Stewards of One Another

Take your Bibles, turn to Acts chapter two. Acts chapter two. And we are going to read verses 42 through 47. Acts two forty two through 47. This is concerning the first church in Jerusalem In verse 42, it says, and they continued steadfastly in the apostle doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers.

And fear came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles and all that believed were together and had all things common and sold their possessions and goods and part of them to all men as every man had need and they continuing daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. Praising God and having favor with all the people and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Let's go to the Lord in prayer once more. Lord, thank you for your word today. Thank you, thank you Lord for the privilege.

Of proclaiming it. Lord, of worshiping you here. We pray that Jesus Christ would be exalted. We pray that we would be challenged in your service as your church to serve you and one another this coming year. Thank you for that privilege and that opportunity.

Help us Lord to make the best of it. We pray. In Jesus name, amen. My title this morning is stewards of one another. Bible says, is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.

All that God asks is for us to be faithful. He knows our weaknesses, our strengths, he knows our talents, he knows the gifts that he has given to us. He just asked that we be faithful. Faithful stewards of the local church which is the main context of this passage and of our sermon this morning. Stewards of the gospel that he has entrusted to us to go out and proclaim to the world that they might hear the word of God and be saved.

Stewards of the families that God has given to us. Stewards of God's testimony and his glory. Stewards of one another. Are you responsible for the one sitting there beside you or behind you or in front of you? Yes or no?

You're not responsible for their faith. That is between them and the Lord. It would be nice if we could have faith for them. They must choose to believe. You are not responsible for their choices.

You are not responsible for their judgments. But you are responsible for their care. That is you are responsible to care for them. And we'll see how clear the Bible makes that as we look at some of our text today. But before we continue, something that seems to be pertinent is is our church covenant and I think you'll see how it ties in to the responsibility that God has given us to him and to each other this morning.

So, you want to get that out or you can follow along on the screen and read it from there as well. If you'll just follow along as I read. I find if we all read together, we concentrate on trying to be together rather than concentrating on the words. So you can just follow along as I read today. First section.

Having been led as we believe by the spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our savior and on the profession of our faith having been baptized in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit, we do now in the presence of God and this assembly most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ. For the advancement of the church. We engage therefore by the aid of the holy spirit to walk together in Christian love. To strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness, and comfort, to promote prosperity and spirituality to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines. As Christian stewards, to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry and the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, supporting worldwide missions, and the spread of the gospel through all nations.

Family devotion, we also engage to maintain family and secret devotions to religiously educate our children. Seeking the lost, to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances. Before the world, to walk circumspectly in the world, to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment, to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger, to abstain from the sale of and use of destructive drugs or intoxicating drinks as a beverage, to shun pornography, to be zealous in our efforts, to advance the kingdom of our savior 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.

And then finally, when we move, we moreover 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 the principles of God's word. Now, we don't sign this and I don't view a church covenant so much as a contract but as a reminder, a reminder of the responsibilities that we have as part of God's family to the Lord and particularly the responsibilities we have to one another. As a local church family of God. God has given us one another and we do have responsibilities not only to God but we do have responsibilities toward one another. We see that in our covenant.

We see that more importantly in our Bible and in the scriptures. And as we enter into the new year, I think it would be good to be reminded members of this local church family. The first person you are responsible to care for in this room today, you cannot see. His name is Jesus Christ. We are part of his family.

He is the head of this church, not the person standing up here. We have a responsibility, a privilege to care about, that is to love Jesus Christ, to love our God with all our heart. That is the what? The first and greatest commandment is to love our Lord with all of our being. We are response.

We have a responsibility to give Jesus first place. The Bible word uses in Colossians the word preeminence. That he might have the first place, the preeminent place in our lives. As our highest priority. In life.

Our highest. To glorify our father which is in heaven is the first duty and joy of every Christian to bring glory to him. As I consider these things, some verses came to mind. Philippians three ten. Paul wrote that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death.

As you consider the the goals that you want to set, and the things that you want to accomplish in 2017, don't leave this one off your list. For it is a great opportunity that God has given us in this next year, to get to know him better. At the top of our list of goals, as it was Paul's, should be to get to know our Lord better. And how do we do that? How do we get to know him better?

