Please stand then for the call to worship. From Romans 8, 31 and 32, we looked at an adult Sunday school. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Beloved of God, called to be saints, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. and let us pray together. Heavenly Father, how we thank you for your faith in us. You are truly the God of salvation, and so we rejoice in that. We know that our assurance can only be in what you have done in the Lord Jesus Christ. You did not spare your own son, but you sent him into this sin-cursed world, and, O Christ, you gave yourself fully and freely in every thought, word, and deed. You obeyed, and you obeyed even going to the cross, and you wanted to give yourself there. bearing the wrath of God for all God's people. And so we marvel at that. We know that we have assurance in life and in death when we trust in you. And so we pray you'd enable us more and more to be a thankful people, to have joy in the Lord. Yes, forgive our sins, increase our faith, and help us to worship you rightly, even at this time and always. Guide and direct us for your glory and our good as we do pray it all in Christ's holy name. Amen. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. And let us again confess the true Christian faith with the words of the Apostles' Creed saying, I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell. The third day he rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. May we be seated and let us turn to our first hymn, 223, as we think of Christ's coming, while shepherds watch their flocks by night. While shepherds watch their flocks by night, The angel of our Lord came down, and Mary shone a crown. And Mary shone a crown. Fear not, save ye for my children, and seize their joy. I have died in suffering, joy I bring to you and all mankind. To you and all mankind. To you in David's town in a state divine. Oh Oh O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, I bless their joy Yes, it was the greatest glory of God that He sent His well-beloved Son to be the Savior and Lord of His people. It is God's goodwill to His chosen ones that is proclaimed even by those angels that night at Bethlehem. It is what we rejoice in as we trust in such a Savior at all times. That's Sir Trinity Salter reading today in Psalm 115, page 846, in the back of your hymnal. We read responsibly Psalm 115. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to your name give glory, because of your mercy, because of your truth. But our God is in heaven. He does whatever he pleases. They have mouths, but they do not speak. Ears they have, but they do, eyes they have, but they do not see. They have ears, but they do not hear. Nose they have, but they do not smell. They have hands, but they do not handle. Feet they have, but they do not walk, nor do they mutter through their throat. So is every one who trusts in them. O Israel, trust in the Lord. He is their help and their shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord. He is their help and their shield. You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord. He is their help and their shield. The Lord has been mindful of us. He will bless us. He will bless the house of Israel. He will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless those who fear the Lord, both small and great. May the Lord give you increase more and more, you and your children. May you be blessed by the Lord who made heaven and earth. The dead do not praise the Lord nor any who go down into silence. Well, the Lord is again that faithful one who is the God of Israel, now the God of all his people. Out of all nations, all who trust in Him, He does hear us and provide for us according to His perfect will. And we certainly are to praise Him in life and in death. And when He talks about the dead do not praise the Lord, it certainly speaks of those who are lost or not seeing the fullness of that praise as goes on even now in heaven. But we know that is the great assurance for all believers. Let us turn to the Canons of Dort also on page 901. 901, and the fifth head of the doctrines, the five heads of doctrines, the Canons of Dort as they're called. This one, of course, the Perseverance of the Saints. All true believers will be kept by God unto everlasting life. We look at Articles 9 to 12. starting on page 901. Article 9, of this preservation of the elect to salvation and of their perseverance in the faith, true believers themselves may and do obtain assurance according to the measure of their faith, whereby they surely believe that they are and ever will continue true and living members of the church and that they have the forgiveness of sins and life eternal. Again, along with that, a wonderful verse from 1 John. It's five, that all who believe on Christ may know we have eternal life. Article 10, this assurance, however, is not produced by any peculiar revelation contrary to or independent of the word of God, but springs from faith in God's promises, which he has most abundantly revealed in his word for our comfort from the testimony of the Holy Spirit, witnessing with our spirit that we are children and heirs of God. And lastly, from a serious and holy desire to preserve a good conscience and to perform good works. And if the elect of God were deprived of this solid comfort that they shall finally obtain the victory and of this infallible pledge of eternal glory, they would be of all men most miserable. Article 11, the scripture, moreover, testifies that believers in this life have to struggle with various carnal doubts and that under grievous Temptations, they do not always feel this full assurance of faith and the certainty of persevering. But God, who is the father of all consolation, does not suffer, allow them to be tempted above that they are able, but will with the temptation make also the way of escape that they may be able