The Church's Service and Stewardship

The church: her
service and
stewardship

Monday 22 August 2011

Service = work performed for the
benefit of another. In this the OT
anticipates the NT - most OT doctrines
are found incomplete until the NT - this
is also seen in many other areas. In
service we see the OT type and NT
antitype (a person/thing that represents
the opposite of someone or something
else.).
God appointed service is performed by
a chosen priesthood - both OT and NT
e.g. 1 Peter 2:5-9. In the NT Jesus is
the great high priest and we are the
priesthood who serve God and man.

A. Her service toward God

OT service focussed around the tabernacle,
temple etc. - for us there is a broader
ministry to all believer-priests and to all
people.
1. OT and NT service of sacrifice is
very similar;
OT - born in the tribe of Levi -
ceremonially inducted - served as long as
he lived - ceremonially cleansed at the
start of ministry - EX 29:4
NT - believer wholly, once for all cleansed
at salvation - Col 2:13, Titus 3:5 - set
apart for God by new birth, of the family
of God - this is done willingly - Rom 12:1
- yielding to God, Eph 2:10


Here consecration to God takes place
through Christ - and is a fulfillment of
the OT type seen in the consecration of
the Levites by the priest.
Having been yielded to God the believer-
priest gets new power - Rom 12:2
NT priestly sacrificial service has 4
aspects:
a. Dedication of self - Rom 12:1 -
spiritual service
b. Sacrifice of continual praise - Heb
13:15
c. Sacrifice of substance - Phil 4:18
d. Sacrifice of good works - Heb 13:16


OT priests bathed when
entering service, an act
done by another - Ex 29:4
and then repeatedly in the
bronze laver before any
service - NT priest is
cleansed and forgiven but
confesses sin to remain in
fellowship with God -
1Jn1:8-9
OT priest appointed for life
- NT priest to God forever.


2. The service of worship - is done by
believer-priests as it was by OT priests.
OT worship shown in the furnishing of the
Holy Place, which were shadows of Christ
- NT worship is by and through Christ
alone.
Believer offers self to God in worship -
Rom 12:1 - giving praise and thanksgiving
from the heart - Heb 13:15
OT priests had 2 restriction - no strange
incense Ex 30:9 - and no strange fire -
Lev 10:1 - Chafer says these both have
symbolic meanings of formality in service
and fleshly emotions


3. Intercession is an important
believer-priest function - prophet is
God’s representative to the people, the
priest is the peoples representative to
God - OT the high priest alone entered
the Holy of Holies once each year -
now Christ has entered through his own
blood, and intercedes for his own in
the world - when Christ died the veil
was torn in two and the way is now
open to all who come to God through
him - and we can thus minister in
intercession.
Heb 9:7, 4:14-16, 9:24, 10:19-22, Rom 8:24,
Heb 7:25, Rom 8:26-27, 1Tim 2:1, Col 4:12


Romans 12:1-8 has a specific
structure: dedication - consecration -
then gifts given by God, a ministry of
the indwelling Spirit - the Spirit
performs a service using the believer
as an instrument - it is a
manifestation of the Spirit 1 Cor 12:7
- like character is a fruit of the Spirit.
There are diverse gifts and each
believer has some gift - 1 Cor 12:7,
Rom 12:6, Eph 4:7 etc.
There are some offices which all
believers perform - sacrifice, worship,
intercession etc.

B. Service toward man

Chafer suggests some representative
lists of gifts are seen in scripture -
Rom 12:6-8, 1 Cor 12:8-11, Eph 4:11 -
and that some gifts have ceased - 1
Cor 13:8 - he states the gifts are likely
to be as varied as the circumstances in
which believers are called to serve.
1 Cor 12:7, Jn 7:37-39, Eph 2:10
Spirit filled believers are continually
active in their gifts - this is done by a
life of confessing sin, yielding our lives,
depending on the indwelling Spirit - the
result of which is a desire to do God’s
ordained work in God’s way. You are
active in service because you are Spirit
filled.


Stewardship, says Chafer, relates to
earning, possessing and giving of
money. Rom 14:10-12 says we shall
all stand and be judged before
Christ.
1. Earning money must be done
in a way worthy of a relationship
with God.
1 Cor 10:31 - whatever you do...
Gen 3:19, 2 Thess 3:10 - all will
toil - but for a believer this is doing
the will of God, not just earning a
living - it is an appointment for, and,
to God.

C. Her stewardship

God cares for his people at all
times - he is committed to them
regardless of their earning power -
Phil 4:19, Heb 13:5 - for all a
believer has is from him 1 Sam 2:7
We might agree with a “boss” upon
a salary - Lk 10:27 - but for the
Christian doing the will of his
Father is the primary focus, an act
of devotion - in this way we
sanctify all we do for the glory of
God and rejoice forever more - 1
Thess 5:16


2. Possessing money is a great
responsibility for any sincere
Christian - there is great need and
great good that can be done - so we
have to ask seriously about our money
and property. All property should be
held / used at the control and leading
of the HSp.
Beware of the ways of men:
Desire to get rich - 1 Tim 6:8-9, 17-18,
James 1:11, Phil 4:11
Desire to provide for a day of need -
Matt 6:25-34
The desire to provide for others
All must done at HSp leading.


3. The giving of earned money
becomes an important aspect of
serving God - giving must stand on
your grace filled relationship with God -
give yourself and all you have to God -
2 Cor 8:5, 1 Cor 5:20, 7:23, 1 Pet
1:18-19
Tithing (and Sabbath day observance)
is never imposed on the believer - it
was part of OT law (which has now
been done away with) - so giving now
is based on grace, which is based on
god’s sovereignty over all a believer is
and has.
Chafer summarises Christian giving from
2 Cor 8:1-9:15


a. Christ was their pattern - he gave all not a
tenth - 2 Cor 8:9
b. Giving took place out of great poverty -
verse 2 - In the midst of a very severe trial,
their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty
welled up in rich generosity.
Remember Luke 21:1-4
c. Giving was not by command or necessity -
Law commanded giving and payment of such
was a necessity - God is looking at giving in
terms of the devotion of the giver - no % but
a yielded heart, Phil 2:13, 2 Cor 9:7 -Each of
you should give what you have decided in
your heart to give, not reluctantly or under
compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.


If a % is stipulated then some
would give to fulfill that, in a
begrudging way - not out of a
desire in their heart
Chafer suggests that Christ blessed
5 loaves etc. And fed 5,000 - so
when we have given then God will
make it abound - 2 Cor 9:8
d. The first believers gave
themselves before they gave money
- yield your life to God
e. The first Christians gave
systematically - 1 Cor 16:2 - give
regularly!


f. God sustains the giver
with resources here on
earth - 2 Cor 9:8-10,
Luke 6:38
Chafer suggests
blessings for giving are
not based on the % but
on the heart condition
of the giver - God
graciously acknowledges
all gifts given from the
heart, but the blessing
might be spiritual or
temporal as God
chooses.


g. True riches are from God;
You can be rich on earth and
not towards God, Lk 12:21,
We are urged to buy from Christ
gold which is tried in the fire,
Rev 3:18
Through the poverty of Christ in
his death we can be made rich 2
Cor 8:9
We can be rich in faith, James
2:5 - in good works, 1 Tm 6:18,
in the riches of his grace Eph
1:7 and in the riches of his glory
Eph 3:16


The Church's Service and Stewardship

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