Why Should We Preach Good News to the Poor? - Isa. 61:1,2
Illustration:Why people don’t witness:
1. 90% have failed in witnessing attempts in the past
2. The are biblically illiterate
3. They leave it to the professionals
4. We shouldn’t impose our faith on others
Ron Hutchcraft, Wake Up Calls, Moody, 1990, p.30.
1. We are commanded to preach good news to the poor. Let us realize that the poor are people who are more than those who live in human poverty. Those who are really poor are the ones who are yet to be enriched with all the spiritual blessings of having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Too often we view the poor as those who are lack knowledge, food or physical provisions. Sadly, this leads us to think that if people can just get their physical needs met they will be all right. However, people are poor when they are not rich toward God.
Example: Jesus told the Laodicean church, "You say, ’I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so you can become rich." (Rev. 3:17)
Quote: "The poor are to be seen as anyone who is yet to find their riches in Christ Jesus. That includes most Americans.
Illustration:For God so loved the world,the poor and the rich, the wise and great, the noble and the true, the good and the bad, the white and the black, those who are in our Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the world. Do you love them as He commands us to love the whole world as He loves us?
Leighton Ford, Good News is for Sharing, p. 15.
2. Poor people do need things like food, skills, knowledge and provisions, but they mainly need a saving faith in Jesus Christ. Perhaps this is one reason that poor people are much more responsive to the gospel than any other group of people on earth.
Example: James wrote, "Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?" (James 2:5) The poor are often those who are despised by affluent society.
Poor people are often more aware of their need for help than others who depend on what they have in this world. The poor are more conscious of their powerlessness and their dependence on God to supply them with what they need.
Application: Let us go to the fields of billions of poor people who are much more responsive to the gospel as these represent the fourth soil that will yield 30,60 and 100 fold. (Mark 4:1-22)
3. The poor are often more willing to admit their need for a Savior and Lord. A person cannot be saved unless they admit that they are lost and without hope in this world. The poor are often more willing to admit their need and cry out to God for help. The selfish human nature does not like to admit it is weak and helpless to save oneself.
One of the greatest barriers for self-sufficient people is their pride. The poor are often much more humble, teachble and willing to acknowledge they need something to change in their life. WE are often partial to people of our own social-economic status and show them favoritism.
Application: It is wrong to judge people by their economic status. Often times poverty makes us uncomfortable because of our own prejudices. Too often we judge on the outward appearances of people instead of looking at their heart condition. Many times we do not want to face our responsibilities to those who have less than we do.
Too many times we want to be wealthy and hope that the rich people will benefit us in some way and support our causes. Many of our motives are selfish, stemming from the view that we are superior to the poor. Let us live as Christ would by showing no favoritism and loving all people regardless of whether they are rich or poor.
Application: Let us be obedient to the Lord and preach the good news to the poor around the world who are eager to experience the full meaning of redemption and lift.
4. When people become poor they are willing to come for help. When the prodigal son reached the end of his rope he said, "He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, he said, "How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death. I will set out and go back to my father and say to him. Father I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son, make me like one of your hired men. So he got up and went to his father." (Luke 15:16-20)
Application: Only when some people reach the bottom of the barrel socially-economically are they ready to be open to the Lord’s deliverance. Let us pray that we may take advantage of the fact that billions are eager to receive Christ as their deliverer if someone will simply introduce Him to the poor of this world.
Example: More than 2 billion people every day have to struggle to live on less than a $1 a day for everything. Organizations like World Vision help us channel our funds to minister to the world’s hungry, hurting and needy people so that the gospel is preached to the poor and the captives are set free from their spiritual bondage.
5. We need to follow the example of Jesus who though He was rich, yet He became poor that we through His poverty might become rich. (2 Cor. 8:9)
Example: It was said of Jesus, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has no where to lay his head."
Application: Let us learn to live, love and be an example of one who learns to live on the bare necessities so we can be an example as one who lived a simple life so he could concentrate on giving to others in need and to identify with the poor.
Quote; The reason why the poor were so responsive to Jesus is that He related to them as one of their own. Although He was rich, He became poor, that we through His poverty might become rich.
