Stewardship of Our Church Family

Introduction:

1. One aspect of being a Christian that we don’t want to loose is the reality of being a part of the body of Christ

- There are two aspects of that body or the church (called out ones):

1) What’s known as the UNIVERSAL church – i.e. all believers anywhere it the world (Note: The ‘universal’ church is NOT a decision making body as is the local church –see below)

> that is one thing about being a Christian that has always amazed me – especially as I travel and/or we host conferences here at FBC – I can meet a person on an airplane, in another state, from another country and IMMEDIATELY make a friend because they are part of the Body of Christ, the Church, the Family of God – that person is my brother or sister!

- The other aspect of the body of Christ is . . .

2) The LOCAL church – the group of called out ones in a local setting who have the authority to send out missionaries, to be ordain a pastor to be a shepherd, to make decisions as a congregation (e.g. church discipline – 1 Cor. 5; election of Deacons, etc.)

> The local church is the one that is most mentioned in the NT – context determines which is being referred to – the local or the universal

• Matthew 16:18 I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

> Church here is NOT one local church – Jesus was not referring to only one church, but the entire body of Christ or the ‘called out ones’

(evkklhsi,aecclasia, = church, congregation; assembly)

• 1 Corinthians 1:2 To the church [same word as Matthew 16] of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling. . .

> But is referring to a specific part of the body, i.e. the church of God AT CORINTH!

Input: When you think of the advantages of being a part of a church family, what comes to your mind?

2. Many churches are loosing the flavor of being a ‘Church Family’ – brothers/sisters in Christ united in a common goal of . . . winning people to Jesus Christ and equipping them to be more faithful disciples!

- summarized in Matthew 28:19-20; Ephesians 4:11-16

3. Since this is Stewardship Month, we wanted to make sure we emphasized the joy, privilege, and responsibility of being a part of a church family.

> Faith Baptist Church is not the buildings or the land – those are resources, and very temporal!

> Faith Baptist Church is the PEOPLE – God the Holy Spirit dwells each individual who knows Jesus Christ as his/her Lord and Savior (1 Cor. 6:19-20), not in any building

4. We want to be good stewards of our Church Family – both in how we benefit from being a part of a church family AND what responsibilities we have as a result of being a part of a church family!

5. Let’s do a quick review of . . . .

1. Definition of Stewardship

Stewardship = God-given responsibility with accountability!

- That responsibility applies to all areas of life – not just money

- Stewardship applies to ALL areas of life – of our Church Family, [Next: Thanksgiving]

- Secondly, we need to ask what exactly is a steward?

2. What Is a Steward?

Input: Can someone explain the biblical concept of a steward? [use the following statement]

“In Bible times, because of limited means of travel, householders (men who owned large farms or livestock) would often be gone from their land for long periods of time. In their absence, they would appoint one of their servants to manage the business. This person was responsible for his master’s household and was to consistently manage it just as the householder would if he were there. This important position was described as a steward. As Christians, God has called us stewards.

Major Point: We do not choose to become stewards; we are stewards! The question is, “What kind of steward are you?”

- Review the Four Factors of Stewardship

3. There Are Four Important Factors in Stewardship

#1: God Owns Everything, and I Own Nothing.

• 1 Corinthians 4:7 For who regards you as superior? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

#2: God Entrusts Me with Everything I Have.

- The text doesn’t say that the master gave his possessions to the steward for the steward to keep for himself – he entrusted the steward

#3: I Am Responsible to Increase What God Has Given to Me. I May Increase It or Diminish It.

#4: God Can Call Me into Account at Any Time.

• 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

4. Stewardship of Our Church Family

- There are about 60 uses of the term “one another” throughout the NT [see handout]

[Skim over the document] – We’re going to take about 3 of these and apply to our church!

- I want to start by asking a question:

A. Where Does the Idea of ‘One Another’ Get Its Foundation?

- It goes back to Genesis 1 – the references to the Trinity

> The uses of the word God are plural AND the references to the Trinity are very obvious:

• Genesis 1:2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.
• Genesis 1:26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness . . ."

- Add to that the NT reference to Jesus being the Creator:

• John 1:3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
• Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth . . .

Point: The Trinity is the picture of the perfect relationship!

- Part of man being made in the image of God is this: Man is a relational being – like God!

- Any relationship such as marriage, a church family, a friendship finds its roots in the relationship of the members of the Godhead (Father, Son, Spirit).

- But Genesis 3 messed all that up – the idea of a perfect relationship between God and man was marred

Note: But thank the Lord for Gen. 315 – a reference to the Messiah and His sufferings

• Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.

- It is only in Christ that any relationship can be renewed or function as God intended!

B. The Body of Christ Ministering to Each Other

- God has given a set of commands in the Scriptures that deal with the body relationship between believers

- These commands from God instruct all believer to be actively involved in ministering to one another.

- It is only as the body ministers to itself that there can be a truly healthy body, functioning as God has designed

- What I’d like to do is this: Break you up into small groups and have you work on this together

- You can follow the following steps:

1) Read the verse that gives you the ‘one another’ reference.

2) Read what that specific idea means

3) Determine what aspect of the nature of God would merit our obedience to that idea –

[Example: “Confess your faults one to another” – God’s holiness and righteousness would merit our obedience to this, as well as His grace and mercy which make it possible]

4) Discuss 3-5 ways put that specific ‘one another’ into practice and thereby be a good steward of your church family.

[Example: Confess your faults one to another – handle problems quickly when you sin, keep short sin accounts with others in the church family, admit you’re wrong]