July 1-Purposeful Living
Edited by Gary G. Hoag and Tim MacReady
What does it mean to remember the poor? by Bruce Longenecker, New Testament scholar
In the late forties of the first century, the Apostle Paul met with Christian leaders in Jerusalem to discuss whether a disputed practice (male circumcision) was essential to Christian identity. Of course, we know from Galatians 2:1-10 what they concluded: no! But if believers in Jesus were not constrained to observe that particular practice, the Jerusalem apostles nonetheless emphasized one practice that they hoped would characterize every community of believers in Jesus Christ. They expressed it this way: “remember the poor” (Galatians 2:10).
They did not mean simply “think kind thoughts about them.” To “remember the poor” meant to keep the plight of the poor firmly embedded in the church’s vision of how God wants His people to be working in this world. In this way, remembering meant taking the plight of the poor seriously and contributing to their needs wherever possible. In the same verse, Paul affirms that this was the very thing that he was eager to be encouraging Christian communities to be doing.
July 2-Purposeful Living
Edited by Gary G. Hoag and Tim MacReady
What does it mean to remember the poor? by Bruce Longenecker, New Testament scholar
The reason the Jerusalem apostles raised the matter is because, unlike Peter who was taking the gospel primarily to Jewish audiences, Paul was tasked with taking the gospel primarily to Gentile audiences. While the Jews were known to prioritize caring for the needy, this was not common practice among Gentiles in the Roman world.
Even though Christian communities did not all need to look alike with regard to the issue of circumcision, those communities did need to look alike with regard to the issue of caring for the needy. Wherever people believed in Christ, regardless of their various identities, the communities in which they found themselves were to be marked by a generosity of spirit toward those in economic need. This was the decision of the apostolic followers of Jesus in what was, in effect, the very first council of the Christian church.
These apostles were not suggesting that every Christian should be involved in offsetting the needs of the poor in order to be saved. Instead, they were saying that communities of Christ-followers should be places that foster a kind of generosity of spirit among their corporate membership as a result of the generous transformation of grace (or “gift”) that God the Father bestows on them in Jesus Christ through “the Spirit of His Son” (Galatians 4:6).
July 3-Purposeful Living
Edited by Gary G. Hoag and Tim MacReady
What does it mean to remember the poor? by Bruce Longenecker, New Testament scholar
The New Testament does not provide a specific template for corporate generosity, or a single formula for how it is to be put into effect.
On the one hand, when raising money for Christians in economic need, Paul encouraged other Christians to set small amounts of money aside, with those small amounts not being missed but collectively growing to a more sizeable contribution (see 1 Corinthians 16:1-4).
On the other hand, when addressing people with substantial economic reserves, Jesus imagined generosity of spirit to involve much heftier forms of economic relief, to the extent of complete abandonment of one’s own wealth.
Luke 19:8, “But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
Perhaps God moves in the hearts of people in personal ways in different economic situations with varied discipleship taskings. But the apostolic expectation seems to have been that those who name Jesus Christ as Lord will also embed themselves in communities of service that, in essence, all look alike in their practiced habit of remembering those in economic need. For Paul, this self-giving character represented the fulfilment of Scripture within Christian communities (see Psalm 112:9 in 2 Corinthians 9:8-9).
2 Corinthians 9:8-9, “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”
For him, remembering the poor followed the narrative pattern of the life of the One he called “our Lord Jesus Christ” in 2 Corinthians 8:9, which proclaims: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
July 4-Purposeful Living
Edited by Gary G. Hoag and Tim MacReady
How does the handling of money impact the relationship between a church and its community? By Chris Willard, Director of generosity initiatives for Leadership Network
The Bible has a lot to say about money and possessions. In fact, my friend and colleague, Howard Dayton, co-founder of Crown Financial Ministries and Compass — Finances God’s Way, compiled a topical overview of 2,350 Bible verses that comment on handling money and possessions!
Since the Bible speaks so often about this topic, it is only natural that churches should talk about it, too. But the Scriptures don’t talk about money so much to present its importance to God, but rather because He knows it is important for us to get it right. As Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” Matthew 6:21.
The truth is that God doesn’t need our money, but He knows that our orientation toward money reflects our obedience to the lordship of Christ. And it shows how well we grasp that He is the source of all we have. As followers of Christ, our goal in life is not gaining power, possessions, or prestige for ourselves. Instead, we, along with the entire body of Christ, exist to share the good news of the Gospel until His return. But sharing the good news entails much more than evangelistic proclamation efforts.