Well, how do you get to know anybody better? You spend time with them. You talk to them. You listen to them. We have this opportunity to spend time with our Lord, to spend time in his word.

Now, there have been some years that I have put out a a schedule that people could take for reading through their Bible in one year or reading through the New Testament or reading through the Old Testament. I haven't done that this year but there are many ways on the internet and and study Bibles and other places that you can find a chart. Maybe a chart that would fit you better than than others. At the back of my Bible here is a daily reading plan. For reading through the Bible.

This one actually is a daily reading plan for two years. Nothing says you have to read through it in one or you're not as spiritual. What's important is that we are spending time in God's word. Whether you're reading through the Bible, whether you're reading through Psalms, or whether you're reading through Proverbs, one of the things that I have found useful at times is reading through one chapter of Proverbs each day of the month. You can do that month after month after month.

There's 31 chapters. There's thirty or thirty one days in a month and each time as you read through those chapters, a different proverb will jump off the page at you. And the Lord will use it in your life. So, I challenge you. Spend time in his word.

Make that a goal. Spend time in prayer. Make that a goal To get to know him better. This year in 2017. To get to know him better, to care about doing his will.

In James one twenty two, it says, and be you doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Sometimes, we think that we are so close to God and we are so on fire and that we are so spiritual because of all the things we know. I remember when I was a kid, I I went to church growing up. I went to Christian school. Sometimes in the church youth group, we would play this Bible trivia game and I could answer more questions than anybody else and I was real proud of myself.

I'm spiritual. I know who was married to Esther or or all these other questions that none of some of the other kids didn't know. Lord finally got it through my head in college that you're not spiritual because of the trivial answers that you know. Being spiritual is walking in the spirit. It means walking with the Lord.

That means learning and doing his what? His will in our lives rather than ours. Jesus said, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself. Take up his cross and what? Follow me.

I pray that we'll make that our goal. In this coming year to follow the Lord, to do his will. Jesus says to his disciples, you are my friends. If you do whatsoever, I command you. Jesus is our friend but he's also our master and Lord.

And how dare we say, oh yes, I'm a Christian. I I I know a lot about the Bible. But we don't do the things that God has set to do. We show him and more important, also we show the world and others around us that we love him. By doing the things that he has asked us to do.

And then Matthew five sixteen, one of my favorite passages. If you come here a lot, you ought to have it memorized by now. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father heaven. We should get to know him better. We should care about doing his will and we should care about his testimony because we are the ambassadors of Jesus Christ and some people will never pick up a Bible but they do see you.

And what they learn about God, they learn from you. Now, not just the things that you say but the things that you do. His testimony is connected to our lives. And as we enter this new year, let's not forget about the person that we can't see today. Let's remember Jesus Christ to love him with all of our heart, to give him first place, to get to know him better, to do his will, and to care for his testimony.

That he would be glorified. Whether therefore you eat or drink or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God. In 2017. And not to the glory of self. The second person sitting in the room today, or the third or the fourth or the fifth or the sixth, is the person beside you or behind you or in front of you.

All of the above. Some that are not here today because they're away because of holiday or some who are ill and couldn't make it. Part of our local church family. We are also to care for them. Now, let's not think about this morning how others should care for me.

Let's stop for a minute and think about how I can care for them. How can I care for others in our local church family? Well, the first person that comes to my mind is a man named Barnabas. Look if you would in Acts chapter four. If you're still in Acts two, you don't have to turn far.

Look in Acts chapter four and verse 34. Again, speaking of the first church in Jerusalem, it says, neither was there any among them that lack for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the prices of things that were sold and laid them down at the apostle feet and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need. And Joseph, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, which is being interpreted, the son of consolation or comfort and encouragement, a Levite and of the country of Cyprus having land sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostle's feet. They chose one here to make a personal example of and that's Barnabas and there's a reason God chose Barnabas because this is the only place you read about this man in scripture. This man pops up several times in the book of Acts.

Eventually ends up Paul's first partner and his first missionary journey. But you see that not only Barnabas but the first church in Jerusalem cared for the physical and financial needs of one another. They were under persecution. Great persecution brought about economic problems. In the synagogue of the Jews, the the synagogue family so to speak, helped to take care of the widows and the needy among them but when they became Christians, the synagogue would have nothing to do with them anymore.

