Stewards of One Another

Acts chapter two we're going to read in couple verses from Acts two in just a few minutes but first title of our message today is stewards of one another. Our other text verse is this, Hebrews ten twenty four and twenty five and let us consider one another. What does the word consider mean? Well, let us think about each other and not just about ourselves. Let's consider one another.

To provoke, to encourage, unto love, and to good works. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is. But exhorting, encouraging, one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching. Let's go to the Lord in prayer once more. Dear heavenly father, thank you for your word today.

Thank you for the opportunity we have to worship you here and to exalt your name. We pray Lord that you indeed you would use your word by your spirit to draw us closer to you to open our eyes to help us to see areas that need to change that we might become better servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, our savior. Lord, we pray that you would be magnified and we pray Lord that you would do a mighty work today in each and every heart. In Jesus name, amen. Alright.

This verse we often use in reference to encouraging people to come to church, okay? And indeed, that is part of this this con this text here. The importance, God does command Christians to assemble together to worship him. It it is not a suggestion. It it is a command.

It is a clear expectation that our God has of us. I always, I talk to Christians and they say knock on their doors and ask them where you go to church. Well, I did you you know, and well, and then they look at me and they say, yeah, but you don't have to go to church to be a Christian. And the answer to that I say is yes and no. No, you don't have to go to church to be a Christian.

If you're a Christian, you have to do what? You have to obey God. You have to go to church. You must go to church. God says so in his word.

It is important to him and if it's important to him, then it should be important to who? It should be important to to us as well. But it isn't just coming to church that this verse is referencing. It is why we come to church. Why we gather together?

We gather together, yes, to worship the Lord but you can worship the Lord in your closet at home. Every time you bow your head to pray, you're doing what? You are worshiping the Lord but we are to worship him together publicly as well and that is important but coming together isn't only for the purpose of worshiping him. It is also for the purpose of helping each other, of exhorting one another, of teaching one another, of encouraging one another, of uplifting one another in fellowship, and in prayer, and in praise, and in teaching of God's word. And this is what we're going to look at this morning.

As we looked at our church covenant, we saw that we are supposed to be stewards of the local church. This is his church, not my church but he has made us not just me but all of us stewards of of this ministry and we all are responsible. We are stewards of the gospel. As members of Missouri Avenue Baptist Church but more importantly, as members of God's family, we have been entrusted with the gospel that brought salvation to us to take it out and not be ashamed of it but to proclaim it and share it with others because they need him too. We are stewards of our own families.

This church is made up of families. As the family goes, so goes the country but as the family goes, so also goes the what? It goes the church. If we don't take care of our families, then that affects our what? That affects our church as well.

We are stewards of God's testimony. As we walk through this world, you do not only do you represent your family, not only do you represent Missouri Avenue Baptist Church but more importantly, you represent who? The Lord Jesus Christ. And our lives should be lived in such a way both in private and in public. As to reveal the holiness and the love and the mercy of almighty God that we serve.

And so that is addressed in our church covenant as well. This morning, we will finish with this. We are also stewards of one another. I'm going to read the last section here in our church covenant. Paragraph, it is entitled toward one another.

We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love. To remember one another in prayer, to aid one another in sickness and distress, to cultivate Christian sympathy and feeling, and Christian courtesy in speech to be slow to take offense but always ready for reconciliation and mindful of the rules of our savior to secure it without delay. Moreover, we engage that when we remove from this place, we will as soon as possible unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and principles of God's word. As Christians, we should belong. To a Bible preaching.

Gospel preaching, proclaiming, church, where we can be stewards of one another. Are you responsible for the one sitting beside you? Or behind you or in front of you? Are you responsible for them? Well, you're not responsible for their faith.

Faith is a personal thing. You cannot have faith for somebody else. They must have faith of themselves. You are not responsible for their choices because you cannot make their choices for them. One of the founding principles of our country is liberty and that is that people have the right to make their own what?

Choices because God made us with a free will and an ability to make our own choices. Now, we also have to bear the consequences of those choices should we choose wrong. If we choose to reject Jesus Christ, the Bible is clear. He that believeth on him, Jesus is not condemned that he that believeth not is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God. We, you must have faith for yourself.

