Over the last few weeks, we've been looking at different aspects of the ministry of mercy.
It's been a little bit like looking at a beautiful diamond that has different facets and different sides to that diamond,
each showing something really very beautiful and each side essential for the whole diamond to be what it is.
And today is no different.
We're going to look at another side of the ministries of mercy that is essential for us to tackle and to understand.
Now, hopefully so far, you have gotten a handle on the fact that as Christians,
we are to be involved in helping the poor, the marginalised, the widow, the orphan, the oppressed, the immigrant.
It's mandated that we do that.
We have seen this by looking at the call of mercy, at the character of mercy.
Last week, we looked at the motivation of mercy.
And yet there's another facet that might have been niggling at you, at your heart and mind, right from the very beginning.
And that is, how do I determine who I help and how do I help them?
Now, I'm pretty sure if I took a survey of everybody here, we would get very, very different answers to that question of who do I help and how do I help?
Now, depending on your family background and your view of helping people, how you've been brought up,
depending on your theology and what you think is the place of evangelism,
whether evangelism was presented as the number one thing that we have to concentrate all efforts on as a church,
depending on your personal views as to whether a person deserves help or doesn't deserve help,
will depend on your personal efforts of how you might show mercy.
All of these will influence how you respond.
I mentioned all of this might be niggling at your heart and mind,
and that is a good thing if it has been,
because both need to be engaged in the area of mercy ministry.
It isn't easy to determine who we help.
Now, we saw in the parable of the Good Samaritan that we need to love our neighbours.
I think that we're getting there.
We put it in front of you all the time that we need to love our neighbours.
But the Samaritan really went way beyond his comfort zone, didn't he?
He actually got his hands dirty, we might say.
He sacrificed time.
He sacrificed his own personal safety, his own money.
He looked after the medical, the social, the financial needs of the chap on the road.
Did he expect to get something in return?
No, he didn't.
Did he place conditions on whether he would help or not help?
No, he didn't.
He saw a need and he had the resources to help that need.
Now, obviously, we might have limitations on what our resources are.
We might not be able to do exactly what the Samaritan did.
But that is no excuse for not helping those in need.
I was brought up with a very negative view about helping the poor and the marginalised.
Only some, this is what I was taught, only some deserved a coin or two into a charity box, but definitely not all.
I was brought up to believe that charity starts at home and that there are many who are in a destitute situation,
but they're there because they chose to be there and so we leave them alone.
The really strange part of all of that in having that upbringing is that our family, my family,
were recipients of the mercy of neighbours.
When my parents, who had gambled money away and had no money to feed four children,
the neighbours actually showed mercy to us by giving us money for bread and for milk.
So there is a weirdness that in my upbringing of don't help but receive it.
Now, Scripture does tell us that we do need to look after our families first.
In 1 Timothy 5, it says,
Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.
But if a widow has children or grandchildren,
they should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family
and so repaying their parents and grandparents for this is pleasing to God.
Might I mention, that's actually what Candida is doing.
So there is a condition in Scripture that we do support our family first.
But the Scripture, there's another condition that Scripture puts on us
and that is that we need to work.
That's a mandate that has been given.
And the fourth commandment says,
Six days shall you labour and then we rest on the seventh day.
There's an expectation that we work.
Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 3,
If a man will not work, he shall not eat.
That particular verse is about just continues not to work,
does not have any desire to work.
And he has no incentive to actually make a living for himself.
And the thing is, I mean, I knew a person who failed to work
because he was given a financial allowance.
He was given housing actually also.
He was given housing, very lovely housing.
He was also given financial assistance every week.
And so there was no desire for him to go and work.
Why would you work when you're living in a very plush house
and you're being given an allowance?
There are no bills to pay.
Why would you not work?
This wasn't actually mercy in that scenario.
What it was, was foolishness.
It was foolishness on behalf of the person
who was giving the financial allowance
with no expectation of doing anything, any work.
And it was foolishness on behalf of the person receiving the money
because he was just taking the easy road out.
Now, we can only understand the seeming contradictions in Scripture
about there are some conditions that are given
on how, what people have to do.
And yet we look at the Good Samaritan
and that was totally unconditional.
And so we've got this contradiction that is happening.
But we need to actually look at the grace and the mercy of God
to understand and put those two into some form of balance.
God's mercy to us, we've already said,
was totally unconditional.
We had no desire for God of our own being.
We were enemies of God,
and yet God loved us and reached out to us.
That's what the Romans 3 passage is saying.
There was nothing in our words, in our eyes, in our deeds,
nothing we did deserve God's love.
And yet he still loved us unconditionally.
God's mercy comes to us freely and without condition,
and yet it proceeds, it moves forward with some conditions
because we need to grow.
Once we receive this mercy and love from God,
God is wanting us to grow.
