SABBATH THOUGHT 2024-02-10—GIVING & RECEIVING #5
May God bless you on His Sabbath day!
Previous Sabbath Thoughts explained that God established the principle of Giving & Receiving as an statute separate from tithing, which provided for the temple work of the Levites and priests. Taking care of the poor and needy is not only independent of tithing[1], it is a very serious and personal responsibility levied by God that provides for the needs of family and neighbors[2]. In fact, it is not only a commandment (statute) of God, in the NT it is called an Administrative Service to provide for ALL the saints[3] in the Body of Christ.
To that end, God gives blessings of abundance to some and that abundance is intended to be used for the needs of others[4]. That abundance is not to be withheld from the poor or needy out of selfishness or greed. Givers are to be “ready and willing” to share[5] and do so with a cheerful heart[6] out the joy for helping others. Praying and asking God for the means and opportunities to serve and give to others is a sign of agape love. On the other hand, an attitude of reluctance or resentment may result in losing that abundance—Job 1:12 says, “… The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away … .”
Trials, grief, sadness, illness, disease, sickness, or poverty are experienced by everyone at times in their lives. Some are short-lived while others can last a lifetime. Regardless, these things are all aspects of being poor or needy. When those things come upon us, our first response should be to pray and ask God for relief[7]. Jesus Christ absolutely PROMISED that “whatever you ask in My name, that I will do.” (John 14:13-14). But many are not willing or able to RECEIVE God’s help if it comes through the hands of other people.
Receiving can be difficult. Pride, or not wanting to be indebted to others, can prevent us from accepting help; however, there are other obstacles that show just how hard it is to let agape love abound in our hearts[8] whether we are giving or receiving.
An example might serve to illustrate the roadblocks that we create in our minds. When someone causes an offense, it is hard to admit a wrong and sincerely apologize (repent to the victim). But it can also be just as difficult for a victim to receive it. But this exchange is required if the offender and victim are to reconcile. Too many times the offender cannot or will not repent and the victim too often continues in their anger or disappointment rather than to accept the apology.
It is not surprising that many do not even know HOW respond to offenses. Saying “I’m sorry” requires humility and love, something that has ‘waxed cold’[9] in this day and age. Humility and love are required of the offender to repent but they are also required of the victim to forgive (even though the victim is required to be willing to forgive whether or not the offender apologizes[10]).
Although the above example is about reconciling offenses, there is a similar problem with Giving & Receiving. When an answered prayer is not due to a direct miracle from God but comes at the hand of people, many may find it hard to receive it. Not knowing how to receive help from others, pride, not wanting to feel indebted, or just being unwilling are many times a problem. However, rejecting the help of others can also be a rejection of God’s answer to prayer.
Regardless, both giving and receiving are outward expressions of agape love between people. However unintentional, the walls that are raised when it comes to Giving & Receiving also cause something else. In the time just before the birth of Jesus Christ, the Israelites knew His appearance was imminent[11]. But when God finally came the people did something unbelievable:
JOHN 1:10-11 He [Jesus] was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
What does the rejection of Christ by the nation of Israel have to do with Giving & Receiving? Everything. God gives an abundance to some to be received by the poor or needy. When someone refuses to give of their abundance OR declines to receive it from others, they can be rejecting Jesus Christ! Notice:
MATTHEW 10:40 “He [the receiver] who receives you [the giver] receives Me [Jesus], and he who receives Me receives Him [God] who sent Me.
MATTHEW 18:5 “Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me [Jesus].
ROMANS 15:7 Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.
To “receive one another” requires someone who gives and another to receive. It may not be intentional, but refusing to give or receive can be a rejection of our Lord and Savior! How can that be? Because it prevents a very special connection between people. If the whole purpose of God’s Law is agape love out of a pure heart[12], then the statute of Giving & Receiving is the fulfillment of the two Great Commandments of Love. In other words, Giving & Receiving bonds our hearts together.
Having abundance from God to give to the poor or needy brings a feeling of utter joy. From that comes thanks-GIVING to God, especially if it is an answer to the prayers of a giver to have the means and opportunity to help others.
Those who receive the things they prayed for know it was from God and they give thanks to Him for His mercy and compassion. They also give thanks to the GIVER, which is an expression of agape love for their help and generosity. Grateful thanks back to the giver is heartfelt affection and gratitude.
And THAT is the whole purpose for the Administration of Service[13] called Giving & Receiving! If everyone had exactly what they need and no one lacked anything, what kind of relationship would God’s children have with each other? Giving & Receiving is not only about exchanging physical things, it is about the giver showing love for someone in need and the one in need reciprocating that love.
Who has given to someone and not been overwhelmed by the thanks, gratefulness, and appreciation they receive? Who has received from someone in a time of need and not felt utterly blessed with love, mercy, and compassion of such acts of kindness? Giving & Receiving draws people together like nothing else. It does not matter what is exchanged—it can be physical things, money, emotional support, spiritual help, etc.
