More Than A Job

Key Text:“For the love of money is a root of

all kinds of evil. Some people, eager

for money, have wandered from the

faith and pierced themselves with

many griefs.”

(1 Timothy 6:10, NIV)

INTO THE STORY

“Nor did we eat anyone’s

food without paying for it.

On the contrary, we worked

night and day, laboring and

toiling so that we would not be

a burden to any of you. We did

this, not because we do not

have the right to such help, but in

order to make ourselves a model

for you to follow. For even when

we were with you, we gave you

this rule: ‘If a man will not work, he

shall not eat.’

“We hear that some among you

are idle. They are not busy; they

are busybodies. Such people we

command and urge in the Lord

Jesus Christ to settle down

and earn the bread they eat.”

“For the love of money is a

root of all kinds of evil.

Some people, eager for

money, have wandered

from the faith and

pierced themselves

with many griefs.

“But you, man

of God, flee

from all

this,

and pursue

righteousness, godliness,

faith, love, endurance

and gentleness. Fight the good

fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal

life to which you were called when

you made your good confession in the

presence of many witnesses. In the

sight of God, who gives life to everything,

and of Christ Jesus, who while

testifying before Pontius Pilate made

the good confession, I charge you to

keep this command without spot or

blame until the appearing of our Lord

Jesus Christ, which God will bring

about in his own time—God, the

blessed and only Ruler, the King of

kings and Lord of lords, who alone is

immortal and who lives in unapproachable

light, whom no one has seen or

can see. To him be honor and might

forever. Amen.

“Command those who are rich in this

present world not to be arrogant nor to

put their hope in wealth, which is so

uncertain, but to put their hope in God,

who richly provides us with everything

for our enjoyment. Command them to

do good, to be rich in good deeds, and

to be generous and willing to share. In

this way they will lay up treasure for

themselves as a firm foundation for the

coming age, so that they may take

hold of the life that is truly life.”

(2 Thessalonians 3:8-12; 1 Timothy 6:10-19, NIV)

Love Is Patient

"I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

 

"What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. 'Expel the wicked man from among you.'"

 

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

 

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not

delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

 

"Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we

prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

 

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

(1 Corinthians 5:9-13; 13, NIV)

US AND THEM 3/06

"And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, 'Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.' Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.

"So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren. And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them. But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, 'It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.'

"Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: 'Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.'

"Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles. And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, 'Men and brethren, listen to me: Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written: "After this I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up; so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does all these things."'"

(Acts 15:1-17, NIV)

The Epicenter For Missions February 27

"Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

 

"News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

 

"Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch."

 

"In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.'. . .

 

"The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. . . . They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. . . .

 

"From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia. . . . From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying, 'Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak.'. . .

 

"As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath. . . .

 

"On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. . . .

 

"When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honoured the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed."

 

 

"The word of the Lord"

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