,transcriber's ,note3 ,every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as possible4 ,italic text has been marked with underscores4 ,bold text has been marked with equals signs4 ,money3 ,thoughts for ,god's ,stewards ,by ,rev4 ,andrew ,murray4 ,authorized ,editions1 upon which royalties are paid to the author4 ,abide in ,christ4 #afmo1 paper1 net1 #be;c42 cloth1 #ej;c42 #abmo1 cloth #a4jj ,like ,christ4 #afmo1 paper1 net1 #be;c42 cloth1 #ej;c42 #abmo1 cloth #a4jj ,with ,christ in the ,school of ,prayer4 #afmo1 paper1 net1 #be;c42 cloth1 #ej;c42 #abmo1 cloth #a4jj ,holy in ,christ4 #afmo1 paper1 net1 #be;c42 cloth1 #ej;c42 #abmo1 cloth #a4jj ,the ,spirit of ,christ4 #afmo1 paper1 net1 #be;c42 cloth1 #ej;c42 #abmo1 cloth #a4jj ,the ,children for ,christ4 #abmo1 cloth #a4jj ,the ,master's ,indwelling2 ,northfield ,addresses1 #ahie4 #afmo1 cloth1 #ej;c42 #abmo1 cloth 4#ge ,the ,new ,life4 ,words of ,god for ,young ,disciples of ,christ4 #abmo1 cloth #a4jj ,be ,perfect4 ,message from the ,father in ,heaven to ,his ,children on ,earth4 ,meditations for a month4 #afmo1 cloth 4#ej ,why ,do ,you ,not ,believe8 #afmo1 cloth 4#ej ,let ,us ,draw ,nigh4 #afmo1 cloth 4#ej ,waiting on ,god4 ,daily ,messages for a month4 #afmo1 cloth 4#ej ,humility4 ,the ,beauty of ,holiness4 #ahmo1 cloth 4#ej ,the ,deeper ,christian ,life4 ,an aid to its ,attainment4 #ahmo1 cloth 4#ej ,jesus ,himself4 ,with ,portrait of the ,author4 #ahmo1 cloth 4#ce ,love ,made ,perfect4 #ahmo1 cloth 4#ce ,the ,holiest of ,all4 ,an ,exposition of the ,epistle to the ,hebrews4 #hvo1 cloth1 net #b4jj ,the ,power of the ,spirit1 and other selections from the writings of ,william ,law4 ,with ,introduction4 #abmo1 cloth #a4jj ,fleming ,h4 ,revell ,company ,,new ,,york3 #aab ,fifth ,ave4 ,,chicago3 #fc ,washington ,st4 ,,toronto3 #adj #adb ,yonge ,st4 ,money3 ,thoughts for ,god's ,stewards ,,by ,rev4 ,andrew ,murray ,,author ,,of ,with ,christ1 ,abide in ,christ1 ,waiting on ,god1 etc4 ,illustration ,new ,york ,chicago ,toronto ,fleming ,h4 ,revell ,company ,,mdcccxcvii ,copyright1 #ahig ,,by ,,fleming ,h4 ,,revell ,,company ,,contents ,,page ,i4 ,,christ',s ,,estimate ,,of ,,money #g ,,ii4 ,,the ,,holy ,,spirit ,,and ,,money #bd ,,iii4 ,,the ,,grace ,,of ,,god ,,and ,,money #db ,,iv4 ,,the ,,poverty ,,of ,,christ #fc ,illustration ,i ,,christ',s ,,estimate ,,of ,,money ,jesus beheld how the people cast money into the treasury3 and many that were rich cast in much4 ,and a certain poor widow came1 and cast in a farthing4 ,jesus called ,his disciples1 and saith unto them1 ,this poor widow hath cast more in than all3 for all they did cast in of their abundance2 but she of her want did cast in all that she had1 even all her living4--,mark xii4 #da4 ,in all our religion and our ,bible study1 it is of the greatest consequence to find out what the mind of ,christ is1 to think as ,he thought1 and to feel just as ,he felt4 ,there is not a question that concerns us1 not a single matter that ever comes before us1 but we find in the words of ,christ something for our guidance and help4 ,we want to-day to get at the mind of ,christ about ,money2 to know exactly what ,he thought1 and then to think and act just as ,he would do4 ,this is not an easy thing4 ,we are so under the influence of the world around us1 that the fear of becoming utterly unpractical if we thought and acted just like ,christ1 easily comes upon us4 ,let us not be afraid2 if we really desire to find out what is ,his mind1 ,he will guide us to what ,he wants us to think and do4 ,only be honest in the thought3 ,i want to have ,christ teach me how to possess and how to use my money4 ,look at ,him for a moment sitting here over against the treasury1 watching the people putting in their gifts4 ,thinking about money in the church1 looking after the collection3 we often connect that with ,judas1 or some hard-worked deacon1 or the treasurer or collector of some society4 ,but see here--,jesus sits and watches the collection4 ,and as ,he does it1 ,he weighs each gift in the balance of ,god1 and puts its value on it4 ,in heaven ,he does this still4 ,not a gift for any part of ,god's work1 great or small1 but ,he notices it1 and puts its value on it for the blessing1 if any1 that it is to bring in time or eternity4 ,and ,he is willing1 even here on earth in the waiting heart1 to let us know what ,he thinks of our giving4 ,giving money is a part of our religious life1 is watched over by ,christ1 and must be regulated by ,his word4 ,let us try and discover what the scriptures have to teach us4 #a4 ,money giving a sure test of character4 ,in the world money is the standard of value4 ,it is difficult to express all that money means4 ,it is the symbol of labor and enterprise and cleverness4 ,it is often the token of ,god's blessing on diligent effort4 ,it is the equivalent of all that it can procure of the service of mind or body1 of property or comfort or luxury1 of influence and power4 ,no wonder that the world loves it1 seeks it above everything1 and often worships it4 ,no wonder that it is the standard of value not only for material things1 but for man himself1 and that a man is too often valued according to his money4 ,it is1 however1 not only thus in the kingdom of this world1 but in the kingdom of heaven too1 that a man is judged by his money1 and yet on a different principle4 ,the world asks1 what does a man own8 ,christ1 how does he use it8 ,the world thinks more about the money getting2 ,christ about the money giving4 ,and when a man gives1 the world still asks1 what does he give8 ,christ asks1 how does he give8 ,the world looks at the money and its amount1 ,christ at the man and his motive4 ,see this in the story of the poor widow4 ,many that were rich cast in much2 but it was out of their abundance2 there was no real sacrifice in it2 their life was as full and comfortable as ever1 it cost them nothing4 ,there was no special love or devotion to ,god in it2 part of an easy and traditional religion4 ,the widow cast in a farthing4 ,out of her want she cast in all that she had1 even all her living4 ,she gave all to ,god without reserve1 without holding back anything1 she gave all4 ,how different our standard and ,christ's4 ,we ask how much a man gives4 ,christ asks1 how much he keeps4 ,we look at the gift4 ,christ asks whether the gift was a sacrifice4 ,the widow kept nothing over1 she gave all2 the gift won ,his heart and approval1 for it was in the spirit of ,his own self-sacrifice1 who1 being rich1 became poor for our own sakes4 ,they--out of their abundance--cast in much3 ,she1 out of her want--all that she had4 ,but if our ,lord wanted us to do as she did1 why did ,he not leave a clear command8 ,how gladly then would we do it4 ,ah6 there you have it4 ,you want a command to make you do it3 that would just be the spirit of the world in the church looking at what we give1 at our giving all4 ,and that is just what ,christ does not wish and will not have4 ,he wants the generous love that does it unbidden4 ,he wants every gift to be a gift warm and bright with love1 a true free will offering4 ,if you want the ,master's approval as the poor widow had it1 remember one thing3 you must put all at ,his feet1 hold all at ,his disposal4 ,and that1 as the spontaneous expression of a love that1 like ,mary's1 cannot help giving1 just because it loves4 ,all my money giving--what a test of character6 ,lord ,jesus6 ,oh give me grace to love ,thee intently1 that ,i may know how to give4 #b4 ,money giving a great means of grace4 ,christ called ,his disciples to come and listen while ,he talked to them about the giving ,he saw there4 ,it was to guide their giving and ours4 ,our giving1 if we listen to ,christ with the real desire to learn1 will have more influence on our growth in grace than we know4 ,the spirit of the world1 the lust of the flesh1 the lust of the eye1 and the pride of life4 ,money is the great means the world has for gratifying its desires4 ,christ has said of ,his people1 they are not of the world1 as ,i am not of the world4 ,they are to show in their disposal of money that they act on unworldly principle1 that the spirit of heaven teaches them how to use it4 ,and what does that spirit suggest8 ,use it for spiritual purposes1 for what will last for eternity1 for what is pleasing to ,god4 ,they that are ,christ's have crucified the flesh and its lusts4 ,one of the ways of manifesting and maintaining the crucifixion of the flesh is never to use money to gratify it4 ,and the way to conquer every temptation to do so1 is to have the heart filled with large thoughts of the spiritual power of money4 ,would you learn to keep the flesh crucified--refuse to spend a penny on its gratification4 ,as much as money spent on self1 may nourish and strengthen and comfort self1 money sacrificed to ,god may help the soul in the victory that overcometh the world and the flesh4 ,our whole life of faith may be strengthened by the way we deal with money4 ,many men have to be engaged continually in making money--by nature the heart is dragged down and bound to earth in dealing with what is the very life of the