A Response to Blessings
We see stories about homeless people on the streets in bigger cities. We see people around here with signs at intersections asking for help. Household budgets continue to be tight with inflation and rising food and gas prices. Personally, I have always had a roof over my head and I've never starved, but I have been out of work in the past and uncertain of the future. I've always had family to help me out through the lean times, but what about those who aren't so fortunate?
We have our Thanksgiving Feast here next Sunday. And later that week, many of us will probably enjoy a feast on Thanksgiving Day and will probably even have plenty of 'leftovers'. I would suggest that most of us are relatively 'blessed' - not saying rich, but 'blessed'. Very soon, we'll start to see bell ringers collecting for the Salvation Army. We'll hear pleas for generosity on TV and the radio and in our mail boxes - all asking us to give to one worthy cause or another.
How should we respond? We can only do so much - but, Biblically speaking, what is...
I. Our responsibility to the poor
Now I'm not talking about this as a political issue - the role of government's responsibility isn't my focus here. There are many different opinions on that subject, but I want to focus on 'us', personally. What is our responsibility to the poor?
We know that we are called to KNOW God, to GROW in our relationship with Him and with each other, we are called to GO serve each other and to GO share God's message of salvation. Where does our responsibility to the poor fit in with that? I'd like to look at the example of the early New Testament Church to see how they handled this issue. As we read about them, we see there that they viewed generosity as a...
A. Spiritual issue
In the book of Acts, we see the start of the Church and how they lived out the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. Let's look at Acts 4:31-35 (NIV)...
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (32) All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. (33) With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.
(34) There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales (35) and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
Those first Christians took their responsibility to the poor among them pretty seriously. They shared what they had with those in need. They dug into their own pockets, or if they felt compelled they sold their own personal property and gave the money to the Apostles for the needy. They believed strongly in generosity and charity.
Now, I don't believe as some teach that this was a call to a form of communism or socialism. This was not the government requiring them to give up what they had - this was a matter of the people, fellow believers, voluntarily responding to the Holy Spirit and acknowledging just how blessed they were. They knew that everything they worked hard for and acquired all belonged to God and they chose to use those things to be a blessing to others. But this focus on the physical needs of those among them wasn't their only priority.
There was also a concern for the spiritual needs as well. If we look later in the book of Acts we find there was a struggle to find a balance between the physical and spiritual needs in the early Church. Let's look at Acts 6:1-4 (NIV)...
In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. (2) So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.
(3) Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them (4) and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."
The early Church acknowledged their responsibility to the truly needy but also recognized that it shouldn't take away from their mission of prayer and sharing the Gospel message. Basically, in their example, we see the need to do both - to minister to people's physical needs and spiritual needs. And there's more to say in scripture about a family's responsibility first, but - the Church is called to do both to some degree.
Now, we can see where the Church, corporately, as a body of believers does have a Biblical responsibility to those among them in real need - but what about...
B. On a personal level
On a daily basis - how are we, you and me, to respond to those among us in need? I'd like to look at a passage where Jesus spoke pretty pointedly about this issue. Hopefully it's familiar - let's look at Matthew 25:31-46 (NIV)...
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. (32) All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. (33) He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. (34) Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
(35) For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, (36) I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' (37) Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? (38) When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
(39) When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' (40) The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' (41) "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (42) For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, (43) I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me,
I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' (44) They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' (45) He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' (46) Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.
I have to admit, that passage has always made me a little... uncomfortable. We know from the Bible that we don't go to Heaven or Hell based on what good deeds we do - we can't possibly do enough good things to earn our way to Heaven. Our eternal destiny is based on our acceptance or rejection of Jesus. So, how do we reconcile the clear words of Jesus with others we find in scripture? For instance, we find these words about what people were told to do to be saved in Acts 2:37-38 (NIV)...
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" (38) Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Peter didn't say go out and feed 20 homeless men, or volunteer at the local food pantry, or ring a bell for the Salvation Army and you will be saved! Those are all very good things, but alone they don't get you to Heaven. However, we can't just ignore the words of Jesus Himself and say those things have nothing to do with salvation based on the story of the sheep and the goats. We can't deny that, according to the words of Jesus, our actions do matter!
