Q3. Charity

[Pastor Ralph]

Q3. (Acts 11:29-30) In what way does the monetary gift from the Antioch believers to the Judean believers exemplify the most basic directive of Jesus (John 13:35)? Why do you think that ministry to the poor and needy has become a hallmark of the Church down through the ages to our own day? What happens when we deemphasize this? What happens when we over-emphasize this?

[AdventIlliniRx]

Charity and benevolance  is a characteristic of Christians. 

[Katy]

Q3.The gift of money collected from believers in one church and delivered to a church in need because of famine shows a great example of the love Jesus talked about. It shows the receiving church that their fellow believers have not forgotten them. They care and love them so much that they are willing to contribute from what they have to give the sufferers some relief. It reminds me of the body of Christ being like a human body , when one part is hurting the other parts feel the pain. So often when Christians are suffering they can feel forgotten, alone, isolation. It is so encouraging for them to receive a financial gift, or just a few lines written on a card, or a reminder that other believers are praying for them. In this situation in our passage, it must be a relief to be able to buy some food when you are really hungry.

Caring has been a hallmark of believers for many years. Christians have the mind set of Christ, and He was always full of compassion and love. So it is natural that we should follow His example. It is a way of establishing trust and a relationship with people, which may lead to questions as to why we care, and with God’s help they may eventually accept Jesus as Lord in their lives. When missionaries go to poor countries they always encounter poor people, very often it is poverty beyond anything they have ever experienced before and they work to help them.

When the charity work is overemphasised there is a danger of becoming overwhelmed and working too hard and time spent with the Lord is forfeited . In this situation it is even more important to spend time seeking His face to determine His will, and seek His help. 
When the work of caring is not considered important we are neglecting a way of directly imitating Jesus. This will lead to loss of opportunities to build relationships and trust. It could lead to lost opportunities to win people to Christ. If we as followers of Christ don’t care for the needy who will? There are some non Christians who do good work looking after the needy but most secular people are too busy and wrapped up in their own lives to care for others. 

[Krissi]

I have put off answering this question for many days because I''m not sure what to say. Katy, above, wrote beautifully about caring and charity -- not much more should be added.

The sentiment is right -- caring for people in another church, or within your own church, by giving them money. When money is needed, this is right. 

Some people emphasize giving and social responsibility, neglecting the interior life of faith -- in contrast, others emphasize oneness with Jesus, neglecting the duties and love we have for others.  Finding the balance is difficult.

It seems that the monetary gift from the Antioch believers to the Judean believers was a balanced gift.

[kreilly]

Jesus taught that the money given to us is not ours, but God's, to be used for His glory.  We are simply His stewards and must act accordingly.  In this case, the money was needed for the believers in Judea and the believers in Antioch were obedient to send it there, to God's glory.  When ministry to the poor and needy becomes an end in itself, without having God's glory at the center, it loses its purpose.  When we horde up money, we are disobedient, thereby detracting from God's glory.  

[haar]

 

Q3. (Acts 11:29-30) In what way does the monetary gift from the Antioch believers to the Judean believers exemplify the most basic directive of Jesus (John 13:35)?

 

Jesus directed that His followers should love for one another especially giving to the needy as this act would show that his followers are his disciples. This is what the church in Antioch.

 

Why do you think that ministry to the poor and needy has become a hallmark of the Church down through the ages to our own day?

 

It has become a hallmark because the church has committed to demonstrate love to the needy in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ teaching mainly as there are always the needy in the church.

 

What happens when we deemphasize this?

 

Some needy ones would suffer and the Lord would tell the church that he was hungry but no one attended to him.

[hanks]

Q3. (Acts 11:29-30) In what way does the monetary gift from the Antioch believers to the Judean believers exemplify the most basic directive of Jesus (John 13:35)? Why do you think that ministry to the poor and needy has become a hallmark of the Church down through the ages to our own day? What happens when we deemphasize this? What happens when we over-emphasize this? 
The prophet Agabus had warned them that a severe famine would occur in Judea with serious consequences for the Christians in that area. In a true act of love for their fellow Christians, the believers in Antioch sent a monetary gift to Judea. Here we have a Gentile church breaking down the barrier between Jew and Gentile by sending famine relief to the Jewish church in Jerusalem. What loving care! Christians’ love and support for one another enables fellow believers to survive in this hostile world. The true mark of a Christian is love for his fellow Christians, but this requires divine power, a power that is only given to those indwelt by the Spirit. Besides the threatened famine, the Jerusalem church had become impoverished as a result of the persecution. In the OT and NT, we are often told that we are to look after the poor and needy – it is not an option. Jesus has commanded us to love one another (John 13:34-35), and the way we can do this is by demonstrating His love and kindness and compassion. If we truly have faith in Jesus, we must also share His concern for the poor and needy, and this is exactly what the Christian Church has been doing over the centuries. By deemphasising we are not living in obedience to our Lord Jesus. It makes us and our churches self-centred and having no concern for others. Remembering that our Lord Jesus Himself did not come to be served but to serve (Mark 10:45). But this all has to be done in a practical, tangible, and controlled way. So as not to encourage laziness, drug abuse, or other misuses. By over-emphasising this we can easily bring up a society of beggars. Poverty, social injustice, and homelessness are real problems that have to be addressed and it is just as important to provide help in getting these people back in society as fully functioning persons. 
 

[Old Jerry]

By sending the monetary gift to Antioch, the believers were showing that they loved them and wanted them to know that they were with them. This is what Jesus was talking about while he was on earth. The reason that the ministry to the poor and needy has been a hallmark of the Church is because we are trying to follow Jesus’ example. I think that if we deemphasized this the Church would fall apart. We wouldn’t be showing our love for the Lord. I don’t see how we can over-emphasize this.

[Irmela]

Q3. (Acts 11:29-30)

In what way does the monetary gift from the Antioch believers to the Judean believers exemplify the most basic directive of Jesus (John 13:35)?

Why do you think that ministry to the poor and needy has become a hallmark of the Church down through the ages to our own day?

What happens when we de-emphasize this? What happens when we over-emphasize this?

Showing love, cross-cultural love at that, in sharing with fellow-believers,who you do not even know, is most certainly a way of loving one another as Christ did.  

Invariably it is the poor and needy that come for help.  That is where a ministry usually starts and blossoms.  What gets done is seen or is visible.  Others are attracted to where genuineness is reflected or seen.  

Over-emphasizing it can cause people to come just for the hand-outs instead of for the spiritual help also.  De-emphasizing the caring for the poor and needy gives the impression that there is no love in that body of believers.  It is like saying to an unclad beggar be warm , but it is a freezing day and he has nothing to cover himself with.