world4 ,it is faith that can give a continual victory over this temptation4 ,every thought of the danger of money1 every effort to resist it1 every loving gift to ,god1 helps our life of faith4 ,we look at things in the very light of ,god4 ,we judge of them as out of eternity1 and the money passing through our hands and devoted to ,god may be a daily education in faith and heavenly-mindedness4 ,very specially may our money giving strengthen our life of love4 ,every grace needs to be exercised if it is to grow2 most of all is this true of love4 ,and--did we but know it--how our money might develop and strengthen our love1 as it called us to the careful and sympathizing consideration of the needs of those around us4 ,every call for money1 and every response we give1 might be the stirring of a new love1 and the aid to a fuller surrender to its blessed claims4 ,money giving may be one of your choicest means of grace1 a continuous fellowship with ,god in the renewal of your surrender of your all to ,him1 and in proof of the earnestness of your heart to walk before ,him in self-denial1 and faith and love4 #c4 ,money giving a wonderful power for ,god4 ,what a wonderful religion ,christianity is4 ,it takes money1 the very embodiment of the power of sense of this world1 with its self-interest1 its covetousness1 and its pride1 and it changes it into an instrument for ,god's service and glory4 ,think of the poor4 ,what help and happiness is brought to tens of thousands of helpless ones by the timely gift of a little money from the hand of love4 ,god has allowed the difference of rich and poor for this very purpose--that just as in the interchange of buying and selling mutual dependence upon each other is maintained among men--so in the giving and receiving of charity there should be abundant scope for the blessedness of doing and receiving good4 ,he said1 ,it is more blessed to give than to receive4 ,what a ,godlike privilege and blessedness to have the power of relieving the needy and making glad the heart of the poor by gold or silver6 ,what a blessed religion that makes the money we give away a source of greater pleasure than that which we spend on ourselves6 ,the latter is mostly spent on what is temporal and carnal1 that spent in the work of love has eternal value1 and brings double happiness1 to ourselves and others4 ,think of the church and its work in this world2 of missions at home and abroad1 and the thousand agencies for winning men from sin to ,god and ,holiness4 ,is it indeed true that the coin of this world1 by being cast into ,god's treasury in the right spirit1 can receive the stamp of the mint of heaven1 and be accepted in exchange for heavenly blessings8 ,it is true4 ,the gifts of faith and love go not only into the ,church's treasury1 but into ,god's own treasury1 and are paid out again in heavenly goods4 ,and that not according to the earthly standard of value1 where the question always is1 ,how much8 but according to the standard of heaven1 where men's judgments of much and little1 great and small1 are all unknown4 ,christ has immortalized a poor widow's farthing4 ,with ,his approval it shines through the ages brighter than the brightest gold4 ,it has been a blessing to tens of thousands in the lesson it has taught4 ,it tells you that your farthing1 if it be your all1 that your gift1 if it be honestly given 7as you all ought to give to the ,lord71 has ,his approval1 ,his stamp1 ,his eternal blessing4 ,if we did but take more time in quiet thoughtfulness for the ,holy ,spirit to show us our ,lord ,jesus in charge of the ,heavenly ,mint1 stamping every true gift1 and then using it for the ,kingdom1 surely our money would begin to shine with a new lustre4 ,and we should begin to say--,the less ,i can spend on myself1 and the more on my ,lord1 the richer ,i am4 ,and we shall see how1 as the widow was richer in her gift and her grace than the many rich1 so he is richest who truly gives all he can4 #d4 ,money giving a continual help on the ladder to heaven4 ,you know how often our ,lord ,jesus spake of this in ,his parables4 ,in that of the unjust steward ,he said1 ,make friends of the ,mammon of unrighteousness1 that they may receive you in the eternal habitations4 ,in the parable of the talents ,he said1 ,thou oughtest to have put my money4 ,the man who had not used his talent1 lost all4 ,in the parable of the sheep and the goats1 it is they who have cared for the needy and the wretched in ,his name1 who shall hear the word--,come1 ye blessed of my ,father4 ,we cannot purchase heaven--as little with money as with works4 ,but in your money giving1 heavenly-mindedness and love to ,christ1 and love to men1 and devotion to ,god's work1 are cultivated and proved4 ,the ,come1 ye blessed of ,my ,father1 inherit the ,kingdom1 will take count of the money truly spent on ,christ and his work4 ,our money giving must prepare us for heaven4 ,oh6 how many there are who if heaven and holiness could be bought for a thousand pounds would give it4 ,no money can buy those4 ,but if they only knew1 money can wondrously help on the path of holiness and heaven4 ,money given in the spirit of self-sacrifice1 and love1 and faith in ,him who has paid all1 brings a rich and eternal reward4 ,day by day give as ,god blesses and as ,he asks--it will help to bring heaven nearer to you1 it will help to bring you nearer to heaven4 ,the ,christ who sat over against the treasury is my ,christ4 ,he watches my gifts4 ,what is given in the spirit of whole-hearted devotion and love ,he accepts4 ,he teaches ,his disciples to judge as ,he judges4 ,he will teach me how to give--how much1 how lovingly1 how truthfully4 ,money--this is what ,i want to learn from ,him above all--money1 the cause of so much temptation and sin1 and sorrow and eternal loss2 money1 as it is received and administered and distributed at the feet of ,jesus1 the ,lord of the ,treasury1 becomes one of ,god's choicest channels of grace to myself and to others4 ,in this1 too1 we are more than conquerors through ,him who loved us4 ,lord6 give ,thy ,church1 in her poverty1 give us all1 the spirit of the poor widow4 ,illustration ,,ii ,,the ,,holy ,,spirit ,,and ,,money ,when the ,holy ,spirit came down at ,pentecost to dwell in men1 ,he assumed the charge and control of their whole life4 ,they were to be or do nothing that was not under ,his inspiration and leading4 ,in everything they were to move and live and have their being in the ,spirit1 to be wholly spiritual men4 ,hence it followed as a necessity that their possessions and property1 that their money and its appropriations were subjected to ,his rule too1 and that their income and expenditure were animated by new and hitherto unknown principles4 ,in the opening chapters of the ,acts we find more than one proof of the all-embracing claim of the ,holy ,spirit to guide and judge in the disposal of money4 ,if ,i want as a ,christian to know how to give1 let me learn here what the teaching of the ,holy ,spirit is as regards the place money is to have in my ,christian life and in that of the ,church4 ,first we have3 ,the ,holy ,spirit taking possession of the money4 ,all that believed were together1 and had all things common2 and they sold their possessions and goods1 and parted them to all according as every man had need4--,acts ii4 #dd1 #de4 ,and again1 ,acts iv4 #cd3 ,as many as were possessors of land or houses1 sold them1 and brought the prices of the things that were sold1 and laid them at the ,apostles' feet4 ,and ,barnabas having a field1 sold it1 and brought the money and laid it at the ,apostles' feet4 ,without any command or instruction1 in the joy of the ,holy ,spirit1 the joy of the love which ,he had shed abroad in their heart1 the joy of the heavenly treasures that now made them rich1 they spontaneously parted with their possessions and placed them at the disposal of the ,lord and ,his servants4 ,it would have been strange had it been otherwise1 and a terrible loss to the ,church4 ,money is the great symbol of the power of happiness of this world2 one of its chief idols1 drawing men away from ,god2 a never-ceasing temptation to worldliness1 to which the ,christian is daily exposed4 ,it would not have been a full salvation that did not provide complete deliverance from the power of money4 ,the story of ,pentecost assures us that when the ,holy ,spirit comes in ,his fulness into the heart1 then earthly possessions lose their place in it1 and money is only valued as a means of proving our love and doing service to our ,lord and our fellow men4 ,the fire from heaven that finds a man upon the altar and consumes the sacrifice1 finds his money too1 and makes it all ,,altar ,,gold1 holy to the ,lord4 ,we learn here the true secret of ,christian giving1 the secret1 in fact1 of all true ,christian living--the joy of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,how much of our giving then has there been in which this element has been too much lacking4 ,habit1 example1 human argument and motive1 the thought of duty1 or the feeling of the need around us1 have had more to do with our charities than