New Testament preachers should not be paid a salary, but should rely on voluntary gifts, as exemplified by Jesus and the apostles. While modern TV evangelism often operates on a salary basis, the early church supported its ministers through free-will offerings, emphasizing a spirit of giving rather than financial obligation. This approach ensured that ministry was not controlled by financial interests and reflected the selfless example of Christ and his followers. The sermon concludes by questioning whether contemporary Christian work has strayed too far from these New Testament principles.
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Welcome to the Emmaus Bible Hour. We want to talk to you about some of the issues involved in TV evangelism and in Christian work today. TV evangelism has made the news over and over again in recent weeks. This week one of the leading news magazine features the problems in fact it's the cover story it's news but not good news this morning for a few minutes we'd like to look at some of the underlying issues I have an article here titled who paid the New Testament preacher this was just recently published we might change that to who paid the New Testament TV preacher Well, you know the answer to that.
They didn't have TV then. But they did have some of the same problems. And just before we look at the article and at the Bible, let's listen to the song, a song of Don Wertzen's. It's titled Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow. By the way, we learned this song in our Sunday school at the Gospel Chapel recently. We liked it. We hope you will, too. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Yesterday He died for me.
Yesterday, Yesterday. Yesterday he died for me. Yesterday, yesterday he died for me. Died for me. This is history. Today he lives for me.
Today, today, today he lives for me. Today, today, he lives for me. Today, today he lives for me. This is victory. Tomorrow He comes for me. He comes, He comes. Tomorrow He comes for me. He comes. With his mystery Oh friend, do you know him?
No him, no him. Oh friend, do you know him? You know Him, Jesus Christ, Lord. Jesus Christ, the Lord. Now here's that article. Who paid the New Testament preacher? It's written by Don Norby of Greeley, Colorado, a personal friend. It's also titled, A Call to New Testament Christianity. By the way, if you'd like a copy of this, I'd be glad to send one to you.
No charge. I'll give you our address at the close of the program. Now the article. And I'll only be reading excerpts. Most religious work is treated as a job. People apply for a position in church work and are hired. This also applies to radio and TV church work. A salary is agreed upon that is suitable to all concerned. And, of course, such workers can be fired. It's a competitive job market. Webster's New World Dictionary defines a salary as a fixed payment for... fixed payment at regular intervals for services.
The word salary is derived from sal meaning salt. The Roman soldier was given a regular allowance of salt, a salary. I'm going to break in here and will as I read this. Since money, big money, millions of dollars, are involved in the TV scandal, we have to look at that side of it. There are many sides of it. But money seems to be basic. With money, people feel that they have power. Sometimes they feel above others. Let's go back to the article. But what is the example of the Lord Jesus and the apostles as they served God in the first century?
During Jesus' life, he was never hired to preach or to teach. He never had a fixed payment at regular intervals for services. As he traveled and preached through towns and villages, Many homes were open to him. Gifts were given to him for the needs of his band of disciples. Judas, you remember, kept the bag. In that bag he kept the money. And so the Lord Jesus and his followers lived a very simple life, free from the financial control of any religious party. When Christ sent out his disciples to preach, they went out with no salary, no fixed payment, at regular intervals for services.
They went with the words ringing in their ears from the Lord Jesus. Freely you have received. Freely give. Unlike the Pharisees, whom we're told, love money, their ministry was to be characterized by giving. The same unsalphish spirit characterized the apostles after Pentecost. Paul could say in Acts I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. That was Acts XX XXXIII. He was willing to work when necessary at his trade. We know that he was a tent maker by trade.
Churches and individuals gave funds from time to time to meet his needs. But it was all voluntary and there was no solicitation. A note. That is not exactly the way it's done today. How many appeals by TV, radio, and through the mail did you receive this last week? Back to the article. The apostles were described as poor, yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things. That's Second Corinthians six ten. Poor, yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things. Second Corinthians six ten. The Apostle Peter could say, Silver and gold I do not have.
Acts three six. Silver and gold I do not have. Acts three six. They walked in the footsteps of the one who became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich. Let's pause for some music. The song He was there all the time. Yes, God knows our needs. He's always there. Possibly we should have a greater realization that He is working behind all the scenes of life. His plans are better than ours. We never have to go it alone. He knows our every need. Time after time I went searching for secrets of glory.
I was trying to blame all my ills on this world I was in. Purpose relationship used me till I was a year. And all the while someone was begging To free me from sin He was there He was
there all the time Waiting patiently in line He was there all the time Will I lose for a faithful man?
Now that I have the answer, my life is just starting to run. Sharing A few days with him is a cup of fresh wine. Oh, and his, he's been waiting right there all the time. He was there all the time.
He was there all the time. Waiting patiently in line. He was there. Always ever again, from the sky. Yes, he is there all the time. He was there all the time, yes, and he is there all the time right now. We can trust Him for salvation. We can trust Him day by day to put bread on the table. Now I'm not going to sermonize on this. I'm going to leave it with you.
But don't you feel we need to get back to New Testament guidelines? Haven't we gotten a long way from the way the Lord Jesus and the apostles lived? Thank you.