the
principals of material exchange between
churches, that really had already been laid out by GOD in HIS law since the
days of the Israelites desert experience with the “manna from Heaven” (Exodus
16:18). There GOD sought to show us that, the person who follows HIM, needs
will always be met. JESUS, our LORD and SAVIOR, sought to show us the very same
thing during HIS lifetime here on earth.
Remember, anyone who sows generously will
reap generously, and anyone who sows sparingly, will reap sparingly. Paul warns
us, however, that we should not give reluctantly, or, in response to pressure,
because GOD only loves the attitude of a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7).
And GOD will generously provide for all of our needs, with plenty left over, so
that we can share even further with others in need.
GOD gives us many opportunities to do good
deeds, and HE will produce a great harvest of generosity in all those who take
advantage of those opportunities by using them to help someone else in need
(Vs.10-11). That’s right! The true Christian should want more, so that they can
have more to give away. And when we use the blessings that GOD has given us to
enrich the lives of others, two things will transpire. First, we will have met
the needs of someone who may have otherwise gone without. And secondly, that
person whom you helped will hopefully see the need to glorify GOD through their
expression of thanksgiving. In both instances, GOD will be pleased, and your
generosity will prove to HIM, your good stewardship, and, your obedience to the
Gospel of CHRIST (Vs.12-13).
I’ll leave you with the well-known story of
“the widow’s offering”, as it is so vividly depicted by Luke in chapter 21,
verses 1-4, of his Gospel account, where it states; “While JESUS was in the temple, HE watched the rich people putting
their gifts into the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in
two pennies. Then JESUS responded, “I assure you, this poor widow has given
more than all the rest of them. For they (the rich) have given a tiny part of
their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has” (NLT).
In my
mind, this lady’s attitude, and spirit for giving sets the New Testament
standard of CHRIST for gracious, cheerful, GODly benevolence on a human level. And
her example remains there for all to see and understand, not just in the first
century, but even in this day and age.
A Sunday school lesson
by,
Larry D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER-
Official Website
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