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Sending Requires Resources

I have a friend who is super blunt. Like hurt your feelings kinda blunt, but oblivious to the fact he just hurt my feelings. He speaks his mind, but doesn’t consider how it will be received. He can be really annoying, but sometimes he says something I really need to hear.

The apostle Paul was like that, especially with the Church of Corinth who needed to hear things in an unvarnished way. When it came to asking churches to support his mission trips, Paul was always bold in pointing out their responsibility.

I wonder, did I make a bad mistake in proclaiming God’s Message to you without asking for something in return, serving you free of charge so that you wouldn’t be inconvenienced by me? It turns out that the other churches paid my way so that you could have a free ride. Not once during the time I lived among you did anyone have to lift a finger to help me out. My needs were always supplied by the believers from Macedonia province. (‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭11‬:‭7‬-‭9a‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

Paul was a tentmaker, meaning he worked for a living while doing his ministry. But Paul couldn’t do it all on his own. In order to multiply the efforts of his ministry and reach more people, he had to ask churches to share in the cost of his ministry.

So what’s your responsibility?

Paul called on the churches that he helped start, to provide the resources he needed to go to the next place.

My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else. I have been following the plan spoken of in the Scriptures, where it says, “Those who have never been told about him will see, and those who have never heard of him will understand.” I am planning to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellowship for a little while, you can provide for my journey. (‭‭Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭20‬-‭21‬, ‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

You can make the case that Jesus was our ultimate sender, but Jesus also depended on others to send him. When Jesus was traveling and doing hands-on ministry there were other followers who helped fund his travels.

Soon afterward Jesus began a tour of the nearby towns and villages, preaching and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom of God. He took his twelve disciples with him, along with some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases. Among them were Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s business manager; Susanna; and many others who were contributing from their own resources to support Jesus and his disciples. (Luke 8:1-3 NLT)

We don’t need Paul or a blunt friend to tell us we are responsible to use our God-given resources to share in the mission of the Great Commission. Across the Bible, we see that everything we have belongs to God and He has given it to us to manage it. That’s called stewardship, plain and simple.

Ask yourself, what resources do I control? Where should I put those resources to impact the Great Commission?

PRAY:

Heavenly Father, please help me to be a faithful steward with the resources that You have given me. Please show me where You would have me invest in Your work.