You can't have faith for someone else. You you're not responsible for their choices but you are responsible for their care. You are responsible to care about them. As members of a local church and as members of the body of Christ. We are responsible to care about our brothers and sisters in Christ.

In particular. Galatians six one and two. I think I have that up here. There it is. Brethren, if a man is overtaken in a trespass or fault, a sin.

You who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness or meekness considering yourself, lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. What does that verse tell us? What does that mean? Well, that means that my brother or sister struggles should be of concern to who?

They should be of concern to me. As one who loves and cares for them. Whether their struggles be physical emotional or in this case spiritual often times they're all interwoven together as a child of God and as a brother or sister in Christ I should be concerned about those struggles I should be concerned about what they're going through I am responsible here the Bible says to care about them. And to help them where I can. To get it right.

To keep them in prayer, to encourage them in the right, to let them know that I am here for them. Now, a lot of people think that well, that that is the responsibility of a pastor and yes, it is the responsibility of a pastor but it's not just the responsibility of a pastor. We've allowed the world and church quote unquote in centuries past and not the word of God but church tradition to define us. We are not clergy and laity. We are members one another.

We all have responsibility to care for each other, not just the clergy. John thirteen thirty four and thirty five. A new commandment I given to you that you want. Love one another. That you love one another.

As I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are my my disciples if you have what? Love one to another. Christ said to his disciples, you've read the 10 commandments and you've heard all the gobbly goop that the Pharisees and the religious leaders have added to it and they got Christ said they had replaced the commandments of God with the traditions of men. Jesus said, I have a new one for you.

I have a new one for you. Here's my commandment. Love one another. Love one another. Love one another as I have loved you.

And others will recognize that you are my child. When they see the love that you have for me and the love that you have for each other. You see, my brother, sister, and Christ, my fellow church members struggle is not their struggle alone. It's also my struggle. If I love them then their struggle becomes my struggle also.

If you have a family member that you love and that you're close to, when they are struggling, does not their struggle become your struggle? Isn't something that you are concerned about day after day? Do you not pray for them? Do you not seek to find some way to help them? As brothers and sisters in Christ, the struggles that others have around us, particularly those that we see and know, their struggles are also or should be of great concern to us.

I cannot, must not leave them to struggle alone. Christ ordained the church. Christ instituted the church Among other reasons because we need one another. Thank you, Steve. We need each other.

I need you. You need me. You need the person sitting in front of you or behind you to pray for you, to encourage you. When you're struggling. To be there to help as a as a family member, member of God's family, as a teammate, for their good and God's glory as as the good Samaritan that we read about last week.

As Christ Jesus, was for me. When he came to this earth and died on the cross for my sins. He cared for me and he said he has shed abroad that heart, that love in my heart that I might care and love those whom he loves also. And as Christ has loved me, the Bible says I am to love my wife but it shouldn't just stop there. We shouldn't stop with the confines of our intermediate family but we have a bigger family and if we are to serve the Lord together, if we are to grow in the Lord together, if we are to reproduce ourselves in the lives of others to the gospel, then, we must see the necessity of caring for one another.

I I have a neighbor down the street I was hoping he would come on Friend Day last week. He said he was going to but he did mention there could be a conflict and indeed I guess there was. He didn't make it. I won't give you his name just in case he shows up some Sunday and I hope he does. But he showed up in my front yard one evening about midnight.

And desperately asked for help. He had, I don't know if I had talked to him but he knew I was a pastor and he needed my help. I prayed with him. I I helped him in a couple different ways. About three weeks ago, I got a knock on my door and he was standing outside the door smiling and he said, I was just coming by the house and I I just wanted to stop and thank you.

I didn't know that I did all that much for him but I guess the Lord used it and he appreciated it and it's given me opportunity and I think will give me further opportunity to share with him more from the word of God as God works in his life and I'm not sure if he's saved or if he's not saved. I know he professes so to be. If indeed he is, he is my brother in Christ who needs help. And I should be there to help him. If he's not, he's a sinner who needs a savior.

And I should be there to help him. It's a fellow that showed up one day at the church, said he was having problems in his life. Wondered if I could talk with him. It took about a month but he came to know Christ as a savior. He is continue to go through some struggles in his personal life even after he was saved.

