Serving the Poor - WHY?
Why
are Christians called to serve the poor?
If
you are a Christian and have faithfully attended church you have probably heard
that part of a Christian’s responsibility is to serve the poor. Maybe you think
about Jesus’ sermon on the mount and particularly Matthew 5:7, or 1 John
3:16-18 where John equates giving to someone in need with understanding God’s
love, maybe James 1:27 and the equation of true religion with helping orphans
and widows, possibly Micah 6:8 that shows the requirements of God to be doing
justice (a favorite buzzword for our culture), loving kindness, and humbly
walking before God, or Mathew 22:35-40 and the Great Commandment to love God
and neighbor. Maybe for some it
just the example of the life of Jesus. Eating with tax collectors and sinners,
healing the sick, and caring for the poor. The call to the poor for the Christian is sure.

As
I was preaching from Psalm 41 and thinking about why David opens this Psalm by
saying, “Blessed is the one who considers the poor!” I was reminded of a core
Gospel truth. It is this truth that gives us the basis for serving the poor as
Christians.
David
was a man who loved God and loved his instruction as it is found in the Torah.
It is in the Torah that we find our answer to the question of why a Christian
is to serve the poor. Both Leviticus 25 and Deuteronomy 15 have laws concerning
the poor for God’s people. In Deuteronomy 15:7-11 we see that God commands his
people to give to the poor in their midst and to do it with joy. But it is
Deuteronomy 24:19-22 that gives the Gospel truth that should drive Christians
to serve the poor. After
rehearsing how at different harvest times crops are to be left in the field for
orphans and widows, God’s request for the provision of the poor is grounded in
this statement in Deuteronomy 24:22, “You
shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I command
you to do this.” God is saying that his people should provide for the poor
in their land because Israel was once enslaved in Egypt and God heard their cry
for help, remembered them, and saved them.
Do
you hear the Gospel in there? God saw the affliction of his people and came
down to save them. God’s saving attention and action is then repeated in the
person of Christ. God seeing our affliction came down in the person of Christ
and released us from our bondage. In the place of our spiritual poverty he gave
us spiritual riches (think Ephesians 1). In return, we are to picture God’s
saving work in our life by seeing the affliction of others and offering them
help. When you take care of the poor you are enacting a physical picture of the
salvation you have received in Christ. And while you are enacting that physical
picture go ahead and share the Gospel with words as well.
Brothers
and Sisters, if we are not considering the poor in our city and in the world
then it is possible we have misunderstood the Gospel.
Why
are Christians called to serve the poor?
Because
at one time we were slaves in Egypt…
CLICK HERE IF YOU WOULD LIKETO HEAR THE SERMON ON PSALM 41
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