the power and love of the ,spirit4 ,it is not that what has just been mentioned is not needful4 ,the ,holy ,spirit makes use of all these elements of our nature in stirring us to give4 ,there is a great need for inculcating principles and fixed habits in regard to giving4 ,but what we need to realize is that all this is but the human side1 and cannot suffice if we are to give in such measure and spirit as to make every gift a sweet-smelling sacrifice to ,god and a blessing to our own souls4 ,the secret of true giving is the joy of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the complaint in the ,church as to the terrible need of more money for ,god's work1 as to the terrible disproportion between what ,god's people spend on themselves and devote to their ,god1 is universal4 ,the pleading cry of many of ,god's servants who labor for the poor and the lost1 is often heart-piercing4 ,let us take to heart the solemn lesson3 this is simply a proof of the limited measure in which the power of the ,holy ,spirit is known among believers4 ,let us for ourselves pray most fervently1 that our whole life may be so lived in the joy of the ,holy ,spirit1 a life so absolutely yielded to ,him and ,his rule1 that all our giving may be a spiritual sacrifice1 through ,jesus ,christ4 ,our second ,pentecostal lesson on money we find in ,acts iii4 #f3 ,then ,peter said1 silver and gold have ,i none1 but what ,i have that give ,i thee4 ,in the name of ,jesus ,christ of ,nazareth1 walk6 ,here it is3 ,the ,holy ,spirit dispensing with money4 ,our first lesson was3 ,the ,church of ,pentecost needs money for its work2 the ,spirit of ,pentecost provides money2 money may be at once a sure proof of the ,spirit's mighty working1 and a blessed means of opening the way for ,his fuller action4 ,but there is a danger ever near4 ,men begin to think that money is the great need2 that abundance of money coming in is a proof of the ,spirit's presence2 that money must be strength and blessing4 ,our second lesson dissipates these illusions1 and teaches us how the power of the ,spirit can be shown where there is no money4 ,the ,holy ,spirit is the mighty power of ,god1 now condescending to use the money of ,his saints1 then again proving how divinely independent ,he is of it4 ,the ,church must yield herself to be guided into this double truth2 the ,holy ,spirit claims all its money2 the ,holy ,spirit's mightiest works may be wrought without it4 ,the ,church must never beg for money as if this were the secret of her strength4 ,see these ,apostles1 ,peter and ,john1 penniless in their earthly poverty1 and yet by virtue of their poverty1 mighty to dispense heavenly blessings4 ,poor1 yet making many rich4 ,where had they learned this8 ,peter says1 ,silver and gold have ,i none2 in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 walk4 ,it points us back to the poverty which ,christ had enjoined upon them1 and of which ,he had set them the wonderful example4 ,by his holy poverty ,he would prove to men what a life of perfect trust in the ,father1 is how the possession of heavenly riches makes independent of earthly goods1 how earthly poverty fits the better for holding and for dispensing eternal treasures4 ,the inner circle of ,his disciples found in following the footsteps of ,his poverty the fellowship of ,his power4 ,the ,apostle ,paul was taught by the ,holy ,spirit the same lesson4 ,to be ever in eternal things1 utterly loose even from earth's lawful things1 is a wonderful1 he almost appears to say1 an indispensable help in witnessing to the absolute reality and sufficiency of the unseen heavenly riches4 ,we may be sure that as the ,holy ,spirit begins to work in power in ,his ,church1 there will again be seen ,his mighty operation in the possession of ,his people4 ,some will again by their giving make themselves poor1 in the living faith of the incomprehensible worth of their heavenly heritage1 and the fervent joy the ,spirit gives them in it4 ,and some who are poor and in great straits with their work for ,god will learn to cultivate more fully the joyful consciousness3 ,silver and gold have ,i none3 what ,i have ,i give3 in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 walk4 ,and some who are not called to give all1 will yet give with an unknown liberality1 because they begin to see the privilege of giving all1 and long to come as near as they can4 ,and we shall have a ,church1 giving willingly and abundantly1 and yet not for a moment trusting in its money1 but honoring those most who have the grace and the strength to be followers of ,jesus ,christ in ,his poverty4 ,our third lesson is3 ,the ,holy ,spirit testing the money4 ,all the money that is given1 even in a time when the ,holy ,spirit is moving mightily1 is not given under ,his inspiration4 ,but it is all given under ,his holy supervision1 and ,he will from time to time1 to each heart that honestly yields to ,him1 reveal what there may be wanting or wrong4 ,listen3 ,barnabas having a field1 sold it1 and brought the money4 ,but ,ananias sold a possession and kept back part of the price1 and brought a certain part1 and laid it at the ,apostles' feet4 ,ananias brought his gift1 and with his wife was smitten dead4 ,what can have made the gift such a crime8 ,he was a deceitful giver4 ,he kept back part of the price4 ,he professed to give all1 and did not4 ,he gave with half a heart and unwillingly1 and yet would have the credit of having given all4 ,in the ,pentecostal ,church the ,holy ,ghost was the author of the giving3 his sin was against the ,holy ,ghost4 ,no wonder that it is twice written3 great fear came upon the whole ,church1 and upon all who heard it4 ,if it is so easy to sin even in giving1 if the ,holy ,spirit watches and judges all our giving1 we may well beware and fear4 ,and what was the sin8 ,simply this3 he did not give all he professed4 ,this sin1 not in its greatest form1 but in its spirit and more subtle manifestations1 is far more common than we think4 ,are there not many who say they have given their all to ,god1 and yet prove false to it in the use of their money8 ,are there not many who say all their money is their ,lord's1 and that they hold it as ,his stewards1 to dispose of it as ,he directs1 and yet who1 in the amount they spend on ,god's work1 as compared with that on themselves1 and in accumulating for the future1 prove that ,stewardship is but another name for ownership4 ,without being exactly guilty of the sin of ,judas1 or ,caiaphas1 or ,pilate in crucifying our ,lord1 a believer may yet partake with them in the spirit in which he acts4 ,even so we may be grieving the ,holy ,ghost1 even while we condemn the sin of ,ananias1 by giving way to the spirit in which he acted1 and withholding from ,god what we have professed to give ,him4 ,nothing can save us from this danger1 but the holy fear of ourselves1 the very full and honest surrender of all our opinions1 and arguments1 about how much we may possess1 and how much we may give1 to the testing and searching of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,our giving must be in the light1 if it is to be in the joy of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and what was it that led ,ananias to this sin8 ,most probably the example of ,barnabas1 the wish not to be outdone by another4 ,alas6 how much there is of asking what men will expect from us4 ,the thought of the judgment of men is present to us more than the judgment of ,god4 ,and we forget that our gifts are accounted of ,god1 only by what the heart gives3 it is the whole-hearted giver that meets ,him4 ,how much has the ,church done to foster the worldly spirit that values gifts by what they are in men's sight1 in forgetfulness of what they are to ,him that searches the heart4 ,may the ,holy ,spirit teach us to make every gift part and parcel of a life of entire consecration to ,god4 ,this cannot be till we be filled with the ,spirit3 this can be1 for ,god will fill us with ,his ,spirit4 #d4 ,there is still a lesson1 no less needful1 no less solemn than that of ,ananias 7,acts viii4 #ai74 ,the ,holy ,ghost rejecting ,money4 ,simon offered them money1 saying1 ',give me also this power4' ,but ,peter said to him1 ',thy money perish with thee1 because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of ,god with money4' ,the attempt to gain power or influence in the ,church of ,god by money brings perdition4 ,here1 more than with ,ananias1 it was simple ignorance of the spiritual and unworldly character of the ,kingdom of ,christ4 ,how little ,simon understood the men he dealt with4 ,they needed money1 they could well use it for themselves and for others4 ,but the ,holy ,spirit1 with the powers and treasures of the unseen world1 had taken such possession of them1 and so filled them1 that money was as nothing4 ,let it perish rather than have anything to say in ,god's ,church4 ,let it perish rather than for one moment encourage the thought that the rich man can acquire a place or a power which a poor man has not4 ,has the ,church been faithful to this truth in her solemn protest against the claims of wealth8 ,alas6 for the answer its history gives4 ,there have been noble instances of true ,apostolic succession in the maintenance of the superiority of the gift of ,god to every earthly consideration4 ,but too often the rich have had an honor and an influence given them1 apart from grace or godliness1 which has surely grieved the ,spirit and injured the ,church4 ,the personal application is here again the matter of chief importance4 ,our nature has been so brought under the power of the spirit of this world1 our fleshly mind1 with its dispositions and habits of thought and feeling1 is so subtle in its influence1 that nothing can deliver us from the mighty spell that money exacts but a very full and abiding enjoyment of the ,spirit's presence and working4 ,to be entirely dead to all worldly ways of thinking1 the ,holy ,spirit alone can give us4 ,and ,he can only give it as ,he fills us with the very presence and power of the life of ,god4 ,let us pray that we may have such a faith in the transcendent glory1 in the absolute claim and sufficiency of the ,holy ,spirit as ,god's gift to the ,church to be her strength and riches1 that money may be ever kept under ,christ's feet and under ours1 recognizing its only worth to be for ,his heavenly ministry4 ,blessed ,lord ,jesus6 teach and keep us that1 like ,barnabas1 we may lay our money all at ,thy feet1 and hold it all at ,thy disposal4 ,teach and keep us that like ,peter1 we may rejoice in the poverty that teaches us to prove our trust in the power of ,thy ,spirit4 ,teach and keep us1 lest1 like ,ananias1 our profession of living entirely for ,thee be belied1 by our giving to ,thee4 ,teach and keep us1 lest1 like ,simon1 we think that the gifts of ,god or power over men can be obtained by money4 ,most blessed ,spirit6 fill us with ,thyself2 come and fill ,thy ,church with ,thy living presence1 and all our money shall be ,thine alone4 ,illustration ,,iii ,,the ,,grace ,,of ,,god ,,and ,,money ,for ye know the grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 that though he was rich1 yet for your sakes he became poor1 that ye through his poverty might be rich4--,,ii4 ,corinthians1 #h3i4 ,in this and the following chapters we have ,paul's teaching on the subject of ,christian giving4 ,in connection with a collection he wishes the ,corinthian ,christians from among the ,gentiles to make for their ,jewish brethren1 he opens up the heavenly worth of our earthly gifts1 and unfolds principles which ought to animate us as we offer our money in ,god's service4 ,he does this specially as he cites the example of the ,macedonian ,christians and their abounding liberality1 and makes them for all time the witnesses to what ,god's grace can do in making the ingathering of money the occasion of the deepest joy1 of the revelation of the true ,christlikeness1 and of abounding thanksgiving and glory to ,god4 ,let us gather up some of the principal lessons2 they may help us to find the way by which our money can become increasingly a means and a proof of the progress of the heavenly life within us4 #a4 ,the ,grace of ,god always teaches us to give4--viii4 #a4 ,we make known to you the grace of ,god which hath been given to the churches of ,macedonia4 ,in the course of the two chapters the word grace occurs eight times4 ,once of the grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 who for our sakes became poor4 ,once of the grace which ,god is able to make abound to us4 ,the other six times of the special grace of giving4 ,we all think we know what the word means4 ,it is not only used of the gracious disposition in ,god's heart toward us1 but much more of that gracious disposition which ,god bestows and works in us4 ,grace is the force1 the power1 the energy of the ,christian life1 as it is wrought in us by the ,holy ,spirit4 ,we all know the command to stand fast in grace1 to grow in grace1 to seek for more grace4 ,we rejoice in the words1 exceeding grace1 grace abounding exceedingly1 grace exceedingly abundant4 ,we pray continually that ,god would increase and magnify ,his grace in us4 ,we know the law of the ,christian life3 that no grace can be truly known or increased1 except by acting it out4 ,let us learn here that the use of our money for others is one of the ways in which grace can be expressed and strengthened4 ,the reason is clear4 ,grace in ,god is ,his compassion on the unworthy4 ,his grace is wondrously free4 ,it is always giving1 without regard to merit4 ,god finds ,his life and ,his delight in giving4 ,and when ,his grace enters the heart1 it cannot change its nature3 whether in ,god or man1 grace loves and rejoices to give4 ,and grace teaches a man to look upon this as the chief value of his money--the ,godlike power of doing good1 even at the cost of enriching others by impoverishing ourselves4 ,let us learn the lessons4 ,if we have ,god's grace in us it will show itself in giving4 ,if we want new grace1 we must exercise what we have in giving4 ,and in all we give we ought to do it in the consciousness of the grace of ,god that works it in us4 #b4 ,the ,grace of ,god teaches to give liberally4--v4 #b4 ,their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality1 for according to their power1 yea1 beyond their power1 they gave of their own accord1 beseeching us with much entreaty in regard of this grace4 ,what a sight6 ,and what a proof of the power of grace6 ,these newly converted ,gentiles in ,macedonia hear of the need of their ,jewish brethren in ,jerusalem--men unknown and despised--and at once are ready to share with them what they have4 ,of their own accord1 they so give beyond their power1 that ,paul refuses to accept their gifts3 with much entreaty they implore and persuade him to accept the gift4 ,their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality4 ,it is remarkable how much more liberality there is among the poor than the rich4 ,it is as if they do not hold so fast what they have3 they more easily part with all2 the deceitfulness of riches has not hardened them2 they have learned to trust ,god for to-morrow4 ,their liberality is not indeed what men count such2 their gifts are but small4 ,men say it does not cost them much to give all2 they are so accustomed to have little4 ,and yet the very fact of their giving it more easily is what makes it precious to ,god2 it shows the childlike disposition that has not yet learned to accumulate and to hold fast4 ,god's way in ,his kingdom of grace on earth is ever from below1 upwards4 ,not many wise and not many noble are called4 ,god has chosen the weak and the base things4 ,and even so ,he has chosen the poor in this world1 as they give out of their deep poverty1 to teach the rich what liberality is4 ,far beyond their power gave they of their own accord1 beseeching us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift4 ,if this spirit were to pervade our churches and men of moderate means and of large possessions were to combine with the poor in their standard of giving1 and the ,macedonian example became the law of ,christian liberality1 what means would not flow in for the service of the kingdom4 #c4 ,the ,grace of ,god teaches to give joyfully4 ,the abundance of their joy abounded unto the riches of their liberality4 7v4 #b47 ,in the ,christian life joy is the index of health and whole-heartedness4 ,it is not an experience for times and seasons3 it is the abiding proof of the presence and enjoyment of the ,saviour's love4 ,no less than our spiritual exercises1 it is meant to pervade our daily duties and our times of trial3 a joy that no man taketh from you4 ,and so it inspires our giving1 making the offering of our money a sacrifice of joy and thanksgiving4 ,and as we give joyfully1 it becomes itself a new fountain of joy to us1 as a participation in the joy of ,him who said ,it is more blessed to give than to receive4 ,the blessedness of giving3 would that men believed how sure this way to unceasing joy is1 to be ever giving as ,god lives to give4 ,of the day when ,israel brought its gifts for the temple1 it is said then the people rejoiced1 because with a perfect heart they offered willingly to the ,lord2 and ,david the ,king also rejoiced with great joy4 ,that is a joy we may carry with us through life and through each day1 unceasingly dispensing our gifts of money1 our lives or service all around4 ,god has implanted the instinct of happiness deep in every creature2 it cannot help being drawn to what gives happiness4 ,let us get our hearts filled with the faith of the joy of giving3 that joy will make to rich and poor our calls to give among our most precious privileges2 it will be true of us1 and the abundance of their joy abounded to the riches of their liberality4 #d4 ,the ,grace of ,god makes our giving part of our surrender to our ,lord4 ,paul says of their giving 7v4 #e71 they not only did this1 but first they gave their own selves to the ,lord4 ,in this sentence we have one of the most beautiful expressions for what is needed to salvation1 and what it is in which full salvation consists4 ,a man who has given himself to the ,lord3 that comprises all our ,lord asks of us2 all the rest ,he will do4 ,the expression is nowhere else found in ,scripture2 we owe it to this dealing with the matter of the collection4 ,it tells us that giving money will have no value1 except we first give ourselves2 that all our giving must just be the renewal and carrying out of the first great act of self surrender2 that each new gift of money may be a renewal of the blessedness of entire consecration4 ,it is only this thought that can lift our giving out of the ordinary level of ,christian duty1 and make it truly the manifestation and the strengthening of the grace of ,god in us4 ,we are not under the law1 but under grace4 ,and yet so much of our giving1 whether in the church plate1 or on the subscription list1 or on special occasions1 is done as a matter of course1 without aught of the direct relation to our ,lord4 ,a truly consecrated life is a life moment by moment in ,his love2 it is this that will bring us to what appears so difficult1 ever to give in the right spirit and as an act of worship4 ,it is this will make the abundance of our joy abound to the riches of our liberality4 #e4 ,the ,grace of ,god makes our giving part of the ,christlike life4--v4 #i4 ,see that ye abound in this grace also1 for ye know the grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 that though ,he was rich1 yet for our sakes ,he became poor4 ,every branch and leaf and blossom of the mightiest oak derives its life from the same strong root that bears the stem4 ,the life in the tiniest bud is the same as in the strongest branch4 ,we are branches in ,christ the ,living ,vine2 the very life that lived and worked in ,him4 ,of what consequence that we should know well what ,his life is1 that we may intelligently and willingly yield to it4 ,here we have one of its deepest roots laid open2 ,though he was rich1 yet for your sakes he became poor1 that ye through ,his poverty might become rich4 ,to enrich and bless us1 ,he impoverished ,himself4 ,that was why the widow's mite pleased ,him so2 her gift was of the same measure as ,his3 ,she cast in all she had4 ,this is the life and grace that seeks to work in us2 there is no other mould in which the ,christ-life can be cast4 ,see that ye abound in this grace also2 for ye know the grace of our ,lord ,jesus1 that he became poor4 ,how little did the ,macedonian ,christians know that they were1 in their deep poverty1 and in the riches of their liberality1 giving beyond their power1 just acting out what the ,spirit and grace of ,jesus was working in them4 ,how little we would have expected that the simple gift of these poor people would become the text of such high and holy and heart-searching teaching4 ,how much we need to pray that the ,holy ,spirit may so master our purses and our possessions1 that the grace of our giving shall1 in some truly recognizable degree1 be the reflection of our ,lord's4 ,and how we need to bring our giving to the cross1 and to seek ,christ's death to the world and its possessions as the power for ours4 ,so will we make others rich through our poverty1 and our life be somewhat like ,st4 ,paul's3 poor1 yet making many rich4 #f4 ,the ,grace of ,god works in us not only the willing1 but the doing4 7v4 #aj47 ,you were the first to make a beginning a year ago1 not only to do1 but also to will4 ,but now complete the doing also2 that as there was the readiness to will1 so there may be the performance also4 ,we all know what a gulf in the ,christian life there often is between the willing and the doing4 ,this prevails in the matter of giving1 too4 ,how many long for a time when they may be better off and able to give more4 ,and meantime that wish1 the fancied willingness to give more1 deceives them1 and is made to do duty for present liberality4 ,how many who have the means1 and intend doing something liberal1 yet hesitate1 and the large donation during life1 or the legacy in the will1 is never carried out4 ,how many count themselves really liberal1 because of what they will1 while what they do1 even up to their present means1 is not what ,god would love to see4 ,the message comes to all3 ,now complete the doing also2 that as the readiness to will1 so the completion also1 out of your ability4 ,it is ,god which worketh in us to will and to do2 let us beware1 in any sphere1 of hindering ,him by unbelief or disobedience1 and resting in the to will1 without going on to the to do4 ,the ,christian life needs exercise2 it is by practice that godliness grows4 ,if in anything we find that our giving has not been up to this ,scripture model1 not as liberal and joyful1 not in as perfect accord with the spirit of our entire surrender to our ,lord1 or of ,his making himself poor for us1 let us at once1 in addition to the readiness to will1 complete the doing also4 #g4 ,the ,grace of ,god makes the gift acceptable according to what a man has4 7v4 #ab47 ,for if the readiness is there1 it is acceptable according as a man hath1 not according as he hath not4 ,the ,god who seeth the heart1 judges of each gift by the ability to give4 ,and ,his blessed ,spirit gives the upright heart the blessed consciousness that the gift on earth has found approval and acceptance in heaven4 ,god has been careful in ,his ,word to teach us this in every possible way4 ,all the world's judgments of the value of gifts are reversed in heaven2 the love that gives liberally according to what it hath is met by the ,father's love from above4 ,let us seek to redeem our giving from all that is commonplace and little by taking hold of the blessed assurance3 it is acceptable4 ,let us refuse to give what appears to satisfy us3 let us pause1 and rejoice in ,god's call to give1 and in ,his ,spirit that teaches how much and how to give1 and the deepest joy of giving will come to us--the ,spirit's seal that the ,father is well pleased4 #h4 ,the ,grace of ,god through the giving works out the true unity and equality of all saints4 7v4 #ac47 ,i say not this1 that others may be eased and ye distressed2 but by equality1 your abundance being a supply at this present time for their want1 that their abundance may also become a supply to your want4 ,that there may be equality4 ,as it is written3 ,he that gathered much1 had nothing over3 and he that gathered little had no lack4 ,another ray of heavenly light on this appeal for a collection4 ,money will become the bond of union that binds the ,christians of ,jerusalem and of ,corinth into one4 ,they are one as much as ,israel was one people4 ,as in their ingathering of the manna the feeble and the strong were to bring all into one store1 that all might share alike1 so in the body of ,christ4 ,god allows of riches and poverty1 ,god bestows ,his gifts with apparently unequal hand1 that our love may have the high privilege of restoring the equality4 ,the want of some calls us to the love and the help and the blessedness of giving to others4 ,and at another time1 or in different spheres1 the very ones who needed help may1 in their turn1 out of their abundance bless their helpers4 ,everything has been so ordered that love shall have room to work1 and that there shall be opportunity to cultivate and to prove the ,christlike spirit4 ,what a call and what a field in the needs of the world for all ,god's people to prove that ,god's plan is theirs3 that there may be equality1 and that the spirit of selfish contentment with greater privilege has been banished by the ,cross4 ,in philanthropy and missions what a need for all saints doing their utmost according to their power--yea1 and beyond their power4 ,in sight of the heathen world1 oh6 what an appeal that there be equality and that we shall share and share alike with them what ,god gives us4 ,what new1 unthought of1 eternal value1 money gets as one of the powers for giving to the perishing1 of the abundance we have in ,christ4 ,there is no room left to enlarge on the further lessons of chap4 #i4 ,let me just mention them3 7v4 #f47 ,let the giving be bountiful3 it will bring a bountiful reward4 7v4 #g47 ,let the giving not be grudging or of necessity3 the cheerful giver receives ,god's love4 7v4 #h47 ,let the giving be trustful3 ,god will make all grace abound4 7v4 #aa-ac47 ,your giving brings glory to ,god by the thanksgiving of those you bless4 7v4 #ae47 ,your giving reminds of ,god's giving1 and calls to thanks for ,his unspeakable gift4 ,what a world of holy thought and heavenly light is opened up by the gifts of the ,macedonians and ,corinthian converts6 ,shall we not under the power of that thought and light review all our giving and see that it be brought into perfect accord with the ,divine pattern in these chapters8 ,shall we not begin at once1 and yield to ,him1 who became poor for us1 everything that self-interest and self-indulgence has hitherto claimed and held8 ,and shall we not beseech ,him to show in us by ,his ,spirit that the one worth and blessedness of money is to spend it for our ,lord1 to bless our fellowmen1 to use it as an instrument and an exercise of grace1 and so to turn even it into the treasure that lasts for eternity8 ,illustration ,,iv ,,the ,,poverty ,,of ,,christ4 ,ye know the grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 that1 though ,he was rich1 yet for your sakes ,he became poor1 that ye through ,his poverty might become rich4 ,,ii4 ,corinthians1 #h1 #i4 ,,through ,,his ,,poverty3 what does that mean8 ,that ,he dispossessed ,himself of all heavenly and earthly possessions that the riches of earth and heaven might be ours8 ,that ,he so took our place1 as in our stead to walk in the path of earthly poverty1 that we in comfort and ease might enjoy the heavenly riches ,he has won for us8 ,or has that ,,through ,,his ,,poverty a deeper meaning1 and does it imply that ,his poverty is the very path or passage that ,he opened up through which all must go who would fully enter into ,his riches8 ,does it mean that1 just as ,he needed in poverty of spirit and body to die to the world that ,he might open for us the way to the heavenly treasures1 so we need to walk in ,his footsteps1 and can only through ,his poverty working in us1 through fellowship with ,his poverty1 come to the perfect enjoyment of the riches ,he came to bring8 ,in other words1 is the poverty of ,jesus something for ,him alone1 or something in which ,his disciples are to share8 ,there is scarce a trait in the life and character of ,christ in which we do not look to ,him as an example--what are the lessons ,his ,holy ,poverty has to teach8 ,is the right to possess and enjoy the riches of earth as it is now everywhere practiced in the ,church part of what ,christ has secured for us8 ,or1 is it possible that the lack of faith in the beauty and blessedness of the poor life of ,christ ,jesus is part of the cause of our spiritual poverty2 our lack of ,christ's poverty the cause of our lack of ,his riches8 ,is there not a needs-be that we not only think of the one side1 ,for your sakes ,he became poor2 but as much of the other1 ,for ,his sake ,i suffer the loss of all things8 ,in seeking an answer to these questions1 we must first turn and gaze upon our blessed ,lord1 if maybe the ,holy ,spirit will unfold somewhat of the glory of this ,his blessed attribute4 ,unless our heart be fixed upon our ,lord in patient and prayerful contemplation1 and we wait for the ,holy ,spirit to give us ,his illumination1 we may indeed have our thoughts about this ,divine poverty1 but we cannot really behold its glory1 or have its power and blessing enter our life4 ,may ,god give us understanding6 ,we must first of all see what the reason--the needs-be--was of the earthly poverty of ,christ4 ,he might have lived on earth possessed of riches1 and dispensing them with wise and liberal hand4 ,he might have come in the enjoyment of a moderate competency1 just enough to keep ,him from the dependence and homelessness which was ,his lot4 ,in either case ,he might have taught ,his people of all ages such precious and much-needed lessons as to the right use of the things of this world4 ,what a sermon ,his life would have been on the far-reaching words3 ,they that buy as though they possessed not4 ,but no1 there was a ,divine necessity that ,his life must be one of entire poverty4 ,in seeking for the explanation1 we shall find two classes of reasons4 ,there are those which have reference to us and ,his work for us as our ,saviour4 ,there are others which are more closely connected with ,his own personal life as man1 and the work the ,father wrought in ,him1 as ,he perfected ,him through suffering4 ,of the reasons referring to ,his work1 the principal ones are easily named4 ,christ's poverty is part of ,his entire and deep humiliation1 a proof of ,his perfect humility--,his willingness to descend to the very lowest depths of human misery1 and to share to the full in all the consequences of sin4 ,the poor have in all ages been despised1 while the rich have been sought and honored3 ,christ came to be the despised and neglected of men in this1 too4 ,christ's poverty has ever been counted one of the proofs of ,his love4 ,love delights in giving1 perfect love in giving all4 ,the poverty of ,christ is one of the expressions of that self-sacrificing love which held back nothing1 and seeks to win us for itself by the most absolute self-abnegation on our behalf4 ,christ's poverty is ,his fitness for sympathizing and helping us in all the trials that come to us from our relation to this world and its goods4 ,the majority of mankind has to struggle with poverty4 ,the majority of ,god's saints have been a poor and afflicted people4 ,the poverty of ,christ has been to tens of thousands the assurance that ,he could feel for them2 that1 even as with ,him1 earthly need was to be the occasion for heavenly help1 the school for a life of faith1 and the experience of ,god's faithfulness the path to heavenly riches4 ,christ's poverty is the weapon and the proof of ,his complete victory over the world4 ,as our ,redeemer1 ,he proved by ,his poverty that ,his kingdom is not of this world1 that as little as ,he feared its threats or its death could ,he be tempted to seek help from its wealth or strength4 ,but these reasons are more external and official2 the deeper spiritual significance of ,christ's poverty will be disclosed as we regard it as part of ,his training as the ,son of ,man1 and ,his exhibition of what the true life of man is to be4 ,christ's poverty was part of that suffering through which ,he learned obedience and was perfected by ,god as our ,high ,priest4 ,to human nature poverty must ever be a trial4 ,we were made to be kings and possessors of all things4 ,to have nothing costs suffering4 ,christ's human nature was not1 as the ,docet taught1 a mere appearance or show4 ,there never was one so really1 so intensely1 a man as ,christ ,jesus3 true man of true man4 ,poverty implies dependence on others2 it means contempt and shame2 it often brings want and suffering2 it always lacks the means and power of earth4 ,our blessed ,lord felt all this as man4 ,and it was part of that suffering through which the ,father worked out ,his will in ,his ,son1 and the ,son proved ,his submission to the ,father1 and ,his absolute trust in ,him4 ,christ's poverty was part of ,his school of faith1 in which ,he ,himself first learned1 and then taught men1 that life is more than meat1 and that man liveth not by bread alone1 but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of ,god4 ,in ,his own life ,he had to prove that ,god and the riches of heaven can more than satisfy a man who has nothing on earth2 that trust in ,god for the earthly life is not vain2 that one only needs as much as it pleases ,god to give4 ,in ,his person we have witness to the power which comes with the preaching of the ,kingdom of ,heaven when the ,preacher ,himself is the evidence of its sufficiency4 ,christ's poverty was one of the marks of ,his entire separation from the world1 the proof that ,he was of another world and another spirit4 ,as it was with the fruit good for food and pleasant to the eye sin entered the world1 so the great power of the world over men is in the cares and possessions and enjoyments of this life4 ,christ came to conquer the world and cast out its prince1 to win the world back to ,god4 ,he did so by refusing every temptation to accept its gifts or seek its aid4 ,of this protest against the worldly spirit1 its self-pleasing and its trust in the visible1 the poverty of ,christ was one of the chief elements4 ,he overcame the world first in the temptations by which its prince sought to ensnare ,himself1 then1 and through that1 in its power over us4 ,the poverty of ,christ was thus no mere accident or external circumstance4 ,it was an essential element of ,his holy1 perfect life2 one great secret of ,his power to conquer and to save2 ,his path to the ,glory of ,god4 ,we want to know what our share in the poverty of ,christ is to be1 whether and how far we are to follow ,his example4 ,let us study what ,christ taught ,his disciples4 ,when he said to them1 ,follow ,me1 ,come after ,me1 ,i will make you fishers of men1 ,he called them to share with ,him in ,his poor and homeless life1 in ,his state of entire dependence upon the care of ,god and the kindness of men4 ,he more than once used strong expressions about forsaking all1 renouncing all1 losing all4 ,and that they understood ,his call so is manifest from their forsaking nets and customs1 and saying1 through ,peter1 ,we have forsaken all and followed ,thee4 ,the call of ,christ to come after ,him is often applied as if it were the call to repentance and salvation4 ,this is by no means the case4 ,the principles the call involves have their universal application2 but1 to expound and enforce them in truth1 it is of great consequence first to understand the meaning of the call in its original intention4 ,christ separated for ,himself a band of men who were to live with ,him in closest fellowship1 in entire conformity to ,his life1 under his immediate training4 ,these three conditions were indispensable for their receiving the ,holy ,spirit1 for being true witnesses to ,him and the life which ,he had lived and would impart to men4 ,with them1 as with ,him1 the surrender of all property and the