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Pointers on the Lesson, H o m e s A . K e n t , T h .D . Helps for the Children, A l l is o n A rrowood i 8 i ° f ed UF °n outlines of the International Sunday School Lessons copyrighted by the International Council of Religious Education; used by permission.
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Dee. 3, 1950 THE STEWARDSHIP OF LIFE Rom. 12:1, 2, 6-8; 2 Cor. 8:3-5; Phil. 2:25-30
Pointers On the Lesson This is the second of the lessons on stewardship. Some have the false con ception that stewardship has only to do with money or possessions. It is far more inclusive than this. God wants ourselves more than our possessions. The ideal is to let God have both to use as He sees fit. The stewardship of life is this week’s consideration. The Presentation of Life Rom. 12:1 God wants His redeemed ones willingly to offer themselves to Him for service. The word therefore points to the basis for such a presentation. This word refers to all glorious doctrinal truths of the previous chapters of Romans which pro vide the foundation upon which true Christian living only can be built. These are the mercies of God. In view of what God has done in providing a saving gos pel, He now wants his followers to offer themselves as living sacrifices for His services. He no longer wants dead sac rifices such as were offered in the Old Testament dispensation. That arrange ment is past. The .reasonable thing for the Christian to do is to follow the ex hortation of this verse. No valid argu ment can be offered against it. The Transformation of Life Rom. 12:2 Since a person has become a Christian he ought to be done with the ways of the world. In order that this may be true he must let the mind of Christ motivate his thinking. He must submit himself to the Holy Spirit who is willing to guide the believer into all truth (John 16:13). He must give attention to spiritual mat ters. Variety of Gifts in the Christian Life Rom. 12:6-8 As members of the body of Christ we all have different functions to perform. While there are different functions one Spirit operates in the body to the end that there may be no confusion. Seven gifts are mentioned in this section, the
first four being official: prophecy, teach ing, ministry, exhortation; the last three general: giving, ruling, showing mercy. In the experience of each individual Christian, he should determine what is his function in the body of Christ and then perform it in the best possible way. An Example of the Stewardship of Life 2 Cor. 8:3-5 The Macedonians are outstanding in the New Testament for the liberality of their monetary offerings. Though they were a poor people they gave with joy. They gave almost more than they were able (v. 3). Paul was reluctant to take their offerings (v. 4) but they insisted for the glory of God, and this insistence has acted as a stimulant to many in the church of God ever since. But what was responsible for such giving? Verse 5 tells us. They first gave themselves to the Lord. When a person truly gives himself to the Lord other things will take care of themselves. Niggardly giving is an evidence that the life has not been wholly committed to the Lord. Hilarious giving is an evidence that Romans 12: 1, 2 has become a reality in the life. Another Example of Life Stewardship Phil. 2:25-30 We do not know much about Epaphro- ditus but what we do know indicates that he was a man utterly devoted to the cause of Christ. In that cause he did not spare his own health. He was the one who brought the gift of the Philip- pians to Paul while a prisoner at Rome. While at Rome he fell sick even nigh unto death (v. 30). But in his sickness he seemed to be more concerned about the Philippians than about himself (v. 26). Indeed we gather from his self- sacrificing ministries to Paul and the Philippians that the motto of his life was Others. This is characteristic of those who exemplify the stewardship of life. Helps for the Children Epaphroditus Who Risked His Life Phil. 2:25-30; 4:18-20
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