February 16, 2025
Sermon Part 3: “The Spirit of the Lord Seeks to Position us to Get Wealth to be a Blessing to Those In Need!”
In 2023, 36.8 million people in the United States were living in poverty, which is a poverty rate of 11.1 percent. (Census Bureau) Moreover, globally, around 700 million people, or 8.5 percent of the world’s population, live in extreme poverty. This means they live on less than $2.15 per day. (World Bank)
As born-again Christians, God has uniquely equipped us with the Spirit of the Lord and Anointing to be a blessing to the poor. So let the Spirit of the Lord have His way and give to the poor with an open heart and hand!
Praise the Lord Saints and Good Morning!
Introduction
I tell you the Truth. I hate to hear the words “poverty,” “poor,” or “disadvantaged. My heart reviles against poverty, and is set on doing as the Spirit of the Lord Commands to bring people out of poverty into a wealthy place in Christ Jesus. (Luke 4:18-21) Even though at “Times” I have missed opportunities to be a blessing to the poor due to Procrastination. Still, I press and stretch higher and higher towards the mark for the prize of the High-Calling in God in Christ. (Php. 3:14) That is, to Love every person on the planet, including the poor and those in need, as Jesus Christ Loves me.
Poverty refers to the state or condition in which people or communities lack the financial resources and other essentials for a minimum standard of living. As such, they cannot meet their basic human needs. No person in the world should have to live in poverty, given that Jesus Christ sacrificed His life on the cross to set the world free from sin and poverty. (II Cor. 8:9) Yet, Jesus Christ said to the disciples, that they would always have the poor “with them.” (Matt. 26:11) Yes, as long as the earth remains the poor will be “with us.”
Jesus did not say the poor will always be in the world. He said the poor will always be “with us.” Meaning that the poor are our brothers and sisters. They are family! Do you think of the poor as your family? If not, start doing so today? Would you let a member of your biological family suffer hunger, lack shelter, clothing, or other vital human resources they need? I hope your answer is no. In like manner, we must help the poor as we have opportunity and means.
Moreover, it is very difficult for a person to fully “hear” the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which we are Commanded to preach to every person, when their bellies are empty and basic needs are going unmet. For those in poverty, the physical Message of God’s Love, must often “Times” be first received, before we can share the spiritual Message of God’s Love through the gospel that has the power to break asunder the curse of poverty on a person and family, in their generations. (Rom. 1:16, 10:12-13, & Mark 16:15-18)
Jesus Christ said “…It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35) As born-again Christians, in accordance with the Abrahamic Covenant, which we talked about last week, God in Christ Jesus has equipped us with the Spirit of the Lord, (The Holy Ghost) and Anointing, to get wealth so that we might receive what I call the “double blessing.” (Gen. 12:1-3, Gal. 3:6-9, 13-14, 26-29) That is, the blessedness of receiving wealth, and the blessedness of giving to those in need. (Deut. 8:18)
Learning to give to those in need from a “cheerful heart” is an essential work of the Ministry that we are called and duty-bound to perform in Christianity. Church leaders (The Five-Fold Ministry Gifts to the Church of Jesus Christ, Eph. 4:11-12) must teach our congregations how to give money and other material resources to God, and to those in need, from a “Compassionate Heart.” We must help our people understand that every opportunity we are afforded to “give” of our wealth to the Church, and the poor, is Divinely Purposed and ordered by God. So that we might use our “Time” allotted on earth wisely, “doing works” that are well pleasing in God’s sight. You are never wasting your Time and money and resources, when you give liberally from the heart to those in need.
This is what the Lord would have us understand today, that the Spirit of the Lord within our hearts is continually at work positioning us to “be a blessing” to the poor and those in need. There is no greater earthly satisfaction and joy we can obtain on earth, than when we give to those in need with a cheerful heart. However, Satan schemes to use the weapon of “Procrastination” about giving to the poor in an attempt to keep us from reaping the double blessing God has instore for us.
God Expects His People to Have Compassion on the Poor and Needy
I hope you read the heading of this section closely and take it to heart: God expects for you to have “Compassion on” the poor and needy! The Apostle John wrote at I John 3:17 about the necessity of Compassion for others in need, if we are truly God in Christ inhabited. It reads:
But whoso hath this world’s goods and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up the compassion of his heart from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
As stated last week, Ephesians 2:10, states that we are God’s own handiwork, created in Christ Jesus so that we might “do” those good works God predestinated before the world began. Jesus Christ stated that all who believe in Him shall “do” the same works that He performed while on earth, and greater works as He is seated at the right-hand throne of God the Father. (John 14:12)
Since we are created in Christ, and have the Spirit of the Life and Mind of Christ on the inside of our hearts, we must go about “doing” the works as He performed them. (Col. 3:3-4) Christ is our example for living the Christian life. (Heb.12:2) Do not miss this Saints: The works of Christ were always preceded by His “Compassion” for the plight of a person, or the group of people before Him.
