What We Believe . . . Concerning Those in Need

Opening

Good morning, Church! I need to ask you something . In your conversations, how often do use the phrase “I need . . .”? I do it all the time.

I need a snack. I need a nap. I need a vacation. I need a new phone.

As I reflect on it, I realize I’m a needy person! I hear some of you . . . “we know you are, Jeff.” And I know y’all are needy too. I hear you. You ask for a lot, don’t you?

We all have things we say we need that we don’t really need. Our life wouldn’t literally end if we didn’t get what are actually wants and desires.

However, many of the things we call “needs” are legitimate needs - some things are necessary. And assuming that you aren’t doing anything immoral, there is nothing wrong with pursuing healthy answers to your needs.

BUT, I want to ask something of you.

On your way to meeting all of your needs, will you pause time to time to consider the needs of others?

There are many people - right in our path - who have serious needs.

Series and Bibles

We are in a series called “What We Believe” and today our focus is on what we believe concerning those in need.

Speaking of needs, if you need a Bible, we are happy to get you one. Raise your hand and an usher will bring you one.

We are going to begin with a story in 2 Kings 4 on page 314.

Here we have Elisha, a prophet of the Lord ministering to various people in need. We will focus in on the first seven verses.

2 Kings 4:1–7 NIV

The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.” Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.” Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.” She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.” But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing. She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”

Very cool! A miracle took place and the widow’s needs were met!

There are a number of things we can learn from this story. First and foremost it tells us something important about our God.

What do we believe concerning those in need?

1. God Sees those in Need

All throughout Scripture we see His heart for the poor, the widow, the orphan, the immigrant, the sick, the prisoner, those grieving, and those who are spiritually broken.

Praise God that He sees those in need because from His perspective that’s all of us - we all need Him!

But there are of course people like the widow in this story and her sons who are in more desperate circumstances. God sees them!

We know God cared for the widow because he put the right people in her path - Elisha to minister to her and the neighbors to give generously

And then God further showed His love through the miraculous flow of oil. One small jar of oil filled every single jar in the house!

Psalm 140:12 NIV

I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.

God is good! He is compassionate and just. His heart breaks for His people and He responds. We see this most clearly in the life of Jesus who regularly gave his attention to those who were overlooked by others.

Hebrews 2:17 says that Jesus was made like us, human in every way. He experienced hunger. He lived in poverty. He suffered through the worst physical pain imaginable. Not only did he do this to experience what we are going through, but He showed His love by willingly enduring it for us.

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God demonstrates that He sees those in need many different ways.

Sometimes God satisfies needs through miracles, but more often he uses people as His helpers. Perhaps he has sent you to care for those in need. Or maybe you can picture someone that has personally helped you.

Fred Rogers had a long running children’s program called “Mr. Rogers Neighborhood.” He said . . .

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

Church, guess who God is calling to be helpers. Us!

Not only will we bless others as we represent Jesus, but we will bless God when we respond faithfully to those in need.

Jesus said . . .

Matthew 25:35–36 (NIV)

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

When the disciples asked Jesus when they did this for him, he replied “what you’ve done for the least of these, you’ve done for me.”

So God sees those in need. He wants to use us. Then how? What’s our responsibility?

We are called to . . .

2. Be Compassionate

Here is a serious question for you to ponder: How do you care about those in need?

Elijah showed he cared for the widow by asking her “how can I help you?”

Contrast that with Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan where the two religious leaders showed us what not to do when they walked past a man in serious need. They avoided eye contact.

Elijah (like the good samaritan) stopped and showed interest in the woman in need. He listened to her concern and he gathered more information to consider if there was anything he could do. He showed compassion.

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In Galatians 2, Paul talked about how the apostles commissioned Barnabas and him to go and minister to the Gentiles. And the apostles emphasized one thing that they didn’t want them to neglect.

Galatians 2:10 NIV

All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.

Paul and Barnabas were sent to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, the most important message in the world that sins have been forgiven by Jesus’ death on the cross and eternal life is available because Jesus conquered the grave. They had much to teach and preach.

AND they were also called to remember the less fortunate.

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1 John 3:17 NIV

If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?

If we don’t have pity on those who are hurting . . . in other words, if we lack compassion . . . we have a heart problem that needs to be addressed.

Full confession, church. I’ve been there. Lacking compassion, even as a believer. It is easy to get numb to those in need. Why?

Sometimes it is because the people who need help are really difficult or they’re rude or maybe it was their own fault that got them into their situation

Or the needs are overwhelming. I can’t help everyone and so I end up helping no one.