It was a privilege to be part of his life and to help him and I do believe there were others besides myself that helped him. Today, he is in Thailand and he went to Thailand to witness to his brother who needs Christ who is dying. If you know who I'm talking about, then remember him in your prayers. There was a young man in my church in Georgia where I was a youth pastor. He he came forward after revival service.

He said, Rick, he said, I don't know what to do. I was unfaithful to my wife. I know it was wrong. I've repented of it. What do I do?

He decided the best thing to do was to let his wife know and to deal with the consequences and they struggled for the next two or three years. We met once a week to have Bible study for the next two or three years. His name is Matt. You'll probably never meet him. He and his wife and family serve the Lord at Pensacola Christian College in Pensacola, Florida.

I could go on and on and on and on and on. God has given us one another and you have the same opportunities that I have in many respects. You have neighbors. You have others that you meet and talk to in church. Some who will open up to you that won't open up to me.

Very important. You are important and it is important that we remember that we are here for each other. Look if you would in Acts chapter two verses forty four and forty five. The the early church had some issues. You see, these Christians were Jews and these Jews had rejected Judaism.

They were ostracized from their society and community even though they still lived among them and many of them were in great need of help financially, physically, and that burden now fell upon the new church there in Jerusalem of believers vast majority of them who were in in need. In verse 44 of Acts two, it says, and all that believe were together and had all things common, sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as every man had need. What does that mean? Well, that means this, they recognize that the person in front of them, behind them, and beside them had a need. They were struggling in some aspect of their life and they chose not to close their eyes and their ears but they chose to open them.

They chose to care even though in some cases, it cost them. It cost them money. It cost them possessions. It cost them time. Like the good Samaritan and unlike the priest and the Levi, they stopped.

And they were willing to sacrifice to hell. God puts different people together and and we are different people. We're from different backgrounds. We have different economic classes. We're we're different.

Praise praise the Lord. He's put us together that we might help each other because all of us who know that Lord Jesus in particular have something to offer to others. Look if you would in Acts chapter four verse 34 to 37. We see the example of a man who you know is Barnabas. His actual name was Joseph or Joseph.

In verse 34 it says, neither were there any among them that lack for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the pieces of things that were sold. Laid them down at the apostles feet and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. Let me stop there for just a moment. I just want to say this. This is not communism, okay?

This is caring and there's two different things. These people were not under a law that said they had to do this. They were not required to do this. They saw a need and because of their love, many of them were willing to do this. They chose as a matter of liberty in Christ, not as a matter of law.

That's the kind of love that God expects us to have for one another. We have an example of one particular man here who I mentioned. Look in verse 36 and Joseph, who by the apostles was surnamed but what what would we say use instead of surname? And nick nickname actually. That that's that's the idea here.

His given name was Joseph but the apostles gave him another name and that name was Barnabas. They gave him that name because that name had a particular meaning, okay? It says, which is being interpreted what? The son of consolation. Now, what's consolation means?

It means encouragement. It means encouragement. They didn't call him Joseph. They gave him a nick name so to speak. They called him Barnabas and that name stuck and that's the name that most of you who have heard of him know him by.

The name Barnabas. They called him Barnabas because he was the living example, exemplification of that name, the son of encouragement. He took his responsibility as an encourager seriously and it came natural because as a child of God, God gave him love for his brethren. Barnabas went maybe a little beyond some others and it and it stuck out and so they called him son of encouragement and indeed that's what he was. Here, it says, he he had land and he sold it and gave it to the church to help others who were in need financially.

But that isn't where Barnabas ministry ends. No, this is just where Barnabas ministry begins. You see, it doesn't just end with with people's financial burden. But there are greater burdens and needs that people have besides paying their light bill for next month. And Barnabas took it to the next step and the next step and the next step.

You may have heard of a man named Saul of Tarsus. Anybody ever heard of Saul of Tarsus? We also know him by the name what? Paul. Paul, okay?

Now, in his case, I believe he actually had both names from birth. One was a Hebrew name and one was a Greek name and as he was a Jew born outside of Palestine, he had outside of Israel, he had two names, okay? But when we meet him, he's he's Saul of Tarsus. He is a persecutor of Christians but on the road to Damascus, he meets the Lord Jesus Christ and he's saved and he does a one eighty. In a matter of days or weeks, he becomes a preacher of the gospel that he once persecuted and sought to squelch.

