A publication of the:
Butler church of Christ
Our meeting location is:
201 5th Ave.
Butler, PA 16001
724-287-0628 (building) / 724-282-9417
(home/office)
Assembling Times:
Sunday Bible Class - 9:30 AM
Sunday Worship – 10:30 AM
Wednesday Bible Class – 7:00 PM
Editor / Preacher –
Brian A. Yeager
Check out the web site:
(I Corinthians 10:31 and I Peter 4:11)
Thinking About Our Worship
Service
(Part 5 – The Collection)
By: Brian A. Yeager
Upon the first day of the week, when the saints assemble, there is an action that takes place commonly referred to as the collection. This action is taken within the time saints are assembled on the first day of the week. This action is authorized by way of example. In I Corinthians 16:1-3 the church at Corinth was instructed by the Apostle Paul to take up a collection for the needy saints assembling in Jerusalem. This example shows us how the local church is to raise funds to carry out her work. In this specific case, it was for the work of benevolence. When Christians give they are to give with the right attitude.
The Attitude We Should Have When Giving to the Work of the Lord
(II Corinthians 9:6-7) “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” God is clear, in the aforementioned scripture penned by the Apostle Paul, how he wants Christians to give. God does not want the spare change giver, He wants those who give as they have purposed in their hearts. That mindset takes some thought prior to the action of giving. We should never give to God as though it is just something we must do, but we should feel purpose and joy in knowing that we have this opportunity to give a small portion to His work upon this earth.
When talking about how much we give, many Christians have different measuring sticks. I might suggest that sometime we think about the Lord’s measuring stick on Giving. Notice these two passages:
1. (John 3:16) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”Surely we can see that God’s attitude towards us was not “how little I can give”, but “how much I must give”. We too should have the mindset that giving to the Lord is not something worth nothing. The money collected has a purpose and that money helps carry out the work the Lord gave the church to do.
2. (II Corinthians 8:9) “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”
Conclusion – The Work the “Treasury” Makes Possible
We have been instructed to do all things by the authority of Christ (Colossians 3:17). When we as individual Christians take money from our pockets, and contribute it to the collection of the saints on the first day of the week; it essentially becomes the Lord’s money. We learn this principle in the example of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts chapter 5 verses 1-10. When money is in our pockets it is ours, but when turned over the Lord it is His.
God has given the church the works of: Evangelism
(I Thessalonians 1:7-8), Benevolence for the saints (Romans 15:25-26, II
Corinthians 8:4; 9:1; 12-14), and edification (Ephesians 4:15-16).
The church collectively takes part in these works as the funds collected
aid in carrying out each of these three works. The funds collected
are used to carry out the AUTHORIZED works of the local church. It
is not by way of bake sales, garage sales, concerts with ticket prices,
etc. that the body of Christ has authority to receive funds. It is
through the freewill offering of the brethren on a local basis. Christians,
let’s remember that the work of the Lord is our job to carry out.
Remember that the local church has work to do. Remember that the
local church needs brethren to contribute for that to occur. Remember
that God expects us to contribute in the right manner. In so doing,
we please God by carrying out the work of the local church.
Quick
NotesThose In Need of Our Prayers:
Steve Burgoon (is in BMH), Desiree’
Crist, and Joan Croyle.
Traveling:
Mike
Ladies Class:
The ladies will be meeting to study
on Sunday November 24th, at Kim Lockwood’s house beginning at 2:00.
Those who may be new to the class need to see Kim about how to acquire
the book the class is using and what lesson the ladies are on.