GIVING OF ALMS

SERIES: THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
TEXT: MATTHEW 6:1-4

Giving to the needy is expected by God from everyone who is born again. The Lord says, “When you give to the needy,” not “if you give to the needy”. It is expected of every believer to give to the needy.

There are many people in need in every society. Christ Himself was moved by compassion. When He saw the crowds hungry, He gave them bread. Christ was not just concerned about the spiritual aspects of life but the physical too.

The early church was concerned about the needy, serving tables and ministering to the poor (Acts 6:1).

At our level of economic development, there is still much poverty in the society. In Kenya, roughly 40% live below the poverty line (over 20 million people). This means many individuals and households are unable to afford basic food and non food items. Food poverty stands at 31.7% of Kenya population (over 16 million people), individuals whose earnings are not enough to meet the minimum food requirement. Extreme poverty in Kenya stands at 7.1% of the population.

There are many N.G.O’s in Kenya that help the poor e.g. Action Aid, World Food Programme, Oxfam, Dorcas International, Red Cross e.t.c. Also there are many “Children Homes” to help orphans and the very vulnerable children but they still reach very few individuals.

More about giving of alms:-

WHEN THE LORD RETURNS (Matthew 25:31-46)

• “When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of his glory: and before Him shall be gathered all nations; and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats, (v34) Then the King shall say unto them on his right hand, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, for I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you took me in, naked and you clothed me ….”
• It’s a high calling to the born again to help the needy. God has placed each believer in a location where there is a needful person. Many a time believers are mean to the needy around them, insensitive to the suffering of their neighbour, yet giving to the poor is lending to the Lord (Proverbs 19:17).
• Great believers in the Bible helped the poor. Job was a father to the fatherless (Job 29:12). Cornelius gave much alms to the poor until his alms reached the throne of God (Acts 10:1-4). God told him, “your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God”. Tabitha was a female disciple (the only woman in the Bible given this title), she was known for “good works and acts of mercy”. When she died, believers wept a lot for her, sent for Apostle Peter, a prayer was made for her and God resurrected her.

• True religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world” James 1:27).
• He that gives to the poor lends to the Lord (Proverbs 3:28). Many believers, after giving offerings in the church cannot give anything else to a suffering person. Other believers give to the needy and don’t give offerings in the church. The Lord expects every believer to give both: in the church and also to the needy.

GIVING TO THE NEEDY: THE WAY TO DO IT

• Hypocrites give to the needy so as to be seen and appreciated, given credit by men. This is what the Pharisees did.
• The Lord taught us that we should give, and when giving, it should be in secret — not done in such a way as to attract the attention of others.

• Our Father sees in secret, your giving, and He rewards you openly (Matthew 6:4).

THE GOOD SAMARITAN (Matthew 10:25-37)

• Giving to the needy should not be restricted to friends, acquaintances, companions and people you know. Any person in need is a neighbour.
• Each one of us has something one can give to the needy: food, clothing, shelter etc.

CONCLUSION
“The king will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me'” (Matthew 25:40).