Note: Adult learners (vs. kid learners) typically share several characteristics. Adult learners compare what they are studying to their reservoir of life experience. They are usually most interested in learning that relates to immediate, practical challenges that they are facing. They choose the “how” of how they engage the learning. These principles point to an adult Sabbath School process that invites highly active engagement from its members, and avoids the feel of a teacher-student presentation. “Discussion Starters” are meant to support the weekly lesson by providing additional questions that invite active, personal, and practical engagement by your adult members. Praying that we all have a Spirit-filled discussion this week!

1. Ellen White says of those filled with the love of Christ that “Money, time, influence—all the gifts they have received by God’s hand, they will value only as a means of advancing the gospel.”
   Think about money, time, and influence (aka talents)—which of these three is hardest for you to give at this time in your life? Why?

2. Can you share about a time when you took a leap of faith in giving time, talent, or treasure that worked out much better than you had feared beforehand?

3. Walter Brueggemann is a theologian who saw in Scripture the great theme of abundance vs scarcity, with the manna pre-provided by God for the Sabbaths in the desert as one of God’s definitive statements on the matter to humanity.  Brueggemann said “We must confess that the central problem of our lives is that we are torn apart by the conflict between our attraction to the good news of God’s abundance, and the power of our belief in scarcity–a belief that makes us greedy, mean and unneighborly.” How do you see the struggle between an abundance mindset and the myth of scarcity playing out in your own life?

4. In his book The Big Four, Joseph Kidder finds that growing churches are characterized by congregations that ask their members for significant, not trivial, contributions to ministry. In other words, the worst thing a church can do is say, “Hey, would you agree to join the X ministry? Don’t worry, it hardly takes any time at all.” Rather, growing churches invite members into ministries because the ministries are important, ask for a commitment to do the ministry well, and provide meaningful training to do the ministry. Why do you think the second, more “costly” approach is actually more effective at getting people to become involved?

5. Jesus said that the widow who put in two small coins (Lk 21:1-4) gave “more than all” the rich did. Modern studies continue to find that people of modest means give a higher percentage of their income to charity than do wealthy people. Why do you think this greater generosity, on a relative basis, is most often found among those with less means?

6. Paul emphasizes that we are to give freely, implying a mature and thoughtful choice (2 Cor 9:7). Have you seen examples of compulsive or unhealthy “giving” on the part of one person towards another?

7. A modern proverb states: “Show me your checkbook and your calendar and I’ll tell you what you really value.” Fair or unfair? Why?

8. In what way is our use of this world’s time, talent and treasure one of the most dramatic dividing lines between faith and unbelief?

I. Jesus and Stewardship

A. Read 2 Corinthians 8:9. Paul gives the simple math approach to Jesus’ gift to us. He became poorer and we became richer. Is this an incomplete description of Jesus’ stewardship?

B. Read Philippians 2:7-10. What does this tell us was the result of Jesus emptying Himself? (God highly exalted Jesus and bestowed on Him “the name that is above every name.” Every knee will bow before Him.)

C. Read Revelation 5:11-13. Would you like power and wealth? (This text says that Jesus received power and wealth because of His sacrifice.)

1. Jesus was fully God before He humbled Himself and became human. How can God be given something He did not already possess? (If you review Genesis, from the fall of humans to the flood, you can see that God was in a battle against Satan. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection gave Him the victory and universal power, wealth, and glory.)

D. Read Malachi 3:10-12. What is the promise that God made to the Israelites? (Returning tithe gives you supernatural (“windows of heaven”) blessings. Not only will you have no more need, but God will actively bless your work.)

E. Read Proverbs 21:20 and Proverbs 19:19. What benefit does Jesus’ sacrifice have for those who reject His grace? (Just because you give someone money does not mean that it will benefit them. For some it is like those who cannot control their temper. If you rescue them from the consequences of their bad behavior, you will have to do it again.)

F. Read 2 Corinthians 6:1. What does it mean to receive God’s grace “in vain?” (Some will not accept it and thus the gift was given with no good result.)

II. Considered Benevolence

A. Read 2 Corinthians 9:7. Should our contributions to charity be thoughtful? (Paul says that giving is a decision.)

1. When Paul writes that giving should not be reluctant or compelled, how does that help you understand the element of thoughtfulness? (Our heart decision should not be made under duress. We should want to give. We should give cheerfully.)

2. Let’s think again about giving that enables destructive behavior or supports an ineffective cause. Is indiscriminate giving consistent with Paul’s instruction that giving should be thoughtful, voluntary, and joyful?

B. Read 2 Corinthians 9:6. Is this part of what we should consider when we give? (Stating this principle, just like the statement in Malachi 3, shows that considering our own resources is supposed to be part of our decision to give. If you want to have more, you need to give more.)

1. My wife spends much more time than I do considering how to give and to whom we should give. I recall an exciting period of time when she decided to give an unexpected amount to a person. Soon thereafter we received unexpected money in about the same amount. She then made another new gift, and once again we received some unexpected new money. I don’t remember how long this went on, but it brought joy as we watched God work.

2. Are blessings only money? Jesus’ disciples seemed to be poor during their mission work. (Although Malachi specifically mentions blessings regarding work, I believe that blessings is much broader than money. For some, a lot of money is not a blessing.)

