Mission to the Needy - 230408

SPEAKER A Hello. Welcome to let God speak. I am your host, Uriah Sejist. Jesus gave all of his followers instructions on what our mission should be. We are to take the Gospel to the world and introduce people everywhere to Jesus and give them an opportunity to choose him as their Savior and make him Lord of their lives. There are a special group of people that Jesus seems to take an interest in and asks that we pay special attention to them. These are those who are in need around us today, we examine our mission to the needy on let God speak. On our panel today, we have Rosemary Malkiewycz and Gayl Fong. Welcome, Rosemary and Gayl. SPEAKER B Thank you. SPEAKER A Please join us as we pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for bringing us here again where we can share your word to your people as we open sacred Scripture. Lord, we pray that light from heaven will shine upon us and illuminate our minds. Give us a clear vision, Lord, of who you are and what your will for our lives is, and bless all those who are listening and hearing. Today we ask in Jesus name, amen. SPEAKER C Amen. SPEAKER A Many people think that if they win the lottery, all their problems will disappear. But studies show that 70% of lottery winners lose all their money in five years or less. And married women who win the lottery are twice as likely to divorce within two years. Gayl, when we refer to the needy, who exactly are we referring to? Because as far as I know, we all have needs. Are we speaking specifically about the poor when we talk about the needy? SPEAKER C Well, poor people have needs, and many people fall into that class of need for material needs. And actually, probably the larger extent of the world's population fall into that category. But Jesus also identifies another group in revelation, chapter three and verse 17. And the Bible reads, because you say, I am rich and have become wealthy and have need of nothing and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. So here we have a different group of people. We could consider them rich or affluent, and they don't realize that they are actually poor. It's a different type of poor. And this probably is even more dramatic because they don't realize their condition. SPEAKER A Very insightful. And so, Rosemary, based on that same verse in Revelation, chapter three, verse 17, what are some other ways people can be needy? SPEAKER B Okay, when we look at that verse, one of the things it says is that people can be wretched and miserable, but they can be wretched and miserable without knowing that they are wretched and miserable. Some know that they are suffering and are in need of help and that the problems are taking a toll on them. There are other people who can be physically, morally, and spiritually poor and needy. They can be blind and naked. As the verse says, all of these people need someone to help them out of their troubles. And that's what the needy is in the biblical sense. It's not just poor people. Everybody's needy in some way. SPEAKER A So it's not just material needs. There are other needs as well. And as a matter of fact, one can be the richest person on earth and be inflicted with an incurable disease. And all the money in the world will not help that person stay alive. Now, let's look at the life of Jesus. Gayl, was Jesus a needy person? SPEAKER C Well, Jesus is God, and he's the God of the universe. He's the Creator. He created everything. And yet it says in Matthew, chapter eight, and verse 20, and this is when Jesus came and took on humanity to be the savior of the world. He was asked by a scribe, actually, who came to him, and he wanted to follow him wherever he went. And Jesus said to him, verse 20, foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests. But the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head. So when he came here as the savior of the world, as an itinerant and as a itinerant preacher, Jesus needed a place to stay. And he relied and depended on the good hearts of those around him. And particularly, he found comfort in the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. SPEAKER A So Jesus was needy at a point in his life, and there were people around him that were able to help him. So he's been our example of actually being in need. Now, Rosemary, before we even approach serving those who are in need, what should be our attitude towards the needy? SPEAKER B I want to read James two, verses eight and nine, because I think they're very pertinent to this. It says, if you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. You do well. But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as a transgressor. Now, that shows us that there are a couple of important things to remember that we need to think about before we start trying to help people here. We're told that we are not to be partial. We're not to help those who are of a certain race that we like or not help someone because they're a color we don't like. There's people from different countries we may have a thing against. That doesn't happen when you are there to help people for God. So we've got to follow the golden rule that's what this verse says. If you would want someone to do that to you, then that's fine to do it to them. But if you don't want them to do it to you, don't do it to them either. You have to be impartial. You have to be honest. You have to have authenticity. You have to have genuine care and compassion for others. SPEAKER A Wonderful. And sticking with you. Rosemary, some may be viewing our program today and maybe thinking, well, I can't help anybody because I have needs myself. What example can we get from Jesus for those