YOU
DID IT FOR ME
Scripture Text : Matthew
25: 31- 36
WHY
DOES GOD CARE SO MUCH FOR THE POOR AND THE NEEDY?
In
Ezekiel 16: 49 – 50 Sodom and Gomorrah were
punished for three main sins:-
a)
Sexual immorality
b) Pride
c) Lack of concern for the poor and needy
You see that a lack of concern for the poor and needy
is placed together with sexual sins and pride. It means
that when we, as a people of God do not show concern
for the poor and needy, it is as if we are committing
sexual sins and sins of pride. It is that serious, God
really cares for the poor and needy that He has made
it a sin if we do not care for them. Actually throughout
the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, God has continually
emphasized the need to make sure the poor and needy
are not oppressed, marginalized or even neglected. In
fact, Jesus threatened to send us hell if we do not
look after the interests of the poor and needy. To God,
people are valuable in His eyes, even if they have been
crumpled, deeply broken, stained or down trodden. In
Matthew 25: 40 and 45 Jesus values the poor and the
needy as much as He values Himself. Secondly, He wants
us as His children to show the same love, care and concern
for them. We should turn our eyes from ourselves and
turn our eyes to those in need.
WHO
ARE THE POOR AND NEEDY?
There
are two broad groups. The first group is a people
who are materially poor. They hunger, thirst, need
clothes and fall sick, but have no resources to see
a doctor. The second group is one where the people
are spiritually and emotionally needy. These can be
the stranger, or the ones without friends or family.
There are many people who are desperately lonely and
feeling out of place.
WHAT
IS THE CRUX (THE KEY LESSON) REGARDING GOD’S
COMMAND TO US TO CARE FOR THE POOR AND NEEDY?
-
Acts
(strategies) of Salvation (Matthew 24: 6-7) (wars,
persecutions, famines and earthquakes)
-
Beliefs
(knowledge) regarding Salvation (James 2: 22, 26)
(Faith and Action must work together. Faith is made
complete by action. Good works is the evidence of
Faith)
-
Crux (core purpose) of Salvation ( 2 Corinthians
5:17) (Salvation makes us a new creation in Christ,
so that we can be transformed in Christ likeness)
In
Matthew 24, Jesus speaks about the end times, the
period just before He will come back again to end
the world and judge all people. Jesus says that there
will be wars, persecution against Christians, families
and earthquakes. Matthew 25 gives us the strategies
that we the church can carry out to show God’s
love in difficult times. We know that Salvation is
definitely by God’s grace alone and yet it must
be attested by the fruits of good works in a Christian’s
life. Good works is the evidence of faith.
Matthew 25: 31-46 teaches us the crux – the
core purpose of Salvation – that God saves us
in order to transform us, so if we want to be more
like Christ, we must show love and care for the poor
and needy like He has done.
WHAT
IS THE KEY LESSON REGARDING GOD’S COMMAND FOR
US TO CARE FOR THE POOR AND NEEDY?
-
Acts
(strategies) of Salvation – God using our
Hands
-
Beliefs
(knowledge) regarding salvation – God teaching
our Heads
-
Crux
(core purpose) of Salvation – God giving us
His Heart
I
believe God wants us to use our Hands – Will
we allow Him to?
I believe God is showing us the Mind of Christ, teaching
us what we should truly know about Salvation in our
Heads – Will we learn this lesson well?
I believe God is actually giving us His Heart –
that Jesus came to be like us, so that we could be
like Him. Will we give our hearts to Him to fill our
hearts full with His love? If so, let us be obedient
to God’s word and commit our lives to care for
the poor and needy.
Prayer
Response
Dear
Lord, thank you that you love me and value me very
much in spite of who I am. I pray that you will give
me a compassionate heart for the poor and needy and
that You will do a good work in me so that I will
be transformed to be more like you. Amen
Devotional based on
message by Pastor Aaron Tay
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