Now that we’ve looked at God’s Original, Old Covenant, and New Covenant Economic Systems, we can no focus in specifically on God, work, and money in the Church. It all starts with God’s mission for the Church. The Church, as we mentioned in earlier posts, is supposed to be a visible embodiment of God’s Kingdom here on earth just as it is in heaven. While this was the mission of Israel under the Old Covenant, the Church under the New Covenant is also charged with the mission of actively bringing new people into God’s Kingdom.
Then they gathered around him and asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:6-8 NIV)
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV)
Since God owns everything and provides for all of our needs, God gives us what we need to accomplish this new mission as well. We simply need to make God’s priorities our priorities. Then we will see God provide for this new mission-work.
All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:44-47 NIV)
Many of you know how I have struggled to teach on this subject. That’s because the picture we find in the New Covenant is far beyond what most people are willing to accept and even beyond what most preachers teach. Many of them will teach us to tithe, which is the Old Covenant standard. They don’t teach what they find in the New Covenant. That’s because people under the New Covenant followed Spirit-led, generous giving. The New Covenant standard is not 10%. It’s 100%. Everything they have belongs to God and is led by God.
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. (Acts 4:31-35 NIV)
The money was entrusted into the care of the spiritual leaders (apostles) and those leaders began by making sure the needs of the Body were met (Acts 6:1-7). No one was going hungry because they were given food if they were poor. This was similar to the “edges of the fields” command found under the Old Covenant. The poor(2 Thessalonians 3:6-12), the widows (1 Timothy 5:3-16), and the orphans(James 1:27) were cared for by the Church because they had no other way of earning income. Church leaders, such as apostles (1 Corinthians 9:3-14) and elders (1 Timothy 5:17-18), were paid for their ministry just as Jesus taught them (Matthew 10:9-15; Mark 6:7-11; Luke 9:1-6; 10:1-16), because workers are worthy of their wages. When needs arose in these areas, people brought in more to keep the Church going and continue accomplishing mission.
Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means "son of encouragement"), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet. (Acts 4:36-37 NIV)
The first struggle, then, is that the New Covenant standard is 100% rather than 10%. The second struggle is that the giving must be in keeping with the Holy Spirit. Going against the Spirit proved to be detrimental to the church and to the people who did not walk together with God.
Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet. Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God." When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, "Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?" "Yes," she said, "that is the price." Peter said to her, "How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also." At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events. (Acts 5:1-11 NIV)
The third area that is difficult to teach surrounds the use of the funds. In modern day United States of America, we assume that a church will have its own building. That is because this was the way God’s Church has functioned for much of Church history. In the beginning of the Church, however, this was not the case.
The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade. No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. (Acts 5:12-14 NIV)
Funds were used to feed those in distress and pay for God’s workers. They met wherever they could (Acts 2:46). They met in peoples houses (Romans 16:5; 1Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15). They met at the temple courts (Acts 5:20ff). They gathered together wherever God provided (Acts 5:42) and moved whenever they needed (Acts 8:1). The important part was the mission. They were focused on empowering one more to walk together with God – wherever they went and however they could. The largest single expense of most church budgets today doesn’t even show up in the New Testament picture. The mission, however, was accomplished throughout these early years. God’s Kingdom, the Church, grew as people walked by the Spirit and empowered even more.
Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. (Acts 9:31 NIV)
No comments:
Post a Comment