Or maybe we are numb because it’s hard to relate. We know it is sad that there are people in war-torn regions or facing starvation, but it is just so foreign to us

I hear the excuses, they’re just not very good.

Isaiah 1:17 NIV

Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.

If we are lacking compassion, we can begin with learning and seeking. If you struggle with compassion, try serving others.

Take the time to see people who are less fortunate. Remember how God saw you and how much He has done for you and where you could be today if it were not for His mercy and the kindness of others.

God calls us to be compassionate!

We are also called to

3. Give generously for tangible needs

Real needs, Physical needs, the things we can grasp

The widow had very serious concerns that she was going to lose everything because she had no source of income. Her husband passed and it appears that her boys were too young to do any kind of substantial work.

If she didn’t have some kind of tangible help, her boys could have been taken as slaves to pay her debt!

But the neighbors stepped up and gave generously to meet tangible needs. They provided jars as Elijah instructed. Jars that could be filled with oil and sold to give her substantial income.

Matthew 5:42 NIV

Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

The neighbors set a good example in this story!

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Pastor and author Craig Groeschel said, “Generous people plan to be generous. . . We give God our first and best. We trust God to bless the rest.”

Do you want to be generous? Plan for it!

When we give to the Lord FIRST (meaning before we spend a penny elsewhere) it helps us to have a better perspective on our money and possessions. It all belongs to God. He cares about the tithe that we give to Him. And he cares about what we do with all that is left over. Trust God in it!

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The Israelites had a practice where they would consider part of their harvest being reserved for the poor.

Leviticus 19:9–10 NIV

“ ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God.

Now most of us are not farmers here, but what is the principle? Keep some of what you have for those in need.

Plan to be generous! Then it is not as hard to let go so we can meet needs.

But shouldn’t I just tell people about Jesus? Isn’t that the bigger need? Yes you should tell others about Jesus and more on that shortly, but people are often not at a place ready to hear when their most basic needs are unmet.

James 2:15–16 NIV

Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?

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In the 1940’s a psychologist named Abraham Maslow came up with a theory that became known as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. He proposed that people have various needs that fall on different levels of this pyramid and the lower level basic needs like food, water, and safety must be met first before higher needs can be fulfilled.

**Image ** Maslow’s Hierarchy Pyramid

Now, as believers, we know that people can come to encounter Jesus in all kinds of seasons and circumstances. But Maslow is on to something that often people are not in a state to deal with other needs, including spiritual needs when they are so focused on simply surviving.

That’s one of the reasons God calls the church to serve.

And it is why we promote giving generously to provide for tangible needs.

At the same time, we are also called to . . .

4. Minister to Spiritual Needs

We do not see Elisha do this explicitly in 2 Kings 4, however it is implied in the story.

Elisha throughout the book has a reputation as a holy man of God who serves the Lord and performs miracles on his behalf.

He had important conversations with the woman and surely ministered to her

One thing about Elisha . . . He walked so closely with God that anything good that happened around him, God received the glory.

It should be the same with us.

Matthew 5:16 NIV

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Faithful generocity and service opens doors for us to connect with those who do not know Christ. The most important need (even when people don’t recognize it) is a relationship with Christ.

We all have a responsibility here as well.

Romans 10:13–14 NIV

for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

Please don’t think that this means you have to be a pastor and preach a sermon. Share what you know. Tell others what God has done for you!

If you don’t know much about the Bible, keep studying and memorize helpful verses, but don’t hold off sharing because you’re not a “Bible expert” today.

Acts 18:25 says that Apollos (who became a major leader in the early church) was preaching and leading others to Christ when all he knew was the story about John’s baptism of Jesus. He didn’t know most of the gospel (the crucifixion and resurrection). Two other leaders, Priscilla and Aquila taught him more adequately. But before he had all his training he still shared about Jesus.

If you are a believer in Christ - trained or untrained, long in the faith or new to the faith - you are called to minister to spiritual needs.

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Finally, we are also called to

5. Exercise wisdom

Did you notice that Elisha asks the widow to take action and he also gives a job to the neighbors? Elisha doesn’t do it all himself. Couldn’t he have made it easier on her?

Consider that in other cases God raised people from the dead. The very next story in 2 Kings 4, God uses Elisha to resurrect a boy who was dead. Why didn’t God bring the widow’s husband back to life? We don’t have an answer for that.

Why didn’t God use Elisha to perform a different miracle? Why didn’t he make gold appear in her house or manna (bread from heaven) like God did for the Israelites as they wandered in the desert?

Every situation is different. God provided for this widow and her boys just as they needed.

She had to do some work for it. She had to ask her neighbors for jars and then she later had to sell the oil to be able to provide for her family.