July 5-Purposeful Living
Edited by Gary G. Hoag and Tim MacReady
How does the handling of money impact the relationship between a church and its community? By Chris Willard, Director of generosity initiatives for Leadership Network
Generosity offers one of the most powerful ways for the church to leverage the blessings of God for the advancement of the kingdom. Best of all, when the Church acts with generosity to serve others, it presents a clear picture of Christ, who generously gave His life and all He had on the cross that we might find life in Him forever. Sharing also takes the form of helping ordinary people through hard times. Our approach to money becomes a witness that draws people
to Jesus, because they see that we deal with money differently.
Financial hardship has a way of breaking down the walls that separate us, even in the church. The sudden loss of wealth reminds people that our stated net worth on paper — our value in the eyes of the world — can change at any moment. During difficult economic times, people begin to question what really matters in life and think about what is of lasting value. Individuals who have placed their hope in the markets begin to recognize that, while good financial planning and stewardship are wise, there are no guarantees.
Two people, who might be separated by the divide of wealth between homelessness and luxury, now find themselves in the same boat, seeking the same answers: What do I do now? Where are you, God? What is your plan for me?
July 6-Purposeful Living
Edited by Gary G. Hoag and Tim MacReady
How does the handling of money impact the relationship between a church and its community? By Chris Willard, Director of generosity initiatives for Leadership Network
Jesus has called the church to approach money in a way that celebrates the sharing of our resources with one another. This is neither an economic model that forces people to share their
resources with another, nor is it a political agenda.
Instead of being motivated by outside pressure, we believe that the church must begin to challenge people to behave in ways that are consistent with what they profess to believe. Why? Because the world — the lost people all around us — is watching and paying attention to how the church and its members handle the financial resources God has entrusted to us.
Jesus reminds us in Matthew 5:14: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot
be hidden.”
When the Church acts in ways that are consistent with our commitment to Christ, a watching world notices. We cannot hide who we really are, and generosity reveals that our faith is genuine and true. As the church exhibits this in the public eye, skeptics and cynics will find it nearly impossible to find fault with genuine acts of generosity that demonstrate that our hearts have been set free from our love of money and things.
When we give (and save and spend) for the benefit of God’s kingdom, to serve others in love without an expectation of something in return, that gives them something worth talking about. Instead of money being a stumbling block to people, it can actually be a conduit — a connecting bridge to people outside the church.
Edited by Gary G. Hoag and Tim MacReady
What does it mean to remember the poor? by Bruce Longenecker, New Testament scholar
In the late forties of the first century, the Apostle Paul met with Christian leaders in Jerusalem to discuss whether a disputed practice (male circumcision) was essential to Christian identity. Of course, we know from Galatians 2:1-10 what they concluded: no! But if believers in Jesus were not constrained to observe that particular practice, the Jerusalem apostles nonetheless emphasized one practice that they hoped would characterize every community of believers in Jesus Christ. They expressed it this way: “remember the poor” (Galatians 2:10).
They did not mean simply “think kind thoughts about them.” To “remember the poor” meant to keep the plight of the poor firmly embedded in the church’s vision of how God wants His people to be working in this world. In this way, remembering meant taking the plight of the poor seriously and contributing to their needs wherever possible. In the same verse, Paul affirms that this was the very thing that he was eager to be encouraging Christian communities to be doing.
July 2-Purposeful Living
Edited by Gary G. Hoag and Tim MacReady
What does it mean to remember the poor? by Bruce Longenecker, New Testament scholar
The reason the Jerusalem apostles raised the matter is because, unlike Peter who was taking the gospel primarily to Jewish audiences, Paul was tasked with taking the gospel primarily to Gentile audiences. While the Jews were known to prioritize caring for the needy, this was not common practice among Gentiles in the Roman world.
Even though Christian communities did not all need to look alike with regard to the issue of circumcision, those communities did need to look alike with regard to the issue of caring for the needy. Wherever people believed in Christ, regardless of their various identities, the communities in which they found themselves were to be marked by a generosity of spirit toward those in economic need. This was the decision of the apostolic followers of Jesus in what was, in effect, the very first council of the Christian church.
These apostles were not suggesting that every Christian should be involved in offsetting the needs of the poor in order to be saved. Instead, they were saying that communities of Christ-followers should be places that foster a kind of generosity of spirit among their corporate membership as a result of the generous transformation of grace (or “gift”) that God the Father bestows on them in Jesus Christ through “the Spirit of His Son” (Galatians 4:6).
July 3-Purposeful Living
Edited by Gary G. Hoag and Tim MacReady
What does it mean to remember the poor? by Bruce Longenecker, New Testament scholar
The New Testament does not provide a specific template for corporate generosity, or a single formula for how it is to be put into effect.