He comes to Jerusalem where the apostles are after a time. It was several months, maybe even a year or two. He comes back to Jerusalem and guess who among the people there took a chance on Saul of Tarsus? Barnabas. Barnabas said, I'm going to take a chance on him.

See, apostles were maybe a little bit standoffish because hey, they knew who he was. He was the persecutor, not the preacher. And they feared. Maybe he's maybe he's doing this just to spy out. I I don't know.

But Barnabas took him in under his wing. Barnabas brought him to the other apostles Barnabas took a chance Later, Paul went back to Tarsus which is in today Turkey there to his hometown for a time. When Barnabas realized the church in Antioch which is in Syria needed some teachers. He remembered Paul. He went up to Tarsus.

He found Paul and he brought him back down to Antioch so he could be a teacher there. In the church at Antioch. And then, God called Paul and Barnabas to go out as missionaries and they left together. Barnabas, as, maybe not as well known as Paul. But just as important to God's plan.

Later on, Paul and Barnabas would have an argument. They would go their separate ways for a time because of a young man named John Mark. John Mark was Barnabas' nephew. He had talked Paul into taking John Mark with them on his first missionary journey but part the way in John Mark got cold feet and ran back home and Paul didn't want to take John Mark with him again but Barnabas did and so they went their separate ways and Barnabas took John Mark with him. Later on, I believe it's in second Timothy, Paul asked Barnabas to send John Mark to him.

For he said, he is useful or helpful, beneficial to me in the ministry. What an impact this man that isn't as well known as a lot of others in scripture but what an impact he had on the life of the greatest missionary that's probably ever been the apostle Paul and others. By the way, the second gospel in the New Testament, the book of Mark, guess who pinned those words? John, Mark. You see, you don't have to be a preacher or a pastor or an evangelist to have an impact for the kingdom of Christ.

All you have to do is be a child of God who cares. Like Barnabas and encourage others, help others pray for others In Romans chapter 14, if you'll turn there, turn if you would to Romans 14. Paul reminds us in Romans 14 and beginning verse 13, the responsibility that we have to one another. Romans 14 beginning in verse 13. Helps if I'm in the right book.

I turn to Acts 14 and it was talking about Jupiter and I'm thinking that's not the right verse. Alright. Let us not therefore judge one another anymore but judge this rather that no man put stumbling a block for an occasion to fall in his brother's way. I know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself but to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean to him it is unclean. Now, he's talking here about primarily about dietary restrictions that the Jews had to abide by under the old covenant but we're under the new covenant.

Therefore, nothing that you eat so to speak is unclean. Verse 15, but if thy brother be grieved with thy meat or food, now walkest thou not charitably, not kindly, lovingly. Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died. Let them not your good be evil spoken of. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy ghost.

For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after things which make peace and things wherewith one may edify or encourage or uplift another. For me destroy not the work of God all things indeed are pure but it is evil for that man who eateth with offense. It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine or anything whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended or is made weak. What is Paul saying here?

He's saying this, you are not just responsible for you, you are responsible in your actions to be aware of how your actions may be affecting a brother or sister in Christ and he said, while, for instance, in context here, as a new believer in Christ among Jews who had got saved, who still thought they needed to not eat pork for instance. When you invite them over to your house and you serve them pork, okay? You're putting a stumbling block before them. You're not helping them. You are responsible to care for them where they are and teach them and give them time and be patient That they might grow in their understanding and mature and their knowledge of the Lord.

Rather than flaunted right in front of their face. We have responsibilities to one another. We need to be careful. I've related the story on other occasions. I decided I would be cute in high school and went out bought a bottle of IBC root beer.

Anybody drank IBC root beer? It comes in a what? A brown bottle that just just like a beer bottle. Now, I haven't drank a drop of beer in my entire life. When I was a kid, my dad made me go out and collect beer cans from the side of the road to make a little money on the side and that cured me of ever having a desire to drink beer.

But I wanted to impress my friends and act cool. At the time IBC wasn't that well known and all people knew was I had a brown bottle and as I approached my Christian high school for a basketball game, I had three people stop me before I got in the door asking me what I was drinking and by the time I got in there, I wanted to crawl underneath the stands. I had a friend walk up to me. He had a McDonald's cup and he thought it was really cool that I was trying to be cool because he knew I wasn't cool. And then he opened up his McDonald's cup and let me have a whiff of the beer that was inside his McDonald's cup.

