THE LORD’S SUPPER

THE LORD’S SUPPER

Excerpts taken from ‘The Lord’s Supper’ by Thomas Watson 1665

“A sacrament is a visible sermon.  And herein the sacrament excels the Word preached.  The Word is a trumpet to proclaim Christ, the sacrament is a glass to represent him… The Lord condescends to our weakness…God, to help our faith, does not only give us an audible Word, but a visible sign.”

The Mystery of the Lord’s Supper

The Greeks call the sacrament musterion: a mystery.

The Word is for engrafting, the sacrament for the confirming of faith.  The Word brings us to Christ, the sacrament builds us up in him. 

‘Et sensus fovetur, et fides firmatur’ [Sense is fed, and faith is strengthened].

1. The Author of the Sacrament Is Jesus Christ.

“Jesus took the bread.”  To institute sacraments belongs of right to Christ, and is a flower of his crown.

2. It was when he had supped (Luke 22:20; ‘after supper’): which had this mystery in it, to show that the Sacrament is chiefly intended as a spiritual banquet; it is not to indulge the senses but to feed the graces.  It was ‘after supper’.
3. Christ took bread also because of the analogy; bread did nearly resemble him: ‘I am that bread of life’ (John 6:48).

 Jesus took bread, and blessed it …and he took the cup, and gave thanks (Matt. 26:26-27).

1. Christ’s blessing the elements was his giving thanks.  So it is in the Greek: Eucharistia; ‘He gave thanks.’
2. Christ gave thanks that God had given these elements of bread and wine, not only to be signs but seals of our redemption.
3. The third thing in the institution is the breaking of bread.  “He broke it.’  This did foreshadow Christ’s death and passion, with all the torments of his body and soul:  ‘It pleased the Lord to bruise him’ (Isa. 53:10).  When spices are bruised, then they send forth a sweet savour.  So when Christ was bruised on the cross, he did send out a most fragrant smell.  Christ body being crucified was the breaking open of a box of precious ointment, which did fill heaven and earth with its perfume.
4. But how could Christ suffer, being God?  The Godhead is impassible.  Christ suffered only in his human nature, not the divine.  By simile: if one pours out water on red hot iron, the fire suffers from the water, and is extinguished, but the iron does not suffer.  So the human nature of Christ might suffer death, but the divine nature is not capable of any passion.  When Christ was, in the human nature, suffering, he was, in the divine nature, triumphing.

 The Benefits of the Lord’s Supper

My blood…is poured out……for the forgiveness of sins (Matt. 26:28).

This is a mercy of the first magnitude, the crowning blessing: ‘Who forgiveth all thine iniquities … who crowneth thee with lovingkindness’ (Psa. 103:3-4).  Whosoever has this charter granted is enrolled in the Book of Life: ‘Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven’ (Psa 32:1). 

Christ’s Love Displayed in the Sacrament

This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many (Matt. 26:28).

1. Behold the amazing love of Christ.  The cross, says St. Augustine, was a pulpit in which Christ preached his love to the world.
2. It was wonderful love that Christ should suffer death.  ‘Lord,’ says Bernard, ‘thou hast loved me more than myself, for thou didst lay down thy life for me.’  That Christ should die as the ‘greatest sinner’ (Luther), having the weight of all men’s sins laid upon him, here was love usque ad stuporem dulcis (sweet to the point of astonishment).
3. It was wonderful love that Christ should die for such as we are.  What are we?  Not only vanity, but enmity.  When we were fighting, he was dying; when we had the weapons in our hands, then he had the spear in his side (Rom. 5:8).
4. It was wonderful love that Christ should rather die for us than for the angels that fell.  They were creatures of a more noble extract, and in all probability might have brought greater revenues of glory to God; yet that Christ should pass by those golden vessels, and make us clods of earth into stars of glory – Oh, the hyperbole of Christ’s love!

 The Broken Body of Christ

This is my body (Matt. 26:26).

1. Was Christ’s body broken?  Then we may behold sin odious in the red glass of Christ’s sufferings.  It is true, sin is to be abominated because it turned Adam out of Paradise, and threw the angels down to hell.  Sin is the peace-breaker, it is like an incendiary in the family, that sets husband and wife at variance; it makes God fall out with us.  Sin is the womb of our sorrows, and the grave of our comforts.  But that which may most of all disfigure the face of sin, and make it appear ghastly, is this, it crucified our Lord: it made Christ veil his glory and lose his blood.