On the one hand, when raising money for Christians in economic need, Paul encouraged other Christians to set small amounts of money aside, with those small amounts not being missed but collectively growing to a more sizeable contribution (see 1 Corinthians 16:1-4).
On the other hand, when addressing people with substantial economic reserves, Jesus imagined generosity of spirit to involve much heftier forms of economic relief, to the extent of complete abandonment of one’s own wealth.
Luke 19:8, “But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
Perhaps God moves in the hearts of people in personal ways in different economic situations with varied discipleship taskings. But the apostolic expectation seems to have been that those who name Jesus Christ as Lord will also embed themselves in communities of service that, in essence, all look alike in their practiced habit of remembering those in economic need. For Paul, this self-giving character represented the fulfilment of Scripture within Christian communities (see Psalm 112:9 in 2 Corinthians 9:8-9).
2 Corinthians 9:8-9, “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”
For him, remembering the poor followed the narrative pattern of the life of the One he called “our Lord Jesus Christ” in 2 Corinthians 8:9, which proclaims: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
July 4-Purposeful Living
Edited by Gary G. Hoag and Tim MacReady
How does the handling of money impact the relationship between a church and its community? By Chris Willard, Director of generosity initiatives for Leadership Network
The Bible has a lot to say about money and possessions. In fact, my friend and colleague, Howard Dayton, co-founder of Crown Financial Ministries and Compass — Finances God’s Way, compiled a topical overview of 2,350 Bible verses that comment on handling money and possessions!
Since the Bible speaks so often about this topic, it is only natural that churches should talk about it, too. But the Scriptures don’t talk about money so much to present its importance to God, but rather because He knows it is important for us to get it right. As Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” Matthew 6:21.
The truth is that God doesn’t need our money, but He knows that our orientation toward money reflects our obedience to the lordship of Christ. And it shows how well we grasp that He is the source of all we have. As followers of Christ, our goal in life is not gaining power, possessions, or prestige for ourselves. Instead, we, along with the entire body of Christ, exist to share the good news of the Gospel until His return. But sharing the good news entails much more than evangelistic proclamation efforts.
July 5-Purposeful Living
Edited by Gary G. Hoag and Tim MacReady
How does the handling of money impact the relationship between a church and its community? By Chris Willard, Director of generosity initiatives for Leadership Network
Generosity offers one of the most powerful ways for the church to leverage the blessings of God for the advancement of the kingdom. Best of all, when the Church acts with generosity to serve others, it presents a clear picture of Christ, who generously gave His life and all He had on the cross that we might find life in Him forever. Sharing also takes the form of helping ordinary people through hard times. Our approach to money becomes a witness that draws people
to Jesus, because they see that we deal with money differently.
Financial hardship has a way of breaking down the walls that separate us, even in the church. The sudden loss of wealth reminds people that our stated net worth on paper — our value in the eyes of the world — can change at any moment. During difficult economic times, people begin to question what really matters in life and think about what is of lasting value. Individuals who have placed their hope in the markets begin to recognize that, while good financial planning and stewardship are wise, there are no guarantees.
Two people, who might be separated by the divide of wealth between homelessness and luxury, now find themselves in the same boat, seeking the same answers: What do I do now? Where are you, God? What is your plan for me?
July 6-Purposeful Living
Edited by Gary G. Hoag and Tim MacReady
How does the handling of money impact the relationship between a church and its community? By Chris Willard, Director of generosity initiatives for Leadership Network
Jesus has called the church to approach money in a way that celebrates the sharing of our resources with one another. This is neither an economic model that forces people to share their
resources with another, nor is it a political agenda.
Instead of being motivated by outside pressure, we believe that the church must begin to challenge people to behave in ways that are consistent with what they profess to believe. Why? Because the world — the lost people all around us — is watching and paying attention to how the church and its members handle the financial resources God has entrusted to us.
Jesus reminds us in Matthew 5:14: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot
be hidden.”
When the Church acts in ways that are consistent with our commitment to Christ, a watching world notices. We cannot hide who we really are, and generosity reveals that our faith is genuine and true. As the church exhibits this in the public eye, skeptics and cynics will find it nearly impossible to find fault with genuine acts of generosity that demonstrate that our hearts have been set free from our love of money and things.
When we give (and save and spend) for the benefit of God’s kingdom, to serve others in love without an expectation of something in return, that gives them something worth talking about. Instead of money being a stumbling block to people, it can actually be a conduit — a connecting bridge to people outside the church.
Posted in Daily Devotionals