Gods Economy Series · Deuteronomy 15 11 For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore...
Transcript of Gods Economy Series · Deuteronomy 15 11 For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore...
God’s Economy
Body&
Soul
“God has, in fact, written two books, not just one. Of course, we are all familiar with the first book he wrote,
namely Scripture. But he has written a second book called creation.”
God’s Economy:How God provides for the needs of His peopleboth directly and indirectlyandhow we participate with Godin providing for our individual needs and the needs of our family and faith community
God’s Economy:How Our Needs Are Met
יהוהBut my God shall supply all your need according to his
riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
FamilyBut if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his
household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 1 Timothy 5:8
Church10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; ….
12 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitalityRomans 12:10,14
Man’s Economy:How Our Needs Are Met
God & Family
Church
Man’s Economy:How Our Needs Are Met
יהוה
Family
Church
Dead or Does not Exist
Fractured & Fatherless
Marginalized or Mislead
Man’s Economy:How Our Needs Are Met
יהוה
Family
Church
Alive and Active
Healthy and Harmony
Restored and Responding
Jeremiah 17
5 Thus says , “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankindAnd makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from YEHOVAH. 6 “For he will be like a bush in the desert
But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, A land of salt without inhabitant.
Jeremiah 17
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in And whose trust is . 8 “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.
God’s Economy:How Our Needs Are Met
• Acknowledge our Dependence on God • Acknowledge His Provision
– Based on obedience – Work as blessing
• Acknowledge Our Responsibility
Importance of Sequence
Good WorksSalvation
Salvation Observing Torah
Good Works SalvationX
Observing Torah SalvationX
God’s Economy:How Our Needs Are Met
יהוה
Family Church
10%100%
Man
Caring for the Poor
‐ Obedience‐ Blessing‐ Reminder of God’s Grace
God’s Economy:How Our Needs Are Met
• Acknowledge our Dependence on God • Acknowledge His Provision
– Based on obedience – Work as blessing
• Acknowledge Our Responsibility– Blessed to bless others– Give to the Poor– Lend to the Poor
Deuteronomy 15 Lending to the Poor
7 “If there is a poor man with you, one of your brothers, in any of your towns in your land which
your God is giving you,
; 8 but you shall freely open your hand to him, and shall generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks.Lending vs. Giving:‐ The truly disabled and destitute (orphans, widows) need charity‐ The “working poor” may need resources to enable them toprovide for their families by using the talents and work that God provides.
Deuteronomy 15
9 Beware that there is no base thought in your heart, saying, ‘The the year of remission, is near,’ and your eye is hostile toward your poor brother, and you give him nothing; then he may cry to against you, and it will be a sin in you.
Lending to the Poor
A sin not to Lend?Deuteronomy 15 1 “At the end of every seven years you shall grant a remission of debts. 2 This is the manner of remission: every creditor shall release what he has loaned to his neighbor; he shall not exact it of his neighbor and his brother, because the Lord’s remission has been proclaimed.‐ Sin: refusing to do what God had commanded
Deuteronomy 15
10 You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings.
Lending to the Poor
Yehovah Guarantees the Loan:‐ Another instance of God promising blessing for helping the poor‐ The blessing of your “work” and “undertakings” willmore than make up for any loss from a loan of obedience
‐ Double Word Emphasis: נתון ”to give, you shall give“ :תתן 2 Corinthians 9:7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Deuteronomy 15
11 For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying,
Commandment to Provide:‐ Government programs will never end poverty‐ Helping the poor is to respond affirmatively to a commandment‐ Brother: Family‐ Poor in the Land: Members of the assembly (native & alien)
Lending to the Poor
Exodus 22
25 If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you, you are not to act as a creditor to him;
Faith in Lending:‐ God will bless in lieu of monetary interest ‐What would happen if we did this today!?
Lending to the Poor
Psalm 15
1 O , who may abide in Your tent?Who may dwell on Your holy hill?...
5 who lends money [to the poor] without interest; …He who does these things will never be shaken.
Faith in Lending:‐ God lists interest free lending as a sign of righteousness‐ God substitutes a promise of His favor in lieu of cash interest‐ Poor: Rely on God to meet their needs (in part) by the obedience of His people to His commandments
‐Wealthy: Demonstrate their reliance on God by giving and lending their money
‐ God is their source of blessing to the rich and poor alike
Lending to the Poor
Deuteronomy 24
12 If the neighbor is poor, do not go to sleep with their pledge in your possession.
Faith in Lending:‐ Do not keep a poor man’s collateral‐ They need all that they have‐ God’s promises to the lender are sufficient collateral
Lending to the Poor
Matthew 5
42 to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to from you.
