II Corinthians 9:4, "Lest haply if
they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say
not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting."
This
morning, people can many times generate an "us vs. them" mentality that
is destructive to growth and development. Office environments where
groups and clicks of people are at odds with each other keep the
particular company from functioning at its optimal level. In the
church, it can be exponentially worse. Whenever people or groups in a
local body generate this mentality, proper growth and edification of the
body is severely stunted. Now, to carry the church and business
illustration one step further, it behooves us to mention that this area
of thought and discussion does not pertain to proper discipline or even
loss of fellowship. If someone in the body is guilty of public sin or
doctrinal error, that is a matter of necessary discipline that does not
pertain to an "us vs. them" scenario. Just like in the office analogy,
an employee not doing their job needs correction and perhaps even job
termination. Therefore, if we are talking about day-to-day fellowship,
mutual encouragement, and abiding strength of one another's faith, we
need to remember that the church exists as a singular body and not as
groups of independent cells that are at odds with separate but similar
groups.
From
our study verse, we see that Paul is contextually speaking of a
particular subject, but there is a thought nestled within this verse
that can be broadened to more than the contextual subject matter.
Therefore, let us examine this thought first in its contextual light,
but then broaden it out - in a Biblically supported fashion - to show
how deeply it touches the fabric of the New Testament church. Paul has
just concluded a rather large point in the 8th chapter of being willing
to suffer loss for other people's gain. Not only is Christ the supreme
example in this, but Paul labours to show how we should be good examples
of that as well to those around us. As the 9th chapter opens, Paul
narrows the thought somewhat to discuss the helping of others through
the act of parting with money or other goods. In the first verse, Paul
actually commends the Corinthian church for this very thing. They have
been good to relinquish money for the benefit and aid of those in need,
and Paul will go further and talk about the church's responsibility in
the care of the minister by the imparting of natural funds.
Notice
what Paul includes in this discussion from our verse. In the
parenthetical expression, he makes a specific point to show that the
minister is every bit as involved and included in this discussion as
anyone else. Paul says "we" not "ye" when it comes to this particular
thought. There is perhaps not a more damaging "us vs. them" mindset in
the church than the one where one of those groups is the preachers and
the other being everyone else who is not a preacher. As a side note, I
have noticed in my personal experience a broadening chasm in this during
my lifetime. As a little boy in the church, it seemed from my
observation that more people engaged the preachers outside of the
assembly than they do today. I have also heard many today say they are
just uncomfortable talking to preachers, and when asked why, they have
given varied and wide reasons. Basically, though, most of them boil
down to "well I'm not one of them." Friends, you do not have to be a
preacher to sit down and talk with one. We are people with the same
problems as anyone else.
On the
flip side of that point, there have no doubt been preachers in time past
to the present that consider themselves as some "elite class." My
natural father called it the "big boy country club" mindset. Even
though it is the opposite perspective, this thought is just as damaging
to growth, edification, and well-being as the apprehension that some
might feel to talk to a minister. Paul makes a specific point to show
that what he is talking about is a matter of "we" not "ye." Paul is not
talking to the church about their responsibility. Paul is talking with
the church about "our" responsibility. So, having laid that groundwork,
let us consider what our responsibility is both in the context and
perhaps a bit broader.
As
mentioned earlier, the context supports financial giving and obligation
for the care of the saints. While the church is not a social welfare
program, she does have financial obligations both to the ministers that
serve her as well as poor widows indeed within her. Obviously, there is
also natural care and keeping necessary if the church is blessed with
natural grounds and a building. Does the minister have equal
responsibility in this financial regard and obligation? Paul
emphatically in this verse says that ministers do! While ministers
receive natural gifts from the church, that does not relinquish the
minister's obligation and love-bound duty to "do his part" in the giving
of his goods for the welfare of the church. One of the deepest pits to
fall into is for a minister to think the church "owes" him. Friends, we
owe God, and God has commanded that all of us give of ourselves - even
naturally by way of finances - to the good and welfare of the church
kingdom here in this world.
