Contribution (2)

Jonathan Ledbetter

Back to the Basics • Sermon • Submitted 6 months ago • Presented 6 months ago

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Any More Questions Concerning the 3 Tiered Discipleship Game Plan?

Again, We Want to Encourage Everyone to Be Involved

It will Take Sacrifice, But that’s What Discipleship is All about

Discipleship Without Sacrifice isn’t Discipleship at All

Back to the Basics

We’re Going to Continue Doing “Back to the Basics” for Monday & Wednesday

We’ll Begin Covering a Topic on Sunday Mornings…

And Then We’ll Dig Deeper into that Topic on Wednesday Nights

Any Topic Ideas that You would Like Us to Go Back to the Basics on?

No Topic/Question is Off Limits

(Type Ideas Below)

Easter - 3 Days?

Jewish Holidays - Why We Don’t Celebrate?

Contribution

We Talked about the Contribution on October 8th

Then We had a Question about it in the Question Box

This Past Sunday, We Looked at 1 Cor. 16:1-2 & 2 Cor. 8-9

I Believe Paul’s Letters to the Corinthians…

Give Us a Lot to Think about in Terms of the Contribution

Do a Recap of the Major Points that Paul was Making

Quick Recap:

Paul was Traveling Around to Different Churches…

Collecting a Contribution Fund to Help the Poor Christians in Jerusalem

The Corinthian Church was One of the 1st to Step Up…

And Enthusiastically Say They Wanted to Help

In 1 Cor 16, Paul Wrote to Them about When They should Be Gathering the Money

In 2 Cor 8-9, Paul was Concerned…

That They weren’t Going to Be as Generous in Their Contribution…

As They Initially Seemed

So He Wrote to Encourage Them to Be Generous:

It will Prove Their Love for Their Siblings in Need

It will Show that They are Staying True to Their Confession…

Of Being Followers of Jesus in His Example of Self-Giving Love

It will Result in Much Glory, Praise, & Thanks to God

In Those 2 Chapters, Paul Tells Them that this isn’t Something They have to Do

It’s Something They Enthusiastically Wanted to Do

Now They Need to Give Generously…

Not Because They Have to…

But Because it would Prove the Love They Claimed to have for Others

I Hold the Position that the Contribution was Never a Command for Christians

I Believe the NT Shows Us that it was Never a Command…

For Christians to Contribute to a Monetary Offering

But Always Something People Chose Out of Love to Contribute to

Acts 2:44–45 (NASB95)

44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.

Acts 4:32–37 (NASB95)

32 And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.

34 For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales 35 and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need.

36 Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement), 37 and who owned a tract of land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

We See No Command

Only Followers of Jesus Seeing a Need…

And Going to Extreme Measures to Help

Notice it was Those Who were Able Who would Help

We See No Command or Example of the Less Fortunate Giving

In Fact, There’s Only One Time We See a Poor Person Giving in the NT…

And in that Context, it wasn’t Considered a Good Thing

Mark 12:38–44 (NASB95)

38 In His teaching He was saying: “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places, 39 and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, 40 who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation.”

41 And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. 43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

It Took Amazing Faith on the Widow’s Part to Do Such a Thing

But the Point is that it should’ve Never Been Expected of Her

James Tells Us that Pure & Undefiled Religion…

Is Caring for Widows in Their Times of Need…

Not Using Religion to Exploiting Them & Get Their Last Penny

Listen to How the Justin Martyr (100-165 AD) Described the Christian Assembly:

Justin Martyr (Chapter 67)

And we afterwards continually remind each other of these things. And the wealthy among us help the needy; and we always keep together; and for all things wherewith we are supplied, we bless the Maker of all through His Son Jesus Christ, and through the Holy Ghost. And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons. And they who are well to do, and willing, give what each thinks fit; and what is collected is deposited with the president, who succours the orphans and widows, and those who, through sickness or any other cause, are in want, and those who are in bonds, and the strangers sojourning among us, and in a word takes care of all who are in need. But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Saviour on the same day rose from the dead. For He was crucified on the day before that of Saturn (Saturday); and on the day after that of Saturn, which is the day of the Sun, having appeared to His apostles and disciples, He taught them these things, which we have submitted to you also for your consideration.

Those Who were Able & Willing…

Contributed to the Needs of Their Siblings in Christ

But, We See in Acts that the Rich/Well-to-Do…

Didn’t have to Give

Acts 5:1–6 (NASB95)

1 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land?

4 “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” 5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it. 6 The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.

Ananias & Sapphira Didn’t have to Sell Their Property…

Or Give Any Money to the Church

But They Chose to Give Some, Claiming They had Given All of it

Maybe They Did this to Look More Generous than They Actually Were

But Peter Makes the Point to Them:

“It was Yours! You Didn’t have to Do Any of this!”

I Believe the Scriptures Present a Clear Case…

That the Contribution has Always Been a Free-Will Offering…

To Help Christians in Need

Invitation

Learning How to Become Better Disciples of Jesus…

By Studying the Commands of Paul to Timothy

2 Timothy 2:14–15 (NASB95)

14 Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

What is Timothy to Remind the People of?

Those Who Die with Jesus will Live with Him

Those Who Endure Persecution for Him will Reign with Him

Those Who Disown Him will Be Disowned By Him

He is Trustworthy Even When We aren’t

We Need to Remember Those Things

And Don’t Argue Over Trivial Matters

That Seems to Be the Things We Most Argue about

They are Completely Useless

They Accomplish Nothing

They are Lead to the Ruin of Those Who Hear

They Don’t Edify & Build Up in the Faith

They Turn Upside Down the Faith of Those Who Hear

You Ever Wonder Why So Many People are Turned Away from Christianity These Days?

Could it Possibly Be that They See Us Constantly Bickering & Condemning Each Other Over the Most Insignificant Details?

Things Which the Scriptures Say Very Little…

We Turn into Fellowship Issues

I Can’t Blame Others for Not Wanting to Be a Part of That

I Know I Sure Don’t

Instead of Bickering Over Everything…

We Need to Be Zealous/Eager/Diligent…

To Live Acceptable Lives to God

Live in Such a Way that God Approves of Us

We Don’t Want to Be Workers Who are Ashamed of Our Work

Timothy’s Work was Preaching the Gospel & Teaching the Scriptures

He was to Do that Accurately

Have You Ever Been Ashamed of Your Work for the Kingdom?

Want to Know How You can Feel Good & Unashamed of Your Efforts for Christ?

Put Forth Effort

Be Zealous/Eager/Diligent!

Get Involved in the Works of the Church

Use Your Gifts/Talents/Abilities

Be Inviting People to Church

Study the Bible with People

Serve in Ways that You are Capable of Serving

If Your Effort is Shabby, Your Work will Be Shabby

Don’t Be a Worker that’s Ashamed of Your Work

Be Working for God