Daily Bible Study – Immanuel experience…
LEARN and PRACTICE the WORD of GOD
Preparation for Christmas – December 6
Care
Matthew 25:40 ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me’
Matthew 25:45 ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me’
Jesus is asking us to take care of our brothers and sisters. It was the nature of our God Jesus to take care of all one who come Him.
People don’t care how much (or what) you know until they know how much you care.
Ask the Lord to show you ways you can be His hands and feet to reflect His caring heart
toward those who need Him this Christmas season (and always). When we care about
people in tangible, practical ways it reflects the Lord’s heart for them.
There are many times Jesus demonstrated by his work that He cares for the impoverished:
The sheep and the goats
In one parable, Jesus says that when he comes in all his glory and sits on his throne before all the nations, “he will separate the people one from another as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats” (Matthew 25:32 ). The sheep are honored for caring for Jesus in his time of need.
Jesus preached the good news to the poor
When John the Baptist was imprisoned, he sent a message to Jesus: “Are you the Messiah, or should we be expecting someone else?” (Matthew 11:2–3).
Instead of giving him a direct answer, Jesus points to the messianic signs and wonders he has performed: “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” (Matthew 11:4-6).
Redemption for the poor was part of God’s plan for restoration through the Messiah.
The bleeding woman
In Luke 8, Jesus shows compassion to a woman who’s been impoverished by illness. She’s spent all she had on doctors who couldn’t heal her (Luke 8:43). Her disease had robbed her of her livelihood and ruined her reputation. Out of desperation, she touched Jesus’ cloak, and he healed her. After she’s healed, Jesus stops what he’s doing and draws attention to her, giving her the opportunity to share her miraculous healing with the crowd (Luke 8:47).
Jesus went beyond healing her of her physical afflictions; he gave this poor woman a platform to restore her reputation, too. Her material poverty was paired with an emotional and spiritual poverty from being labeled unclean for so long. Jesus healed her of that as well.
Jesus’ concern for the poor goes beyond their physical needs.
Parable of the Great Banquet
While having dinner at a prominent Pharisee’s house, Jesus tells the host that when they have banquets, they should invite the poor—people who are incapable of returning the favor with an invitation to a banquet of their own (Luke 14:12–14). Then, he shares the Parable of the Great Banquet:
“A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’
“But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’
“Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’
“Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’
“The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
“‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’
“Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”
Jesus says the poor—and other social outcasts—are invited to the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are poor
In Luke 6, Jesus says, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.” He promises that the poor will inherit something far greater than any of the riches of this world. He goes on to say that those who suffer now will not suffer in the kingdom (Luke 6:21–22).
This is a message that Jesus communicates again in his parable about Lazarus and the Rich Man (Luke 16:19–31). In this parable he tells the story about a rich man who passes by a poor, diseased man at the city gates. When the two of them die, Lazarus finds himself tormented while the beggar is by Abraham’s side. The rich man begs Abraham for mercy, and Abraham responds:
“Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.” (Luke 16:25, NIV)
Jesus indicates that the values of the world will be turned upside down in his kingdom.
Jesus take care of all us
Matthew 10:29-31 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Show people what Jesus said about the poor
Jesus had a lot to say about how we treat people living in poverty, and what God thinks of the poor. Share this post with your church or your small group to start a conversation about how Christians today can follow Jesus’ example.
Other events for ‘caring’ from the Bible
God asked Adam to take care of Garden of Eden
Genesis 2:15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
Psalmist says that we are the people of his pasture,the flock under his care
Psalm 95:7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture,the flock under his care.
Righteous care about justice
Proverbs 29:7 The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.
St. Paul ask everyone to take care of others interest, burdens too
Philippians 2:4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.
Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;
Galatians 6:9-10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
1 Timothy 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Proverbs 21:13 He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be answered.
Galatians 2:10 They only asked us to remember the poor–the very thing I also was eager to do.
James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
Proverbs 19:17 One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, And He will repay him for his good deed.
Psalm 35:10 All my bones will say, “LORD, who is like You, Who delivers the afflicted from him who is too strong for him, And the afflicted and the needy from him who robs him?”
Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
Proverbs 28:27 He who gives to the poor will never want, But he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
Colossians 3:12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
Prayer: Abba Father, I am blessed with Jesus Christ. I have food on my table, roof over my head, I have enough cloths, job, family, friends, church. Now I am asking You to provide home for homeless, a job for jobless, cloth for cloth-less, orphans for families, friend for rejected and miracles who deserve it. I am asking for financial rain for everyone who are struggling to provide for their families. God please heal every person who undergoes sickness. Let Your living Word reach to all sick people and let Your Word transform to them and heal them. Help us to take care of all Your people with Your power and anointing. We pray by the name of Jesus. Amen