They became outcasts of their other Jew, Jewish brethren and so the church had to take on the responsibility of caring for the poor and the needy, the widows, and the orphans among their number and and that they did vigorously and there was much to be done in that day for them. Galatians six ten says, as we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. There are those among us at times who run into difficulties, financial difficulties, physical difficulties, and they need help. And we as their church family should be there to help them. When I thought about this, three names came to my mind.

Actually, it should probably be six names. Al and Joe, Harry and Beverly, Charlie and Ruth, these are couples in our church. And if you've been in our church long enough, they probably one of them has been to your house to fix something that was broken. Maybe it was your plumbing, maybe it was your roof, maybe it was your car. I remember when Clearwater College, Christian College was here, we had several young ladies in the church who had cars and they would bump into things.

Or they'd have other mechanical problems and they would I would go over to see Al and lo and behold, there would be a car sitting in his garage and it was one of the girls from the college whose fender he was straightening out or whose alternator he was changing. This church building isn't brand new. It's been here since the late 50s. It needs help. And those three men have given much of their lives, their time and their finances to keep this church family going.

God has used them. There are others of us that can learn from them because we will need to pick up some of that responsibility in the years to come. Not only for the church, but also for one another. I don't know of times that some of you have gotten rides from one of these men. Maybe it was to the doctor, maybe it was to church.

Or got a card in the mail from one of their wives. Just saying happy birthday or maybe get well soon. It makes a difference. It's an important part of our ministry. That we can all be a part of.

Let us not miss those opportunities. But besides the financial and physical needs, there are also spiritual needs. Turn if you would, few pages over to Romans. Just after the book of Acts. Look if you would in chapter 14.

Romans chapter 14. We're going to begin reading in verse 13. Romans 14 and verse 13. We're not going to take time to give a detailed exposition of the passage or we'll be here all day but I think you will get the idea as we read through it. Verse 13, let us not therefore judge one another anymore but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling block or 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 about meat and things that you eat Verse 15, but if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably or lovingly. Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died. There there were Gentiles and Jews in the churches and the Jews didn't want to eat pork and unclean things and so there were issues there. Verse 16, let 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 for peace. That is peace among the church and things where wherewith one may edify or build up or encourage another. For meat 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 nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended or is made weak. Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself and the thing which he alloweth. We'll stop there.

Paul's point is this, don't judge everybody else. Judge who? Judge yourself. Not only that you don't sin and things that you shouldn't be doing but that also that you care and are sensitive to the issues of others. You see, if you invite the Jewish brethren in the church here in Rome to visit you, don't serve them pork.

Don't serve them something you know is going to cause trouble or encourage them to do something that offends their conscience. Be sensitive to their spiritual needs. If you invite somebody over to the house that has a problem with alcohol, don't serve them wine. You'll be a stumbling block. Calls them to go back into sin.

Be sensitive to their needs. I've told you the story on several occasions. Some of you will laugh when I mention it again but it makes a good illustration. When I was in high school, I I thought I wanted to be cool going to a basketball game one night and I decided before IBC root beer was real well known that I would stop at a store that I knew sold IBC root beer. Now that, if you know what I'm talking about, it's sold in a brown bottle that used to look very much like a beer bottle.

And I thought that I was going to be cool and carry that into the ball game. Well, before I got into the ball game, I think three people stopped me and asked what was in the bottle. So by the time I got in there, I wanted to crawl under the bleachers. So, I set the bottle down where nobody could see it. While I was sitting there, one of my classmates came by and he laughed and he giggled when he saw it because he knew that I wasn't cool and that I was trying to be cool and then he showed me his McDonald's cup and it didn't have Mountain Dew in it.

At least not, you know, that kind of Mountain Dew. Had a different kind in it. Then I really felt bad. Therefore, I don't buy IBC root beer and carry it out of the store. And I don't walk around with it.

Why? Because, well, I don't want to be a stumbling block to anybody else. I can go without IBC root beer, or I can drink it out of a glass and not out of the bottle. There are little things like that, that we can think about. Be concerned about the spiritual needs of others and don't think only of yourself.

How are your actions going to affect someone else? Galatians six one and two says this, brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual, restore such in one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself lest thou also be tempted, bear you one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. There Paul writes, we are to bear one another's burdens, spiritual burdens. And we see somebody in sin, we have a responsibility to try to what? To kick them while they're down?

