March 7, 2004WEEK TWO OF LENT 2004Study GuideThe scripture passage is from II Corinthians 9 verses 6-11. Find at least two translations of this passage and make sure one of them is the TEV-Good News Bible translation. Read the passage aloud from these translations. Paul is asking the Corinthian community for help with an offering for the poor in Jerusalem. See if you can outline his reason for why the Corinthian church members should consider doing this. Part of what Paul does in this passage is to remind them that there are some benefits in being generous people. What are the benefits/rewards that Paul sees in generosity? What are the benefits/rewards you have seen in being generous? Most of us have heard the saying, "What goes around comes around." What does that mean? How have you seen that to be true in your life experience? Where do you wish it were more true? How does that statement relate to what Paul is saying? Why do you share a portion of your financial blessings with others? What rewards have you seen from this? How have you seen other people blessed for their generosity? Who are some of the most generous people you know? What can we learn from them? Part of Paul's message is about being generous with our financial blessings and part is just that we sow what we reap in life. How have you seen his insight come true about getting back from life what we put into life? What does Jesus have to say about the consequences of generosity and of self -centeredness? See especially Luke 16:19-31 and Luke 12:13-21. How can this insight from Paul be true or not true about all of life? True False Survey on Paul |
