A Community Shares Its Resources
Or
Generosity in the Midst of Poverty
2 Corinthians 8:1-14
International Sunday School Lesson
August 31, 2014
Commentary
By
Jed Greenough
I think if we are willing to admit it we all know how we should give. I don’t mean this disrespectfully, but what Jesus said about the matter means more to me than what Paul had to say on the issue.
We see Jesus talk on the matter in Mark 12:41-44, “Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling His disciples to Him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of her wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.””
In Luke 6:30a He said, “Give to everyone who asks you…”
And if we were to think about how Jesus gave we know that, “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8b.
So we have our examples and we know how He wants us to give but it is always necessary for our leaders to tell us as a whole to do it and to do it generously. But today in this scripture and in sermons past to which I’ve listened I have been rubbed the wrong way!
Now sometimes it might be out of guilt and that is great that I hear the message but other times there is something about it that galls me and that bothers me about myself. I am just putting that out there, I don’t have an answer for it, I am just being honest with an observation.
Being a fan of Paul’s I am keenly aware of the Paul bashers out there and we in fact know that denominations have sprung up like weeds to teach what they want as opposed to what Paul instructed. So I am really leery of fueling anyone’s animosity towards him or the Bible but when I read these words he wrote they aren’t to me the same Paul and I think in that I find a clue as to why He sounds a bit off to me.
When your Pastor has to give service to this subject I would think in most cases it is not what they want to being doing on any given worship day but it is a necessary chore unfortunately. Let’s not hold it against them or Paul because if we gave as Christ gave they wouldn’t have to bring it up so often.
For Discussion:
1. Give examples of God giving.
2. Give other examples of giving in the bible.
3. Give examples from your life.
4. How much should a church give rather than spend on itself.
5. Discuss the balance of a church spending on itself rather than giving of its wealth.
6. Discuss a church with much abundance and its giving when there are churches that struggle for reasons that are not their fault.
7. What does your church have in place to give to those who need?
8. What do you have in place to give to those in need?
9. Discuss to whom you should be giving?
10. Discuss when you should not give or not give further?
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved
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