who may be having that view? SPEAKER B Okay, now let's look at Matthew, chapter 24 23, verse 37. Matthew 23 37. Jesus said, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones, those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. This is an example where Jesus was in a terrible situation, where he was about to face torture, an unjust trial, death, and yet he was thinking of the people who were going to suffer in Jerusalem in the years to Come because they had rejected him. And we've got to remember that there's always someone else who needs our help, no matter how badly off we are. And it doesn't have to be financial. It can be compassion, it can be time, it can be something else. That's not money. Where we can help other people. We've got to look for those other people and find out what it is. SPEAKER A That's great. And there is an example in the Gospels, Gayl. In Mark, chapter two, I just want to read verse three where it says, then they came to him bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. So it seems that there was this man who was paralyzed and he was carried in by four men. What did these men, what did they do to help this man, their friend? SPEAKER C Well, like you said, this man was completely helpless. And he actually had been given no hope by the church authorities. They'd actually not helped him at all. That discarded him. And he was not only suffering physically, but he was suffering mentally. And I believe the Holy Spirit was drawing him to Jesus. He'd obviously heard about Jesus and he'd heard how he'd healed the lepers. His friends had heard that. And so hope had risen in his heart. And his friends, they were the sort of friends that looked outside the square. And yes, the Bible says in Mark, chapter two and verse four, it says, and when they could not come near him, that's Jesus. Because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where he was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. So they were very persistent. And, of course, this was Peter's home. But they were exercising their faith in a very practical way, and they persevered, and they were very creative, and they got the paralytic right there in front of Jesus. And I think we'd all love friends like that if we were in desperate need, as he was. SPEAKER A Absolutely. They persevered. They didn't let the crowd stop them. They figured out other ways which they could get their friend to Jesus. But it's interesting, Gayl, that you use the word faith as a Quality in helping others. What role does faith play? Did faith play in this story of healing, of that paralytic man? SPEAKER C Well, there is no way that you would bring your friend to Jesus if you did not think that he could help. And they went to extraordinary measures because they're there in public, and they've got the scribes and the Pharisees there. They're there to be antagonistic and to find fault with Jesus. Here is their friend, who's basically been a throwout person. So they're exercising great faith in actually bringing their friend to Jesus. And because of their faith, because of their persistence, that Jesus, he always answers that prayer of faith, that call for faith. He recognizes that, and God responds. SPEAKER A So the story does not particularly say what the mindset of the paralytic was, but it talks about his friends and what they did to help him. And they exercised faith according to what you're saying. SPEAKER C And his greatest need was not just his physical healing, but his spiritual, because that is what was more agonizing to him than his wasting body. SPEAKER A Right? So, Rosemary, now, the faith of the friends, what was the result? SPEAKER B Okay, if we look at Mark two, verse five, it says, when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, son, your sins are forgiven you. And so this is showing that the faith of the friends brought the result that it doesn't say the man. As you said, it doesn't say the man had faith. It was the faith of the friends. And as Gayl said, it was spiritual healing he needed as much as physical healing. And when Jesus said, son, your sins are forgiven you, the man received the healing of God. Sometimes it's our faith that can help other people to get through their problems or to find some form of healing. SPEAKER A That is very interesting, because it means sometimes when people themselves are struggling with faith because they are so in need, they're going through so much, they can't pray, they can't reach out to God. Then they need faithful friends around them that can pray for them, that can step in and intervene and help them out. And so now let's turn our attention to how Jesus did ministry to the needy. Rosemary, what was the first step in Jesus'method. Of ministry to the needy? SPEAKER B Okay, let's first see what goes on from there. If we go to another story, Jesus had to be where the people were who were in need. So we will go to John chapter five and verses two and three. And here it says, and now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gator pool, which is called in Hebrew Beth Seder, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, blame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. So here is this place where there's a pool and there's five porches and there's masses of people there waiting to be healed. Jesus comes to this place because he knows that there's someone who's been there for a long time and who needs his healing. Yeah. So Jesus goes there where he is. And let's look at verse six where Jesus comes to this man who's been there for 38 years paralyzed. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, he said to him, do you want to be made well? So it seems like a strange question, but he had to actually express that he did want that help. So Jesus went to where the people were. SPEAKER A What I find interesting about that story there, all these people, their need was they are sick and they were needing of healing and Jesus is in the midst of them. He's not sick but he goes to where the people in need are. SPEAKER B Yes. SPEAKER A And he ministers to them. And that reminds me of a quote from the book Ministry of Healing, page one, four, three where it says Jesus mingled with men as one who desired their good. So Gayl, after being where needy people are mingling with them, what was the next step in Jesus's method? How did he treat people? SPEAKER C Well, it says in Matthew 1414 and this is where Jesus will eventually feed the 5000, it says. And when Jesus went out he saw a great multitude and he was moved with compassion for their spiritual healing, their physical healing and their emotional healing. And he is there. He's concerned about their suffering and he's motivated instantaneously to act. SPEAKER A And remember we are talking about our mission to the needy and we're looking at Jesus as an example. So all of what you said that Jesus did also applies to us. We are to be concerned about the suffering of others if we are to minister to those who are in need. Now, let's get a closer look at Jesus. Jesus gets close enough to people to see their needs, and then he's moved with compassion. Is that enough that I'm moved with compassion? Rosemary, what does Jesus do next? SPEAKER B It's not enough. Jesus sees people sick all around him. And if you go through the Gospels and put an h next to every verse that talks about Jesus healing people, you'll be amazed at how often he did that. But Jesus ministered to the needs of the people who were around him, the people who were sick. They were all healed. There were villages that were totally well. There was not a sick person among them. And it's not enough to just see a need and to have compassion, you have to do something. Let's read James chapter two, verses 15 and 16. And James writes, if a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, depart in peace, be warmed and filled, but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does a profit? In other words, if you see that people in need and you do nothing, then you might as well not have said anything or even know the people. They need the help. Ellen White says in councils for the church, page 283, it should be written upon the conscience as with a pen of iron upon a rock. That he who disregards mercy, compassion and righteousness, he who neglects the poor or who ignores the needs and suffering humanity, who is not kind and courteous, is so conducting himself that God cannot cooperate with him in the development of character. So even in helping other people, it helps us with our character development. It benefits us to benefit other people. SPEAKER A And I noticed in that quote, she says, that someone who's not helping God cannot cooperate with that person in the development of character, because it's actually in being at that point where you see the need, where you get close enough to people in need, where you are moved with compassion. That means you are responding to the Holy Spirit working on your heart. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER A Now, Gayl, what effect did Jesus have on people? SPEAKER C Well, the Jews and the Samaritans, ThEy did not get along with one anOther. But Jesus, being a Jew, he came to break down all barriers because he was no respecter of persons. And so he ministers in this story. In John, chapter Four, he's THirsty. It's in the heat of the day, and his disciples have gone to go and buy food. But here he is, and he comes across this lady, this woman of Samaria at the well. And the verse says in John, chapter four and verse nine. Then the woman of Samaria said to him, how is it that yOu, Being A JEw, ask a drink from me? A Samaritan woman, for Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. So whilst Jesus is there, he has no picture. He has nothing to draw water with. And, of course, she IS THere. But she is probably, I would say, minding her own business and not really looking at Jesus. But he engages her in a conversation, one that is quite startling, to just ask of that. And, of course, instead of just giving him the request, giving him the drink of water, this conversation continues. And she discovers that he turns it onto her personal life, even telling her how she's living. But she perceives that he has insight into her life that no human being really should know. And because of that and the way he is treating her and engaging her, he's treating her not like a throwaway person, but she sees his intent of care that he has for her. BECAuse he says that he has water that will quench her thirst. And, of course, so she's recognizing there's a spiritual application here. And so we read in John, chapter fouR, verse 28 and 29. The woman then left her water pot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, come see a man who told me all things that I have ever done. Could this be the Christ? And she was one of his greatest evangelists. Was this dear soul? Because with that confidence that she had in him, she was a great advocate for the Messiah. SPEAKER A So she moved from being hesitant at the start of the conversation. To being so confident in this man that she wants to tell everyone about him. And that's the kind of effect that Jesus has on people. And Rosemary, the final step in Christ's method. What does it look like? SPEAKER B Okay, Gayl was just touching on the final step, actually. Jesus met the people where