Since
Peter encourages the elders to be "ensamples" to the flock in I Peter
5:3, a minister should "lead the way" in regards to giving and church
support. I remember after my father had first taken the care of a
church that he pastored, he wrote a check on Sunday and placed it with
all the other "moneys" that had been taken up that day. When the
deacons saw it, they all approached him (and I just happened to be
sitting near him) and said, "Brother John, why did you write this check
to the church?" His response was, "As a member here, I have the same
duty as anyone else." They said, "But if you write a check to the
church, we're just going to be giving it back to you when we write you a
check." His response was golden, "Then you take what money I give and
put it somewhere that doesn't go to me. Whether it helps keep up the
cemetery, pay the light bill, or something, don't rob my joy of helping
the church in her needs." Brethren, the minister is not part of them.
There is not an "us vs. them;" it is just us - or it should be.
Now
that we have examined the contextual thought that Paul had, let us
consider a broader thought. Paul ensures that the folks do not think he
is talking to them but rather with them. Whenever I first tried to
start speaking and preaching, I went through the laborious process of
listening to recordings of my efforts to pick out problems with my
delivery and attempt to fix them. More cruel torture there has never
been! However, I am convinced that it helped me a lot in those early
days. One of the things I noticed from my early efforts was a
propensity to say "you" more than I said "we" or "our." After making
that realization, I attempted to remedy the usage to include myself in
whatever discussion I was bringing out that day. It is the same
encouragement that I have tried to pass on to some others when I detect
the same thing in their delivery. It is good and Biblically proper for
the congregation to feel that the man sent to them to minister, preach,
and labour is "one of them." He is not separate, but the concepts and
subjects are for us, not you. Therefore, we should speak of it from
that perspective.
Therefore, sermons on redemption are not expressed that "you are
redeemed" but that "we are redeemed." Sermons on sin are not expressed
as "you are sinners" but that "we are sinners." When the minister
includes himself in the concepts that are being expressed, the result is
two-fold. 1. The congregation loses the sense that the minister may be
"talking down to them." 2. The minister speaks as one of the group
rather than a casual or interested bystander. These two results bring
the message home in ways it would not otherwise. When a boss addresses
his company through some speech or lecture, the workers understand that
he is there and we are here. However, when the minister addresses the
body, the congregation should get the sense that we are all in this
together. Whether in the depths of sin and blackness by nature or in
the bliss of redemption, honour, and glory by grace, all of us are
included. In this way (and definitely many others), preaching stands
alone in its address. Most all addresses and speeches in the world are
done to the people, but preaching is done with the people.
One
last thought about the minister being included is the sense in which
exhortation, reproof, and instruction comes. The Bible warns against
undue judgments and Pharisaical mindsets. So, if the preacher is
included in the thoughts espoused, how does he address needed matters
though guilty of them himself? One of the primary complaints I hear
from folks outside the church about folks in the church (and the
preaching in particular) is this, "Those people are just as guilty of
sin as I am. Why do I have to listen to someone tell me about sin when
he is a sinner? God judges me, not him." While it is true that
churches all over the world are occupied by sinners - preachers included
- there is no reason why the preaching should be perceived in such a
fashion: provided the preaching is done correctly. When the minister
preaches or converses with others, the strength of our argument does not
rest on our personal decorum. Far from it. The strength of it rests on
the precepts of God in His word.
I will
not lie; it is hard to preach on topics that I am flagrantly guilty of
myself. However, my impression to preach about it does not come from
some ideal or mindset that I have kept it. Rather, it comes from the
deep conviction that God says it. It is therefore true, and therefore
worthy of proclamation. When a minister proclaims something that he
fails in, a good preacher worth his salt will freely confess to not
measuring up to the standard. That is why the exhortation is made to
"us" and not "you." Brethren, more than anything, the preacher should
want unity of the body and harmony of the assembly. True harmony comes
from above and that must encompass all of us and not just some of us.
The next time you attend the house of God, look around. Do you consider
every single person there "us?" May we not look at things in the church
as "us" and "them." May it just be "us" with all the focus, attention,
and adoration toward Him.
In
Hope,
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