Christ Church

Dealing With Discouragement

Joe Harby on

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Introduction

Although the occasions can be many, there are two basic reasons for discouragement—internal and external. The internal occurs when for some reason we have given way to sin, and the external occurs when we are buffeted by circumstances, as Job was, but without sin. And, of course, it is possible to get discouraged in both ways. How are we to understand this? How are we to respond to it?

The Text

“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God” (Ps. 42:11).

Summary of the Text

We have dealt with this psalm in detail before, and so here we will just consider the implications of this one verse. First, the psalmist presupposes that the condition of peace is normal. He is cast down and disquieted, and he wants to know the reason why. This disturbance of his soul is the thing that requires explanation. “Why are you cast down?” he asks himself (v. 11). Second, the psalmist remonstrates with himself. He talks to himself, which is a good alternative to listening to himself. He preaches to himself, and it is a convicting sermon. Third, he comes to a pointed exhortation, commanding himself to hope in God. Not only this, but he anticipates that he will in fact obey the command, for he will in the future praise God.

False Comfort

When we speak peace to our hearts, we can do it in accordance with the Scriptures, or we can do it in accordance with our own pipe dreams. For example, someone who has become and idolater by turning away from the Lord can speak peace to his own heart, in his own name and on his own authority. “And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst” (Dt. 29:19). What I am declaring here are the words of the gospel, and the gospel does not sew cushions for sin.

Triune Peace

Remember that your salvation has occurred because God has included you in His triune life. The gospel is triune, just like the God who established the gospel. And this is why peace for your distress is triune peace. What do I mean? God the Father has declared that the comfort of peace is to be announced to us (Is. 40:1-2). Christ has become our peace by His own blood (Eph. 2:13-14). And why would the Father not give to us what Christ has purchased for us? And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Christ so that He might comfort those who mourn, that He might bind up the brokenhearted (Luke 4:18). Because Christ died, the executor of His testament is the Holy Spirit. Remember then, when you are struggling with discouragement, that Father, Son, and Spirit, are all engaged on your behalf.

Discouragement in Sin

One reason why Christians are discouraged in their attempts to live the Christian life is that they are attempting to run the race with cords around their feet, and a 150 pound backpack on (Heb. 12:1). And so the way out of discouragement in sin is repentance. Discouragement in such cases is disciplinary, and God’s hand is heavy upon you for a reason. Make sure to repent the sin all the way down to its foundations, and secondly, make sure to repent of the right sin. Don’t go snipe hunting in your conscience.

Discouragement in Afflication

But don’t make the mistake of thinking that hard circumstances mean that you must have sinned. This was the error of Job’s failed comforters (Job 2:11), and it was the error of the disciples concerning the man born blind (John 9:2-3). But at the least, every trial contains a temptation to murmur, an invitation to think that the God of universe has bungled matters when it comes to your case. But God does all things perfectly well (Rom. 8:28).

Two Advocates

When Christians sin, or when they struggle with affliction, there is an accuser of the brethren in heaven who accuses them there. But, thanks to God, we have an Advocate there on our behalf. Christ is our attorney, defending us before the Father (1 Jn. 1:1-2). But the devil does not just accuse you in the heavenly courts—he also accuses you to you. What kind of Christian do you think you are? We have an Advocate on earth, as well as in heaven (John 14:16). The same word describes the office of the Son and the Spirit. Whether you stand accused in heaven or on earth, you have a court-assigned defender. And neither the Son nor the Spirit have ever lost a case. “How could they get me off ?’ you might wonder. “I’m guilty.” They successfully defend sinners like you and me because they never, ever argue from your virtues or mine. Their case presupposes our guilt. They always plead the blood of Christ, shed on earth, and then they plead the blood of Christ, sprinkled on the altar of heaven.

Pictures of Your Peace

The Puritan William Bridge pictured it this way. First, distinguish the money in your bank account, and the money in your wallet. There is your basic, foundational wealth, and there is the money you have on you. If you are mugged, then the thieves can only take what you have on your person. They cannot get at your bank account, which is not on you. In the same way, a hard day can only disturb that day’s peace. You have a fundamental peace that a rainy day cannot touch (Rom. 5:1). Second, distinguish peace in the seed and peace in the flower. Often peace in the seed looks like trouble. When you were converted, you were now troubled over things that never bothered you before. Don’t be troubled over that kind of trouble. And third, distinguish peace from a distance, where you can only see the dancing, and everybody looks crazy, and peace up close, when you can hear the music.