The Blood of Christ

This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins (Matt. 26:28).

Let us prize Christ’s blood in the sacrament.  It is ‘drink indeed’ (John 6:55).  ‘The grape cluster of my body was taken to the winepress of the cross for thy salvation, and from it was pressed the new wine of thy redemption’ (Bernard).

Christ’s blood is a reconciling blood.  Christ’s blood is ‘the blood of atonement’.  Nay, it is not only a sacrifice, but a ‘propitiation’ (1 John 2:2).  Which denotes bringing us into favour with God.  It is one thing for a traitor to be pardoned, and another thing to be brought into favour.  Sin cut us off from God, Christ’s blood cements us to God.   Only the blood of Christ can ingratiate us into God’s favour, and make him look upon us with a smiling aspect.

1. Christ’s blood is a quickening blood.  ‘Whoso…drinketh my blood, hath eternal life’ (John 6:54); it both begets life, and prevents death.  Sure enough, the life of our soul is in the blood of Christ.
2. Christ’s blood is a cleansing blood.  ‘How much more shall the blood of Christ…purge your conscience?’ (Heb. 9:14).  As the merit of the blood of Christ pacifies God, so the virtue of it purifies us.  It is the King of Heaven’s bath.  ‘The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin’ (1 John 1:7).  The Word of God is a looking glass, to show us our spots; and the blood of Christ is a fountain to wash them away (Zech. 13:1).
3. Christ’s blood is a softening blood.  There is nothing so hard but it may be softened if it lie steeping in his blood; it will soften a stone.  The heart which before was like a piece hewn out of a rock, being steeped in Christ’s blood becomes soft, and the waters of repentance flow from it.
4. Christ’s blood is a cooling blood. 
1. It cools the heat of sin.  The heart naturally is full of distempered heat.  It burns in lust and passion; the blood of Christ allays this heat, it quenches the inflammation of sin.
2. It cools the heat of conscience.  In time of desertion, conscience burns with the heat of God’s displeasure.  When the heart burns, and is in an agony, Christ’s blood is like water to the fire: it has a cooling and quenching virtue in it.
5. Christ’s blood is a comforting blood.  It is best in affliction.  It cures the trembling of the heart.  The blood of Christ can make a prison become a palace.  It turned the martyrs’ flames into beds of roses:  ‘The martyrs are beaten, they rejoice; they die and behold they triumph.  Why?  Because, steeped in the blood of the cross, they do not fear death but hope for it.’  Christ’s blood gives comfort at the hour of death.
6. Christ’s blood is a heaven-procuring blood.  ‘Through the side of Christ, he threw open to us the gateway to heaven’ (Bernard).  Our sins did shut heaven.  Christ’s blood is the key which opens the gate of paradise for us.  ‘We die through the tree of knowledge; we rise through the tree of the cross.’

 Self-Examination

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup

(1 Cor. 11:28).

It is not enough to do what God has appointed, but as he appointed.  ‘Prepare your hearts unto the Lord’ (1 Sam. 7:3).  The musician first puts his instrument in tune before he plays.  The heart must first be prepared, and put in tune, before it goes to meet with God in this solemn ordinance of the sacrament.  Take heed of rashness and irreverence.  If we come not preparedly, we do not drink, but spill Christ’s blood, ‘Whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord’ (1 Cor. 11:27).  He that comes unpreparedly to the Lord’s Supper turns the cup in the sacrament into ‘a cup of fury’; ‘He changes the cup of blood into the cup of wrath.’

It is not enough that others think we are fit to come, but we must examine ourselves.  It is hard for a man to look inward, and see the face of his own soul.  But this probatory work is necessary:

v  If we do not examine ourselves, we are at a loss about our spiritual estate.

v  God will examine us.  It was a sad question the master of the feast asked, ‘Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment?’ (Matt. 22:12).  So it will be terrible, when God shall say to a man, ‘How camest thou in hither to my table with a proud, vain, unbelieving heart?  What has thou to do here in thy sins?  Thou pollutest my holy things.’ 