to endure it. And by the Holy Spirit, again, inspires them with a comfortable assurance of persevering. Article 12, this certainty of perseverance, however, is so far from exciting in believers a spirit of pride or of rendering them carnally secure, that on the contrary, it is the real source of humility, filial reverence, true piety, patience in every tribulation, fervent prayers, constancy in suffering and in confessing the truth, and of solid rejoicing in God, so that the consideration of this benefit should serve as an incentive to the serious and constant practice of gratitude and good works, as appears from the testimonies of Scripture and the examples of the saints. " Yes, when we have assurance in Christ, we are a thankful people, and we want to follow in His holy ways more and more. Well, the Lord God does hear us, all he calls to repentance and faith, and he will provide for us all things necessary for body and soul. And so we can have assurance in our coming to God in prayer. Let us do that together now. Again, O Lord our God, we want to give you praise, honor, and glory. We know that is only fitting and right, as you are the one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And you have done all things well. You always do. Even from eternity, you have planned your perfect will for your chosen ones that you have determined to call out of fallen mankind. And so you sent the Redeemer, the Lord Jesus, to bring that about. And in his saving work, even in his life and his righteousness and his death on the cross, it has been accomplished. And continually you work that out by the work of the Holy Spirit to grant repentance and faith. And so we thank you for that. And we know you are drawing sinners unto Christ in all nations and will do that continually until the end of this world. May that gospel go forth. Oh Lord, it is your perfect will. And we pray it will show its great power and bring many to trust in Him and to have new obedience, new life, and to be thankful people. Certainly, we pray that will be the case for us as a congregation, as families and individuals. We pray for all our churches and our mission works. We pray for all our denomination, that we would be faithful to you, Heavenly Father. And today, as we think of the Reformed Church in Los Angeles and the building that they are purchasing, we pray that you'll provide for them, that your people will be so blessed and even through that means be able to grow in faith and in numbers according to your goodwill. Pray for the donations that it would be effective for them and we thank you how you have provided even with Western classes already and pray for your continued guidance. Oh Lord that your people may serve you in thankfulness. We do praise you for asking for providing for us as we ask for your continued blessings. We do Thank you for all your goodness to us, even to this congregation through its years. We do pray for fellow believers in other lands also, in Philippines and Africa and Germany. Many more be turned to you. And in the Middle East, thank you for the works of evangelism and building up of your people in all those places. We pray for protection for Christians in various lands, Nigeria, Congo, India, and so forth. We just pray that you would show your goodness and that the word of Christ will go forth in spite of persecution, even because of it, and that sinners would be one to the Lord. We do pray again for Reverend Horner. We thank you for his long life and serving in the RCOS, even as he served before, before coming into the RCOS in this congregation. We thank you for your faithfulness, O Lord. Be with him, with wife Mary Jo and family. and certainly guide in any care that he does receive through this time. He is in hospice and with the cancer. We pray for your mercies, O Heavenly Father, that you would be honored in providing and giving your comfort and peace. We pray for the Colorado Life Amendment, O Heavenly Father, that that could, if your will, be passed out of the Supreme Court. It would be able to be put on the the ballot for their voting next year, with indications of many who really are more pro-life and perhaps did not grasp the full impact of the previous election in providing taxpayer-funded abortions in that state. We pray for your mercies. Certainly children do have the right to continue living from the moment of being conceived, and we pray that would pass by the vote of the people and that would effect in Colorado and in our country for the protection of the unborn life. We pray for your glory in these things. Kathy, others with health needs, Amadi with his back issues, we pray for your mercies. Beatha Audrey, she has the cancer, we pray for her, Reverend Close, and others. Again, guide our nation, our president, all our leaders in Congress to do what is right and good according to your Holy Word, according to its principles. May there be peace in our land and certainly great revival, many one to the Lord Jesus. Guide and direct us as a congregation, as officers, and all things that you would receive the glory of Heavenly Father. Be with the Mays Road Reformed Church in Minnesota. Be with Reverend Crone as he serves there. We thank you for that work that developed so quickly from a mission status, and we pray for your continued blessings, that you would be honored, and the word of the Lord Jesus will go forth in that area so very much in need of it. Help us do your word, help me to proclaim it. Again, may we be turned to you more and more, turn us away from all our sins, forgive us of all of them for Christ's sake, and that you would be honored, that we would be assured in Him. We do pray for your glory in these things, through Christ's holy name, Amen. It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of old, from angels bending near the earth, to touch their harps of gold. Peace on the earth, goodwill