The peace of God is a guardian, a fence, but it does not encircle your vices and sins. Rather, your hearts and minds are protected by the peace of God, which passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7).

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Romans 65: The Commandment Of The Everlasting God (16:21-27)

Joe Harby on

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Introduction

We now come to the final blessing, the final benediction. In this letter, Paul has given us a mere synopsis of his gospel, and that synopsis is overwhelming. If the entire gospel were to be laid out for us all at once, we would be crushed by the glory of it. Never forget that God is in the universe business; we are not servants of some local baal or tribal deity. As Thomas Chalmers once put it, “Regardless of how large, your vision is too small.” Far too small.

The Text

“Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you. I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord. Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen” (Rom. 16:21-27).

Summary of the Text

Paul has sent his greetings to his friends in Rome, and he now sends greetings from those who are with him. He begins with Timothy, Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater (v. 21). Paul’s secretary, the man who did the actual writing of Romans, a man named Tertius, sent his greetings (v. 22). Gaius, the host of this apostolic entourage, and of the whole church as well, sent his greetings (v. 23). Erastus, a city official, presumably of Corinth, sent his greetings, as did a brother named Quartus (v. 23). Paul appends a benediction to this set of greetings (v. 24). He then turns to deliver a powerful benediction, one encompassing all of them, in accordance with all that he has said thus far (v. 24). He commends everything to Him who has the power to establish the Romans according to Paul’s gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, and this in accordance with the revealing of the mystery, a mystery kept secret from the beginning of the world (v. 25). But that which had been hidden is now made manifest (v. 26). That which was secret is now made known to all nations (so that they might obey) by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God (v. 26). We render glory to the only wise God, and we do so through Jesus Christ, and we will do so forever (v. 27). And amen (v. 27).

Apostolic Entourage

You can learn a lot about the center by looking at the group standing around it. You can learn a lot about Paul by looking at the kind of men he collects to work with him. Just as Jesus gathered disparate characters—like Levi the tax collector and Simon the John Bircher—so also with Paul. Timothy had been his co-laborer for many years. We don’t know much about Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater. All we know about Tertius is that he worked as a secretary taking dictation, and that the apostle Paul dictated this letter. Paul was hosted by Gaius, but he was a most hospitable man. He hosted the whole church. There was Quartus, another man we know nothing about, and Erastus, a city official. His position is described as, literally, city economist, probably the treasurer. We can see from this that the Pauline strategy for the Roman Empire as a whole was “infiltration without compromise,” and not, as some would have it, “separation for the sake of perfection.” This kind of thing happens naturally if we pray for, and evangelize, everybody (1 Tim. 2:1-2; Acts 26:29). Politics is dirty, sure enough, but so are monasteries. So is dirt, but we still walk around on it.

Kept Secret in the Types

For the apostle Paul, a mystery is not something we do not yet know. It was something that was not widely or fully known from the creation to the resurrection of Jesus. Some, like angels and prophets, knew it partially (1 Pet. 1: 10-12), but for the most part God kept His plans for the world hidden away in secret. How did He do this? How is it now manifest?

When Christ rose from the dead, and His followers went out to preach that resurrection, they were not simply reporting on a remarkable fact, but were also preaching Christ as the great Antitype of all the types and shadows. When Paul refers to the “mysteries,” he is talking in part about Adam, and David, and Sarah and Hagar, and Abraham and all the other types (1 Cor. 4:1; 1 Cor. 13:2; Eph. 3:9; Eph. 5:32; Col. 1:26-27). A typological reading of the Old Testament is certainly dangerous—and absolutely necessary to the health of gospel preaching. In order to guard ourselves against fantastical interpretations, what do we do? How do we stick close to the interpretive shore? Christ is the shore, and the Scriptures of the prophets are the map. And if it is not aimed at the obedience of faith for all the nations, then it is an erroneous reading of the text.

