No doubt you are aware of the fact that we work hard at the Seventh Day Baptist Church of Berlin to help the poor. But do you know why? Join us this week as we explore together our motivation for lending a hand to those among us who are needy.
My immediate reaction to why? is: how can we not? We are His - we have His Love within us willing us to serve and "in as much as" we have done for others, we do for Him. I know this is a very simple, surface answer. Looking forward to delving deeper this week.
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’" (Matthew 25:40)
One of the reasons we gladly serve the poor is because in doing so we are serving Jesus. We are Jesus' hands and feet here on earth, called by Him to do His work and compelled by His love to obey. When we care for those in need we may find that we have "entertained angels without knowing it." (Hebrews 13:2) As you ask the Lord to make you a disciple who makes disciples today, pay attention to the opportunities to care for others that will come your way, allowing you perhaps to entertain an angel as you do so.
Neither the ‘sheep’ nor the ‘goats’ were aware of what they were -- or not -- doing. The ‘sheep’ did it all out of inner motivation of compassion, not for approval. The ‘goats’ were too busy doing their own thing to even notice the needs around them.
Some precautions regarding giving:
Make sure it is out of sincere love. If I give away all I have . . . but have not love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:3 Make sure it brings Glory to God: In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16. Make sure that God gets the credit: But those who follow the true way come to the light, and it shows that the things they do were done through God. John 3:21 Make sure it is done quietly, without show: When you give to the needy, do it in secret—even your left hand should not know what your right hand is doing. Then your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:3, 4
I would say that it depends, as Victor suggested, on your primary motivation. There is nothing wrong with knowing that a gift will reduce your tax burden and acting accordingly. If that is your ONLY reason for giving, though, or even your primary one, you will want to ask God to lead your heart to a place where you are giving because of your love for God, cheerfully, without expecting anything in return.
Thanks, Pastor Matt, I do believe that if the benefit of tax deduction might be taken away in the future, that I would continue to give as usual. It's nice that we still have that benefit.
"Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked." (Psalm 82:3-4)
One of the indictments God brought against Israel was their treatment of the needy. Throughout the Mosaic law commands are found to treat the poor with compassion and generosity. The Lord's heart is with the weak and the defenseless, and His people's hearts are to be with them too. As you ask God to make you a disciple who makes disciples today, look around for those who are in need, whether physical, emotional or spiritual and, in so far as you are able, meet that need. To do anything less is sin.
"Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?" (James 2:2-4)
When we view people from the world's perspective it is natural to ask the question, "What's in it for me?" People are categorized according to their relative value and treated accordingly. God's perspective is nothing like that, because there is nothing God needs from any of us. He looks right past our wealth, fame and power because those things are meaningless in the Kingdom of Heaven. God instead views all of us as equally valuable, because we have all of us been made by Him. As Christians, we are to value those God values; to love those God loves. God values and loves all people and thus we are to do so as well, regardless of what may or may not be "in it" for us. As you ask God to make you a disciple who makes disciples today, look at those around you as God does--as beings of inestimable worth no matter their situation.
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27)
We return to James again today and once more he calls the people of God to reach out to those who are weak or defenseless. The widow and orphan of his day had no recourse when it came to supporting themselves. They relied on the mercy and generosity of strangers. In the same way we are called to help those in our society who have no other help; to help those who cannot help themselves. As you ask God to make you a disciple who makes disciples today, look for those who have no other help, and be that help.
No doubt you are aware of the fact that we work hard at the Seventh Day Baptist Church of Berlin to help the poor. But do you know why? Join us this week as we explore together our motivation for lending a hand to those among us who are needy.
ReplyDeleteMy immediate reaction to why? is: how can we not? We are His - we have His Love within us willing us to serve and "in as much as" we have done for others, we do for Him. I know this is a very simple, surface answer. Looking forward to delving deeper this week.
ReplyDeleteThere are several answers to the question, "Why?," but Bev's answer stands on its own. More often than not the simplest answer yields the best one.
Delete“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’" (Matthew 25:40)
ReplyDeleteOne of the reasons we gladly serve the poor is because in doing so we are serving Jesus. We are Jesus' hands and feet here on earth, called by Him to do His work and compelled by His love to obey. When we care for those in need we may find that we have "entertained angels without knowing it." (Hebrews 13:2) As you ask the Lord to make you a disciple who makes disciples today, pay attention to the opportunities to care for others that will come your way, allowing you perhaps to entertain an angel as you do so.
Some thoughts on sharing, giving:
ReplyDeleteNeither the ‘sheep’ nor the ‘goats’ were aware of what they were -- or not -- doing. The ‘sheep’ did it all out of inner motivation of compassion, not for approval. The ‘goats’ were too busy doing their own thing to even notice the needs around them.
Some precautions regarding giving:
Make sure it is out of sincere love.
If I give away all I have . . . but have not love, I gain nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:3
Make sure it brings Glory to God:
In the same way, you should be a light for other people. Live so that they
will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:16.
Make sure that God gets the credit:
But those who follow the true way come to the light, and it shows
that the things they do were done through God.
John 3:21
Make sure it is done quietly, without show:
When you give to the needy, do it in secret—even your left hand
should not know what your right hand is doing.
Then your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:3, 4
I have to admit that in giving, I often think of how it will reduce my tax burden. Does that honor God?
DeleteI would say that it depends, as Victor suggested, on your primary motivation. There is nothing wrong with knowing that a gift will reduce your tax burden and acting accordingly. If that is your ONLY reason for giving, though, or even your primary one, you will want to ask God to lead your heart to a place where you are giving because of your love for God, cheerfully, without expecting anything in return.
DeleteThanks, Pastor Matt,
DeleteI do believe that if the benefit of tax deduction might be taken away in the future, that I would continue to give as usual. It's nice that we still have that benefit.
"Defend the weak and the fatherless;
ReplyDeleteuphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked." (Psalm 82:3-4)
One of the indictments God brought against Israel was their treatment of the needy. Throughout the Mosaic law commands are found to treat the poor with compassion and generosity. The Lord's heart is with the weak and the defenseless, and His people's hearts are to be with them too. As you ask God to make you a disciple who makes disciples today, look around for those who are in need, whether physical, emotional or spiritual and, in so far as you are able, meet that need. To do anything less is sin.
"Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?" (James 2:2-4)
ReplyDeleteWhen we view people from the world's perspective it is natural to ask the question, "What's in it for me?" People are categorized according to their relative value and treated accordingly. God's perspective is nothing like that, because there is nothing God needs from any of us. He looks right past our wealth, fame and power because those things are meaningless in the Kingdom of Heaven. God instead views all of us as equally valuable, because we have all of us been made by Him. As Christians, we are to value those God values; to love those God loves. God values and loves all people and thus we are to do so as well, regardless of what may or may not be "in it" for us. As you ask God to make you a disciple who makes disciples today, look at those around you as God does--as beings of inestimable worth no matter their situation.
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." (James 1:27)
ReplyDeleteWe return to James again today and once more he calls the people of God to reach out to those who are weak or defenseless. The widow and orphan of his day had no recourse when it came to supporting themselves. They relied on the mercy and generosity of strangers. In the same way we are called to help those in our society who have no other help; to help those who cannot help themselves. As you ask God to make you a disciple who makes disciples today, look for those who have no other help, and be that help.