C. Read 2 Corinthians 9:11. So far, my assumption has been that we are discussing giving money. Is that the only kind of gift discussed by Paul? (Paul refers to being “enriched in every way,” and being “generous in every way.”)

1. What are the other ways to give gifts and be generous? (Giving your time.)

2. Is time like money in the sense that if you give it to others, you will have more of it? (Unlike money, we all have a limited amount of time. But I think the multiplier principle still applies. Years ago, I purchased a used car and could not wait to change its oil. The next day church members wanted me to use my carpentry skills to help in the morning to build our new church. I decided to go. When I returned home and got under the car, the drain plug for the oil pan was like nothing I had ever seen. I got up and stood there wondering where I could buy a tool for that. My gaze wandered to my carpenter’s tool belt and the handle of my nail puller. The shaft perfectly fit the drain plug and I was able to change the oil. Had I not worked on the church, I’m sure I would have spent hours going from store to store trying to find the right tool.)

D. Read 2 Corinthians 9:12-13. What other positive thing happens as a result of your generosity to others? (Those you help will give glory to God for your gift.)

1. When I advise young people on a future career, I suggest they select a profession where they are helping other people. Is this good advice, or would you recommend a profession where you can make a lot of money? (Helping others can provide a continuing sense of purpose and joy. Money alone is a poor foundation for choosing a life’s work.)

E. Consider another aspect of 2 Corinthians 9:13. Should it be a concern of ours whether those receiving our help give glory to God? (One of my major charities helps others and attributes that help to the work of Jesus. Another charity, which I do not support, helps others but says nothing about being motivated by religion.)

F. Read 1 Timothy 5:9. What does Paul mean when he writes about a widow being “enrolled?” (The prior verses refer to helping widows. This is a reference to being on the list of widows helped by the church.)

G. Read 1 Timothy 5:9-13. Is need the only consideration in deciding which widows receive ongoing church support? (No. Those who are doing good works are to be helped, and those widows who are not will not be helped.)

1. Should the rule which Paul gave to the early church apply to your giving? Should it be part of your giving that comes from decisions of your heart?

H. Read Leviticus 19:9-10, Deuteronomy 24:19-21 and 2 Thessalonians 3:10. What does this teach us about helping the poor? (The Biblical approach requires that the poor be willing to work. If they will not work, they will not share in the harvest.)

1. Should this be part of our decision on who to help? (We should also consider whether the poor person is unable to work.)

2. Do these texts teach us something about making a careful decision about helping the needy?

3. Is giving money to a needy person the best decision? (The World Bank reports that from 1990-2025 the number of people in extreme poverty fell from about 2.3 billion to 831 million. This improvement did not result from the transfer of wealth from the rich to the poor, but rather it was driven by strong economic growth that resulted from allowing private enterprise, trade and competition.)

I. Friend, will you consider your help to those in need? Being generous blesses you. Being wise about your gift blesses the poor person. Why not ask the Holy Spirit to guide your gifts?

III. Next week: Dealing With False Teachers.

Copr. 2026, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within parentheses. If you normally receive this lesson by e-mail, but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this link: http:

Photograph by William Earnhardt

Key Text: “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” (2 Corinthians 8:9, NKJV).

Read in Class: 2 Corinthians 8:9.

Study: What does this passage tell us about the example of Jesus?

Apply: How should the sacrifices Christ made for us influence us and the sacrifices we make for others?

Share: Your friend says that when the church talks about giving, it’s usually about money. What are some other ways we can give besides money? What do you tell your friend? See The Most Precious Gift of all.

Read in Class: 2 Corinthians 8:1, 5, and 2 Corinthians 9:7, 9, 13, 15

Study: What are these passages telling us about giving and helping to spread the Gospel?

Apply: How generous are you? In light of the Cross, how much do you give in contrast to what you could give?

Share: What are some extraordinary examples of giving that you have seen?

Read in Class: 2 Corinthians 9:7.

Study: What does this passage say about the act of offering?

Apply: Regardless of what our bank accounts look like, how dedicated are we to honoring God with our resources? What excuses do we make to keep our wallets closed when we know we could do more?

Share: Your friend says that God loves a cheerful giver and asks if we should still give grudgingly as though God actually needs our money, which he doesn’t! What do you tell your friend? See Expressing our Love for Christ.

Read in Class: 2 Corinthians 8:1-5.

Study: What possible reason could have been behind the Macedonians’ willingness to give their offerings with such generosity?

Apply: 2 Corinthians 8:5 says they gave themselves to the Lord. What does it mean to give ourselves to the Lord, and how may that affect our attitude towards what remains in our pockets after we have returned our tithes and offerings? How might that affect our attitude towards our time, even after we have already “put in our time” at work and church?

Share: Read Romans 15:26-27. Share how foreign and even domestic mission projects have generated unity in your church.

Mission: Is there a need or project in your church that your Sabbath School Class members would like to adopt and dedicate to helping with as a class?

Join It Is Written Sabbath School host Eric Flickinger and this quarter’s author, Dr Adenilton Tavares de Aguiar, as they provide additional insights into this week’s Sabbath School lesson.

With thanks to Hope Channel – Television that will change your life.