Eternity in their Hearts

Christians are to be established by the gospel, and not by middle age. Christians are to feed on the preaching of Jesus Christ, Lord of Heaven and earth, and they are to glory in the sweep of God’s redemptive design for the whole world.

God has established eternity in the heart of man. He has put the world in our heart, and He does not want us settling for the petty (Ecc. 3:11). We are certainly to glory in the mundane, knowing that nothing is really ever mundane. So why are so many submerged in their pettiness, and blowing bubbles in it? God created you for more. Lift up your heads.

You will live forever. Shouldn’t your goal be loftier than getting teen-aged boys to look at your body at the pool? How hard could that be? God intends that you be more than a curvy little dope. Shouldn’t your goal be more noble than getting the papers from this side of the desk to that side of the desk? God intended that you do more with your life than just shuffle stuff around. Shouldn’t you be less concerned about the muddy footprints your kid left on the entry mat, and more concerned about the muddy footprints you are leaving on his heart? God intended for you to be great in the law of kindness. We are all of us small, but we were not designed to be petty.

And nothing better than the book of Romans to lift you up out of yourself. Amen and amen.

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Romans 64: The God Of Peace Who Crushes (16:17-20)

Joe Harby on

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Introduction

In this small portion of the last chapter of Romans, the apostle arranges a number of profound and important truths. If we have eyes to see the sweep of redemptive history, we will get it. If we do not, then we are missing some crucial aspects of the gospel.

The Text

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen” (Rom. 16:17-20).

Summary of the Text

Paul then pleads with the Romans, and what he asks them to do is identify those who are schismatic, and to have nothing to do with them (v. 17). These are men who, despite their presence within the church, do not serve Jesus Christ, but rather worship their own belly (v. 18). They are deceptive and dangerous (v. 18). Paul knows that the obedience of the Roman church is known to all men (v. 19), and he is glad for this. But at the same time, he has a caution for them—they should be good-wise and evil-simple (v. 19). If they are, then the God of peace will fulfill His glorious promise (Gen. 3:15) through them, and bruise Satan under their feet shortly (v. 20). Paul then pronounces a benediction over them (v. 20).

Division and Dividers

There is a kind of simplistic liberalism that wants to evaluate everything as though right and wrong were not real categories. So if you strike a child, they say, you are simply teaching them violence. Actually, if you spank with a sense of love and justice, then when you spank, you are actually teaching your son not to clock his little sister over the head with his plastic fire truck. This is faux-profundity, like those who think that pro-lifers who support capital punishment are being inconsistent. Let’s see, we support executing the guilty after a fair trial, and oppose executing the innocent who never get a trial. Right, wrong? Guilt, innocence? These are strange words. You tell me who’s being inconsistent.

So they say that if you follow what the apostle says here, and you divide from those who cause divisions, then have you not joined them? Hmmm? But in the world God made, the antithesis is inescapable. This means that you must divide the way God says, or you will divide in another, destructive way. We do not have the option of “not dividing.” We will either divide from the schismatics, or we will divide from those who love Christian unity. There are no other options. There is no way to love the wolves without hating the sheep, and vice versa.

Note the character of these schismatics. First, they cause divisions and offenses. Right and wrong—some are guilty and some are innocent. We are responsible to know which are which. Second, God has given us a way to do this. The measuring rod is the “doctrine” that we “have learned.” What does the Bible say? Third, though these people are in the church they are not of the church. They do not worship Jesus Christ. They do not serve Christ, but rather they serve their own bellies. The rumbling of those bellies gives unction to their eloquence, and so with smooth flatteries, they deceive the hearts of the simple. Anyone who believes that these belly gods have disappeared from the church since Paul’s day is not paying attention . . . or is one of them.

The Right Kind of Simple

Paul says that these smooth talkers deceive the hearts of the simple. And yet in the next breath, he wants our hearts to be a certain kind of simple—simple with regard to evil. We are to be wise in what is good, and simple in the convolutions of evil. Keep it simple. Love God, hate sin. Read the Bible, love your neighbor. Trust in Jesus. Love the good people, fight the bad people. Enroll in the graduate schools of goodness, and repeatedly flunk the kindergartens of sin. In the devil’s kindergarten, you should not even be able to figure out how to hold the crayons.

