Friday, February 23, 2018
Works
Matthew 25:40
And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
As we continue to explore this idea of what matters most to the heart of God for His church to be doing, we see a need for us to revisit how church is structured, and how we allocate our resources and efforts.
The church, the called out who are then sent out, is expected to minister to the needs of those around us as a testimony of our faith in Jesus and our transformation by the Holy Spirit.
However, church budgets today are focused on staff costs and administrative costs and very little on education and outreach. Our programmes, as well, are focused inward rather than outward. We are functioning like the called out, but not like the sent out.
These ideas about our responsibility to the poor, the marginalised, and the vulnerable in our midst are not new. These are not fresh challenges for us to contend with. These are the issues of all time.
This is the point that Jesus was making to the man described as the ‘Rich Young Ruler’ in the scriptures. The young man said, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” Matthew 19:16. The answer was not linked to concerts, sound and lighting systems, prayer breakfasts, or live streaming, the answer was as simple as it was direct, Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” Matthew 19:21.
Now that was pretty radical, but, before you panic, not everyone has to sell all, some of us get to give a part and keep the remainder. “Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold.” Luke 19:8. Jesus found that to be acceptable and told Zacchaeus that “today salvation has come to this house,” Luke 19:9
In a comment about our meditations this week one reader messaged to say that “we are busy with all kinds of programmes for ourselves, outsiders don’t attend, unbelievers don’t attend, targeted groups don’t attend, and we end up attending them ourselves.” This is a sad commentary on much of the church. Now, I know that there are shining examples of churches that do a good job of ministering to needs but many of us have work to do at the personal and church level.
The opportunities for good works in this world are limitless. Jesus once said that “the poor you have with you always,” John 12:8. And before Jesus said this, God had always made this clear, “For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall open your hand wide to your brother, to your poor and your needy, in your land.” Deuteronomy 15:11.
In an earlier Devotional we reflected on Paul’s directive to Timothy that “in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works” Titus 2:7.
In the short letter to Titus, the matter of “good works” comes up repeatedly. But here, Paul says to Titus that good works should not be a one-off effort. It’s not an organized campaign for a weekend to help those in need. It’s not some intervention when we are made to feel guilty about not helping others. Rather it must be a pattern – a consistent, characteristic form or style or method.
One of the other meanings of the word pattern is that it refers to a – plan or model to be followed. When our good works form a pattern, we are laying down a model for others to follow. Those who observe us from outside and those who follow us on the inside must see a discernible and distinct pattern of good works for which they both glorify God in heaven and seek to emulate in their own lives.
We are very good in church at crusades and campaigns. We can marshal the troops and raise the resources to have a great weekend of activity or week of special ministry. We do well at posting these on Facebook or wear each other down with our incessant live streaming. But what often happens after this special time is over, is that no patterns are formed, and we go back to church as usual.
The early apostles, those who walked with Jesus, still wrestled with this question for a long time and eventually laid down what ought to be directives for the individual Christian and the church. James, in James 2:14-26, essentially settles the matter writing, “But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:20.
James is usually very terse, John is much gentler and wrote it this way, “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? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:17,18
Our biggest challenge though is not just what these apostolic luminaries wrote, it’s what Jesus declared about how He will measure our lives. If we fail to see that practical works to those in need as service to Jesus, then all else that we have believed, and taught, and preached, and shouted about is useless. For Jesus will say when asked, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.” Matthew 25:45.
Think on these things:
- Look around the community near your church, do you see opportunities for practical ministry?
- Are your leaders’ examples of a lifestyle of good works and practical ministry?
- What are you going to do to form, or enhance, a pattern of good works in your life?
Prayer focus:
Let us pray today that we would be deliberate in seeking out opportunities for practical ministry for ourselves and our church.
In His Grace
Pastor Alex