Comments made on the last blog posting prompt me to give some Bible references to helping others. I'll admit right up front that I do not have all the answers to this subject; but the Bible does give us direction on it. And certainly it is an important subject, probably a necessary one for each of us to face in our own lives.
First, I would like to say that we don't see the "church" being set up as a social institution. In the New Testament we see the church having a lot of functions, but it is primarily geared to spreading the Word and providing for the needs of other Christians (note 1Corinthians 16, and referenced again in 2Corinthians 8 & 9). And we don't see the "church" being fun oriented, about ball teams and parties, etc.
We can also note that it was not the primary goal of Jesus to address the social needs of the world. He came to seek and save the lost. The angel said in Matthew 1:21 to Joseph, "He will save His people from their sins." And the miracles were not done to see how many people could be healed; He could have healed the whole world, both then and for all time. That was not His purpose. Note (John 20:30-31).
On the other hand, we can get a lot of understanding about the role of the individual Christian by looking at the example of Jesus and His followers. Surely there can be no better example of helping others than Jesus' story of the good samaritan in Luke 10:30-37. The lawyer asked Jesus, "who is my neighbor?" And the neighbor was the one who went out of his way to help the wounded man, even though the helper here was a Samaritan, hated by the Jews. He had a good excuse to not help; but he wasn't looking for an excuse, only to do the right thing. The story says , "He had compassion. And Jesus sums it all up by saying, "Go and do likewise." Now that is profound.....and challenging.
So the message is clear. We must "Go and do likewise." May God help us to do just that!
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Helping Others.
ReplyDeleteIn our Devotionals series, Pastor Rick Warren discusses the Bible passages that inspire him the most. Today's Devotional is based on this passage:
“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12 NIV).
Make yourself accountable:
Find someone who will check up on you, pray for you, and encourage you in the areas where you need help and are struggling. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (NIV).
If you’re serious about trying to overcome obstacles in your life, find another believer you trust and say, “I have this problem. I’ve confessed it to God. I’ve asked forgiveness, and now I want to ask you to help me. Will you be my ‘buddy,’ a person I can call on the phone when I need support?” But keep in mind, support doesn't just mean hearing what you want to hear.
I believe God intends for every church to be filled with “buddy” relationships where people are accountable to each other, where they help and encourage each other in the Lord.
Having someone hold you accountable is tough, but it works.
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Mike -- Thanks for helping me.
Steve
Trying to be a better person
ReplyDeleteI found the following daily devotional from Rick Warren interesting --
"'What is your name?' the man asked. He replied, 'Jacob'" (Genesis 32:27 NLT).
God allows a crisis to get our attention, and then he uses the crisis to develop our character. One thing that signals we're changing is when we confess that we're the problem. We stop blaming other people and we admit, "I am the problem with my life." Until you understand this, there can be no major change in your life. This is the breakthrough God knows we need.
God asks Jacob, "What is your name?" This is a very strange request because God obviously already knew Jacob's name. We need to understand that in ancient cultures you were always named for your character, what you really were. Your name might be Tall or Short; or your name might be Brave or Lazy. You were given a name which was your label. It wasn't just something that sounded nice. It represented your character.
That's a problem because Jacob means "deceiver, manipulator, liar." And Jacob lived up to his name! When Jacob says, "My name is Jacob," it is an act of confession. He's admitting, "I am a manipulator."
Whenever I read this verse I wonder what it would be like to be named for your greatest character fault: "Hi, I'm Greedy . . . " What would be your name? Bitter? Angry? Uncontrollable Temper? Lustful? Afraid? "Hi, I'm Gossip."
Here's the insight into this: We will never be able to change until we openly and honestly and authentically admit our sin, our weakness, our fault, our frailty, our character defects, confessing this to ourselves, to God, and to other people.
One of the most humbling things in the world to do is to go, "This is who I am. I am a __________." You fill in the blank. "I am a worrier . . . I am a domineering person . . . I am a person who runs from conflict . . . I am an addict." Just admit it. Stop making excuses; stop rationalizing; stop justifying; stop blaming other people. You've got to come clean about what everybody else sees but you won't admit.
When you come to God and say, "God, I want to own up to the weaknesses and the filth, the wrong in my life." And you tell God, "This is who I really am," God is not going to be surprised. God already knows, but he needs you to confess so the work of change can begin.
What do you need to admit about yourself?
Theology Vs. Actions of our Faith.
ReplyDeleteOctober 24, 2009
Faith is Something We Do
by Rick Warren
"Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?" (James 2:15-16 NIV).
Faith is more than something you just feel. Many people confuse emotions and feelings with faith. They come to church and they're moved emotionally, they're inspired, and they're stimulated. But that doesn't mean they're walking in faith.
The Bible says faith is something we do, not just what we feel: "Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, 'Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?" (James 2:15-16 NIV).
In other words, faith is not mere sentimentality. Let's say I go out on the street and I see someone who is homeless and destitute. I see that person is hungry, cold, in need of clothing and shelter. Would I be showing great faith if I walked up and said, "Cheer up! Don't worry, be happy! Feel good! Put on a happy face?"
It doesn't take much faith to do that. Faith carries compassion. Faith says, "I'll do anything I can to stop your hurt." Throughout the New Testament, the witnesses say Jesus was moved with compassion for people. Jesus showed us that faith is practical.
When we see a need, we do something about it. We don't just toss out a quick --"Well, I'll pray for you." The Bible says, "Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food." If we see a Christian in need, we respond because that brother or sister is part of our family.
When you become a believer, you became part of God's family. And as a result, you have some family responsibilities: You care when other Christians are hurt, or in pain, or in grief, or in sorrow, or in need. You show your faith by what you do.
It's easy to think, 'But I can't meet everybody's needs!' That's right. None of us can. But we can meet some. What we can do may not make a difference to everybody, but it will make a difference to those we help.
Think of it like this: When the tide went out, hundreds of starfish were stranded on the beach. A little boy began to pick them up and throw the starfish back into the ocean.
A man came along and asked, "What are you doing?" The boy said, "I'm putting the starfish back in the ocean."
The man said, "But there's too many! You can't make a difference for all of them!"
The boy tossed another starfish into the water, and said, "I bet it makes a difference for that one."
One-by-one. Great opportunities to serve God often come as small opportunities to serve those around us who are in need.