Boy, I really wanted to crawl under the pew. I had just reinforced the wrong thing by what I had done. And so, to this day, I don't walk around in public with an IBCer bottle in my hand because I will never forget. That young man went through about ten years of alcoholism before he got his life right and praise God he did. But I didn't help him that night.

I was too concerned about being cool and I didn't think about my brother in Christ. Turn if you would to Philippians chapter two. Philippians chapter two verses one through five. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Paul is basically saying, if your faith is real, if this isn't a put on, if Christ is real, if he's your savior, if he's your Lord, His spirit lives inside your heart. Verse two, fulfill you my joy that you be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind.

Let nothing be stunned through strife or vain glory but in loneliness of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you. Which was also in Christ Jesus. What kind of mind was that?

A mind of humility that didn't just care for self. It was willing to alter one's plans for the plans and the needs of others. We have plans. I'm going to do this. I'm going do that.

I need this. I need that. Are our plans too important? That they cannot be altered. To help a brother in need who has a flat tire, who needs some groceries, who needs a phone call, who would be encouraged if we stopped by.

Care enough to put their plans in front of yours. Be a Barnabas Be an encourager. You can't do that. If you don't take time to spend with people. Not just in church.

But also outside the church. Passage in Hebrews ten twenty four and twenty five isn't just talking about what's done when we assemble. But it's also something that should be a part of our everyday life In Acts two, we're told that the church broke bread from anybody know what goes sums after that? Broke bread from house to house. What does that mean?

That meant that they didn't walk out of the doors on Sunday morning and forget that their brothers and sisters in Christ were in need. They didn't forget to take time to fellowship with them. They stopped by their house. They checked on em. They helped them.

They prayed for them. James five five sixteen. Confess your faults one to another and what? Pray for one another. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Our responsibility extends outside of 11:00 to 12:00 on Sunday. For we belong to one another. And if we're going to act like a church and we're going to keep this covenant and we're going to follow the word of God then we must choose to care about what happens to people Monday through Saturday and not just what happens between eleven and twelve on Sunday. Make phone calls, get together, hang around after church. The pastor should not be the only one calling visitors or making visits or witnessing or sending birthday cards, checking up on who's missing or going out of the way to welcome people into the church.

People expect the pastor to do that. God expects his children to do that. And there's nothing more encouraging to visitors. Somebody walks from one end of the night of auditorium to the other to say hello. When somebody takes time to give them a call and say thank you for visiting our church.

And you don't have to have a church program to do that. All you need to have are some caring church members. I have their visitor information. Just come and ask. I will be glad to share it with you.

What is Christ command? John thirteen thirty four and thirty five, a new commandment I give unto you. That you love one another as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples. If you have love.

One to another. How much did Christ love us? How much does Christ love you? He left heaven's glory. He came and he died on the cross for your sins.

That he might make you part of his family. He went out of his way to die not for a good man or a righteous man but a wicked man and that man was me. That he might offer me that which I didn't deserve and can never never pay back Salvation and forgiveness for all my sins and eternal life in Christ Jesus and he did that for you. You're here today and you've never trusted Christ as savior. Behold, today is the day of salvation.

Come as we sing. Meet this savior. We'll introduce you to him this today. That you might be saved. And become part of his family.

And if you're here Christian, I think maybe all of us can do a little better job and be a little more concerned about each other. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for the opportunity we have not only to worship you and praise your name but to praise and worship you through the service of one another. And Lord, I pray that we wouldn't be so quick to run out the door. Or so unconcerned about others that throughout the week, the only people we think about are ourselves or our immediate family but Lord that we would consider those who showed up last Sunday for Friend Day or this Sunday or will show up next week.

It might be concerned about those who we noticed were missing. Give them a call that we might brighten their day by sending them a birth card, a birthday card in the mail. That we might uphold them in our prayers. That we might be willing to take a chance and try to help them with a problem. Lord, give us wisdom, give us love, and help us Lord to shed the pride.

That keeps us all bound up in our own lives. So unconcerned about others so many times. Lord, thank you for the opportunity to be part of this church and thank you for those who do care and have shown it and continue to do so. Lord, help us to do better. In Jesus name, amen.