Jesus on the Margins: Poverty



Why did Jesus come to this world?  Oftentimes we Christ followers say it was to redeem us from sin and give us eternal life.  Jesus came to do that, but it was part of a broader purpose.  His broader purpose was to bring God's kingdom to the world.  

Jesus spoke of this mission in his first recorded sermon in Luke.  Luke 4:14-21 says that in this sermon, Jesus quoted Isaiah 61:1-2.  This Old Testament passage was a prophecy of the end times.  After reading it, Jesus said, "Today, this prophecy has been fulfilled in your hearing."  This meant the end times had begun, and God was starting to establish his kingdom on earth through Jesus!  This kingdom would be good news for the poor, as it would free prisoners, heal the sick, and release the oppressed.

This passage tells us that the alleviation of poverty should be part of our kingdom work in this world.  Sadly, churches today tend to fall into one of two categories: Those that preach the gospel but do little to help the poor, and those that do much to help the poor, but do little to preach the gospel!

Jesus shows us that this isn't a matter of "either/or," but "both/and."  He wants his followers to preach the gospel and help the poor.  

When we commit ourselves to help the poor, our work isn't done.  We need to pray, and discern how to help the poor without hurting them.  Alleviating poverty isn't just about handing out money.  It's about helping the poor reconcile the broken relationships in their lives, and working in our society to change the unjust structures that conspire to keep the poor down.

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