The God of Peace is a Warrior

The glorious promise of verse 20 is packed with implications that we must draw out. First, we conquer evil, crushing it, bruising it, because the God of peace enables us to do so. Remember the earlier point about dividing from division. There is no contradiction when the God of peace crushes the serpent head of all discord. Peace is brought into this sorry world by means of conquest, and not with a therapeutic group hug. Secondly, notice how Paul shows that the Messianic promise that the seed of the woman would bruise the serpent’s head is a promise that is not limited to Jesus Himself. It is partially fulfilled by means of the body of Christ—it is “your feet.” Third, Paul says that this will happen “shortly.” The Roman Christians he was writing to did not have to wait for the Day of Judgment for this to happen. Fourth, we see here how Satan is connected by the New Testament writers with the events in the Garden of Eden. Genesis doesn’t mention Satan by name, but Paul places him there. Other writers do the same (1 Jn. 3:10, 12; Rev. 20:2). And fifth, the fulfillment of this promise is connected to the instructions he has just given. If we mark and identify the sowers of discord, pursuing goodness with deep and profound wisdom, and avoiding evil with a very simple revulsion, then what? Then the God of peace is at work in our midst, and He will use our feet to crush the serpent’s head.

Good Words and Fair Speeches . . . from Satan

Emissaries of Hell don’t show up at your door like they were straight out of a zombie movie. They don’t say, “Hello, I am here from the devil, and I have come to lead you astray. Come with me to the hellish inferno.” Satanism is not characterized by severed goats’ heads, pentagrams on the floor, troubled teenagers, and guttering candles. Jesus was tempted to become a Satan worshipper (Matt. 4:8) , and He was tempted by something glorious. The apostle Paul tells us that Satan is an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), and it is no wonder if his ministers come off looking like ministers of righteousness (2 Cor. 11:15). So what does not crush disturbances in the church? It is the conviction that certain people have that their wants and desires are right, righteous, true, and holy. They don’t want that deeper right than being right. The only serpent they want to be crushed is out there.

But the godly plea is this—bruise in us the serpent’s head.

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Romans 63: Phoebe Our Sister (16:1-16)

Joe Harby on

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Introduction

In this last chapter of Romans, Paul says his farewells, gives various greetings, and does so in a way as to teach us many invaluable things. Some might wonder what kind of message we might get out of a passage in which Paul basically says hi to everyone the Roman church phone directory, but we have to remember that all Scripture is profitable.

The Text

“I commend unto you Phoebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea: 2 That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also . . .” (Rom. 16:1-16).

Summary of the Text

Paul commends to the Romans a woman named Phoebe, who was probably the messenger who carried the letter to the Romans. As valuable trusts go, this was probably one of the most important missions in the history of the church. She is called a sister, and is identified as a “servant” of the church at Cenchrea (v. 1). In the next verse, Paul urges them to give her a saints’ welcome, and to assist her in whatever business she might need to use them. She had been a great help to many, Paul included (v. 2). Greet Priscilla and Aquila, Paul’s helpers in Christ (v. 3), who risked their lives for Paul (v. 4). Greet their house church (v. 5), along with Epaenetus, the first convert in Achaia (v. 5). The greetings are then extended to Mary (v. 6), Andronicus and Junia (v. 7), Amplias (v. 8), Urbane and Stachys (v. 9), Apelles and the household of Aristobulus (v. 10), Herodian and the household of Narcissus (v. 11), Tryphena, Tryphosa and Persis (v. 12), Rufus and his mother (v. 13), Ayncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes and the brothers with them (v. 14), Philogus and Julia, Hereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints with them (v. 15). Paul then tells them to greet one another with a holy kiss (v. 16), and says that the churches of Christ salute them (v. 16).