We would examine our sins, that they may be mortified; our wants, that they may be supplied; our graces, that they may be strengthened.

1. We must come with serious hearts.  God knows every communicant, and if he sees any levity and indecency of spirit in us unworthy of his presence, he will be highly incensed, and send us away with the guilt of Christ’s blood, instead of the comfort of it.
2. We must come with intelligent hearts.  There ought to be a competent measure of the knowledge, that we may ‘discern the Lord’s body’.  They that know not the mystery, feel not the comfort.  Some say they have good hearts, yet lack knowledge; we may as well call that a good eye which lacks sight.
3. We must come to the sacrament with longing hearts.  We should say, as Christ, ‘With desire I have desired to eat this Passover’ (Luke 22:15).  Desires are the sails of the soul, which are spread to receive the gale of a heavenly blessing.
4. If we would come prepared to this ordinance, we must come with penitent hearts, ‘whose souls have been pierced, though not with a sword’ (Augustine).  A broken Christ is to be received into a broken heart.  The more bitterness we taste in sin, the more sweetness we shall taste in Christ.
5. We must come with sincere hearts.  Bad aims will spoil good actions.  What is our design in coming to the sacraments?  Is it that we may have more victory over our corruptions, and be more confirmed in holiness?  Then God will be good to us and heal us.
6. If we would come rightly prepared to the sacrament we must come with humble hearts.  We see Christ humbling himself to the death; and will a humble Christ ever be received into a proud heart?  How humble should he be who is to receive an alms of free grace!  Humility was never a loser.  The emptier the vessel is, and the lower it is let down into the well, the more water it draws up; so the more the soul is emptied of itself, and the lower it is let down by humility, the more it fetches out of the well of salvation.  God will come into a humble heart to revive it (Isa. 57:15).  That is no part of Christ’s temple which is not built with a low roof.
7. We must come with heavenly hearts.  The mystery of the sacrament is heavenly, what should an earthworm do here?  The sacrament is called koinonia, a ‘communion’ (1 Cor. 10:16).  What communion can an earthly man have with Christ?  An earthly man makes the world his god.  Then let him not think to receive another God in the sacrament.  Oh, let us be in the heavenly altitudes, and by the wings of grace ascend.
8. We must come with believing hearts.  Christ gave the sacrament to the Apostles principally as they were believers.  Such as come faithless, go away fruitless.  So that, because faith is humble, and gives all the glory to Christ, and free grace, hence it is God that has put so much honor upon it.  This is the golden bucket that draws water out of the well of life.
9. We must come to the Lord’s table with charitable hearts.  Christ’s blood was shed to reconcile us, not only to God, but one to another.  Christ’s body was broken to make up the breaches among Christians.  He that does not come in charity to the sacrament has nothing of God in him, for ‘God is love’ (1 John 4:8).
10. We must come hither with praying hearts.  Every ordinance, as well as every creature, is ‘sanctified by…prayer’ (1 Tim. 4:5).  When we send the dove of prayer to heaven, it brings an olive leaf in its mouth.  Many seem so distracted with worldly cares that they can scarce spare any time for prayer before they come to the sacrament.  Do they think the tree of blessing will drop its fruit into their mouth when they never shook it by prayer?  God does not set his mysteries as so low a rate as to cast them away upon those that do not seek them (Ezek. 36:37).

 We see how we are to be qualified in our approaches to the Lord’s table.  Thus coming, we shall meet with embraces of mercy.  We shall have not only a representation, but a participation, of Christ in the sacrament; we shall carry away not only panis [bread] but salutaris [healing]; we shall be ‘filled with all the fullness of God’ (Eph. 3:19).

OUR PRAYER

Lord, all I have is thine.  My head shall be thine to study for thee; my hands shall be thine to work for thee; my heart shall be thine to adore thee; my tongue shall be thine to praise thee!

2CORINTHIANS 8-9

2 CORINTHIANS 8-9

10/17/2010                                                                                                                                   Generosity Encouraged

The Grace of Giving

Paul was taking up a special “relief offering” for the poor Christians in Judea (Acts 11:27-30). In this chapter Paul talks about money yet never uses the word.