And it is likely that the money she earned from sales covered the family for awhile, but eventually they’d need to work. The money would have given them the opportunity to pay off debt and have a head start as the boys grew. It was an investment, but not an excuse for them to never work again.

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In 1 Timothy 5, Paul gives instructions for how the church should care for widows. Many of them have great needs for the church’s support, but others are young and able to work and even potentially remarry - or they have sufficient family support, so Paul says not to put such widows on the church’s widow’s list.

The Bible promotes helping those in need, but it speaks against enabling others to be lazy.

2 Thessalonians 3:10–13 NIV

For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.

Brothers and sisters, it is good for us to be gracious, to sacrifice, and go the extra mile. Jesus encourages generosity and acts of service.

AND use discernment. Is what you are doing setting them up for success in the long run? Is it enabling any bad habits? Is how you are giving to this person sustainable for you?

We have other responsibilities and commitments too . . . to our families, to our work, to our church.

Exercising wisdom is about finding the right balance.

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Most of what we will do is on a small scale, person-to-person.

But as we think about those in need and exercising wisdom, it is important to realize that governments also bear some of the responsibility concerning those in need. And we live in a time and place where we can speak into the systems on a city, county, state, and even national level.

Voting is important AND so is speaking up wherever we can to encourage the best care for those in need and to protect what is good.

We should pray for those who are running our government, we should hold them accountable, pay attention not only to their morals, but to their records, their experience, and their actions. Because it affects people! When their job isn’t done well, it creates more people in need!

As we think about taking care for the Poor, here is the reality . . .

When the economy is bad, inflation continues to go up, prices are out of control, and unemployment is rising - it becomes increasingly difficult for us as a church to care for the poor.

Many of our government leaders have been and continue to be terrible stewards. On both sides of the aisle. They are setting the bad example of spending more than they have. Our national debt is currently over $35 Trillion! That amount is unfathomable.

As we think about caring for the Immigrant, here is the reality . . .

We have a very serious border crisis that is hurting both Americans and Immigrants. Terrorism, Drug and Human Trafficking are major threats that often target the most vulnerable. Not to mention that the current government approach has created an unsustainable situation for our social systems that are overextended.

Now on the other side, some people villainies all immigrants and loop them all in with murderers, rapists and drug dealers. That is wrong! We are a country of immigrants and that is a beautiful thing. No one should appreciate that more than the body of Christ with people from every tribe, tongue, and nation.

Many immigrants are fleeing from terrible conditions and looking for a better life. They are grateful to be here and want to give back. We should do our part to help refugees and support them coming in the right way.

Consider our Christian brothers and sisters who are fleeing severe persecution. This last year, Over 29,000 Christian refugees were resettled in the U.S. Praise God that they are safe! Plus there were another 70,000 refugies of other backgrounds who came with whom we can share the good news of Jesus Christ!

As we think about caring for the prisoner

Multiple times the Bible talks about visiting them. As Christians, shouldn’t we advocate for just laws that are applied and enforced equally to everyone? Safe communities are a good thing and so is finding ways to restore individuals who have made mistakes, but are willing to turn their lives around.

Do you see how finding the right balance in each of these areas is exercising wisdom?

Closing

There is no shortage of people in need!

God sees every ONE and we are called to respond as he gives us opportunities to be compassionate, to give generously for tangible needs, to minister to spiritual needs, and to exercise wisdom.

Some problems are complex and may require several steps to be resolved. And we probably won’t see every need met this side of heaven. But, we can still be faithful and do our part.

If you are looking for a place to give generously, the church is a good investment. Your regularly giving supports ministries directly impacting those in need, such as our Celebrate Recovery groups and Church in Action.

Stay tuned in because next week we are starting a giving campaign for our oversees missionaries. Come prepared to be generous!

If you have items to donate, we partner with the San Bernardino Mission. Come and serve with us next Saturday! See details in the bulletin or our website.

We have a pastoral care team who visits and prays for the sick. Connect with me if you are interested in serving in that area.

And keep your eyes open because there are people you’ll encounter throughout each day that need the light of Christ.

Love your neighbor - every one of them.

God sees those in need and He calls us to do the same.

Let’s pray!

*Sources:

· “First-Person: Thinking biblically about immigration” by Tony Beam, posted September 27, 2024. https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/first-person-thinking-biblically-about-immigration/

· “Weeks before election, report eyes immigration struggle for persecuted Christians” by Diana Chandler, posted October 15, 2024. https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/weeks-before-election-report-eyes-immigration-struggle-for-persecuted-christians/