to men from heaven's all-gracious King. The world in solemn stillness lay, to hear the angels sing. Still through the cloven skies they come, with peaceful wings unfurled. And still their heavenly music floats O'er all the weary world. Above its sad and lowly plains They bend on hovering wing, And ever o'er its Bible sounds the blessed angel sings. And ye beneath life's crushing load, whose forearms are bending low, Who toil along the climbing way With painful steps and slow Look now for glad and golden hours Come swiftly on the wing O rest beside the weary road, and hear the angels sing. For lo, the days are hastening on, by prophet Bards foretold. When with the ever-circling years comes round the age of gold, When peace shall over all the earth its ancient splendors fling, and the whole world give back the song which now the angels sing. Scripture passage for the sermon today is 2 Corinthians 8, 1-15. And as Apostle Paul wrote, 2 Corinthians 8, starting at verse 1, Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia, That in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and then to us by the will of God. So we urge Titus that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. But as you abound in everything, in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us, see that you abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich. And in this I give advice. It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago, but now you also must complete the doing of it. That is, there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has and not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but by an equality that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack, that there may be equality. As it is written, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Now, since these two chapters, eight and nine of this letter, are encouragements to Christian giving, I want to make one thing clear at the beginning, is that I think our congregation does quite well in offerings to support our church and denomination. In fact, I can recall how several people have been surprised at that. And they wondered how a small congregation was able to meet its expenses. Yet when giving to the Lord in line with how he has blessed us is taken seriously, then it's not so hard to understand. All today is providential that we have come to this chapter in our series in 2 Corinthians. For Paul was reminding those Christians of the collection for believers elsewhere, at Jerusalem particularly, And so Gentiles far away from them had given to the Mother Church and had done that already. Well, we do have today the Synod's call for prayer and to support the Arsuas mission in Los Angeles today. And again, only a few of us have met any of them. Oh, one could say By God's mercy, unbelievers can care and give to causes they see as worthy. But Christian giving has the greatest and purest incentives. For with true faith, we give out of thankfulness to our God, unto his glory, and for others' true good. So yes, let us consider Christian incentives here. First, the grace of God is such then the good example of other believers, and thirdly, the incentive to bear good witness to the Lord. Obviously, the saving grace of God enables Christian giving, as it does with every good fruit. And at the beginning of the New Testament, church that was seen in charity shone among the Jerusalem Christians. Indeed, as I say, it appears in Acts and other letters that most of the Believers were from the poorer classes of society. Yet a concern of the apostles was that there should be some repaying of spiritual debt, even with material means. That is, the gospel went out from the Jerusalem church to the nations. And so when there was material need of those Christians, others with more should care for the ones in poverty. And yeah, it had occurred before as with a famine being foretold, and monies were sent from the Gentiles to the Jerusalem church as in Acts 11, 29. Here again with Jerusalem in mind, Paul had called for the Corinthians to set something aside for a collection. He did that before in his letter, previous letter, 1 Corinthians 16. And they had evidently started with that or wanted to give, but they stopped with the trouble in the congregation as when there were disagreements with the apostle himself and there were false teachers accusing him and so forth. Yet he knew the incentive of the grace of God. For that work of the Lord changes the believers mind. Changes the believers mind. Yes, the Lord's gracious work sanctifies our minds to seek his will instead of simply our own. And after the repentance and reconciliation with Paul expressed in the last chapter, he now reminds them of the collection for Jerusalem. Well, besides caring for material needs there, he saw this as an important means of showing unity unity between Gentile and Jewish believers. As one said, perhaps Judaizing Christians might be even more accepting of Gentiles then. And so tactfully, Paul begins with an example of others, and we'll consider that. But above all, he shows how God's grace inspires Christians to give, even spontaneously. and perhaps even more than their means might appear to allow for. It's by the grace of the Lord that we're thinking rightly of all he's done for us, then we don't think of our giving as a loss that even we can give to people we have never met. Yes, that work of God's grace changes the believer's mind, you see. We are then turned from self-centeredness by nature to thankful giving. The joy of salvation so leads us as the unmerited giving of Christ himself causes those converted to have new minds. So it was with these Macedonian believers, as Paul writes, and God makes Christians willing. He said that as in Philippians 2.13. It is God who works in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure. And you and I are to know, beloved, that