1. CHAPTER SIXTEEN, pt2

2. David Dykes John Molacek Tim Keller

3. “Where have we any command in the Bible laid down in stronger terms, and in a more peremptory urgent manner, than the command of giving to the poor?”
-Jonathan Edwards

4. Yet we tend to filter this out.
“Where have we any command in the Bible laid down in stronger terms, and in a more peremptory urgent manner, than the command of giving to the poor?”
-Jonathan Edwards
Yet we tend to filter this out.

5. What does it mean to be poor?

6. What does it mean to be poor? 1- It is an economic condition

7. The poor are ruined because of poverty.
Proverbs 10:15 “The wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor.”
The poor are ruined because of poverty.

8. Proverbs 14:20 “The poor person is shunned by his neighbor, but many are the friends of the wealthy.”
It’s not that you don’t have any “neighbors” because you’re poor, but that you’re poor because you don’t have any “neighbors.”

9. Deuteronomy 15:4 “there need be no poor people among you,”
-Couldn’t harvest out to the margins. Every third year, an additional tithe was given to the poor. Every seven years, you could not harvest you own orchard or vineyards but all was left to the poor.

10. Dt 15: If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. 8 Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need. 9 Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill will toward the needy among your fellow Israelites and give them nothing. They may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin.

11. Dt 15:10 Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. 11 There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.

12. What does it mean to be poor? 1- It is an economic condition
2- what the poor have is taken from them

13. Proverbs 13:23 “'A Poor Man's Field May Produce Abundant Food, But Injustice Sweeps It Away”

14. Dt 10:17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. 18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing.

15. Luke 4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up
Luke 4:16 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,

16. 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”
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.”
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.”

17. THE GOOD NEWS
Matthew 11
2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

18. Matthew 11
4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not fall away on account of me.”

19. …and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.
Matthew 11
…and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.
Greek: euangelion (εὐαγγέλιον) “Good news”
Jesus uses this very deliberately in the New Testament—it has a very specific meaning.

20. Greek: euangelion (εὐαγγέλιον) “Good news”
Matthew 11
Greek: euangelion (εὐαγγέλιον) “Good news”
The announcement of an historic event that brought a new, joyful, wonderful order of things.
It wasn’t a word used lightly.

21. Greek: euangelion (εὐαγγέλιον) “Good news”
Matthew 11
Greek: euangelion (εὐαγγέλιον) “Good news”
Octavian- Coronation announcement (~27 BC)
“This is the beginning of the “gospel” of Caesar Augustus.

22. Greek: euangelion (εὐαγγέλιον) “Good news”
Why does Jesus use this term?
His essential message is different in form from other religions.

23. His essential message is different in form from other religions.
Good news is the announcement something has been done, not something you do.
It’s not a philosophy, a teaching, an ethic, or a discipline that says “this is what you need to do.”
Rather, it says, “this is something that has been done for you.”

24. SLIDE 24
SKIP to 37

25. The historic events that surround Christianity are different than any other religion.

26. The historic events that surround Christianity are different than any other religion.

27. All the historical events tell you are how they LEARNED the way of salvation.
The historical events surrounding Jesus’ life ARE the way of salvation.

28. Religions Christianity
Philosophy Historic event
What to do/ How to What God has done to
Reach up to God reach to you
Work towards salvation Salvation is given to you

29. Religions Christianity Philosophy Historic event
What to do/ How to What God has done to
Reach up to God reach to you
Work towards salvation Salvation is given to you
It is the poor who understand this!

30. Christianity is not primarily an ethic or philosophy, It is a GOSPEL.
It is the poor who understand this.
It is the poor who are blessed by this.
Because the poor know what it means to have NOTHING to offer.

31. We believe that we are where we are because we’ve worked very hard.
People who are privileged, educated, and cultured- we believe we are self-made.
We believe that we are where we are because we’ve worked very hard.

32. The poor know that its by GRACE.
The poor know we are NOT in control of our lives.
The poor know many of the factors that up us is the place we are today are not because of what we did but because of what God gave us.

33. Because the poor know we are not in control of our lives, when they hear the historic events– atonement, incarnation, resurrection—
They see it as good news!

34. We are saying that we only need a teacher, not a savior.
When we focus only on the teaching, not on the historical events (the good news!),
We are saying that we only need a teacher, not a savior.

35. We only need an example to follow.
I don’t need these historic events to break though to me, I can get to God myself!
>Goodness is Enough<

37. 19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

38. 22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

39. 25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

40. 27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

41. -What does it mean to be poor? -The startling importance of justice
-The nature of justice
-How can we do justice?

43. Isaiah 58:1 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back
Isaiah 58:1 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
2 For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.
3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’

44. “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.
4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?