The dictionary defines Compassion as the “feeling that arises when you are confronted with another person’s suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering.” It speaks literally of “suffering together” with a person’s plight. This is a good and true description of Compassion, but in spiritual matters it runs much deeper than that.
Bible Compassion is not just “feelings” and an emotional “release” to do something to help when we learn of a person’s plight. It’s not just feelings of being merciful, sympathetic, or having pity for a person trapped in a struggle in life.
Godly Compassion is the expression of the nature of God, who is Love, invoked by the Spirit of the Lord (Holy Ghost) within the born-again Christian’s heart, to resolve the person’s or group’s plight in their favor. Like the Compassion of Christ, Compassion in the heart of the born-again Christian “knows” all about the trouble the person or group of people are going through, and is touched with the feelings of the infirmity. (Heb. 4:15) Godly Compassion is supernatural, it not only suffers together with the person, but it also knows (has the wisdom) how to resolve the plight for the person’s good, and goes and does it!
Dear Saint of God, for every person with a burden you will ever meet in life, the Compassion of God in your heart has the solution and favorable outcome in hand. Godly Compassion contains the “good work” we are ordained to “do” from the foundation of the world. Yes, Godly Compassion is full of passion to “do” all of the work preordained by the Lord!
The Apostle John stated at I John 2:20: But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
Godly Compassion works hand-in-hand with the Anointing (power of the Holy Ghost). We don’t just have Compassion for people. No no, no, we put Godly Compassion “on” people, and groups of people, and command their plights to go in Jesus name!
Now let’s check out some examples of the Ministry Work of Jesus Christ. In Matthew Chapter 20: 30-34, as Jesus was leaving Jericho, two blind men cried out continually for Jesus to have mercy on them. Jesus stood still and called the men to Him and asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” They replied “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” Next, Verse 34 says that Jesus had “compassion on them, and touched their eyes, and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.” Notice that Christ’s Compassion was “placed on” the blind men. The Compassion of God knew what work needed to be done to heal the men and moved Jesus to touch their eyes, and they were healed. The Lord’s Compassion also compelled the healed men to follow after Jesus.
Also, in Mark’s Gospel, after Jesus had preached in the synagogues in Galilee and casted out devils, a man with leprosy came begging Jesus to heal him. He knelt down and said, “If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.” Again, the Scripture reports, “Moved with compassion,” Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him and said to him, “I will, be though clean. Instantly, the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed! (Mark 1:40-42)
There are also accounts written in the Gospels of Mark and Matthew of Jesus feeding the multitudes that followed after Him. In each encounter, we are told that Jesus had “Compassion towards them, or on them” and fed the multitudes by multiplying the small number of fishes and bread on hand. (Mark 6.34-44; Mark 8.1-9; Matthew 14.14-21).
Finally, look at Matthew 9:35-38, and see the role Compassion played in the Lord’s work and calling others to serve. It reads:
35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
Jesus’ Compassion always led to God-ordained actions, whether healing, feeding, providing, or calling others to serve. The Compassion of God in Christ is on the entire Body of Christ to labor with Him to “do” the same Good-Works: healing all manner of sickness and disease, including those in poverty and having sundry other needs. If we headed the call of Christ’s Compassion to labor with Him in His Vineyard, the food lines in our communities would dwindle dramatically with fewer people (family) with us in poverty. A Pastor once aptly prayed saying, “God break our hearts for what breaks yours!”
God Loves the Poor, How About You?
Again Saints pay close attention to the caption heading above. Do not be hasty in contemplating your answer: I ask this time, not just whether you think of the poor as family, but whether you Love the poor as God does?
Here are a few Scriptures that express God’s Love for the poor.