they were. He showed compassion to them. He cared for their needs. They realized that they could trust him by the way they treated him. And then they were willing to follow him. Let's look at John, chapter six and verses one and two for an example. After these things, Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberius. Then a great multitude followed him because they saw his signs, which he performed on those who were diseased. He saw the healings that he had done. He saw the miracles. They saw what Jesus could do, and they followed him. Many of them believed in him as the Messiah instead of just following. So that's the natural result. If people know they can trust you because you care for them, you have compassion and you have helped them, they're more likely to listen to what you have to say. SPEAKER A Wonderful. And that is very true. Now, according to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, there are 6.6 million people who live in refugee camps around the world. Gayl, migrants and refugees, these are vulnerable groups that we often don't think about, but they are among us. What was special about Jesus that makes him specially concerned for migrants and refugees? SPEAKER C Well, Jesus himself had been a refugee, and we find that in Matthew, chapter two and verses 13 and 14, although he was very young now, when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, arise. Take the young child and his mother, flee to Egypt and stay there until I bring you word. For Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. So refugees are forced to flee, and often they can't gather as many things as they'd like as they left here in the middle of the night. So they're escaping violence, they're escaping conflict, and they're escaping persecution. So Jesus had firsthand experience of this in his early years, and that's why. SPEAKER A He especially concerned about migrants and refugees. SPEAKER C So much empathy. SPEAKER A What about the view that says there are only so many resources to go around where I live and refugees compete for the already limited resources that we have? What should the Christians response to that be? SPEAKER B Okay, let's look at Deuteronomy ten, verse nine, and just see verse 19. Sorry. And see what God says here. God said, therefore, love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. So the Israelites had been refugees basically because of drought in the land of Egypt. And God had made them into a nation in that place. And so God is saying to love the stranger because you used to be strangers, so love the strangers who come among you. But God also said to them something else. In Leviticus 23 22, he said, when you reap the fields, reap the harvest of your land. You shall not wholly reap the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning from your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger. I am the Lord your God. So God said, you have to take care of the poor, you have to take care of the stranger. Don't take all of the crops off your land. Leave some for the other people. SPEAKER A So God always blesses us with enough that we can share. Yes, we should, who are in need around us. And one final thought, Gayl. Some may say that we should not help those who are in need as a means to an end, that we should have no strings attached when we help others. Is this a correct view? SPEAKER C Well, yes and no. We mustn't do it because of self serving reasons. Of course, that would be wrong. But remember that Jesus helped people because he desired their good, not his own. And these verses in Matthew 25, verses 34 to 36 says, then the king will say to those on his right hand, come, you, blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you took me in. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. And then verse 40. And the king will answer and say to them, assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these, my brethren, you did it unto me. So I do believe it is. We're motivated by God's love and passion for others. It's through our love and obedience to God. It just flows naturally to help those in need around us. SPEAKER A And so we don't do it for selfish reasons. We don't help so that we can get something back from those we are helping. SPEAKER C Absolutely not. SPEAKER A But because of our genuine love for them and because Jesus asked us to do it. And it's interesting, Jesus says when we do it to others, we're doing it to him. SPEAKER B And Ellen White even says, don't invite people home for a meal, but don't invite those who are going to invite you back. SPEAKER A Right? That's all we have. Thank you very much, ladies. One of the habits that successful people have in common is serving others. Many successful people are philanthropists and have set up charities, donating some of their money to help others in need. For Jesus, serving others was his core business. He says, the spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has set me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed. And that's in Luke, chapter four, verse 18. Jesus has left to us his disciples the very same mission, to help those who are in need. So who can you help around you today? We are glad that you joined us today on Let God Speak Remember, all past programs plus teachers notes are available on our website, threeabnaustralia.org au. Or you can email us if you wish on [email protected] Join us again next time. SPEAKER D You have been listening to Let God Speak, a production of Three ABN, Australia. Television. To catch up on past programs, please visit 3abnaustralia.org.au Call us in Australia on 024-973-3456 or email [email protected] We'd love to hear from you.