MacArthur New Testament Commentary

From its birth on the Day of Pentecost, the Jerusalem church had had to cope with the extreme poverty of many of its members. There were three main reasons for that situation.  First, the Jerusalem church consisted largely of pilgrims. Many, if not most, of the first converts were visiting Jerusalem to celebrate the Day of Pentecost, when the church was born. They were Hellenistic Jews, who lived in the Gentile lands to which the Jewish people had been scattered in the Diaspora. Acts 2:9–11 describes them as “Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs.” On that Day of Pentecost, three thousand people were added to the church (Acts 2:41). Soon afterward, the number of men in the church reached five thousand (Acts 4:4), not counting the women. Since there were no churches or Christians anywhere else in the world, the converted pilgrims remained in Jerusalem. Only there could they sit under the apostles’ teaching and find fellowship with other believers. Most of them were not wealthy and could not afford to stay indefinitely in Jerusalem’s inns, nor would they wish to, given the condition of the typical inn. And many of those staying with Jewish relatives were alienated from family after becoming Christians and had to leave. They would have had no option but to move in with the Jewish believers who lived in Jerusalem. Many of them were also poor, so housing thousands of converted pilgrims would have been a great hardship for them. Another reason for the Jerusalem church’s poverty was persecution. New converts lost their jobs or businesses and were ostracized by their families and friends. Just as Jesus had predicted, they became the outcasts of Jewish society (John 16:2). A third reason for the Jerusalem church’s poverty was the generally poor economic climate of the region. The Romans extracted all they could from their conquered territories, seizing their resources and imposing a heavy burden of taxation. The result was rampant poverty in Israel.  Adding to the region’s economic woes was the worldwide famine predicted in Acts 11:27–29. The Jerusalem church made a noble effort to meet the needs of its poor members. Acts 2:44–45 records that “all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need,” while Acts 4:32 adds, “The congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them.” Because of their selfless dedication to meeting one another’s needs, in the early days of the church “there was not a needy person among them” (Acts 4:34). But eventually, as the needs grew and persecution mounted (cf. Acts 8:1), the Jerusalem church was overwhelmed with needs and undersupplied with money.

Chapter 8

And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches ² Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.

1 Corinthians 16:2  2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

³ For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, ⁴ they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. ⁵ And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will. ⁶ So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. ⁷ But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us^[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

2Corinthians 9:8 8 And God is able† to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

⁸ I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. ⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

Paul refers to Him using the full name of the Incarnate God, the Lord Jesus Christ. That rich title encompasses the fullness of His person and work. Lord is the name above every name that was given Him by the Father because He accomplished the work of redemption (Phil. 2:9); Jesus depicts Him as the Savior of His people (Matt. 1:21); Christ describes Him as the anointed Messiah and King

Jesus is always the ultimate example:

in service, suffering, or sacrifice. How can we measure the gap between the throne and the cross?

Chuck Misler

He was born of a woman

so that we could be born of God;

He humbled Himself

so that we could be lifted up;

He became a servant

so that we could be made co-heirs;

He suffered rejection

so that we could become His friends;

He denied Himself

so that we could freely receive all things;

He gave Himself

so that He could bless us in every way.

¹⁰ And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.

(Consistency and Integrity)

¹¹ Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means.

(Attitudes, Not Amount)

¹² For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.  Our motive for giving is God’s spiritual blessing in our lives; our measure for giving

is God’s material blessing. CMisler

Mark 12:43-44  43  Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

¹³ Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality.

Direct statement against communism. The communal sharing of the early church (Acts 2:44-47, 4:32-37) was voluntary. Socialism is theft.]

¹⁴ At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, ¹⁵ as it is written: “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.”^[b]

Paul uses the miracle of the manna as an illustration of the principle (Ex 16:16-18)

Exodus 16:18 18 ‡ And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.† Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.

Titus Sent to Corinth

¹⁶ I thank God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. ¹⁷ For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. ¹⁸ And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. ¹⁹ What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help.

1Corinthians 16:3, 4  3 Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.

²⁰ We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. ²¹ For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men.

²² In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. ²³ As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. ²⁴ Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it.