He doesn't want to keep us in the condition
that he has found us in.
He therefore demands us to cooperate
with the mercy that he's actually given us.
This, you will know, is called sanctification,
if you want a big word to give it.
But we grow day by day to be more and more Christ-like
until Jesus returns.
We never arrive at that position until Jesus returns.
But we are active in that process.
We gather for worship together like we're doing today.
We read our Bible, we pray, we serve,
we encourage each other.
We are very active in moving forward in the process
once we've received love and mercy.
So too it is with showing mercy.
The goal isn't to provide spot relief or stop suffering.
Our real purpose must be to restore the whole person.
Mercy must have the purpose of seeing God's lordship realised
in the lives of those that we help.
Scripture supports this principle of restoration.
In Deuteronomy 15, we read,
If a fellow Hebrew, a man or a woman,
sells himself to you and serves you six years,
in the seventh year you must let him go.
And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed.
Supply him liberally from your flock,
your threshing floor, threshing floor,
and your winepress.
Give to him as the Lord your God has blessed you.
Remember that you were slaves in Egypt
and the Lord your God redeemed you.
That is why I give you this command today.
For us today, we don't have slaves,
but this might mean something like
we provide for those that we are actually helping
or where we are putting our money,
something like counselling or encouragement or education,
or it might be job training,
or it might be grants to start a little business for somebody
so that they can move out of the scenario that they're in.
All these are ways in which we can help and develop the poor.
Our mercy must have as its goal
the rehabilitation of the whole person.
Now, working here at the church office,
we often get people who come asking for money.
Generally speaking, the money is for train tickets,
and so it's just a little bit of money
that people wish to actually collect from us.
Now, over the years, and I've been here a long time now,
over the years, we've done lots of different things.
We have actually given the train ticket money sometimes.
Other times, we've gone down to the station and bought tickets,
and I remember ever so clearly one woman,
I walked down to the station and I bought the ticket,
and she was furious with me that I bought her a train ticket.
So that didn't go down so well, that situation.
And Dave Lawrence, who used to be on our team,
the general manager for St Paul's at one stage,
there was one chap who would regularly come here to St Paul's.
His name was Mark.
And over time, we did give him little bits of money.
And so Dave decided that what would be a really good thing to do
is to spend more time with Mark.
So he would spend time with Mark.
He'd chat to him.
Sometimes he'd read God's word to him.
He prayed with him.
And he said to him, because Mark always said,
I'm wanting to get a job.
And so in the end, Dave decided that what would be a really good idea
is to give him some odd jobs around here, just little jobs.
And then he would give him his train ticket money,
and that would actually be a great thing to do.
It's happened once, and we never saw Mark again.
You see, many people are rebellious against what the Lord wants,
and of their own volition, they will stop asking or stop coming
if we are not giving in the way that they are wanting.
So that's actually very tricky,
but it was the right thing that Dave actually did, I believe,
to try and put worth into this chap who didn't wish for that to happen.
So we must give mercy, and we give it unconditionally.
That is what we keep repeating.
But eventually, we have to call the whole person to Christ.
This might take a long time to do that,
to get to the point where we can share the gospel with somebody.
But it is our aim in showing love to our neighbour.
That must always be the overarching.
Paul actually mentioned it with Anglicare,
that that's the overall arching aim.
You see, if we truly understand the gospel,
we will know that Jesus is going to return,
and there is a heaven, and there is a hell.
And when we die, there is only two choices, heaven or hell.
So if we are actually only giving a Band-Aid solution
to help somebody that is not going to actually speak life words
of salvation and the gospel into a person,
then we are not loving them at all.
Really hard thing.
But we want to actually think of the bigger picture.
More thought needs to go into any situation that we come across.
And that's where our mind has to come into it.
There are times when we may need to stop giving aid.
So it's not an unending task.
We can cut off aid if it is unmerciful to continue.
Sometimes a person needs to feel the full consequences
of his own irresponsible actions, if there are some.
I would call this tough love.
It's more loving to stop than to continue.
Sometimes the mercy needs to be withdrawn,
and we set new guidelines.
Maybe you can talk to, if it's an individual that you're talking to,
talk to a person and try and encourage them
to actually change their position.
Maybe do something that is going to move them
towards changing their position, taking some responsibility.
And until such times they take some responsibility,
that's when you can actually assist again.
But you might continue to meet with them, to pray with them.
You might meet with them and just chat with them
and be a listening ear.
But sometimes withdrawing aid is a good thing
and a right thing to do.
We had a situation of a pastor friend in the Philippines one time
when we were over there on mission,
and the pastor was very poor.
I have to say most pastors in the Philippines are poor.
But he was very poor.
He had children.
He wasn't succeeding in feeding his children,
and yet he was trying to grow a church as well.
So we decided that we would actually send him a bit of money.
