OceanSide church of Christ
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DEFEND THE NEEDY
Victor M. Eskew
INTRODUCTION
A. Let’s begin by reading a fact that is stated in the Old Testament and in the New Testament.
1. Deuteronomy 15:11
For the poor shall never cease out of the land…
2. Matthew 26:11
For ye have the poor always with you…
B. All of us are well aware of the truthfulness of these words.
1. We see the poor on street corners.
2. We have the poor confront us in store parking lots.
3. We see the homeless living in parks, on the streets, and under bridges.
4. We know of families that are living under the poverty level. Many of them are single mothers with 2, 3, or 4 children.
C. Yet, instead of compassion toward the needy, many of us have grown cynical and suspicious of them.
1. Those working in benevolence programs have been fooled by some of them.
2. We have heard the stories wherein beggars were making hundreds of dollars on those street corners.
3. We may have attempted to help lift some out of their predicament, but they shunned help that would have made a difference in their lives (i.e., school, jobs, training programs).
4. We know there are many government programs available to the poor.
5. We see the poor and they have cell phones and cigarettes, things that cost quite a bit of money.
D. In the midst of our suspicious and doubts, we have chosen as our theme for 2022: “Seeking and Serving the Needy in 2022.”
1. Can we accomplish this theme?
2. Can we get excited about this theme?
3. Can we give ourselves fully to it during the course of this New Year?
I. THE BIBLE REFERS TO THE NEEDY
A. The word “needy” is only found in the Old Testament.
1. It is found 38 times in 37 verses.
2. Eight Old Testament books mention the needy.
3. There are two Hebrew words that are translated “needy.”
a. ‘ebyon is the first word
1) Strong (34): in the sense of want, destitute
2) BDB: in want, needy, chiefly poor, needing help, reference to the lowest class
b. dal is the second word
1) Strong (1800): dangling, that is, weak and thin (When I heard the word “dandling,” I thought of people who were hanging on by a thread).
2) BDB: low, poor, weak, and thin
B. Other words describing the needy in the Bible
a. The word “poor” is found 205 times in 195 verses.
b. The word “widows” is found 26 times in 24 verses.
c. The word “fatherless” is found 43 times in 43 verses.
d. The word “orphan” is found 1 time.
C. This category of people, “the needy,” is definitely mentioned many times in the Bible. It behooves us to study the needy and find out how God want us to deal with this section of the population of humanity.
II. HOW TO HANDLE THE NEEDY
A. The first two verses of the Bible that refer to the needy are found in the book of Deuteronomy. They tell us positively and negatively how do handle the needy.
1. Open thine hand wide (Deut. 15:11)
For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.
2. Thou shalt not oppress (Deut. 24:14)
Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates.
B. NOTE: None of us would ever think of oppressing the poor and needy. But, as we mentioned in the introduction, it is very difficult for us to open our hands wide to them.
C. The Bible also mentions other responsibilities we have to the needy.
1. We are to defend them (Ps. 82:3).
2. We are to do justice unto them (Psa. 82:3).
3. We are to deliver them (Ps. 82:4).
4. We are to plead the cause of the poor and needy (Prov. 31:9).
D. James 1:27 tell us that pure religion involves caring for the fatherless and widows.
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
E. John asks us a sobering question about this matter in 1 John 3:17.
But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
III. THE NEEDY AND GOD
A. The poor and needy have a special place in the heart of God (Ps. 113:7).
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill.
B. Jesus was a servant to the needy.
a. He Himself was poor.
1) 2 Corinthians 8:9
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, thou he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
2) It was He who said: “The Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (Matt. 8:20).
b. He taught about taking care of the needy.
1) The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37)
2) The Parable of the Sheep and Goats (Matt. 25:31-46)
c. Jesus worked among the downcast (Luke 4:18) and often healed those who were sick (Matt. 8:16).
C. And, we have seen that the Holy Spirit has counselled us through the pages of the Word to give heed to the hurting and needy (See I John 3:17).
IV. THE CATEGORIES OF THE NEEDY
A. There are three big categories of needy people that we can help.
Physically Needy Spiritually Needy Helpers of the Needy
Homeless The Lost Missionaries
Sick Prison ministries
Poor Church camps
Widows/fatherless Children’s Homes
Grieving Homes for widows
Mentally ill Preacher Training Schools
Prisoners
Those who are different
B. These lists could be increased.
C. Our responsibility is to seek these individuals and serve them as much as we possibly can.
V. OCEANSIDE CHURCH OF CHRIST IN 2022
A. January: Missionary – George Mcnulty (Ireland)
B. February: Preacher Training School – Memphis School of Preaching
C. March Missions – Latin American Missions
D. April Camp – Georgia Bible Camp
E. May Children’s Home – Raintree Village
F. June Children’s Home – Mt. Dora Children’s Home
G. July Prisoners – Prison Ministry
H. August Missions – Chimala Missions (Africa)
I. September Missions – Philippine Missions, Michael (Deborah) Stock
J. October Preacher Training – Jett Smith
K. November Missions – John Grubb (Beatrix) (China Missions)
L. December Reserved for additional work
NOTE: All money that is collected over budget will be used for these works.
$1,000 over budget $12,000 assistance
$1,500 over budget $18,000 assistance
$2,000 over budget $24,000 assistance
$3,000 over budget $36,000 assistance
CONCLUSION
A. All the individuals that we are seeking to support this year are serving the needy.
B. We also have additional funds that we can use to serve the needy in additional ways that we see fit and as we have opportunity. (NOTE: Personally, I would like to see the church be personally involved in a mission work somewhere this year).
C. As we close, let’s reflect on a verse containing the words of Jesus about helping the needy (Matt. 25:40).
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.