6. Let us not label the poor as the excluded, the outsider or the outcasts. Sometimes we think that people are in poverty because of their own fault. Most of the world’s poor were born in to repressive societies where the powerful abuse their positions to exploit the masses.
Example: Having lived in Africa for nineteen years I witnessed abuses of power everyday in all kinds of ways. The elite tends to take advantage of the poor socially, economically and politically for their own selfish purposes.
Example: Jesus said, The poor you will always have with you." We cannot hope to change the political, economic or social conditions of people by merely giving them better educational systems. Only through the transformational power of the gospel will people and society change. Only the good news of Jesus Christ will liberate people from the chains of personal and social sin. All of the good news of the gospel contains the hope that the poor need.
Application: Paul said, "God is able to make all grace abound to you so that having all things at all times, you may have all that you need so you can abound in every good work." (2 cor. 9:8) A most comprehenisve promise for us all.
7. Many of the poor are in bondage to the fear of spirits, evil forces and ancestors. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ will free them from the bondage of fear and give them the faith that helps them overcome the world, the flesh and the devil.
Example: Jesus said, "IN the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer as I have overcome the world." (John 16;33) Many people are captive to fear, anger or disobedience to the God and suffer needlessly.
When the gospel is preached to the poor and captives they are set free from sin, fear and all forms of self-destructive unrighteous thinking and behavior. The gospel gives people freedom to perceive, think and act as free people who can choose to serve God’s kingdom and righteousness that lifts them up to a life of eternal meaning, power and privilege.
Application: Let us preach a positive message of the gospel that liberates, loves and loosens people from the chains they long to be free from.
8. Jesus said, "To who is entrusted much, much is required." (Luke 12:48)
Example: Last year, Americans made $11.5 trillion in their gross national product. Only $213 billion of was given to all types of Christian charities. Of the $213 billion only $11 billion was given to outreach and all types of mission work. But 84% of that was given to missionaries who are working among Christians. 12% was given to missionaries who are working in countries where there are sufficient Christians to reach their own people. But less than 1% of that money was given to the more than 2 billion unevangelized poor people of the world that are yet to hear the gospel in way that they could respond to it personally.
Application: Americans have a great responsibility to channel our funds more strategically to the poor who are yet to hear the gospel and who are so eager to hear it. We can help accomplish Christ’s great commission of Matt. 28:18-20 and Matt 24:14 when we give to support church planters in the developing world for $30/month through organizations like ChristianAid.org or GospelForAsia.org or partnersinternational.org. or BibleLeague.org
9. Blessings are shown to those who are kind to the poor. "If a king judges the poor with fairness, his throne will always be secure." (Prov. 29:14) Jesus said, "Give and it will be given to you." (Luke 6:38)
10. God will answer prayer for those who are generous to the poor.
Example: "Is not this the kind of fasting I have choosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 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 him... 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. then you will call and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help and he will say, Here am I... the Lord will guide you always, he will satisfy your needs ina sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. you will be like a well-watered garden like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the anciet ruins and will raise up the age-old foundation; you will be called Repairer of Broken walls; Restorer of Streets with Dwellings." (Isa. 48:6-12)
Application: Prepare to be used of God to be a great blessing to the poor of the world and to leave a lasting legacy of building up His kingdom and righteousness in greater quantity and quality for God’s greater glory for eternity.
11. You will have treasure in heaven if you help the poor with the gospel. Jesus said, "Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted , where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where you treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Luke 12:33,34)
Application: Thank God that you can send ahead your investments to the heavenly bank where God knows best how to multiply your assets for eternity.
Conclusion:
1)Care: show concern for the person, and concern for your life before him.
2)Dare: it takes courage to witness--courage if the person is a stranger to you, and even more if the person is a close friend or relative.
3)Share: If you want to make a lasting impression, share yourself with the person. Get involved in his interests, get your shoulder under his burden, be genuinely glad when he has a success.
4)Prayer: Don’t discount the effectiveness of prayer in the preparation of people’s hearts for the Good News.
Adapted from S. Briscoe, Getting Into God, p. 92.
Quote from Jesus: To whom is entrusted much, much is required.
