Matthew 25:31-46 “The Compassionate Role of the Church To the State”

Matthew 25:31-46 “The Compassionate Role of the

Church To the State”

Introduction: In studying the relationship of the church and the individual to the state, we are currently looking at what proper role does the church have within the state. We have already seen that the government is responsible before God to punish evildoers and promote the good. We have seen that it is a bad thing for the State and Church to be joined. Religious liberty is a good thing and should be pursued. Last week we saw that the #1 thing that the Church can do for the State is to be a missionary, to proclaim the gospel in a nation will promote the overall good of that nation. Tonight we will study the compassionate role of the church to the State, that is, how the Church should be ministering to people in very practical ways.

I. The Church Ministers to the Poor

            Deut. 15:4 However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, 5 if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. 6 For the LORD your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.

    DT 15:7 If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. 8 Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. 9 Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. 10 Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. 11 There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.

    DT 15:12 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 free. 13 And when you release him, do not send him away empty-handed. 14 Supply him liberally from your flock, your threshing floor and your winepress. Give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you. 15 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you. That is why I give you this command today.

    DT 15:16 But if your servant says to you, “I do not want to leave you,” because he loves you and your family and is well off with you, 17 then take an awl and push it through his ear lobe into the door, and he will become your servant for life. Do the same for your maidservant.

    DT 15:18 Do not consider it a hardship to set your servant free, because his service to you these six years has been worth twice as much as that of a hired hand. And the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do.

God’s people were to be generous toward the poor, while at the same time, if they followed God’s Law, there should not be any poor. This points us to two points: 1) The church and individual Christians should help the poor and 2) The church should promote to the State sound economic policies.

1)     Helping the poor includes more than meeting their immediate needs. Look at Lev.19:9-10 ” `When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.

The biblical way of helping the poor includes allowing them the privilege of working for themselves. Welfare is good in some circumstances for those who are physically unable to work, but workfare is far better for those who are capable of work. Paul warns against helping those who choose not to work in 1Thess.3:6-13 2TH 3:6 In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”

    2TH 3:11 We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. 12 Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. 13 And as for you, brothers, never tire of doing what is right.

    2TH 3:14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

            2) The church should promote sound economic policies. The difficulty here is that there are two main opposing views of economic policy. There is the collectivist view that gives more power to the state and there is the individualist view that empowers the individual. In this life you cannot have a pure form or a perfect economy. I will deal with economics in a later sermon but for now let me say that the Bible promotes individual property rights and a strong personal work ethic, thus pointing toward the individualist view of economics. Unfortunately, many liberal theologians who are Marxist in their economic theory have been far more vocal than have the conservative theologians. By and large, most Christians know almost nothing about economics, and yet the Bible speaks a lot about economics!

II. The Church Ministers To The Sick

            Matt.5:7  Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

8:14-17 When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. 15 He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.

    MT 8:16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

  “He took up our infirmities

    and carried our diseases.”

10:7-10 As you go, preach this message: `The kingdom of heaven is near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; 10 take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.

Hospitals were, to a large extent, the creation of the Church, as was the scientific method of treating illnesses.

            Today the whole healthcare system is so incredibly expensive and complex that it is almost impossible to minister to the sick other than by doing the basics like bringing food and helping out around the house. Some doctors can donate their time and there are a few free clinics around but the legal issues are very difficult and, of course, anytime government gets involved, the bureaucracy takes over.

III. The Elderly

            Lev.19:32 ” `Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD.

            The church is going to have to take a stand against euthanasia soon because that is the next medical ethics wave that will crash against our shores from Europe. With the increase in nutrition and health care we have an age explosion. Octogenarians are the fastest growing age group. The church should lead the way in showing the respect for the elderly and in caring for the elderly, but once again, the government is actually leading.

IV. The Orphans, Widows and Aliens

            James 1:27 7 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

            The church could do better in the area of helping the widows. Here in our church I know that there are some men, and women, who do a lot for the elderly and the widows in many practical ways.

Lev.19:33,34 `When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. 34 The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.

            While there is not as huge of a problem with orphans here in America as in some parts of the world, there is a problem with unwanted babies and abortion. Numerous Pregnancy Help Centers and Christian adoption agencies have done a lot of good work.

            In the years before the Civil War the underground railroad did good work in helping the strangers or slaves in our midst. But today there is a huge problem with illegal aliens. This presents us with some ethical dilemmas because while our hearts may go out toward the plight of the poor illegal immigrants, the fact remains that they are breaking our laws.

            Where I think the church could do more is in the area of helping those Christians from other lands who are undergoing severe persecution. These the church needs to stand beside and welcome here for safety.

V. The Victims

            Luke 10:30ff the Good Samaritan. Take care of victims of crime, natural disasters, war, etc. Salvation Army, Red Cross, Tarrant Baptist Men Disaster Response Team, etc.

VI. The Prisoners

            Matt.25:36. Chuck Colson’s Prison Fellowship is the best example of this, but many churches and state conventions and Local Associations have jail ministries.

VII. The Sinners

            John8:1-11. Counseling ministries, 12 step programs, etc.

VIII. The Problems Areas

            1. Getting taken advantage of. This will happen, but we have to be wise enough to avoid this much of the time because resources are limited.

            2. Subsidizing bad behaviour- nowhere does the Bible tell us to subsidize the bad behaviour of those who do not repent of alcoholism, drugs, laziness.

            3. Ministering to the hurts of the world is expensive and bears little fruit, it seems. It is a sacrificial ministry.

            4. Competition with the State. Whatever the government touches gets corrupted and increases the prices.

            5. Uncomfortable mix. It would really hinder many in our churches to bring in large numbers of people different from us. Not all churches are equipped or gifted in all these areas of ministering to the hurts of our society.