Giving & Receiving is The Way and The Life of the eternity to come. Jesus said He went back to God to prepare a place for His people but He also mentioned something quite interesting:
JOHN 14:2-6 “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place [in the Kingdom] for you. 3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 “And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Jesus said the disciples KNEW where He was going and the way to get there. But Thomas countered and said that they did NOT know. The disciples were obviously thinking of a physical place and wanted directions to get there. But Jesus said HE is BOTH “… the way, the truth, and the life.” Jesus IS the direction and the destination—The Way and The Life! He was not talking about a physical place with a better political, economic, and judicial systems. He was talking about a spiritual Kingdom based upon HIMSELF! Who is He? HE is The Way = AGAPE LOVE! HE is The Life = GIVING & RECEIVING!
The Way is AGAPE LOVE and The Life is GIVING & RECEIVING!
If eternity is nothing more than endless learning to sing or play an instrument, construction of planetary cities and gardens, or permanent sightseeing trips to the ends of the universe there will eventually come a point when there is nothing that has not been learned, built, or experienced. Perhaps it will not happen for the first few billion or even trillion years, but eternity is a very long time. Still, surely a time must come when everything is either built or, after a few billion cities, it becomes boring and uninteresting.
Those were my thoughts in times past, gloomy as they were. But then I realized that eternity is not FOUNDED upon those things. God IS agape love and we are to BECOME as He is! Eternity will be founded upon RELATIONSHIPS with billions of God’s children. If a mere million years is spent getting to know ONE of them, that is a lot of zeros—15 of them to be exact (1 billion people times 1 million years/person = 1 trillion years). Peter said that receiving the salvation of our souls will be a “joy unspeakable.”[14] I truly believe he was describing an eternity of relationships alongside developing talents and doing whatever works will exist in the New Heavens. It will be a time of the way of agape love and the life of Giving & Receiving. It is spending time loving and being loved, talking and listening, learning and teaching, helping and being helped, serving and being served—all in the unimaginable fullness of the agape love of God our Father and our Brother Jesus Christ! Notice what Paul said:
1 CORINTHIANS 15:28 Now when all things are made subject to Him [Jesus], then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him [God the Father] who put all things under Him, that God [the Father] may be all in all.
And so ends this series on Giving & Receiving. There is so much more that can be said and, yet, we can never truly imagine the fullness of it. When the Kingdom has fully arrived, God will be ALL—His perfect agape love and way of life—in ALL!
2 CORINTHIANS 9:15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
May God’s grace and peace be upon you!
Steven Greene
[1] Deut. 15:7-11.
[2] Lev. 25:35.
[3] 2 Cor. 9:8-13.
[4] 2 Cor. 9:8
[5] 1 Tim. 6:17-19.
[6] 2 Cor. 9:7.
[7] Heb. 4:16.
[8] Phil. 1:9; 1 Thess. 3:12.
[9] Matt. 24:12.
[11] Luke 2:25-26—Simeon had received a prophecy that he would see the Christ before his death.
[12] 1 Tim. 1:5.
[13] Refer to the Sabbath Thought Giving & Receiving #4.
[14] 1 Pet. 1:3-9.
1 comment
Lee
Thanks Steven for yet another INSPIRING and THOUGHT PROVOKING commentary!! When I first started reading it; the first scripture that came to mind was 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 INFIDEL.” These are strong words!! Whose household are we members of?? Ephesians 2:19 states: “So then, you are no longer aliens and foreigners; but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of the *HOUSEHOLD OF GOD*”!! “For the time has come for judgment to begin with the HOUSEHOLD OF GOD……” (1 Peter 4:17) These are scriptures to seriously consider. I believe that Ephesians 2:19 also relates to our current families as well. If we cannot love our brothers and sisters in Christ NOW, how will we ever be able to love them when Jesus Christ returns?? I do believe that you eluded to this in another commentary because I specifically remember it. Jesus Christ is NOT going to wave a magic wand at His return!! We are to be developing agape love (there’s that word again!!) *NOW* or we will *NOT* be there!! This is made clear in Matthew 7:19-23. “Every tree that is NOT producing good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire. Therefore, you shall assuredly know them by their FRUITS. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but the one who is DOING the will of My Father, Who is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did WE not prophesy through Your Name? And did WE not cast out demons through Your name?’ And did WE not perform many works of power through Your name? And then I will confess to them, ‘I NEVER KNEW YOU. Depart from Me, you who work lawlessness’. Agape love is developed over time and WE do not have it inherently within ourselves!! It comes from God who “IS LOVE”!!! 1 John 4:8 “Beloved, if God loved us, we are also duty bound to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.” (Verse 11) I have learned MORE about agape on this website than in all of the 41 years that I have been a member of God’s Ecclesia for which I shall be ETERNALLY GRATEFUL!! THANKS STEVEN!! I have experienced INCREDIBLE JOY as a result of praying and asking God for agape love and I have NEVER BEEN HAPPIER IN MY LIFE!! This has give me GREAT PURPOSE that I never knew existed!! “And now, these three remain; faith, hope and love but the GREATEST of these is LOVE.”( 1 Corinthians 13:13) [Emphasis mine throughout]