CHAPTER EIGHT

THREE RESPONSIBILITIES OF
THE NEW TESTAMENT PRIESTS
OF THE GOSPEL
AFTER PREACHING THE GOSPEL
AND SAVING THE SINNERS

Scripture Reading: John 21:15; 15:16; 1 Thes. 2:7; Heb. 10:24-25; 1 Thes. 2:11; Acts 20:20, 27, 31; Col. 1:28-29; Eph. 4:11-12; 1 Cor. 14:1, 3-5, 12, 24, 26, 31

OUTLINE

1. Meeting with the new believers in their homes:
   1. Feeding them as the Lord’s lambs that our fruit may remain—John 21:15; 15:16.
   2. As a nursing mother cherishing her own children—1 Thes. 2:7.
   3. Leading them:
      1. To know the Lord:
         1. As God—Rom. 9:5.
         2. As Man—1 Tim. 2:5.
         3. As the Savior (including the Redeemer)—Luke 2:11.
         4. As the life-giving Spirit—1 Cor. 15:45b.
      2. To know the Lord’s salvation:
         1. That the Lord has redeemed them with His precious blood—1 Pet. 1:18-19.
         2. And has saved them with His life—Rom. 5:10.
      3. To know themselves:
         1. That they have the life of the Lord—John 3:36a.
         2. That their spirits have been regenerated by the Lord Spirit—John 3:3, 6.
      4. To exercise their spirit to call on the Lord, to pray, and to take in the Lord’s riches—Rom. 10:12.
      5. To enjoy the milk of the Lord’s word in the Bible and to grow in life—1 Pet. 2:2.
      6. To consecrate themselves as living sacrifices to God—Rom. 12:1.
   4. This being the pattern revealed in the New Testament—Acts 5:42.
2. Having small group meetings that are full of mutuality with the saints—Heb. 10:24-25:
   1. Leading, enlightening, and encouraging the saints:
      1. To open up and fellowship with one another.
      2. To pray for one another.
      3. To care for and shepherd one another.
      4. To mutually ask questions for learning and teaching the truth.
      5. To mutually ask questions for the pursuit of and instruction in the growth in life.
   2. Entreating and consoling the saints as a father—1 Thes. 2:11:
      1. Teaching the saints all the counsel of God—Acts 20:20, 27, 31.
      2. In all wisdom, presenting the saints full-grown in Christ to God—Col. 1:28-29.
      3. Equipping and supplying the saints to do the work of the New Testament ministry, which is to build up the organic Body of Christ—Eph. 4:11-12.
   3. Assigning the saints:
      1. To go to preach the gospel by visiting people.
      2. To nourish and care for the new ones.
      3. To lead the believers to attend the small group meetings.
      4. To lead the believers to attend the bigger meetings of the church.
   4. This being the major part of the practice of the church life.
3. Attending meetings of the church that are full of mutual speaking and listening—1 Cor. 14:26:
   1. All attendants having something to supply to the meeting.
   2. Everything being for the building up of the saints and the church.
   3. There being the need to fully supply the riches of Christ to others.
   4. Being the goal of the function of the New Testament priests of the gospel:
      1. The saints being perfected to grow into maturity, being edified in truth, having the experience in life, and being able to prophesy to supply Christ to all His members, that the church may be built up organically.
      2. The priests of the gospel preaching the gospel to gain the sinners to offer to God, caring for and nourishing the new ones, leading them to grow in life to present themselves as living sacrifices to God, perfecting the saints, teaching them in all wisdom, presenting them full-grown in Christ to God. All of these being for this one goal.
   5. Being the consummation of the function of the New Testament priests of the gospel:
      1. Prophesying being to speak for the Lord, for the building up of the church—1 Cor. 14:3-5.
      2. This being the excelling gift among all gifts in the New Testament—1 Cor. 14:12.
      3. To be earnestly desired by those saints desiring spiritual gifts—1 Cor. 14:1.
      4. Being what every believer can and must do—1 Cor. 14:31, 24.

Prayer: Lord, our hearts rejoice and our spirits praise. In this last age You have given us Your revelation in such a deep, far-reaching, and clear way. Lord, You have gathered us together here tonight to study Your holy Word. We are open to You. We call on You in a humble way. Lord, speak an intimate word to us. Although we are young and weak, You are strong and mighty within us. Lord Jesus, may we know You. We do not depend on ourselves, nor do we look at ourselves. We look only to You. Thank You that You have shown us so clearly Your ordained way which is the way revealed in the Bible.

Lord, draw us again tonight that we would run after You. Put Your burden within each one of us that we would all receive Your burden to finish the course You have set for us and to be persons after Your heart and for Your pleasure.

Lord, grant us ears to hear. May You be with our speaking. May You be one spirit with us in our speaking. Lord, vindicate Your own way and confirm Your own words. We call on You in one accord on the ground of the church. While we call on You, You have to do something for Yourself. Lord, we accuse Your enemy. You have to destroy him. Remove his power of darkness. Lord, deliver all of us from his hands and his bondage. We want to give You the glory and give him the shame. May blessing and building be with the saints and the church. Amen!

The first work of the priest of the gospel in the New Testament is to visit people personally and bring in sinners to offer to God as sacrifices. After this first step there are still three more responsibilities. These are my burden for tonight. Let me begin with a word of introduction. Christianity today is a great religion. There are millions of Christians throughout the world. They can be divided mainly into three categories: the first is Roman Catholicism, the second is the different denominations of Protestantism such as the Baptists, the Presbyterians, the Methodists, the Episcopalians, the Lutherans, etc., and the third is the free groups. These free groups belong neither to the Catholic Church nor to the Protestant denominations. Although they can be considered a part of Protestantism they do not belong to the big denominations of Protestantism. They are scattered and free. Today on the whole earth, whether it be the Catholics, the Protestants, or the free groups, and although each has their own way of serving God, all three groups are the same.