Commandment to Provide:‐ Yeshua affirms the principles given in Deuteronomy 15‐ He is encouraging His followers to fulfill the law
Lending to the Poor
Luke 6
33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 If you from whom
, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount.
Commandment to Provide:‐ Lend without being resentful if you are not paid back‐ God will reward your generosity to those in need (in His way)
Lending to the Poor
1 At the end of every seven years you shall grant a remission of debts. ….
4However, there will be no poor among you, since YEHOVAHwill surely bless you in the land which YEHOVAH your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, 5 only you listen obediently to the voice of YEHOVAH your God, to observe carefully all this commandment which I am commanding you today.
Deuteronomy 15
Disappointment of DeuteronomyThe Promise: What God Intended
7 “If there is a poor man with you, one of your brothers, in any of your towns in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother; 8 but you shall freely open your hand to him, and shall generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks. 9 Beware that there is no base thought in your heart, saying, ‘ The seventh year, the year of remission, is near,’ and your eye is hostile toward your poor brother, and you give him nothing; then he may cry to the Lord against you, and it will be a sin in you. 10 You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings.
Deuteronomy 15
Disappointment of DeuteronomyThe Possible: What Might Occur
11 For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.’
Deuteronomy 15
Disappointment of DeuteronomyThe Plight: What Man Causes
‐ Progression: No Poverty to Possible to Perpetual ‐ God knows our frailty and inability to obey‐ Poverty is due to disobedience‐ Failure to keep God’s commandments:1. Causes poverty2. Perpetuates poverty
God’s Economy:How Our Needs Are Met
• Acknowledge our Dependence on God • Acknowledge His Provision• Acknowledge Our Responsibility• Avoid Partiality – Poor or Wealthy
James 1
9 But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his ;
Paradox of Position:‐ Tapinos (ταπεινός): humble; lowly in position or spirit‐ Being God‐reliant and not self‐reliant1 Peter 5:6‐7 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.‐ Hupsos (ὕψος): height, heaven, dignity, eminenceLuke 24:49 I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.
James 1
9 But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; 10 and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away.
Paradox of Position:‐ Tapeinosis (ταπείνωσις): low condition in circumstances, of low estate
‐ Parerchomai (παρέρχομαι): pass out of sight, rendered void, become vain
‐ Although presently held in high esteem and self‐reliant,like all flesh he will return to dust.
‐ Risk is they will believe themselves to be more than dust,to be self‐determining and god‐like
James 1
11 For the sun rises with a scorching wind andwithers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the
in the midst of his pursuits will fade awayParadox of Position:‐ All of the facade of power, prestige and wealth will go away ‐We will stand naked before our God 1 Corinthians 3 13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss;
Central Issue
Pride vs. HumilitySelf‐reliant vs. God‐reliant
RichPoor
Government‐reliant vs. God‐reliantRichPoor
Self‐reliant ≈ Government‐reliant
Exodus 23
1 “ bear a false report; …3 nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his dispute. …
6 “You shall not pervert the justice due to your needy brother in his dispute.
No Preference before the Law:‐ Show neither preferential treatment nor perversion of the lawProverbs 17:15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent –
Yehovah detests them both.Leviticus 19:15 Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.
Psalm 49
1 Hear this, all peoples;Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,2Both low and and poor together.
No Preference before God’s Instruction:‐ Truth of God for all men‐ No station is life is favored or excused‐ Economic status meaningless to God‐ All are poor compared with God‐ Psalm 49 address the folly of wealth
Exodus 30
13 This is what everyone … shall give: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as a contribution to . 15 The and the poor shall not pay less than the half shekel, when you give the contribution to for yourselves.Value of All Men is Equal:‐ Coast of atonement is the same for all men‐While adjustments are made throughout Leviticus to permit the poor to participate in the various offerings by allowingfor alternative sacrifices, here the lesson is clear that all menare of equal value and the cost of atonement is the same
‐ Yeshua died for the rich and the poor
½ Shekel ~ ½ ounce Silver: ~ $8.70