sermon from Oct 10

Hope for the Poor

Selected passages from Proverbs

Series on “Our Mission” (part 5)

Micah 6:8 says, “And what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before your God?” James says that real Christianity is marked by care for “widows and orphans.” The book of Proverbs has numerous encouragements to care for the poor because God has a special place in his heart for the poor, but do we? One of the reasons that the gospel doesn’t advance as quickly as it should is because we frequently do not combine “word and deed ministry.” Let us pray for and encourage one another together to grow in our love for the poor. Here are some things Proverbs tells us to consider:

OPEN YOUR EYES, Proverbs 28:27 – “He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.”

• How much do we turn our gaze from the poor?
• What are ways that we could help each other’s eyes to be more upon the poor?] See how Jesus “saw” the poor when many times his disciples did not.
• Liberals often insult the poor by treating them as social projects; conservatives often insult them by ignoring them.

EXTEND YOUR ARMS, Proverbs 31:20 – “She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.”

• Some ideas: (1) Some have changed careers to better serve the poor; (2) Consider downsizing so you can give more generously to the poor; (3) Go on a missions trip; (4) Volunteer and partner with organizations in the city that seek to relieve the needs of the poor; (5) If you are in a small group once a month instead of studying the Bible go and serve together.

REMEMBER YOUR SPIRITUAL POVERTY AND YOUR SAVIOR, Proverbs 30:1 – “I am weary O God. I’m more like a dumb animal than a human being; I don’t even have human understanding. I haven’t learned wisdom. I don’t have the knowledge of the Holy One.”

• Remember that Jesus became poor so that you through his poverty might become rich.
• To become a Christian is to recognize that you are a spiritual beggar and your only hope is the free grace of God so all you can do is extend your hands (hearts ) to receive the gift of his forgiveness and love.

TABLE TALK: Get together with someone and discuss how you might apply this in your life.

Listen to the sermon online