A Church That Helps the Poor

The Kind of Church God Builds
A Church That Helps the Poor

I. Introduction

A. Deuteronomy 15:11 (NLT)

B. Proverbs 19:17 (NAS)

C. Isaiah 58:7 (NLT)

D. Luke 4:18a (NLT)

E. Acts 20:35 (NLT)

II. Who Are the Poor?

A. , orphans, and widows

1. Deuteronomy 24:17, 19 (NLT)

2. The “foreigner” was literally a “”—a person who was escaping from famine in their country—or war in their country.

B. Today, the “poor” are the homeless, hungry, and the .

III. What the Bible Teaches About Wealth

A. I Timothy 6:17-19 (NAS)

1. Having a good does not necessarily make you a good person!

2. The Bible teaches that God has blessed me so that I can be a blessing to !

IV. Why Should We Help the Poor?

A. Because were poor and helped us

1. II Corinthians 8:9 (NAS)

B. Because identifies with the poor

1. Proverbs 19:17 (NAS)

C. Because God the poor

1. Deuteronomy 10:17-18 (NLT)

D. Because God won’t hear our if we don’t

1. Proverbs 21:13 (NAS)

E. Because we can’t call ourselves if we don’t

1. James 2:14-16 (NLT)

F. Because caring for the poor leads to and eternal rewards

1. Proverbs 22:9 (NLT)

2. Luke 12:33 (NLT)

V. What Are the Causes of Poverty?

A. Self-

1. Proverbs 21:17 (NLT)

B.

1. Proverbs 10:4 (NLT)

2. Proverbs 20:4 (NLT)

C.

D. and

E. Historic

F.

G. Insufficient natural

VI. What Keeps Us from Helping the Poor?

A. We feel .

B. We’re not about it.

1. Do the ever show up in your bank statement?

VII. What Can We Do to Help the Poor?

A. Read and study about .

1. The Hole in the Gospel by Richard Stearns (World Vision)

2. What Really Matters by Hal Donaldson (Convoy of Hope)

B. Plan to to the poor.

C. Be a in your workplace.

D. Serve in one of our ministries.

1. “Would anyone in your community even notice if your church ceased to exist?”

2. ”Not only would people in our community notice, but the poor in our community would !”

VIII. Conclusion