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always try to attend, but when I was not there he seldom came.
Then one Sabbath I asked him about it and he replied, "Well, I
don't seem to GET much out of it except when you are there, so I
don't come." But when I explained the Christian is to be on the
GIVING side, not the GETTING, and applied this principle to church-
attendance, he instantly saw the point and began attending
regularly with the thought in mind of how much he could CONTRIBUTE
to the others, rather than what he could GET from them---and his
spiritual progress was much more rapid from that time.
But in our churches---the Churches of GOD---GOD'S
churches, what is the function we want our pastors to perform?
What should be the true divine CALLING and COMMISSION of the
MINISTER? To visit our members in their homes, to minister to US,
to serve US? Do we, the lay members pay our tithes and give our
offerings IN PAYMENT FOR SERVICES RENDERED to US? Are we only
paying for what we GET?
Let's see the commission of Jesus. Remember, under the
OLD Covenant, the ministers DID devote their entire time
ministering to local members. Is that changed in the NEW Covenant
dispensation?
Let us note, first DURING Jesus' earthly ministry, when
His disciples acted as His assistants; and then, secondly, His
commission after the close of His ministry, when He was departing
to heaven.
But first of all, JESUS' OWN EXAMPLE---for He was the
EXAMPLE for ministers to follow, as well as the EXAMPLE of private
Christian living. According to Acts 10:34-38 Jesus' ministry did
not begin until after "the baptism which John preached." He was a
Messenger, sent from God with a MESSAGE---the Messenger of the
(NEW) Covenant, who proclaimed the New Testament GOSPEL. Mark
says: "Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into
Galilee, preaching the GOSPEL (Good News) of the KINGDOM
(government) of GOD." (Mark 1:14). In preaching the Gospel, Jesus
called disciples to BELIEVE the Gospel, follow Him, be converted.
But did He---the example for YOUR pastor to follow today---devote
all His time to them, visiting them in their homes, serving them,
ministering to them? No, by far the greatest portion of His time
and effort was spent in carrying the Gospel on to OTHERS.
After Jesus had selected, called, and instructed His
disciples, He did not remain with them, devoting His time to them
alone---tho He continued thru His ministry to minister to them
and teach them. "And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end
of commanding His twelve disciples, He departed thence to teach
and preach in their cities. Now when John heard in the prison
the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said unto
Him, 'Art thou He who should come, or do we look for another?'"
(Mat. 11:1-3). How was John to KNOW whether Jesus was sent of
GOD---whether He had authority to do what things such ministers
of God are authorized to do? Jesus did not send back any
credentials signed by men. He did not tell John's disciples He
had been elected, or appointed, by vote of the congregation or
some denomination. He pointed directly to the FRUITS of His