without a willing mind, no giving is of value in God's sight. He must have that willing mind by his grace changing us. And yet I'd also say the other extreme is not valid either. For example, some politicians in recent years have claimed that having good desires, wanting to do good, is equal to actually doing the good. No, that is not correct. Rather, when there is a willing Christian mind, then the amount to be given is the only question. And that here, you can see, should be considered in light of the financial resources of the giver. Yes, that's how God assesses particular donations. In verse 12, Paul said, it is accepted according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. No one's expected to give what he does not have. Oh, that reminds me of a particular call for giving. I have heard several times during a banquet time and The person calling for such said, well, there is horizontal giving which considers our current resources. And then I want to exhort you, he said, to vertical giving, just looking to God. And then we said, just pick an amount that you would like to give and trust God to provide it. Well, that seems more like presumption than faith. to me. Yet, Christians, we certainly should have a changed mind to consider God's blessings to us when we give to other causes. For salvation and all spiritual treasures He gives us are worth infinitely more than all the treasures on earth, of course. And that principle is implanted in us when God's grace changes the believer's mind from our natural outlook. Yes, His grace is such an incentive for our giving. It is especially as Christ's sacrifice gives greatest motivation. Clearly the height of what the Apostle says here is found in verse 9. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich. What a wonderful statement that is. And it is certainly true that the greatest incentives and influences for our giving are found in his example and in gratitude for Christ and his condescension to save us. Indeed, there is no Christian without glad knowledge of his saving work. And so again, dear ones, you and I are always to be amazed that the Lord of glory, the Son of God, left that eternal glory with the Father to come and redeem us, to redeem sinners like us. Yes, He left the riches of heaven in that way to become human also. And so became poor, surrendering that glory, and even to live for us in worldly poverty. And as we've been singing at this time, of course, we can think of his birth and being laid in a manger, a feed trough for us. Well, certainly if taking on human nature was not enough impoverishment, Jesus became materially poor. In his ministry as the suffering servant, the son of man had nowhere to lay his head. He declared it, Luke 9, 58. Also, we can think how he died without a single possession. Even his clothes were taken by the soldiers who crucified him. And that poverty, it was all for our sake. And of course, we could naturally think, why did Jesus so willingly submit to such poverty and to even bear hell on the cross? But all Christians know, as in 1 John 3, 5, he was manifested to take away our sins, and in him there is no sin. Therefore, all who trust in Christ's sacrifice, we shall one day share in the heavenly glory that he laid aside. to save them. Yes, we will live forever as Christians, live on His charity in the grace of God. And so when our Lord's infinitely great and self-sacrificing love is at work in you and me, He makes us eternally rich in spiritual blessings. We are made partakers of His holiness, His exaltation and blessedness. Oh, with God's promises and provisions, then we could say how unnecessary, unnecessary any command to practice Christian giving should be. Is that not what Paul implies with verse nine? We are made willing to sacrifice for others as well. Yes, to give is to be a joyous privilege It's not to be a cold moral duty for true believers. And you and I are not called to impoverish ourselves as Jesus did infinitely so. Oh, the grace of God is the greatest incentive for Christian giving, of course. It must be so for you and me, beloved of God. Secondly, there is a good example of other believers. The Macedonians were written of, first, And they were such an example, and other Christians have been so through the centuries, good examples, even giving joyfully in their worst circumstances. Well, certainly we ought to be doing that in good times. But here the Macedonians gave generously and graciously in bad times in this world. They helped Paul and the Jerusalem saints when persecution had tested their faith. Remember, Paul and Silas first suffered persecution at Philippi in Acts 16, a Macedonian city. They were beaten with rods and put in the prison, and they're beaten in the stocks, yet they were praising God at midnight. And other converts to the Lord suffered persecution at Thessalonica, the next city in Macedonia. The apostle wrote of that in 1 Thessalonians. Still, by God's grace, the Christians in that region had joy, which led to their liberality of giving, verse 2. They had that in spite of the persecution and their own poverty. Yes, they begged to give. After all, when believers have their sins forgiven for Christ's sake and we have acceptance with the Holy God, we must have joy, right? Oh, they gave freely because they had relied on God's infinite generosity, giving his own son for their salvation. And again, in verses three to five, they begged to have part in the collection for the Jerusalem church. They did that without any pressure putting upon them, and they gave beyond their ability. That is, I think, surpassing all expectations out of their little possessions. For it said Macedonia was a very poor area after the Romans took much of their natural resources and there were a number of civil wars that occurred in that area before Emperor Augustus enforced peace. Still the poor Christians