How do we understand all of those passages and our response to the poor? Let's turn to 1 John 3:16-18 (NIV)...
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. (17) If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? (18) Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
We get to Heaven through Jesus Christ, but if God's Holy Spirit is indeed in us - that Spirit will prompt us to be generous with what God has given us. In the story of the sheep and goats, Jesus was pointing out that if you truly have the Holy Spirit, it will show in your actions. We are not saved by our actions, but they will show whether or not God's Spirit is at work in our lives.
Are you generous with those truly in need? Does your giving and sacrifice really reflect just how blessed you are? - Are you a sheep or a goat...? - Which am I...? And this isn't something I can answer for you. Your personal response to the poor is between you and God. But in looking at our responsibility, I did want to take some time in...
II. Discerning the details
The Bible speaks quite a bit on the topic of our relationship to money and the poor and frankly, it takes personal study and effort on your part to determine if you are right with God on these issues. But I did want to quickly address a few questions that might pop up. For instance, based on these scriptures, does God give preference to the poor?
I've read some theologians who say there's no question that God does give preference to the poor, that He favors them over everyone else... And there's something to be said for that as we look at scriptures such as Luke 14:12-14 (NIV)...
Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. (13) But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, (14) and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
Jesus is telling us to give preference to the poor in this situation. And in many situations, that's what we are to do if we want to be found faithful. However, if we keep digging, we also find this command from God, to His people, in Leviticus 19:15 (NIV)...
Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.
This passage can argue that God has no preference or favor of one over the other - but that they are all equal in his eyes. God's children in the Bible include some of the richest individuals and some of the poorest, financially speaking. Being rich is not a sin in itself and being poor does not automatically make you spiritual. God's love for you isn't dependent upon your net worth.
However, those of lesser means may find themselves calling on God more frequently to meet their needs than those with many financial blessings. Those of lesser means may demonstrate more humility before God. That reliance, that relationship, can lend itself to a deeper faith, and that is definitely something God prefers. And also, as we're thinking about our response - one more thing to ponder - Biblically speaking, it appears we are especially called to address...
A. Believers' needs
You may have noticed in the passages we read where the phrases, "believers", "those among them" or "brothers" frequently showed up. When it comes to being a blessing to others - we're to make sure we don't miss our spiritual family. There's a passage where Paul addresses believers in Galatians 6:10 (NIV)...
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
We are to 'do good', to be generous with everyone in need, but especially with fellow Christians. That's scriptural; we are called to pay special attention to those in the body, in the Church who are genuinely struggling because they are our brothers and sisters. And, finally to wrap things up - one last question some might ask - what is our responsibility to a person...
B. Who won't work?
What is our personal responsibility to a person who is 'in need' because they refuse to work? Again, Paul teaches...
2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 (NIV)
For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." (11) We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. (12) Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat.
Now notice it says "will not work" not "can't work" - big difference. We are to be generous with those who can't work because of illness or health concerns or age related issues. We are to help with their needs. But also, the person who simply won't work - this verse is perhaps speaking more to them than to us - Paul says they won't eat. There's a Biblical basis for personal responsibility in all of our lives, but we are called to help out all of our brothers who are truly in need.
So What?
I didn't preach this message to make you feel guilty. If I'd wanted to make you feel guilty, I'd have waited until after Thanksgiving and Christmas and then pointed out all the things you didn't do but probably should have done. I intend this as an encouragement to take advantage of the many opportunities to be generous at this special time of year.
All of us will probably be swamped these next six weeks or so with shopping and parties and 'family get-togethers' and wrapping presents and decorating. If you don't specifically take the time to be generous, to look out for the poor - it probably won't happen.
I encourage each of us to be generous with our finances, but even more so with our lives. And I encourage you to be generous for your own sake. In being generous, you give God the opportunity to bless you through that sacrificial service. Remember Christ's Words, "Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me..."