Some Details About the Names

Paul is greeting a number of the saints who are there at Rome, and it is striking how many of them he knows—and it appears a number of them quite well. I take v. 7 as saying “notable among the apostles” as opposed to “notable apostles,” as Junia is a woman’s name. These saints were converts out of paganism, as most had common names for that culture and others had the sorts of names that a Christian mom would not have given—such as Hermes or Olympas. Paul refers several times to kinsmen (vv. 7, 11), and that he and Rufus had the same (unnamed) mother. These are most likely like kin, and not actual relatives. But who knows? After all, a nephew shows up in Paul’s life around this time (Acts 23:16).

The Value of Labor

We can see how close Paul is to these people. We can also see how he got close to them—for Paul, labor and sacrifice were at the center of his value system. Phoebe was a great help to many (v. 2). Priscilla and Aquila put their necks on the line (v. 4). Mary was a hard worker (v. 6). Urbane was a helper in the Lord (v. 9). Tryphena and Tryphosa labored in the Lord (v. 12). Persis labored much in the Lord (v.12)

We were created for work. The fall into sin makes that work harder, true enough, but it also gives us more that we have to do. We should gather up the kind of friends that Paul had, and get to work.

The Church at Their House

The church at Rome was actually a cluster of churches. One of them met at the home of Priscilla and Aquila (v. 5). It is possible that a couple of others met at the homes of Narcissus and Aristobulus, who may have been unbelievers since there were not greet by name. Two other groups are mentioned in vv. 14-15. At this point in history, there were no church buildings, and so the singular church at Rome (which Paul could write one letter to) was actually a collection of churches. Paul could write to them, give a number of greetings to the saints in different gatherings, expecting them to be able to see one another in order to pass on those greetings. Geographical separation, whether or Paul across the ocean or the other Roman saints who were across town meeting at the Best Western, is not a separation in fellowship.

Phoebe Our Sister

Phoebe is called a number of things, from which we learn a great deal. She is “our sister” (v. 1), she is a servant (diakonos) of the church at Cenchrea, clearly serving that church in some sort of official capacity. She was the one who delivered the letter to the Romans, and Paul instructs them to help her out now that she is in Rome (v. 2). The word translated in the AV as “succourer” is a word that means benefactress or patronness. She was clearly wealthy, and came from the eastern port of Corinth (Cenchrea), a place that had been about six miles east of Corinth, and is now underwater. The word diakonos as it is used here can either denote a formal office, or it can simply mean a generic “helper” or servant. Given Phoebe’s prominance, and the importance of the help, it seems that the former is meant. But it does not follow from this that the church at Cenchrea had a deacon board, and that women were on it. To reason that way is anachronistic.

A Holy Kiss

Speaking of anachronism, some Christians take Paul’s reference to the kiss here to mean that Christians are required to greet each other in some special liturgical fashion, i.e. with a liturgical kiss, or a “holy” kiss. Others, like myself, would want to say that your greetings, such as they are and how they function, should be holy. Your kiss, or your handshake, or your Christian side hug, should be holy. They would want to point out that Paul has just finished a long list of ordinary greetings, and he then urges them to greet one another (using the same word)—and to do so in holiness. In other words, a woman could be eligible to be enrolled as a widow, even if she had never, ever washed any of the saints’ feet (1 Tim. 5:10). As we make cultural transpositions, we must always remember the difference between principles and methods.

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Romans 62: The Ministry of Fundraising (15:22-23)

Joe Harby on

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Introduction

We have noted before that the book of Romans is a fundraising letter. The fact that it is so strikingly different from modern Christian fundraising letters tells us all we need to know about the attitude of the modern church to money . . . and to the gospel.

The Text

“For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you. But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you; Whensoever I take my journey into Spain . . .” (Rom. 15:22-33),

Summary of the Text

Since Paul did not plant the church in Rome, his desire not to meddle with another man’s foundation had kept him from visiting the Roman church (v. 22). But now, done with his current work, and because he could hit Rome on the way to Spain, he thought to indulge a desire of many years and visit them now (vv. 23-24). But before heading west, Paul was going to go to Jerusalem first (v. 25). His ministry there was a financial one, delivering a contribution from Macedonia and Achaia (v. 26). The Gentiles of Greece had an obligation to do this, because they were beneficiaries of the spiritual inheritance of the Jews (v. 27). After Paul had performed this duty, what he called a “sealing of fruit,” he intended to visit Rome on his way to Spain (v. 28; cf. Rom. 1:8-15). He clearly would love the support of the Romans in this endeavor. When he comes, he is sure that he will do so in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel (v. 29). Paul then beseeches their prayer support (v. 30) for his pending trip to Judea. He asks for three things. The first is that he would be spared from the unbelievers of Judea (v. 31). The second is that his financial ministry would be acceptable to the saints there (v. 31). The third is that his subsequent trip to Rome would result in mutual refreshment and joy in the will of God (v. 32). Paul then finishes with a benediction (v. 33).

