The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-11-08
SABBATH SCHOOL,
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
NOVEMBER II.
Lesson Text: ssThe Grace Of Liber-
ality,"2 Cor. Will, 1-12-Golden
Text: 2 Cor. viii, 8
commentary.

1. Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit
(make knoWnto you) OF the grace OF God
bestowed on the churches of Macedonia" "
Phillippi, Thessalonica and other places in
Macedonia were the first in Europe to hear
the gospel through Paul (Acts XVII. 9, IL
xviii, y. These churches became noted for
their faith and works q Thess. l., g. 8; Phil.
w., Is, 16). AndPaul loved to tell Of every
manifestation of the grace OF God that thus
others might be quickened to works Of faith
and labors Of love and patience OF hope in
our Lord Jesus Christ. As to his own abun-
dant labors he credited all to the grace Of
God Q Cor. gv., 10).
"How that in great trial OF afhiction the
abundance OF their Joy and their deep pover-
ty abourded unto the riches Of their liberali-
ty." At Thessalonica they received the word
Ghost. 1t was there that Paul wrought
night and day for his own support that he
might be no burden to them q Thess. j., 6 H.,
81, yet they managed out OF their poverty to
do much for others. and this self denying.
work the Lord greatly appreciates. He said
OF the widow who gave the two mites, "She
OF her want did cast In all that she had"
MARK xii. ~.
8. "For to their power, bear record. yea,
and beyond their power, they were willing
OF themselves" There are still those who
seem to go beyond their power in the matter
OF giving; but, oh. how very few If half the
members OF our churches would give as they
are able, what an abundance there would be
for the work OF the Lord When the love OF
Christ constrains one II Cor. v, 14)-that
Is, takes possession of ono as fever does
1t will not be question Of how little service
we can render and yet reach heaven, but
rather a question of how much use We con
be to Him this little while.
spraying US with much entreaty that We
would receive the gift and take upon US the
fellowship Of the ministerlng to the saints. :"
1t is not usual to have gifts for the Lords
poor pressed upon you and be uged to
please pass this $5 or $40 or 800 on to some
being channel for thousands Of dollars an
nuallyto foreign missions, ont no one needs
to entreat mel enjoy the service.
5. "And this they did. not as wehoped, but
first gave their own selves to the Lord. and
unto US by the will OF God" It is to be
feared that there are many who receive
Christ as their Saviour (John l., 12) who do
not accept Him as their Lord and Master.
They do not present their bodies unto Him
as living sacrifice that He may conform
their lives to His own (Rom. xii, 1, p. Yet
anything less than this Is a failure in Chris
tisn living
1uSOmuCu tuht We ueSir0u CQaC
as he had begun, so he would also finish In
you the same grace also While at is God
who worketh" (Phil IL, 13) He Is graciously
pleased TO use the earthen vessels that it may
be more clearly manifest that the excellency
Of the power is all OF Himself II Cor. iv., z
I Cor. xv., 10). Philip was the vessel to the
Samaritans and to the eunuch, Peter to Cor
nelius. and in this casa Titus to Corinth.
Z. Therefore as ye abound in everything,
in faith and utterance and knowledge and in
all diligence. and in your love to Us, see that
ye abound in this grace also." In his first
epistle he taught them to abound in the
work OF the Lord q Cor. xv., 5s). Now he
exhorts them to abound In giving. 1t seems
to require exceeding abundant grace with
some to develop this grsce Of giving, but it
is true, as in all else, that His grace is suffl-
cient (chapter xii, 81.
8. II speak not BY commandment, but by
occasion OF the forwardness OF others and to
prove the sincerity OF your love-" We can
prove the reality OF our faith and love only
by our works. and there is no uss in saying
that we love God whom we have not seen II
we love not our brother whom We have seen
Ct John iv.. 20 Jas. H., 26). The Saviour's
command is that We love one another as he
loved US (John xv., 12).
9. "For ye know the grace OF our Lord
Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet
for your sakes He became poor. thar ye
through His poverty might be rich" Here
is the word that captivates here is the
in glory OF the Lord Jesus which He had
with the Father before the world was (John
XVII, 81. Think OF His emptying Himself Of
all that and humblinS Himself to Bethle-
hem and Nazareth and Gethsemane and
Calvary (Phil. H., Z, 8, R. w.. Hear Him
say, ''If any man will come after Me, let him
deny himself and take up his cross and fol-
low Me- (Math. xvi, 24) then hear Him tell
His Father that He has given His glory to all
His followers and He wants them to see and
enjoy 1t (John xviii, ~, pa, and If it does
not make you want to give all you are and
have wholly up to Him for His service 1t
must be that you do not believe the facts.
10. "And herein I give my advice, for
this Is expedient for you who have begun
before, not only to do, but also to be for
ward year ago." In chapter tx, 9, He also
speaks of their zeal OF q year ago, the men
tion ofwhich had stirred many. and now He
sends the brethren to receive their prom
ised bounty, melting them by many words
to manifest their thankfulness to God BY
their ministration to the saints and keeping
before them the love Of God in the unspeak-
able gift Of His dear Son (chapter *, y,
10.
ii. "Now. therefore. perform the doing OF
II. that as there was readiness to will. so
there may be performance also out OF that
which We have" When God works, He
works both to will and to do. When we
have the will and the wherewithal, there
must surely be a performance; otherwise
the will Is really not there, and what seems
a willingness is merely word OF mouth
without any heart to It. "Be ye doers OF
the word. and not hearers only deceivins
your ownselyes." ;.
12. For if there be first willing mind, II
Is ACCEPTED according to that man hath and
not according to that he hath not" There Is
no use wasting breath in telling what we
would do If we could. for God only asks !
willing mind to do what We can. II 1t shall
he said OF US that we did what we could
MARK xiv, 81, We can ask no higher
commentator. As to the willing mlno
and Offering read Ex. ky, 2
Ixxv., 81. 90. 90 I Chron. xxx. g. Then re-
member that "God is able to make all grace
abound toward you, that ye always having
all sufIlciency in all things may abound to
every good work" (chapter tx, 81. 1t lsnot
q question OF what we can or cannot do, blli
question OF what God can do through us
wnen We ere willing to let Him.-Lesson
Helper.
The Louisiana Rice Crop.