How do we express our thankfulness to God for the blessings we have received?
Today in North America we are considered some of the wealthiest people on the planet. That does not mean that you have a fortune tucked away somewhere but rather our standard of living is some of the best.
We have great medical care, social programs, education, business opportunities, technology and a peaceful society. But in contrast to all that we have we are still not addressing the Great Commission with the passion it requires.
Matthew 19:16-30
We want to keep our wealthy standard of living while others in the world struggle to survive. We are a generous Nation and most Canadians are great contributors to charities but still a third of the world goes to bed hungry every night a third of the world is without proper medical care, a third of the world is thirsty for clean water and third of the world remains poor and is seeking a Savior.
This is not new news for it was Jesus himself who told us John 12:8 NIV
“You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."
So having the poor around us will be an unending condition for the world until Jesus comes back in glory to set up his kingdom. In the mean time what do we do about it?
Jesus mentions the poor at least 25 times in the New Testament. He wanted to be sure we heard what he had to say on the subject.
The rich young rulers first question was one of action, “what must I do” and it was introspective, it was about his own actions not the church, not his family but him personally. Later he gets to the point and asks “what do I lack?”
The fact of the matter is that the rich young ruler knew what it was he lacked. He lacked a generous heart or spirit. After all he did not get rich by giving his money away and that is where the rubber hit the road for him.
We must be generous in our giving to the needs of others if we posses the financial means to be a blessing. For in giving we receive far more than what we spend.
Let me illustrate the kind of giving I’m talking about by sharing the life story of a famous son of Scotland.
Andrew Carnegie was born in Dunfermline, Fife, in 1835.
His family were poor, but had a strong desire for self-improvement through education.
His uncle taught Andrew about Scottish heroes, such as William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, and also proclaimed the virtues of democracy.
He was able to memorize many of the works of Robert Burns, and was deeply affected by the poet's views on democracy.
When Andrew was just 13 the family emigrated to the USA.
They sold their possessions and borrowed money to fund the trip between Glasgow and New York.
Settling in Pennsylvania, Andrew took a job in the same Cotton Factory as his father - working for $1.20 a week.
Carnegie's desire for learning was fueled by the help of Colonel James Anderson, who allowed working boys access to his library of 400 books once a week. Andrew was the most frequent borrower.
At 16 years old, Carnegie got a job in a telegraph company earning $2.50 a week delivering and collecting messages for the Ohio Telegraph Company.
He taught himself Morse-code, and he was given a job as a Telegraph operator for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. The pay - four dollars a week - was a fortune for the 18 year old.
Once in the railroad company, he rapidly progressed through his hard work and willingness to learn. He stayed with the company until the start of the American Civil War.
His first great invention was with the development of the Sleeping Car. This sped up travel times, and made Carnegie and the Inventor a small fortune.
He put his money into Steel, and introduced new manufacturing methods. This decision was to set the US on the course of industrial supremacy.
It was not until relatively late in his life that Carnegie began what he is now famous for - his Philanthropy.
His books - Triumphant Democracy and the Gospel of Wealth - had demonstrated his belief that those that have the power to collect vast sums of wealth also have a duty to spend it in socially constructive ways.
He did not believe in giving money away for the sake of it, and warned against any giving that would not help people progress from the situation they were in.
He founded thousands of public libraries around the World, the first being in his birthplace of Dunfermline.
His most famous ventures include the Carnegie Hall in New York, the Peace Palace at the Hague and the Carnegie Mellon University.
By the time he died in 1919, he had still not given away all of his money. In his will, he ensured that the money would be given to causes he considered worthy, and many are still operating to this day.
Born into poverty, and at under five foot three in height, Andrew Carnegie had grown to become the richest man on the planet - then used his wealth to enrich the World, and leave a legacy that millions of people still benefit from today.
Carnegie made it clear that the wealthy were responsible for the re-circulation of their money back into society where it could be used to support the greater good. He claimed that, in bettering society and people here on earth, one would be rewarded at the gates of Paradise. He knew the story of the rich young ruler.
During his lifetime, Carnegie gave away over $350 million.
He died in Lenox, Massachusetts, on August 11, 1919.
You see God has a way of multiplying our acts of charity. The early church knew this and practiced it. We need to become such a church. We need to become such a people. We do not need to line our church walls with gold or silver but we need to line the bellies of little children with food and cover their bodies with cloths. We can also provide for them an education and with education can come opportunity. But most importantly they need to hear about Jesus and witness his followers exercising his love.
We need to be active where there is a great need because our God is the business of doing great things with our sacrificial gifts. Have you given to the point that it represented a sacrifice? Was it a gift that truly cost you something?
Like the rich young ruler we too need to examine our conscience. We need to look within ourselves and ask if we have left something undone in our acts of Christian charity. The answer to that question will be different for all of us for we do not all share the same financial means. Yet we all share the same call to fulfill the Great Commission.
Jesus gave up his throne in glory to take on human flesh.
As an infant he was hunted down even before he was born.
As a child he was kept in Egypt away from those who would kill him.
As a youngster he was anxious to expound the scriptures for the learned men of the temple and got left behind in a caravan because sharing Gods word came first.
As a man he learned a trade and contributed to his family’s well being before setting off on his mission.
As the Lamb of God he sought to draw all men to him by his selfless example and love for all Gods people, men women, and children, Jew, Samaritan and Gentiles.
When it came to his ministry he knew it needed to be financed and there were those who supported it with gifts while Judas held the purse.
When the hungry needed to be feed he took a boys lunch and multiplied it 5,000 times. This is the kind of multiplication that our God is in the business of.
All we need do is faithfully give our gift into Jesus hands to see it grow and satisfy the needs of the many.
For some of us Jesus asks us to give bread or coin and for others he is asking you to give your life.
For Jesus gave his life as a ransom for many. In giving your single life to Jesus you can change the world and touch the world as Jesus multiplies your gift thousands of times over. Let us search our hearts like the rich young ruler and ask "What do I still lack?" What must I do?
Jesus challenged the rich young ruler and said if you would be perfect. Let us strive for a perfect love and walk away glad knowing Jesus will do great things with our sacrificial gifts. Let us meet the challenge of the Great Commission for the poor and the lost. Let us demonstrate our thankfulness through our generous acts of Christ like love in giving to the needs of others.
Amen
