Yesterday morning’s lesson was entitled “Guarding Your Deposit.” In light of our nation’s recent economic crisis, the theme seemed appropriate.
In 2 Timothy 1, Paul describes the gospel as the Christian’s deposit, saying to Timothy, “Guard the good deposit entrusted to you” (v. 14). Thinking of the gospel as a “deposit” should sober us to the seriousness of our responsibility as Christians who have been entrusted with the message of Christ. We must guard the good deposit of the gospel that God has entrusted to us.
Going over 2 Timothy 1, we discovered a number of important lessons about this deposit:
- Our deposit needs guardians (vv. 5, 11, 14).
- Our deposit is a testimony (v. 8).
- Our deposit is a message of grace (v. 9).
- Our deposit abolishes death and brings life and immortality to light (v. 10).
- Our deposit outlines a pattern to be followed (v. 13).
Sunday night was our monthly “Questions & Answers” session. Here are a couple of questions I wasn’t able to address due to time constraints:
“What can or cannot be paid out of the church treasury?”
Giving on the first day of the week is worship. This is understood from numerous passages, like 2 Corinthians 8:24, where Paul describes it as the “proof” of a Christians love for God, or Philippians 4:18, where it is described as “a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.” Since giving is worship, then we are right to consider our contributions as gifts to God. But, practically speaking, what does it mean to give money to the Lord? Do the funds actually make it into heaven? Our money is no good where God is. Money can only be used for earthly purposes. So when we give to the Lord, what we are doing in a practical sense is contributing to the Lord’s work.
The church’s treasury, then, should only be used to advance the Lord’s work. This includes evangelism, benevolence, and edification. When we frame the matter in these terms, nobody is uncomfortable with the way the church spends her money. When I say, “This money is going to evangelism,” and the money is sent to a missionary in Russia, everybody gets a good feeling. But what happens to that money when it gets into the missionary’s hands in Russia? He will buy food with it, make a car payment, pay the utility bills. He might even take his kids to an amusement park. When you follow the funds to the end, they pay for mundane, earthly services and products. There is nothing wrong with that. Earthly services and products are all that money will buy. Sure, Bibles will be purchased sometimes, or DVDs that teach the plan of salvation. But that is not where most of the church’s funds go.
I point these things out because some brethren accept the use of church funds for basic needs or even entertainment when it is spent at a distance, but they are uncomfortable with it when it happens within their congregation. That is inconsistent. If a group has been knocking doors on a mission campaign and they need to stop at Taco Bell for lunch, the church ought to cover it. Food is part of the expenses involved in a mission campaign. If a youth program involves a trip to Six Flags because the youth worker believes he can encourage some of the kids who are struggling and introduce some new kids to the church, the treasury ought to pay for the gas. As long as the overriding concern is the work of the Lord, these expenses and others like them are justifiable.
One of the reasons the Lord organized the local congregation under the oversight of elders is the appropriation of funds. In clear-cut matters of faith, elders have no choice, but there are many concerns that require the elders’ discretion. Wise, qualified men who have God’s interests at heart will know what to do.
“Does Luke 22:35-38 serve as an admonition for Christians to prepare for potential troubles?”
Luke 22:38 can be interpreted in one of two ways. Either Jesus is saying, “It is enough,” or he is saying, “Enough of this.” And the interpretation of this brief statement affects the entire paragraph.
The answer is in the context. Consider the following:
1. Jesus mentioned the limited commission, when he sent the disciples out to the lost sheep of Israel (Lk. 9:1-6). Then they could rely on Jewish hospitality to provide what they needed. This is mentioned to set in contrast their present situation. Notice the word “but” that begins his statement in verse 36: “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.” The point is, their surroundings had changed; they were no longer among friends.
2. Also there is a reference to Isaiah 53:12: “For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’” (v. 37). The change in their relationship with the Jewish population made them outlaws.
3. The fact that the disciples had only two swords should be enough to tell us how to read this. How could Jesus have meant that two swords were “enough” against a band of professional Roman soldiers?
4. Later in the chapter, Peter uses one of those swords to cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest, and Jesus rebukes him, saying, “No more of this!” (v. 51). “No more of this!” goes along with “enough of this.”
The context, then, shows that Jesus was speaking figuratively of swords. His point was that the Jewish society had become dangerous to anybody numbered in his cause.
As far as weapons possession goes, this passage neither speaks for or against it. Better passages are found in John 18:36 and Romans 13:1-5.