saw it as a gift and fellowship for them, verse 4, to minister or take part in the relief of other believers. And so yes, what a good example that Paul could point to in those joyful Macedonians. It was to be an incentive to the Corinthians to hear of it, and it is to be so for you and me and all believers of all time. Their good example is to be an incentive of Christian giving, and so we must consider that in whose diligence gives a standard to follow. Again, it's the attitude of gratitude for Christ that the apostle upheld here. Understand, it's never the same amount as others might give, but diligence in giving is the standard. That's for us as well to follow. Oh, the Macedonians showed diligence, verse five, that they first gave themselves to the Lord. Clearly they dedicated themselves foremost to the Lord Jesus as most important. And then they dedicated themselves to help Christ's servants. Yes, that was all in accord with the will of God who had provided for them. And so they offered themselves in any Christian service as in this collection. Such submission and service to the Lord they regarded as of supreme importance, supreme importance, and so should you and I. Well, being encouraged by what they did with diligence, generosity, and commitment, Paul, in verse 6, urged Titus to return, go back to Corinth again, and seek follow through of the giving that they had promised before. For yes, our God will complete the good work he has begun in all believers, as he says in Philippians 1, 6. Indeed, the Corinthians should realize they were not being persecuted, really, like the Macedonians were. They were not in financial straits. They were wealthy compared to the Macedonians. And so how willingly they should give. Now, perhaps Titus also carried the letter of 1 Corinthians to them. as it called for that collection about a year before this, mentioned in our chapter nine, verse two. Anyway, the grace or gracious work of giving, he was now to urge them to complete. And urging is the correct word there, as Paul says in verse eight, he did not write so as a command. Not a command, for brothers and sisters, We cannot simply have a willing, generous heart on command. But in gratitude for what the Lord has done, yes, there must be an element of spontaneity, a real desire in Christian charity, wanting to help others. Otherwise, as one said, giving degenerates into a work of law, as it did with the unbelieving Pharisees who still boasted of their giving. But here in verse 8, the apostle was also testing the sincerity of the Corinthians' love by the diligence of others. That was the standard he's pointing to. He knew those Corinthians had the gift of love within them. And so he tactfully reminds them that love must be acted on, even as faith must come forth or result in works of gratitude. Oh, the Corinthians' love was simply being tested by declaring to them how the Macedonians gave an example as a standard for love and giving. It was an incentive to rouse them to action. Again, it was the desire for self-sacrifice for others, not the amount to be given, that was important. Our Lord illustrated that even as he pointed out the diligence of the widow in Mark 12, 43 and following. You remember she was one who put in the offering at the temple the only two coins that she had at that time. And Jesus said it was therefore far more than the amounts that the rich were putting in out of their abundance. And so I say no. No dear ones our last bit of money is not the standard but diligence and willing giving is so. And a good example of other believers is an incentive to our giving. Lastly, to bear good witness to the Lord should be such an incentive. That appeal is what the apostle made to the Corinthians also and to us. You and I are to bear good witness, showing his grace at work in us. And so beyond examples and urging from others, Paul wrote in verse 7, that those Corinthians had already abounded or shown great spiritual resources by God's grace. And therefore, he says, generosity should also be expected. He says, see that you abound in this grace also. And that would certainly be a good witness to the Lord, our God, even as the other gifts shown in them. For they had shown faith, or Christian understanding, and speech and knowledge, expressing Christian truth, diligence, or vigorous Christian work of various kinds, and mutual Christian love, which blesses and inspires believers in service to God and people. " Well, we can understand that this was a proper commendation by the apostle. It was certainly not insincere flattery. But with such spiritual gifts present in them, he felt he could appeal for generosity comparable to the other gifts. Also in verse 10 and following, he gave his wise, spirit-inspired advice as for showing God's grace at work in them. He says plainly, that is in your best interest. It's fitting to proceed with the collection you started the year before. Indeed, you and I can also know it is for our good to be generous. As a general principle in Proverbs 19, it states, he who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord and he will pay back what he has given. Oh, if not paid back in this life, Jesus said, faithful givers will have treasure in heaven. And that, you know, that Blessing of the Lord is infinitely better, again, than all the treasures on earth. Yes, beloved, when we know charity is fitting conduct for Christians, we ought to think of it, as Gia said in Luke 9, 62, that having put our hand to the plow, it is not fit for God's kingdom to look back or regret it, even to regret giving. Well, the Corinthian zeal expressed in words the year before stirred up the Macedonians to give. Again, you see that chapter 9 verse 2. And so the Corinthians must certainly follow through with willing hearts to really show God's grace in them. Not just to say, but to do. And Paul's advice was, therefore, to be