Paul’s Unknown Travels

We have already noted that this letter was written in the mid-fifties. As we can read in the book of Acts, this trip that Paul was requesting prayer for was a trip that in fact needed a great deal of prayer. He was received by the saints gladly (Acts 21:17), meaning one of his requests was answered. But the unbelievers he mentioned here successfully got a tumult going (Acts 21:27-28), with the result that Paul was arrested/rescued by a centurion. Held for a time by Felix and then Festus, Paul eventually appealed to Caesar, and was shipped off to Rome (Acts 27:1). The book of Acts ends with Paul under house arrest (Acts 28:30-31), and we are still in the fifties. According to Clement of Rome, a friend of Paul’s, the apostle “taught righteousness to the whole world, having traveled to the limits of the west” (1 Clement 5:7). This refers to Spain, and possibly Britain. Paul wasn’t executed by Nero until the persecution broke out in 64 A.D., so it is safe to presume that Paul was released after the end of Acts, made his way west, and was subsequently rearrested.

A Different Kind of Fundraising

Paul knows the necessity of fundraising. He also knows and fully understands the necessity of not doing it in a way that discredits the gospel. Indeed, the gospel is to be honored and spread by this means, and Paul knows that in order for the Romans to support his work with a clean conscience, he needed to set the gospel he preached before them, and he does so by means of a full synopsis.

Unlike so many, Paul says, he is not a huckster peddling the Word of God (2 Cor. 2:17). So many? That is a telling indictment, and we still need to be reminded of it today. At the same time, to walk away from the responsibility of raising money is to be negligent in ministry. The people of God need to be taught these financial principles. Consider how often Paul addresses it. The one taught should share all good things with the one who teaches (Gal. 6: 6-9). The spiritual nature of ministry does not mean that it runs on air (1 Cor. 9:7, 14).

Generosity in financial matters is a spiritual form of farming (2 Cor. 9:6-7). At the same time, it is important to avoid any appearance of impropriety (2 Cor. 8:20). Paul is exceptionally sensitive at this point (Phil. 4:17), but not so sensitive that he withholds the truth from Christians (Phil. 4:10).

The Fellowship of Money

The word used for “contribution” in Rom. 15:26 is the word for fellowship, koinonia. A verb form of the same root is used in Phil. 4:14, when he says that the Philippians shared with him in his trouble. He does the same in Gal. 6: 6. When Paul takes the gift from Greece to Jerusalem, he does so in order to minister to them. The word is related to diakonos, and refers to service ministry. And the word for the Gentiles ministering in v. 27 is another word we discussed before—leitourgos. This whole subject has to do with religious and priestly service.

Now whenever finances are brought up in a sermon, it is often the case that all God’s people say, uh oh. But all I need to say here is that as a congregation you have been extraordinarily generous with your time, your expertise, your money, your hands, and your homes. The only exhortation I would give you is to make sure you don’t grow slack in this privilege, and that you redouble your efforts to do all this more and more (1 Thess. 4:1,10). There are profound blessings here. To have the reputation of a generous people is good, but not good enough. You should want to be more generous than that.

Guilt-Edged Securities

As believers devoted to generosity, we don’t want to save up guilt-edged securities. Gilt is superficial, but guilt goes all the way down and contaminates everything. You have heard many times that guilt is a poor motivator in giving. But notice what happens when we move this whole subject into the sanctuary. We confess our sins at the beginning of the service, and we hear the words of peace spoken over us from God. That means that when the offering is brought forward, the whole thing is a delight. The offering is part of the consecration offering, and is not part of the guilt offering. Jesus made that offering for us.

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