Now, $20 to us is not much,
but in the Philippines it's a massive amount of money.
And so we sent some money over.
I can't remember how much.
And that was specifically for him to look after his family.
And then a little while later we get an email to say,
with the money that you sent, praise God,
I was able to go and get a loan and buy a motorbike
because in the Philippines for a pastor to have a motorbike,
it's very prestigious.
And it looks as if you've arrived, so to speak.
I've been up to buy a motorbike, get a loan, get a motorbike,
but unfortunately I'm unable to pay the repayments.
Can you send some more money so that we can pay,
you know, sort of to pay the repayments?
Well, of course, I got the job of contacting this particular pastor
to say that money was to feed your family
because your first call from God is to actually feed your family,
to look after your family first.
And so the money that we are sending will be stopped
and you need to take that motorbike back to whoever you bought it from
and until such times we know that has happened,
there will be no more support.
Now, that was a tough thing to do, but that was tough love.
That actually had to happen because even then his family were not being cared for.
That is not unusual, I have to say, unfortunately.
Now, the Bible is very, very clear about the different causes of poverty
and we need to get a handle on this so that we don't make a mistake
in making different assumptions.
One cause of poverty is oppression or injustice
and there's lots of Bible verses that go with all of this.
But oppression is any social condition or unfair treatment
that brings or keeps somebody in poverty.
It also includes, oppression includes delaying wages
or giving unjust low wages
or it might be a court or a government system
that is weighted towards the wealthy
and the Australian government is in question at this moment in time
in exactly that sort of thing.
Or it might be high interest loans that are an example of oppression.
Number two, cause is natural disaster or calamity.
Scripture shares many of those things.
It might be crop failures, especially with our farmers.
It might be disabling injuries.
It might be victimisation by criminals.
It might be floods, storms, fires.
All of those sorts of things are natural things
that can come upon a family or a person
and they have had nothing to do with all those things happening.
And the third, poverty can be caused by personal sin.
It might be a life of laziness.
It might be problems with self-discipline.
It might be expensive tastes and luxury seeking
can be a reason for economic trouble.
Now, it's important to see the differences
within these three categories
so that you do not treat all situations the same.
It's equally important to see that many situations
may encounter all three together.
You do not want to be trapped
into thinking that all poor are oppressed
and therefore you don't see the importance
of setting any conditions on caring and showing mercy.
But equally, you don't actually want to think
that all poor are irresponsible
because that's not right either.
If we're to help, then we need to try and understand
what the root cause of any situation is
and discern what is really needed.
What is needed?
Is it food?
Is it money?
Is it counselling?
Is it education?
Various types of aids?
Is it respect?
Is it loving concern?
Or maybe it's just a listening ear.
Now, in community groups this week,
I'll give you a number of case studies
for you to examine
and for you to determine
what type of help would be needed
in these case studies.
And I didn't bring it up,
but in this month's Eternity magazine,
there is a fabulous example
of a woman who was living in a car
and she was shown mercy
and just the transformation in that woman's life.
It's a great article.
So it's out in the atrium if you wish to get it.
What we need to remember in all of this
is that grace is free,
but it's not cheap.
Grace costs Jesus his life.
Grace comes to the undeserving,
you and me and everybody else,
but its goal is to intercept
self-destructive behaviour.
Our love is not mere sentiment.
It is active and it longs to bring about healing
and change in the lives of the recipient
under the kingship of Jesus.
Nothing less will satisfy it.
Matthew 5.16 says,
In the same way,
let your light shine before men
that they may see your good deeds
and praise your Father in heaven.
Mercy has impact.
It melts hearts.
It removes objections.
It forces respect out of those
who are even hostile to the gospel.
By this all men will know
that you are my disciples
if you love one another.
The ministry of mercy
within the Christian community
is perhaps the most startling
display of love for one another
that is seen by the world.
The Roman Emperor Julian
tried in the fourth century
to revive paganism
because paganism was dying
because of the spread of Christianity.
And as part of his plan,
he ordered that hospices,
hospitals for want of another word,
must be established in every town
to help the poor and give relief.
He said,
it is disgraceful
that while impious Galileans,
that is the Christians,
it's disgraceful
that the Christians
support their own poor
and they support ours as well.
All men see
that they lack aid from us,
he says.
So he wanted more hospitals set up.
Christians in the early church,
they were promiscuous.
I never thought I'd say that word in here
and think it was a good thing.
But Christians were promiscuous
with their charity
and the world paid attention.
Can that be said of us today?
Let's return to the comment
about ministry of the word and deed.
It is inappropriate
to ask whether evangelism
or social concern
is more important.
They go together
and should not be divided.
They are both necessary ministries.
Jesus went everywhere teaching and healing.
He came to speak
and to serve.
So the church is gifted
to both speak and to serve.