45. 6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

46. 9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

47. 12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
13 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
14 then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

48. They thought they were doing everything right.
2 For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them. 3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’

49. Isaiah 58:1 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back
Isaiah 58:1 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.

50. Zechariah 7
“When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted? And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves? … ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. …’”

51. Isaiah 1
“Stop bringing meaningless offerings! … When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; …. Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”

52. Proverbs 14:31
“Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”

53. Proverbs 19:17
“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.”

54. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,”
Psalm 68
“…his name is the Lord.
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,”

55. How would you be introduced?

56. How does God “introduce” himself? What does he call himself?

57. How does God “introduce” himself? What does he call himself?
“Father to the Fatherless”
“Husband to the Widow”

58. Top of the ladder: Kings & Generals
The Gods favored them and the spoke for the Gods

59. 2 Kings 5
Namaan

60. Zechariah 7
“When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted? And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves? … ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. …’”

61. Society God stands with Male-dominated the widow

62. Society God stands with
Male-dominated the widow
Family-oriented the orphan

63. Society God stands with
Male-dominated the widow
Family-oriented the orphan
Dominated by one race different races

64. Society God stands with
Male-dominated the widow
Family-oriented the orphan
Dominated by one race different races
Sees virtue in wealth the poor

65. Mark 12 & Luke 20- They “devour widows’ houses.”
“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”
Mark 12 & Luke 20- They “devour widows’ houses.”

66. Matthew 25:34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 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, 36 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.’

67. 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

68. 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

69. 44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

71. What it is to be poor The importance of justice The nature of justice

72. 1-equal treatment—racial and social equity
Biblical Justice
1-equal treatment—racial and social equity
Leviticus 24:22-you are to have the same laws for foreigners and native born.
V7- justice is to provide for the poor wanderer (word for alien, immigrant or refugee). God calls them “your own flesh and blood.”

73. Biblical Justice
ISA 58:7 “Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”
justice is to provide for the poor wanderer (word for alien, immigrant or refugee). God calls them “your own flesh and blood.”

74. 2-special concern for vulnerable populations.
Biblical Justice
2-special concern for vulnerable populations.
Proverbs 31:8 “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,”
This is not just charity, it is advocacy.

75. Biblical Justice
3-Generosity
ISA 58:10,11 if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always

76. “It’s my choice whether I help the poor.”
Biblical Justice
3-Generosity
“It’s my choice whether I help the poor.”

77. “It’s my choice whether I help the poor.”
Biblical Justice
3-Generosity
“It’s my choice whether I help the poor.”
Job 31

79. The importance of justice
What it is to be poor
The importance of justice
The nature of justice
How can we do justice?

80. “We need the right social policy!” “We need the right tax law!”
“we need a plan!”
“We need machinery!”
“We need the right social policy!”
“We need the right tax law!”
“We need the right education system!”
“We need more technology!”
“As long as we have the right plan, then it’ll work!”

81. “As long as we have the right plan, then it’ll work!”
That has never been the problem in the history of the world when it comes to injustice and poverty— that people didn’t know what to do.
It’s that people don’t want to do it.

82. Beatrice Webb

83. “In my diary in 1890 I wrote, ‘I have staked all on the essential goodness of human nature.’ Now, 35 years later, I realize how permanent are the evil impulses and evil instincts in man and how little you can count on changing them by any change in the social machinery. No amount of knowledge or science will be of any avail unless we can curb the bad impulses of the human heart.” –Beatrice Webb

84. What DOES NOT work?

85. Isaiah 58:2 For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.
3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’

86. any religion or secular morality that tries to motivate people to do justice through duty and self-interest will fail.

87. any religion or secular morality that tries to motivate people to do justice through duty and self-interest will fail.

88. any religion or secular morality that tries to motivate people to do justice through duty and self-interest will fail.

89. So how do we do justice and care for the poor if not through duty and self-interest?

90. Through beauty, not duty
So how do we do justice and care for the poor if not through duty and self-interest?
Through beauty, not duty

91. ISA 58:13 “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
14 then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

92. Through beauty, not duty
So how do we do justice and care for the poor if not through duty and self-interest?
Through beauty, not duty

93. Through beauty, not duty
So how do we do justice and care for the poor if not through duty and self-interest?
Through beauty, not duty

94. While they lived, what was the rich man’s attitude towards Lazarus?

95. While they lived, what was the rich man’s attitude towards Lazarus?
Not LOVE
Not HATE
Just INDIFFERENCE

96. While you live, what will you attitude towards the poor be?
Not LOVE
Not HATE
Just INDIFFERENCE

97. When you have the heart of God, Your place will be beside the poor,
Advocating for the poor,
And it will be a beautiful thing to you

98. I view money as my own. I earned it.
I expect the Church to spend money very differently than I spend money, even though I say “it all belongs to God.”
I view money as my own. I earned it.
The poor are poor because the choose to live that way.