acceptance of a state of poverty was manifestly a condition and a means without which the full possession of the heavenly riches in such power as to convince men of their worth could not come4 ,with ,paul the case appears to have been very little different4 ,without any express command we know of1 the ,spirit of his ,master so possessed him1 and made the eternal world so real and glorious to him1 that its expulsive power made every thought of property or position disappear4 ,he learned to give utterance1 as no one else ever could do1 to what must have been our ,blessed ,lord's inmost life in the words he uses of himself3 as poor1 yet making many rich2 as having nothing1 yet possessing all things4 ,and in his wonderful life1 as in his writings1 he proves what weight it gives to the testimony concerning eternal things when the witness can appeal to his own experience of the infinite satisfaction which the unseen riches can give4 ,in ,paul1 as in ,christ1 poverty was the natural consequence of an all-consuming passion1 and made him a channel through whom the ,invisible ,power could flow full and free4 ,the history of the church tells us a sad story of the increase of wealth and worldly power1 and the proportionate loss of the heavenly gift with which she had been entrusted1 and which could alone bless the nations4 ,the contrast to the ,apostolic state is set in the clearest light by a story that is told of one of the ,popes4 ,when ,thomas ,aquinas first visited ,rome1 and expressed his amazement at all the wealth he saw1 the ,pope said1 ,we can no longer say1 ',silver and gold have ,i none4' ,no1 indeed2 was the answer1 nor can we say1 ',what ,i have that give ,i thee4 ,in the name of ,jesus ,christ of ,nazareth rise up and walk4' ,the earthly poverty and the heavenly power had been closely allied1 with the one the other had gone4 ,through successive ages the conviction ever came that it was only by a return to poverty that the bonds of earth beneath would be broken and the blessing from above brought back4 ,and many a vain attempt was made to secure to poverty a place in the preaching and practice of the church such as it had been in ,pentecostal days4 ,at times1 the earnest efforts of holy men met with temporary success1 soon to give way again to the terrible power of the great enemy--the world4 ,there were various reasons for this failure4 ,one was that men understood not that in ,christianity it is not an external act or state that can profit1 but only the spirit that animates4 ,the words of ,christ were forgotten3 ,the ,kingdom of ,god is within you2 and men expected from poverty what only the ,spirit of ,christ1 revealing itself in poverty1 could accomplish4 ,men sought to make a law of it1 to bind under its rules and gather into its brotherhoods1 souls that had no inner calling or capacity for such imitation of ,christ4 ,the church sought to invest poverty with the mantle of a peculiar holiness1 and by its doctrine of ,counsels of ,perfection to offer a reward for this higher perfection4 ,she taught that1 while what was commanded in the ,gospel was the duty of all1 there were certain acts or modes of living which were left to the choice of the disciple4 ,they were not of binding obligation2 to follow these counsels was more than simple obedience1 a work of supererogation which therefore had special merit4 ,out of this grew the doctrine of the power the church has to dispense this surplus merit of the ,saints to those who were lacking4 ,and1 in some cases1 poverty became only a new source of self-righteousness1 entering into covenant with wealth1 and casting its dark and deadly shadow over those it promised to save4 ,at the time of the ,reformation1 poverty had become so desecrated as a part of the great system of evil it had to combat1 that1 in casting out those errors1 it cast out a part of the truth with them4 ,since that time it is as if our ,protestant theology has never ventured to enquire what the place and the meaning and the power is which ,christ and the ,apostle really gave poverty in their teaching and practice4 ,and even in our days1 when ,god is still raising up not a few witnesses to the blessedness of giving up all to trust in ,him1 and of possessing nothing that one may possess ,him the more fully1 the church can hardly be said to have found the right expression for its faith in the spirit of ,christ's poverty1 as a power that is still to be counted as one of the gifts ,he bestows on some of its members4 ,it will be found that there is no small difficulty in trying to formulate the teaching of ,scripture so as to meet the views of ,evangelical believers4 ,i have spoken above of the errors connected with the teaching of the ,counsels of ,perfection4 ,and yet there was a measure of truth in that teaching1 too4 ,the error was to say that the highest conformity to ,christ was not a matter of duty1 but of option4 ,scripture says1 ,to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not1 to him it is sin4 ,wherever ,god's will is known1 it must be obeyed4 ,the mistake would have been avoided if attention had been paid to the difference of knowledge or spiritual insight by which our apprehensions of duty are affected4 ,there is a diversity of gift and capacity1 of spiritual receptivity and growth1 of calling and grace1 which makes a difference1 not in the obligation of each to seek the most complete inner conformity to ,christ1 but in the possibility of externally manifesting that conformity in such ways as were seen in ,christ4 ,during the three years of ,his public career1 ,christ gave ,himself and ,his whole time to direct work for ,god4 ,he did not labor for ,his livelihood4 ,he chose for ,himself disciples who would follow ,him in this1 forsaking all for direct work in the service of the ,kingdom4 ,for admission to this inner circle of ,his chosen ones1 ,christ demanded what ,he did not from those who only came seeking salvation4 ,they were to share with ,him in the work and the glory of the new ,kingdom2 they must share with ,him in the poverty that owns nothing for this world4 ,from what has been said above it is clear that no law can be laid down4 ,it is not a question of law1 but of liberty4 ,but we must understand that word liberty aright4 ,too often ,christian liberty is spoken of as our freedom from too great restraint in sacrificing our own will1 or the enjoyment of the world4 ,its real meaning is the very opposite4 ,true love asks to be as free as possible from self and the world to bring its all to ,god4 ,instead of the question1 ,how far am ,i1 as a ,christian1 free still to do this or the other8 the truly free spirit asks1 ,how far am ,i free to follow ,christ to the uttermost8 ,does the freedom with which ,christ hath made us free really give us the liberty1 in a love which longs for the closest possible likeness and union with ,him--still to forsake all and follow ,him8 ,among the gifts and calling he still dispenses to ,his church1 will there not be some whom by ,his spirit ,he still draws in this particular1 too1 to bear and show forth ,his image8 ,do we not need as much as when ,he and ,his apostles were upon earth1 men and women to give concrete and practical evidence that the man who literally gives up all of earthly possession because he sets his heart upon the treasure in heaven1 can count upon ,god to provide for the things of earth8 ,is not this1 amid the universal confession of worldliness in the church and the ,christian life1 just the protest that is needed against the so subtle but mighty claim that the world makes upon us8 ,in connection with every church and mission and work of philanthropy the question is asked1 ,how is it that in ,christian countries hundreds of millions are spent on luxuries1 with scarce single millions for ,god's work8 ,calculations are made as to what could be done if all ,christians were only to be moderately liberal4 ,i fear all such argument avails little4 ,help must come from a different direction4 ,it was of the innermost circle that ,he had gathered around ,himself that ,christ asked a poverty as absolute as ,his own4 ,it is in the innermost circle of ,god's children1 among those who make the highest profession of insight into the riches of grace and their entire surrender to it1 that we must find the witnesses that ,his ,spirit can still inspire and strengthen to bear ,his poverty4 ,he has done it1 and is doing it4 ,in many a missionary and ,salvation ,army officer1 in many a humble unknown worker1 ,his ,spirit is working out this trait of ,his blessed likeness4 ,in the days we are looking for of deeper revival among ,god's children ,he will do it still more abundantly4 ,blessed are all they who wait for ,him1 to receive ,his teaching1 to know ,his mind1 and show forth ,his holy likeness4 ,it is as the first1 the inner1 circle proves the power of ,his presence1 that the second and the third will feel the influence4 ,men of moderate means1 who may feel no calling to the poor life1 will come under the constraining power of the example and feel compelled to sacrifice far more of comfort and enjoyment in ,christ's