Arizona republican., 1916-08-12
International Sunday School Lesson
 For August 13
THE GRACE OF GIVING

t''G ShNSG VT
 Golden Text-"In all things I gave you an example. that so laboring ye ought to help the weak, and to re- member the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said. It is more blessed to give than to receive Ac. 20: 35.
 Lesson Text.-2 Cor. 9 Commit vs 10, Il.
 G) For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfl1ous for me to write to you, CD For l know the forwardness of your mind. for which | boast of you to them of Macedonia | that Achaia was ready year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. (3l Yet have I sent the breth- ren, lest our boasting of you should | he in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may ready: (4) Lest haply If they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared. we tthat we say not ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting. (5) There fore 1 thought it necessary to exhort the brethren. shat they would go be- fore unto you, and make up before. hand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before that the same might be ready. as q matter of bounty, and not as of c9veteousness. (6) But this l | say. He which soweth sparingly shalE | reap also sparingly; and he which soweth hountifullv shall reap also bountifully. CD Every man according as he purposeth iu his heart, so let him give: not grudgingly. or of ne- cessity: for God loveth a cheerful
 giver. ts) And God is able to make all grace abound toward you: that ye always having all sufficiencv in all things, may abound to very good work; CD As it is written. He hath 1 dispersed abroad: he hath given to he poor; his righteousness remaineth for ever G0) Now he that minister eth seed to the sower both minister
 bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness) CID
 ileinG enriched in every thing to all hountifulness which causeth through
 us thanksgiving to God. G2) For the
 administration of this service not only
 suppleth the want of the saints. but
 is abundant also by many tharksgiv
 ings unto God: G3 While by the ex-
 pertinent of this min.stration they
 glorify God for your professed sub
 lection unto the gospel of Christ, and
 for your liberal distribution unto
 them. and unto all men: GD And by
 their prayer for you. which long after
 you for the exceeding grace of God l III NHus fihD lUdfhH Dt uuNo bOu lbI
 his unspeakatle gift
 Time.-A D. 57. Place.-Ephesus.
 Exposition-L How to Give, 1-7.
 They had already shown their readi-
 ness Cor eagernessl in this matter.
 and Paul was aware of 1t. Their zeai
 had stirred up the greater part of
 those in Macedonia tv. 2. R. V. Marg.)
 But there was the possibility that they might not he actually prepared
 when the messengers from Macedonia
 arrived on the ground. PauPs glory ing on their behalf would be made
 void in this respect" (v g. R. VI. There is a delicate compliment in the [ way Paul puts even this unfortunate possibility. His words imply that. il his glorying in their behalf were made , void it would only be "in this re- spect Paul was a wise manager and ktoCk steps that would prevent their being unprepared. and thus his (and much more their) being put to shame
 in this confidence. This was why he thought it necessary to "exhort' (no, "entreat." as in R. VI the brethren
 (Titus and the two others) to precede
 him and the Macedonian messengers
 to Corinth and actually make up ths , bounty which they had promised be-
 forehan1 (Y. .. F. N). and thus mako 3 sure that it might be actually ready
 az a matter of bounty Literally. blcs-
 ring. a free heneficient Glftl. and no q matter of covetous greed that was . concerned about getting more for sell
 and not about blessing others. H'
 states great principal about giving
 viz. He that soweth sparingly shal
 reap also sparingly. ard he that sow
 eth honntifully literally, upon bless
 in3s," in the spiri; of pouring forti !. blessings upon others) shall reap alst = 0ountifully." Giving is sowing. anG
 some are so penurious with their see.
 that they reap n scant harvest. like ; | man who in the stinginess Of his sou
 doesn't SOW enough wheat in his fielt ' and therefore reaps very scant har y vest (cf. Prov. 22: 9; II; 25). Hoy e small indeed will he the harvest tha
 many a professed Christian reaps wh' e gives only the smallest pittance t' e foreign missiofis and perhaps nothini
 at all to the poor saints at home True giving begins in the purpose O - the heart (v D. But what the maj s purposes in his heart he must carr
 out in action. if the purpose is to D It of any worth. And what he thus car k ries out of his hearts purpose in tn
 matter of giving he must not do "ou IT that he is giving his money away0. O "A "out of necessity (because he " forced to). God loves a cheerful, gla c. giver the giver who delights to se ,s his hard earned money going out c
 his own pocket into some ones els' le H. Results of Giving, S-15. I d connection with this subject of givin
 Paul brings in one of tho sweetes
 most cheering and most inspirin t. promises of the Bible (v. 8. It begin 1t with three short words that ought { L. harish all our fears of failure "Go n is able" And what is He able" T. do? To bestow grace" and not onl lg to bestow grace" but to make grac e, abound" and not only to "mak ir grace abound but to make "all grac pr abound" And to whom will Co ht make all grace abound? ITO you ht e.. to the bountiful. cheerful give l. Nothing more surely narrows dow of the measure of grace that we receiN
 than our niggardiy giving (cf. Phil. ,s 19 and coEtcxt). And for what puI
 pose does God make all grace abound y- Tn order that yc having always q Id sufficiency in everything. may abour unto every good work" God does n III bestow abundant grace upon us thi m 1t may, terminate upon ourselves, b , that we may abound in work f "' others. Notice the "alls" and every 1t, in this glorious verse, and tl o "abounds" and the "sufficiency." G'
 intends that we shall have aboundil snd sufficient lives at all times al ss. in everything. How poor most of O =. lives appear when measured by | 'oe standard of this verse. In this W; at the promise of God through |