Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-12-01
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson a. Fourth Charter, Far
Dec. 5, 1909.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.
Text Of the Lesson, II Cor. viii, lis.
Memory Verso, 9-Golden Text, Acts
Xxx, 35-Commentary Prepared by
Rev. .. M. Stearns.

Memory Verso, 9-Golden Text, Acts
Xxx, 35-Commentary Prepared by
Rev. D. M. Stearns.
The opening chapters Of this epistle
are very much on the lines We have
recently been studying, those Of suffer
ing for Cbrst's sake and denial of self
that His life may he manifest and that
we In His stead may plead with man
| TO be recOnciled TO God. We cannot
thus plead unless We are showing
| something of God In our own lives.
| So when Paul speaks Of and makes
manifest the comfort which be has
| found In Christ and IL heard say
| ing, Thanks be unto God. who always
causeth us TO triumph In Christ"
iii. a., we feel like listening to one who
can thus testify. Then when he tells
US that this sufficiency Is wholly from
God and in no sense from us ill. 81 we
are encouraged. for we know that He
is no respecter OF persons. But when
we hear him say thar TO manifest the
life of sons and daughters OF the Lord
Almighty we must be separate from
all unbelief and unrighteousness ard
darkness and cleanse ourselves from
all tilthiness OF the flesh and spirit wi.
1918; vii. u we begin to wonder II we
really mean to give ourselves to such
life.
The lesson today on 1.-The Grace Of
Giving" includes chapters viii and TX,
though we have but a few verses as
signed us in the former. The heart OF
II seems to be in the memory verse
viii. 9. with which we should put TX. 10,
"Thanks be unto God for His unspeak-
able gift" Nothing can win us to life
Of self denial and cheerful submission
or work in us the grace of giving but
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
who. though He was rich. for our
sakes became poor. that we, through
His poverty. might be rich. How few
consider that the familiar benediction.
1.-THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be
with you" Is really prayer that we
may be as willing to become poor for
the benefit OF others as He was to
humble Himself even unto death for
US. Beloved. if God so loved MS we
ought also TO love one another" q John
tv, III.
1t is written of certain Macedonian
believers that they first gave their
own selves unto the Lord" and then.
though very poor and greatly tried. the
abundance Of their joy caused them TO
abound in liberality verses 1-5). No
giving counts In the sight of God that
Is not from those who have first given
themselves 10 Him. He may respect
the gifts Of those who are seeking
Him, as Cornelius did. but He Will
surely send to such somehow Increased
light that they may truly know Him.
Paul would stimulate the Corinthians
by the example Of the Macedonians,
aud yet be comforts them by the as
surance that II they have willing
mind God will give them credit for All
that they would do If they had the
ability typrse ~. lam often comforted
by the assurance that what He expects
us TO do or to give lie will not fail to
give tho ability for the service. so II Is
ever an application OF Sam. T. T.
do as occasion serve thee" or as In
the margin, do as thine hand snail
find" But there is word in Eccies.
tx. 10. which Is also pertinent, "Whatso-
ever thy hand findeth 10 do. do II WIFE
thy might" In the matter of giving
we have the same principle In ii Cor
tx, I. Every man according az he pnr-
posetb i'm his heart so let him give MOI
yrudcingly or OF necessity, for God
loveth a cheerful hilarious, giver.
When we remember that whatever
we are able to give to God we are CIV
ing Him only that which He first gave
to us we can readily see that there IL no
room TO boast of our giving. Listen to
David as lie gave his millions To the
temple and saw his people "fier so
willingly: who am | and what Is my
people that we should he able TO ohcr
so willingly after this sort. FOR all
things come of Thee. and OF Thine own
have we given thee?" q Chron. xxx.
AZ Ask him why and bow he did II
and hear his reply: because nave
set nv affection to the house OF my
God: 80 have prepared with all my
might for the honse OF my God u
Cbron. xix. 2. g.. See the lsraelltes
giving for the building OF the taDerna-
Gle until Moses had to restrain them
from bringing. for the stuff they had
brought was sufficient and too m'ich.
How great an illustration there IL
eyerywhere of sewing sparlngly and
reaping s,aringly. but how few seem
70 understand the sowing bouniifuliy
and the rearing bountifully dx. ~. !
have for many years associated IN my
mind viii, q. and Is. \. the one teliilC
of His grace that savcs ns ana makes
us rich 10 all eternity aud the other OF
the all gra"e tint lie will make I"
abound toward us. that we may nave
all suiiiciru..y In all things for every
GOOD work. In | Cor. xvi. .. there IL a
good plan NuEgrStrd III reit'f"t !"
giving. "CInn the first day Of the week
let every one of you lay by MIN III
store az Gci hath prcSpered him hui
7 have found so much blessing for over
twenty years in giving to the LORD al
least one.tenih Of all He sends me mat
| must commend Mai. Iii. 10 I" MI WIN"
will receive IT, Iiut he 1.-THE might no
considered only our duly and Only thht
which Is nlnvp the tiihc onr real offer
ing. Yet there must lr no bondage. u
must 10 donc hrerfully. moi with any
grudpc. Whatever IL done. Let II he
hilarious. with II glad 'l'ralsc the Lore
for the rrisilrgr" and hearty "Of
Thine own d. we give Thee.