Destroy them? No, to restore them. To assist them. To help them. May require helping them to see the problem that they have but it also means to help them escape the sin.

Maybe helping them by being an accountability partner. Because we need each other. The church was whose plan? God's plan And he knows that we need each other. Not to kick us when we're down.

But to help to pick us up. When we failed. And then in Philippians two, three, and four. We're reminded to be considerate of one another. Philippians two three and four, let nothing be done 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. We need to be sensitive, considerate of others around us. We get so wrapped up in ourselves that we can sit beside a person in the church week after week after week and not recognize the hurt that they're going through. The burden that they carry. And never stop to say, can I help you?

Can I pray for you? Never send a letter or give em a call. When they're hurting. If you don't, who is? Likely no one.

God has given us one another. We can be more sensitive to the needs of each other. We can go out of our way a little, not just in the service. You know, it's great that we shake hands and I think everybody here is very friendly. I get that from a lot of people that visit, and that always encourages me.

That we can do better at being friendly outside the walls of this church. Caring for people Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I can do better. We can do better. Hebrews ten twenty four and twenty five And let us consider one another to provoke and to love and the good works not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching.

You know something? We need each other to exhort, to encourage, and to challenge each other in serving the Lord. The writer of Hebrews writes says, don't forsake assembling together. Why? Because you need that challenge.

You need the word of God but not just the proclamation of the word of God but the teaching of the word of God and encouraging one another with the word of God. To go out and to get those victories, to meet those challenges, to take on a new area of ministry, to keep going when things are hard. God says, don't forsake the assembling of yourselves together and doing this because as we approach the day of Christ return, it's going to be more and more difficult in this wicked world. To serve the Lord. To put him first, to keep doing the right things, and not become infected by the immorality.

And the ungodly thinking of those around us. We need each other. Some of you work in workplaces where there are no Christians around. And I hear testimony of how difficult it can be. That's one of the reasons that God gave us each other because we need that encouragement.

We need that accountability. We need to see others example Hear their testimony. Yes, I had that problem. But this is how God worked it out. Exhorting one another in the Lord.

James five sixteen says, confess your faults one to another and pray for one another that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. One of the reasons to pray is simply to spend time with our God but another thing we're supposed to be doing in prayer is interceding for the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ. There are things you cannot do for them, but God can. Not only can we encourage them, challenge them, but we can pray for them and see what God will do in their lives.

For the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes great things. This is Jesus command to his disciples that they are to what? Love one another. 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.

Of all the things Christ could have said, he chose this one. This is how others are going to know that you are what you say you are. That you care about each other, that you're sensitive to the needs of others, that you're considerate, that you're praying for them, that you're helping them spiritually, you're encouraging them in the way of the Lord, that you're helping with financial and physical concerns, that you're not that you're sensitive to those things, that you love each other. And as people see how you love one another, people will recognize that there is something different about you. As people see that you care not only about one another but also about Jesus Christ, they will see that there is something in your life that they need.

There's something that they're missing and they'll know that we are the disciples of Jesus Christ. We do not live in a bubble. We gather as a church to uplift each other and exalt the Lord. We were not intended to live the Christian life alone. We were given each other Let's not forget about each other in 2017.

Let's do a little more. Let's be a little more caring, a little more sensitive to the needs of others. Let's not forget to tend the lights along the shore. To proclaim the gospel in our community and to help and assist our brothers and sisters in Christ this year. Let's pray.

Dear heavenly father, we thank you Lord for your love for us. How that you gave your life, that we might know you, and that we might become part of your family. Lord, you've given us this family here, Missouri Avenue Baptist Church. We pray Lord that as a family, we would have a love for one another. As for our savior Jesus Christ, That we would look beyond ourselves.

That we would see this year. Other needs around us. That we would not miss the opportunities to do good. In the name of the Lord and to bring glory to the name of the one. Who gave his all for us.

And Lord, we pray if there's one here today that's never trusted, never trusted you, never accepted your gift of eternal life. Lord, we pray as we sing this hymn of invitation that you would also bring conviction to their heart that they might come and be saved. That we who know you would take the moment Lord to bow our head. To confess our sins and Lord to rededicate ourselves to love the Lord our God with all our heart and our neighbor as ourself. In Jesus name, we pray.

Amen.