The Least of These
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Physical Need
Physical Need
Famine
Famine
Syrians eating the leftovers from the cart
Some 795 million people in the world do not have enough food to lead a healthy and active life
That is one in nine people
Stunting is being too short for a person’s age. It is a slow, cumulative process and develops over a long period as a result of inadequate nutrition or repeated infections, or both. Stunted children may have normal body proportions but look younger than their actual age.
Globally, 150 million children under the age of five were estimated to be “stunted.”
Stunting is being too short for a person’s age. It is a slow, cumulative process and develops over a long period as a result of inadequate nutrition or repeated infections, or both. Stunted children may have normal body proportions but look younger than their actual age.
Globally, 50 million children under the age of five years old were considered “wasted.”
Globally, 50 million children under the age of five years old were considered “wasted.”
Wasting (also called marasmus) is having a very low weight for a person’s height. Nutritional edema (also called kwashiorkor) is swollen feet, face or limbs (UNICEF, 2015).
Over 9 million people die of starvation every year.
Over 9 million people die of starvation every year.
We produce enough food to feed everyone on the planet, but 1/3 of all the food produced around the world is never consumed.
Stunting is being too short for a person’s age. It is a slow, cumulative process and develops over a long period as a result of inadequate nutrition or repeated infections, or both. Stunted children may have normal body proportions but look younger than their actual age.
Wasting (also called marasmus) is having a very low weight for a person’s height. Nutritional edema (also called kwashiorkor) is swollen feet, face or limbs (UNICEF, 2015).
Disease
Disease
In 2018, an estimated 6.2 million children and adolescents under the age of 15 died, mostly of preventable causes.
Of these deaths, 5.3 million occurred in the first 5 years, with almost half of these in the first month of life.
More than half of early child deaths are preventable or can be treated with simple, affordable interventions including immunization, adequate nutrition, safe water and food and appropriate care by a trained health provider when needed.
More than 3 million people die every year of vaccine-preventable diseases. 1.5 million of which are children.
Children in sub-Saharan Africa are more than 15 times more likely to die before the age of 5 than children in high income countries.
Human Trafficking
Human Trafficking
Syrian refugees
Philippino maids
Trafficking for sexual exploitation is the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the world
4.5 million are sold into sex trafficking worldwide
2 million are children
98% are female
Profits from forced sexual labor are estimated at $99 billion worldwide
The United States is rated as one of the worst places for sex trafficking in the world
No accurate number exists for victims in the US, but it is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands
Every state has reports of human trafficking
The National Human Trafficking Hotline receives an average of 150 calls per day.
Sex trafficking spikes on Super Bowl Sunday
Spiritual Need
Spiritual Need
There are 7,367 unreached people groups in the world
That equates to 3.19 billion people
What is an unreached people group?
An unreached people group are people who literally have no access to the gospel
They could not hear about Jesus even if they wanted to
There are millions upon millions of people around the world who do not even know the name of Jesus.
Romans 1:18-
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
All human beings, whether they want to admit it or not, know that there is a God.
They can perceive His existence by looking at the world around them.
In theology, this is what we call General revelation
Everyone on the planet has been given, by God, general revelation.
We can look at creation and perceive Him
We can look at where He has revealed Himself in history and perceive Him
And all humans are drawn to an inner morality that tells them that there is a standard of right and wrong, but for some reason we can’t keep it.
This is universal. This is for all humans.
From the top of skyscrapers in New York City to deep in the jungles of the Congo, everyone has been given general revelation by God.
But general revelation is not good enough to save anyone.
Looking at the beauty of the mountains is insufficient to save
Taking a glance at history is insufficient to save
Recognizing a standard of right and wrong does not save you
We need the Word of God that tells us about the sacrifice of Christ. We need the Gospel.
This is called special revelation.
This is where God reveals Himself, through His word and through His messengers, and reveals what He did on the cross of Calvary.
What does this mean?
What does it mean for these unreached people groups who have never heard of Jesus and have only been given general revelation?
It means unreached people literally only know enough about God to damn them to hell
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
Romans 1:18-
Romans 1:21-
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
That means that there are millions upon millions of people on our planet that will live a life of misery and torment only to die and go to an eternity of misery and torment.
So here was my question.
When I starred at Abu Ali in that tent and contemplated the miserable situation of the millions just like him, I asked myself this question:
Why was I born in a country where illnesses are easily treatable and the gospel is readily available, while they were not?
What is so special about me?
Is it fate?
Is it God just having some kind of cruel fun with the human race?
Did God say, “I will give grace and privilege to these people over here and pure misery to these people over here” just for the fun of?
There are two options:
There are two options:
Did God say, “I will give grace and privilege to these people over here and pure misery to these people over here” just for the fun of?
God is cruel and unjust
You have been given privilege and grace for a purpose
2. You have been given privilege and grace for a purpose
The Gift of Grace
The Gift of Grace
Throughout Scripture we find that many people found favor with God in a way that others did not.
Examples include people like:
Noah ()
8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
Joseph (),
4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.
Daniel ()
D
9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs,
Mary ()
30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
These are just to name just a few.
God gave particular opportunities to some while withholding them from others.
And He did the same with us - He gave us the grace of being born in a privileged environment where we don’t have to worry about dying of starvation or preventable diseases and the Gospel is readily available
He did not give that opportunity and that grace to those who live in the Himalayas or Syrian Refugees or those who live in famished Africa
He didn’t give it to them, but He gave it to us
But why?
He gave it to us because though Grace is a gift, it also brings with it a responsibility
The Responsibility of Grace
The Responsibility of Grace
For those of us who have been given grace and who live in places where our every need is met, we have a decision to make.
Will you live comfortably and ignore those around the world who are suffering? Or will you use the grace given to you as leverage to serve and help those who do not have your privilege?
Because God’s grace comes with a price for our lives
Because God’s grace comes with a price for our lives
24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
We are no longer our own
And if Christ owns our bodies, He will use them to fulfill His mission
And what is His mission?
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Luke
20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
Luke
Throughout His ministry, Jesus met and relieved the Physical needs and the Spiritual needs of people in droves, all for His glory.
When He calls us to meet the physical needs of the people around the world, it is for the purpose of making His name known.
You cannot separate
World hunger is likely never to end
Sex trafficking is likely to never end
Disease will never end.
We don’t meet people’s physical needs simply to meet their physical needs. We meet their physical needs, whether they deserve it or not, in order to show them Christ.
Giving Abu Ali soup
What will you do about the physical need all around the world?
Jesus said plainly:
48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
If we know about the physical need around the world, we have to ask WHAT we will do about it.
And we can try to excuse ourselves from helping others because we think they don’t deserve it, but if you open your Bible you will find one big story about a God who came to the rescue for a people who did not deserve anything He gave them.
We are not called to help those who deserve it. We are commanded to help those who need it. All for the glory of Christ.
It is dangerously possible to live our Christian lives isolated from urgent need around us.
A Christians impulse should be to run to need and proclaim the goodness, grace, and favor of our God to those in need.