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Title: The Outworking of Love, Part Three
In the past two weeks, we’ve taken time to establish the following:
1. Christ’s death was the ultimate outpouring of love for his chosen people.
2. Believer’s are called to a special sacrificial love to each other.
Today I want to put rubber to road and answer this question:
3. How do we do that?
“But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?”
Here John gives us one example, the example of material blessing, that we should consider when it comes to living sacrificially for the brethren. The point that John is making is that love changes things. Within the church, our love for each other, becomes our willingness to help each other, thus we meet the needs of the whole body.
Let’s break this down for appropriate application:
1. What are the “World’s Goods?”
Definition: Things that you have to have here, but can’t take with you there.
Examples: (be realistic)
Food
Shelter
Money
Clothing
Health Care
Transportation (maybe…)
Toys
2. What does it mean to be “in need?”
To be without these necessities (not toys), and to not be able to get them without help.
This isn’t me coveting Jim’s lawn mower and hinting that he should give it to me in the name of Jesus. Why? Because in that scenario, NOTHING CHANGES. The need hasn’t been met, it’s just been transferred from me to Jim. We are looking for a love that changes the need.
3. What should the goal be?
To help others get established enough that they are then able to help others get established. Is this not discipleship?
4. What excuses do we often use to justify our “shutting our hearts up” to others in need?
“I’ll be taken advantage of.”
(So What? Read Paul’s words in I Cor. 6:7-8)
“I didn’t work hard for this so that he could have it for free.”
(You don’t own anything. You don’t have a right to anything but obedience.)
“They’ll never learn if I keep giving them handouts.”
(So don’t give them a handout, give them a hand. Remember, this is the church body, we are in the business of rehabilitation.)
ACFB story of a large donation.
Close:
Even in our little church, we have some “haves” and we have some “have nots.” If you are a have, it is because God has blessed you, and my advice to you is this: render unto Cesar what is Cesar’s and render unto God what is God’s.
If you are a have not, ask yourself this: Am I making an honest effort? Am I working as hard as I could be? If the answer is yes, and you still come up short, praise God that he’d have you to be at a church that will live sacrificially for you. If the answer is no, seek the help and guidance
of someone who can help you be where you want to be.