In 1 Peter it says,
if anyone speaks
he should do it
as one speaking
the very words of God.
If anyone serves
he must do it
with the strength God provides
so that in all things
God may be praised
through Jesus Christ.
There are many, many different
there are many different
points of view
when we come to word
and deed ministry.
And all of us
will fit into
one or a couple
of these mixing.
Peter Wagner discerns
that there are five views
concerning whether
you do word or deed
or evangelism
and social concern.
One is
number A
teaches that
the ministry of mercy
and social justice
is the only
legitimate function
of the church.
B
holds that
social concern
is the most
important function
but evangelism
is part of the mission
so we have to do
a bit of that on the side.
C
social concern
and evangelism
go hand in hand
and deed and word
are absolutely
equal
in importance.
D
evangelism
is the
primary function
of the church
and the ministry
of deed
is a ministry
but it's secondary.
So let's put it
to the side.
And E
states flatly
that social concern
is not the job
of the church
at all
in the world.
We carry on
only the ministry
of the word.
Now
all churches
will fit into
one of them
or
they might
mix over
sometimes.
Even we
as individuals
if I really
pushed you
you will have
a view
of which one
you think
is right.
So let me
repeat
it is inappropriate
to ask
whether evangelism
or social concern
is more important.
They constitute
a whole
that should
not be
divided.
Remember
deed ministry
like grace
ministry
is unmerited
favour.
Our motive
for any
ministry
must
always
be love.
Where does
that leave
us then
when thinking
as a church
and as
individuals?
Well
God
commands
both
mercy
ministry
and word
ministry.
They
are not
options
my friends.
Both
evangelism
and mercy
ministry
both
we are
commanded
as individuals
and we are
commanded
as a church
to be involved
in both.
You might
like to
question
if you
are doing
both of
them.
We cannot
get away
with saying
that we
can't afford
to help
the poor
because Paul
says in
Ephesians 4
28
we work
so that we
have something
to share
with those
in need.
Now
our work
and our
pay packet
surprisingly
is not
for us
to plan
holidays
build
houses
and do
extensions
and buy
lovely
material
possessions
first.
That is
not why
we get
a pay
packet.
It's
fascinating
I found
it fascinating
that the
Bible even
addresses this.
It is to
support
our families
first
give to
our local
church
and to
support
the needy
and after
we've done
those three
then luxuries
like holidays
and material
possessions
come into
play.
Now
we just
might need
to adjust
our personal
giving
so that it
is in
better
biblical
priority
because
that's not
Debbie Gould
just speaking
that is
what the
Bible says
the order
of how
money should
be used.
And we
must do
the same
as a
church
with what
we support
in the
way that
we minister.
We must
see that
word and
deed are
inextricably
united and
inseparable.
We must
minister to
the whole
person and
depending on
the situation
at hand
it might
be meeting
needs first
and word
later.
Who knows?
Every
circumstance
must be
treated on
its own
base and
merit and
there is no
set pattern
in how we
do this
and that's
what makes
it so
tricky.
But we
must be
doing it.
You may
need to
reconsider
or do
some
exploring
into the
ministries
that you
might already
be supporting
to see
where they
fit with
deed and
word.
You may
also like
to think
long and
hard as
to what
you support
and how
you support
a need
ministry.
We've
mentioned
before our
mission giving
this month
is for
ropes crossing
and whatever
is over
the $10,000
mark will
go towards
grace ministry
and ESL
ministry.
These
ministries
are desiring
to combine
deed and
word in
different ways
and in
different timing
ministries
are all
about.
It fits
the mandate
that God
has given
us.
And you
might also
be thinking
I cannot
help every
person that
I see
who is in
need.
Well guess
what?
You don't
have to.
God
actually says
go and
preach the
good news
to every
person in
the world.
Do we
do that?
No because
it's impossible
for us to
do that.
But we
can do a
little bit
in how
we show
mercy.
What we
are to
have is
to have
a heart
after mercy
to help
where we
can and
to be
purposeful
in what
we say
and do.
That is
you cannot
feed every
homeless
person that
you might
pass by
on the
street.
But you
might be
able to
help one
of them.
You might
be able to
maybe give
a little bit
of money or
maybe give
a salad
sandwich.
You might
be able to
say hi
one day
and the
next day
make eye
contact.
There may
be a
progression
of how
you help
that person
and who
knows the
Lord might
just open
up a
whole avenue
of something
fantastic
in sharing
about Jesus
with them.
It starts
with a very
small effort.
mercy and
evangelism
are like
smoke and
fire.
Where one
is, the
other must
be near.
Only when
both are
occurring will
actual growth
in the
kingdom of
God occur.
And that
diamond that
we saw
mentioned at
the beginning,
that's when
we'll see the
diamond shining
very, very
brightly.
bless you
all in
your
endeavours.