Psalm 14:6: God is a refuge for the poor from oppressors
Psalm 35:10: God rescues the poor and needy
Psalm 68:10: God provides for the poor
I must speak for myself, and not you. I will not boast of how in Ministry I have helped the poor. Rather, I will take a bull horn and boast of my ineptness in service to help the poor. Yes, I will speak of the opportunities I have forfeited due to Procrastination about giving to the poor, so that the Spirit of the Lord and Compassion of Christ may flow out of my heart, and help my own infirmity! The Apostle Paul pinned at II Cor.12:9:
And He said unto me, “My grace is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore will I glory rather in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
As I examine the aforementioned Scriptures from the Book of Psalms regarding God’s Love for the poor, for my personal edification, the thought that comes to me is: God is my refuge, God rescues me, and God provides for me. (Ps. 91:2, 15, and 23:1) Um, thus I recon, that God has the same Love, Regard, and Compassion towards me that He has for the poor. I should reason then that God is the maker of all people, and considers the “rich” and “poor” together. (Prov. 22:2) While the world seeks to separate the rich from the poor. God always sees the rich and poor as “One.” For we all are created in God’s own image and likeness. (Gen. 1:26)
So in contemplating whether I love the poor like God, I ask myself: Am I serving as a refuge, deliverer, and provider of the poor?
The answer largely is no, as I have plenty of room to grow. There have been “Times” in my Christian life, when I have neglected the poor, and shown partiality towards those who are rich and have resources, more than those who have none. There have also been “Times” when I showed partiality in giving to people who asked of me, both Christian and Non-Christian. I made judgments on giving, based on whether I thought the person sincerely had a need, or could pay me back. This in no way is in accordance with Christ’s teachings on giving!
Also, there have been “Times,” when driving or walking on the street that a poor person holding a sign with a message regarding their plight, has looked my way and asked for money, and I did not give it to them. In some instances, I made judgments not to give based on the person’s looks, demeanor, my mood, or whether I was in a hurry to get to my destination. This was all sinful behavior provoked by Procrastination. I knew giving to the poor person was necessary, but I chose instead to put it off till another day. Oh, how many “Times” do we tell the poor, “not today, not today, and not today?” How many “Times” do we lie and say we have nothing to give to the poor and have money in our pockets and car cup holders?
James 4:17 says, anyone who knows to do the right thing and fails to do it, is guilty of sin. I have sinned at “Times” regarding giving to the poor. What God expects for us to do when we sin, is to forgive ourselves of the sin, (Eph. 1:7) and repent. (Change the way we think and obey God’s Commands.)Thus, I repented and resolved to Love the poor as God does for the remaining “Time” allotted to me on earth. I now view the poor as “family,” and that God’s Compassion is to rule my thoughts and actions in serving them.
I aspire to be great in the Kingdom of Heaven; I want to be like Jesus Christ in everything that I say and “do.” Jesus told the disciples that the way to greatness, in God’s eyes, is through servanthood; becoming a bond-slave to serve all people. Yes, I want to be God’s bond-slave for the poor; making it my life-style, as Jesus did, of saying to everyone in need: “What do you want me to do for you?”
God loves the poor and demands that our response towards the poor be the same as His. I will now share with you these Truths, and never forget them. “To Know God is to Love the Poor.” “To Grow-up in Christ, You must Grow-up in Your Love Walk with the Poor.”
In both the Old and New Testaments, we see God’s expectation for His people to “show Compassion” on the poor and needy, and in return God’s people are supernaturally prospered as they do so. This makes the poor excellent sowing ground, for even greater harvests of wealth to come on those who genuinely Love the poor. God’s people cannot be indifferent toward those in need, because His expectation for us in regard to supporting the poor are woven throughout the entirety of Scripture.
For example, look at God’s Testimony about the loving acts of King Josiah towards the poor at Jeremiah 22:16. “He (Josiah) judged (defended) the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? Saith the Lord.”
Recorded at Deuteronomy 15:10, Moses, the man of God, instructed the children of Israel on how they were to have Compassion towards the poor and needy: Thou shalt surely give him, (them/the poor) and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.
This sentiment is also captured in Proverbs 14:31: “He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth (insults) his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor. The Book of Proverbs is chock-full with Verses showing that God Loves the poor, and is “deeply offended” when His people neglect them. (Prov.17:5, 19:17, 22:2, 9,16, 22-23, 28:8, 29:7 & 31:8-9).