Three were appointed (vv. 16, 18, 22): Titus and two others (traditionally, Luke and Apollos. Titus had previously visited Corinth and was known to them. He later became the bishop of the church of Crete.

Chapter 9

There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the saints. ² For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action.

Paul had used the promises of the Corinthians to challenge the Macedonians; now he uses the performance of the Macedonians to challenge the Corinthians! 

³ But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be.

It should be planned.  Paul had written before on procedures

1 Cor 16:1-4  Now about the collection for God’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 3 Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.

⁴ For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. ⁵ So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given. 

Evidently, they had promised a specific, large amount, and Paul wanted to make certain they had it ready when he arrived. Then Paul warned of the one sin that could keep the Corinthians from meeting their commitment: covetousness—the sin that is the greatest hindrance to giving.

Sowing Generously

⁶ Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. You can ignore God’s laws but you cannot escape them.

Luke 6:38  ³⁸ Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Proverbs 11:24  24 One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

Romans 8:32  32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Galatians 6:8 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature[a] will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

⁷ Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  Cheerful = Greek: hilaros, hilarious! Happy, joyous givers, who are joyous in view of the privilege of giving, are the special objects of God’s love.

Romans 12:8  8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. ⁹ As it is written:  “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”^[a]    God’s gracious giving has no limits; it is off the scale!

Isaiah 55:10, 11  10As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

¹⁰ Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.

Hosea 10:12  12 Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you.

¹¹ You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.  You cannot outgive God. We are trusting in His sufficiency. God is able

¹² This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.  Grace never looks for a reason; it only looks for an opportunity.

¹³ Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. ¹⁴ And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. ¹⁵ Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!                             

Chuck Misler: “ Without Him we can’t. Without us, He won’t.”

Appendix: Stewardship  Chuck Misler

Learn the supernatural elements of stewardship. This is the solution to all financial problems.

(Man’s) purposes for Money:

1) provide for security

2) establish independence

3) create power and influence

     Man’s Way                                   God’s Way

Focus:             power and position                             submission

Emphasis:      rights and freedom                              personal responsibility

Desire:            gain for self                                         meet the needs of others

Concern:        immediate                                           lasting

fulfillment                                           achievement

Yearning:       praise of men                                       approval of God

Aspiration:     to be served                                         to serve others

Need:              to push ahead                                      for patience

Striving:         to lead men                                         to follow God

Interest:          competition                                         cooperation

Motivation:    self-glorification                                  God’s Glory

Financial Freedom = realizing that true prosperity comes only from God (Deut 8:18) and committing ourselves to God’s purposes for money (Mt 6:30).

God’s Four Purposes for Money

1) Provision 1 Kgs 17:4

2) Direction 1 Kgs 17:7

3) Fellowship 1 Kgs 17:9

4) Demonstration Jas 5:17

1) To Provide Basic Needs Mt 6:26, 28-30; 1 Tim 6:8

·         To establish daily dependence on Him (vs. Eden) Mt 6:11

·         To deepen our love for the Lord Col 2:10; Jn 15:5

(vs. Israel in wilderness)

·         To develop a spirit of gratefulness

·         To teach us to live within our means 1 Tim 6:6

·         To help us enjoy our possessions Heb 13:5

(vs. discontent)

2) To Confirm Direction Ps 37:7

·         To build our faith and vision

·         To determine who is the Lord of our life 1 Tim 6:17

·         To protect us from harmful items 1 Tim 6:9

·         To teach us patience Rom 5:3; Jas 1:3-4

·         To concentrate on true riches Phil 3:7-8

3) To Give to Christians Rom 12:3

·         To unite Christians 2 Cor 8:14

·         To demonstrate the mark of a Christian Tit 2:14; 2 Cor 9:8

·         To initiate spontaneous thanksgiving 2 Cor 9:11

·         To multiply the potential for giving 2 Cor 9:6

4) To Illustrate God’s Power

·         To cause Christians to trust Him 1 Kgs 18:21-40

·         To mock the false gods of our age

·         To purify our lives and motives Ps 66:18

·         To bring non-Christians to salvation Acts 5:12-14

·         To glorify God Ps 50:15

TABLE TALK

1.      God gives back magnanimously so as to make all grace abound to Christians who give generously.  How have you seen this in your life?

2.      Money is not what these chapters were about.  Explain