service than they ever did before4 ,and the rich will have their attention attracted to the danger signals ,god has set along their path 7,luke xviii4 #be1 ,matt4 vi4 #ai1 #ba1 #a ,tim4 vi4 #i1 #aj1 #af71 and will1 by these examples1 if they may not themselves share in ,christ's poverty1 at least be helped to set their hearts more intensely upon the treasure in heaven--the being rich in faith1 rich in good works1 rich toward ,god--and to know themselves heirs of ,god1 heirs of the riches of grace1 and the riches of glory4 ,that ye through ,his poverty might become rich4 ,,his ,,poverty1 not only as an object of our faith1 but as a matter of experience and fellowship is the passage through which the fullest entrance is gained into his riches4 ,let us present together some of the aspects we have already pointed out of the blessedness ,christ's poverty and its voluntary fellowship brings4 ,what an aid to the spiritual life6 ,it helps to throw the soul on ,god and the unseen2 to realize the absoluteness of ,his presence and care in the least things of daily life2 and is to make trust in ,god the actual moving spring of every temporal as well as spiritual interest4 ,and because it is not possible to claim ,god's interposition for every day's food if a man is not consciously walking in tender and full obedience1 it links the soul to ,god's will and way by the closest of ties4 ,the hourly needs of the body1 which are so often our greatest hindrance1 become wonderful helps in lifting our entire life into communion with ,god1 and in bringing ,god down into everything4 ,it elevates the spirit above the temporal1 and teaches us in every state always to be content1 always to rejoice and to praise4 ,what a protest against the spirit of this world4 ,there is nothing the ,christian life suffers more from than the subtle and indescribable worldliness that comes from the cares or the possessions of this life4 ,through it the ,god of this world exercises his hidden but terrible power4 ,this is the ,delilah in whose lap the ,god-separated ,nazarite becomes impotent and sleeps4 ,to waken and shake out of this sleep more than preaching is needed1 more than the ordinary ,christian liberality1 which quite comports with the full enjoyment of all that abundance can supply3 there is needed the demonstration of the ,spirit and of power1 that ,god enables men1 and makes it to them an indescribable blessedness1 like their ,lord1 to give up everything of the earth that they may more fully possess1 and prove1 and proclaim1 the sufficiency of the heavenly riches and the satisfaction they give4 ,the protest against the spirit of this world will become the mightiest proclamation of the kingdom of heaven1 the self-evidencing revelation of how heaven can even now take possession4 ,what entrance it will give into the image and likeness of ,jesus4 ,we adore our ,lord in the form of a servant1 and worship ,him in it as the most perfect possible manifestation of a ,godlike ,humility and ,love4 ,his poverty was an integral and essential part of that form of a servant in which ,he dwelt4 ,in all ages the love of some has given them no rest in the desire to attain the closest possible conformity to the blessed ,lord4 ,in ,him the outer and inner were in such living harmony that the connection was not accidental2 the one was the only perfect and fit expression of the other4 ,in the body of ,christ there are great diversities of gifts2 the whole body is not eye1 or ear1 or tongue4 ,so there are some who have the calling and gift to manifest this trait of ,his image1 and for the sake of their brethren and the world1 keep alive the memory of this too much neglected part of the ever blessed ,incarnation4 ,blessed they whom ,his ,holy ,spirit makes the representatives of this ,his wondrous grace that1 though ,he was rich1 ,he became poor4 ,what a power then this poverty of ,christ becomes to make others rich4 ,it is through ,his poverty we become rich4 ,his poverty in ,his people brings the same blessing4 ,in the church1 many who do not feel the calling1 or who in ,god's providence are not allowed to follow their desire for it1 will be stirred and strengthened by the sight4 ,when some witness testifies to the blessedness of entire conformity1 others who are not called to this path will feel urged1 in the midst of the property they possess and retain1 to seek for as near an approach in spirit as is allowed them4 ,christian giving will not only be more liberal in amount1 but more liberal in spirit1 in the readiness and cheerfulness in the forethought and the actual self-sacrifice by which it will be animated4 ,through their poverty1 too1 through ,christ's poverty in them1 many shall be made rich4 ,just as a specialist devotes himself to some limited branch of 7say7 medical science1 and all profit by the exclusiveness of his researches1 so through these1 too1 who love and live in and make manifest the poverty of our ,lord1 the church becomes all the richer4 ,through them the poverty of ,christ gets a place in many hearts where it was not known1 and it is seen how this was part of ,his overcoming the world1 and how it may be a part of our victory that overcometh the world1 even our faith4 ,i have said that all have not the same calling4 ,how are we to know what our calling is8 ,we may so easily allow ignorance or prejudice1 self-indulgence or worldliness1 human wisdom or unbelief to sway us1 to keep us from the simplicity of the perfect heart1 and to blind us to the full light of ,god's perfect will4 ,let us see where the position is in which perfect safety will be found1 and where we may confidently count upon the ,divine guidance and approval4 ,not long ago ,i stood by the bedside of a dying servant of ,god1 ,rev4 ,geo4 ,ferguson1 the principal of our ,mission ,institute4 ,he told me how he had been meditating on a text that had come in the course of his preparation for his ,mission class3 ,though your sins be as scarlet1 they shall be as white as snow4 ,as he thought1 it was as if one said to him1 ,white as snow1 do you know what that is8 ,his answer was1 ,no1 ,lord1 ,thou only knowest1 ,i do not4 ,and then the question came1 ,white as snow1 can you attain that8--can you make yourself that8 ,no1 ,lord1 ,i cannot2 but ,thou canst4 ,and1 again1 he was asked1 ,are you willing that ,i should do it8 ,yes1 ,lord1 by ,thy grace ,i am willing ,thou shouldest do all ,thou canst4 ,the three questions just suggest what our duty is4 ,the heavenly poverty of ,jesus ,christ--do you know what it is8 ,what it is in ,him1 in ,his disciples and in ,paul1 in ,his saints in later days8 ,what it would be in you8 ,let the answer be1 ,no1 ,lord1 ,thou knowest4 ,this is what we need first and most of all4 ,if ,god were to open our eyes to see the spiritual glory of our ,lord in ,his poverty1 in ,his entire renunciation of every thing of worldly comfort or self-pleasing2 if we saw the ,divine glory of which it is the expression2 if we knew how infinitely beautiful it was to all the holy angels1 how infinitely well-pleasing to the ,father1 we should then only in some little degree be able to say whether it was something we ought to desire and imitate4 ,if we saw the heavenliness and the measure of the likeness to our ,lord it would bring into our life1 we should say1 ,i have spoken of what ,i knew not--,oh1 that ,god would show me ,his glory in this too3 'for your sakes ,he became poor1 that ye through ,his poverty might be rich'6 ,before you judge of it1 pray by the ,holy ,spirit to know it4 ,then comes the second question4 ,can you attain it8 ,can you1 in the likeness of ,jesus1 give up everything in the world for ,god and your fellowmen1 and find your joy in the heavenly riches and the blessedness of dependence upon ,god alone8 ,no1 ,lord1 ,i cannot2 but ,thou canst work4 ,come and gaze upon the ,son of ,god and worship as you think4 ,it was ,god that made ,him what ,he was1 and that ,god can1 by ,his mighty power1 work in me ,his ,divine likeness4 ,ask ,god to reveal by ,his ,spirit1 what the poverty of ,jesus is1 and then to work in you as much of it as you can bear4 ,be sure of this1 the deeper your entrance into ,his poverty1 the richer you are4 ,and if the last question comes to search the heart--,are you willing for it8--then1 surely1 your answer will be ready3 ,by ,thy grace1 ,i am6 ,you may see no way out of all the complications of your life4 ,you may dread bringing upon yourself sacrifices and trials you could not bear4 ,be not afraid3 you surely cannot fear giving yourself up to ,god's perfect love to work out ,his perfect will4 ,for all ,he really means you to do ,he will most surely give light and strength4 ,the ,throne of ,riches and ,honor and ,glory to which the ,lamb has been exalted is surely proof enough that there is no surer way for us to riches and honor than through ,his poverty4 ,the soul that in simplicity yields to the leading of the ,lord will find that the fellowship of ,his suffering brings even here the fellowship of ,his glory3 ,though ,he was rich1 yet for your sakes ,he became poor1 that ye through ,his poverty might be rich4