The consequences for ignoring the plight of the poor are also made clear in Proverbs 21:13: “If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.” Also, note in Proverbs 28:7 God’s strong response towards those who neglect the poor: “He who closes his eyes to [the poor] receives many curses.” Further, among the iniquities of Sodom and Gomorrah described in Genesis Chapter 19, the people of that land were “arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.” (Ezek.16:49) We know well of the demise of that place too, as brimstone and fire rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. (Gen.19:24-25)
The New Testament is equally clear as to how we as born-again Christians are to have Compassion on the poor. In the first Epistle of John it reads: “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with action and in truth.” (I John 3:17) All will say that they “love everyone,” but we only have proof when we see actions that match our words. See the following Passages of Scripture on Christ’s teachings regarding “giving.” First, Luke 6:30-34:
Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
We are to take this to mean to give to every person that asks, with no strings attached. At Luke 6:38, Jesus taught on the principal of the more blessedness that comes from giving:
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Also, examine your Christian walk in light of Luke 14:12-14, and hearken to the Voice of the Spirit of the Lord in your dealings with the poor.
Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.
But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:
And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
Upon reading this Passage of Scripture, all of us need to reflect and ask ourselves, in preparing dinners, and great feasts on Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day, and other “Times” of the year; did we call the poor, lame, and blind and invite them to share our tables? I did not. That’s called partiality. I knew of the Anointed King Jesus’ Commandment at Luke 14:12-14, but I chose to do the opposite, and only called family, friends, and fellow Christians to join me at the Table. How about you?
In my case, I knew full well the Commandment of Christ to invite the poor to our feasts. But, again, I let Procrastination enter into my decision not to invite my poor brothers and sisters to the feasts. In my deliberations, I mostly thought about whether it was wise to invite strangers into our home to eat due to safety concerns. The drum-beat of Procrastination kept on beating saying to myself “maybe next year, I will invite the poor to supper with me, um, maybe one day I will.” It has been nearly 12-years since a poor person and family has sat at our dinner table!
Do you see what Procrastination does when entertained? It works to shut up your bowels of Compassion in your heart, build “Walls of Procrastination” in your brain, and conditions you to do other things of lesser importance. And, ultimately Procrastination causes you to miss out on the “double blessing,” and God’s repayment for your loving service to the poor on the Day of the Lord.
Equally important is the Passage of Scripture at Matthew 25:31-46; the Parable of the Sheep and Goats. It’s an actual event that will take place just before Christ’s millennial rein on earth, and involves what is often referred to as the “Judgment of Nations.” At that “Time” the people inhabiting the earth will appear before Christ’s throne and divided into two groups—the “sheep” on Jesus’ right side and the goats on His left.
Those on the left will be sent to the “eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (V. 41), whereas those on the right will receive their eternal inheritance. (V. 34) Noteworthy, however, is the language Jesus Christ uses in addressing these separated groups. The “sheep” are commended for their supportive actions towards the poor, the sick, the imprisoned, and the vulnerable. On the other hand, the “goats,” are chastised for their lack of compassion and action towards the poor and those in need.
When the righteous ask the Lord “when” they did these things, Christ responds by saying, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” We are not to misconstrue this as meaning the good works of the sheep factored into their gaining salvation. Rather, these good works were the “fruit” or evidence of their having been saved by grace (Eph. 2:8-10), further evidencing that a commitment to Christ will indeed be accompanied by undeniable evidence of a transformed life full of a Compassionate heart. Remember, we were created to “do” good works, which God prepared in advance for us to “do,” and the “good works” Christ speaks of in Matthew 25 include supporting the poor and suffering.
James 2:2 states, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.” James also wrote, But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (James 1:22) Similarly, the Apostle John wrote, “The man who says, ‘I know Him,’ but does not do what He commands is a liar and the truth is not in him. . . . Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did.” (I John 2:4, 6). And the words of Christ Himself: “If you love me, keep my Commandments.” (John 14:15)
In closing, God’s Word gives us insight into His heart for the poor and instructions on how we are to support the weak. If we truly have faith in Jesus, we must also share His concern for the poor and treat them as Loving and adored family. Jesus Commanded us to love one another as He loved us. (John 13:34-35). And what better way to demonstrate the love, kindness, and Compassion of Jesus Christ than by reaching out to the “least of these” with us; the poor and those in need?
Each encounter we have with the poor is a Divine Moment in “Time” given to us as an opportunity to be a blessing. To give a smile and warm embrace. To stop and chat with the poor, homeless, sick, and imprisoned and ask them, “What can I do for you today?” To have Godly Compassion for the plight of people and meet and exceed their physical and spiritual needs for God’s love, mercy, and grace is forever available to All.
God has called us to decency and order. (I Cor.14:40) Let us from this day forward see and treat the poor with the same Love, Regard, and Compassion that God has for them. Our reward of servanthood will be great in the earth, and much more so in Heaven above. Let us redeem the “Time” by doing only those things that please the Anointed King Jesus, and have eternal value and reward having Compassion on the poor and bringing them into a wealthy place in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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