consistent as Christians. consistent with completion of giving, matching the intention. Also notice he was not asking them to give beyond ability as others did. The Corinthians had wealth, as I say, in comparison to the Macedonians. Oh, in all things, in all our works, may we seek diligently to show the Lord's grace at work in us. For then bearing good witness to the Lord will be an incentive to others. And lastly, that means showing his grace brings mutual care. Again, the collection displayed practically the oneness between the Gentile churches and with the mother church at Jerusalem. And as I've said, mutual care does not require impoverishing ourselves so that others have it easy. That would be nonsense, just transferring poverty from one to another. And as one said, we are to love our neighbor as ourselves, not more than ourselves, that is to make ourselves in need of charity. Also, giving must not encourage laziness or luxury. It is not communism requiring that all give up everything to a common fund. or then understand no one could give from a good conscience, but it's forced upon us, and that kind of thinking. Instead, you and I can truthfully say that God gives us the privilege of having money and possessions, and to keep us controlled with that, believers are to show His grace brings mutual care. That principle is of equality, as Paul says in verse 14. that at this time those in Jerusalem needed help. Another time it could be other Christians in need. Maybe even the Corinthians. And so there should be a mutual relief, help given to have relief from destitution. And there will always be spiritual blessings for cheerful givers. Let us always have that in mind. Oh, you and I can say it is also caring for fellow believers especially, that they may be relieved of undeserved want. All are to be concerned for that. I say undeserved want as the Apostle Paul himself said in 2 Thessalonians 3 10, that if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. If one could but refuses to try to be self-supporting, He will not eat, is what God says. Well, in our days right now, that shows the falsehood of those who are complaining that they have to work at all to have food stamps, benefits, for instance. Again, mutual care for real needs is what God's grace will bring about in his followers. The abundance of others might supply for the Corinthians in the future, as Paul said there. In the last verse, he gives an illustration of the equality he calls for with the illustration of the manna in the wilderness. From Exodus 16, it's recorded that those who tried to hoard more than their daily portion of that lost it. It bred worms overnight. Others who did not or were not able to gather as much were still I think it means miraculously satisfied in what they received from God. Anyway, we're to understand that if we heap up riches at the expense of poor brethren, it will be cursed. Yes, our God wants you and me to show mutual care and a sense of equality with real undeserved needs receiving help. It is not that we're all to have the same amount in life. And think how this equality in the wilderness was enforced. Christians are instead, we are to voluntarily share burdens and supply mutual help where needed as God provides for us. Yes, dear ones, may you and I and all God's people take as true incentives for Christian giving, that we have his grace in our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, we have good examples in other believers, and we truly desire to bear good witness to our Lord, the Lord of our salvation. May it be so, to his glory and the good of many, and to our good. Amen. Let us pray together. Oh, Heavenly Father, how we thank you for your faithfulness. You are that God who provides for us truly all things necessary for body and soul as your dear children and heirs. We praise you for that assurance in Christ who gave himself as that ultimate example. His grace is giving even at the cross is to astound us always and to make us truly thankful, glad servants of the Lord. And we see that good example in others in the past, other Christians, May that be so with us, and that we truly desire even more to bear good witness to you as we would be glad givers and servants of Christ. Guide us, O Lord, that you would be so honored. Again, forgive our sins and give us willing hearts and minds to seek your glory in all things. We pray it through Christ our Lord. And now we do pray together as Christ taught us to say. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. At this time, we can give our tithes and offerings to the Lord in thankfulness. Let's turn to our last hymn, 211, God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen. Stand to sing. God rest you merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay. Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day To save us all from Satan's power when we were gone astray Oh, tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy Oh, tidings of comfort and joy From God our Heavenly Father a blessed angel came, And unto certain shepherds brought tidings of the same. Hail, therefore, the Son of God by name, O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy. Fear nothing, said the angel, let nothing you affright, This day is born a Savior of a pure virgin bright, To free all those who trust in Him from Satan's power and might. O tidings of comfort and joy! Comfort and joy! O tidings of comfort and joy! The shepherds at those tidings rejoiced much in might, And left their flocks of feeding in tempest, storm, and wind. and went to Bethlehem straightway, the Son of God to find, O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy, O tidings of comfort and joy. You receive the Lord's benediction. And now the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise him, all creatures here below. Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.