Title Give! / Luke 6:38
When Jesus called the 12 disciples, he preached to his disciples and the multitude of followers of Jesus, telling them to love their enemies (Luke 6:27-31), and taught them to be merciful as the Father is merciful (Luke 6: 36).
Then, Jesus told his disciples a lesson in attitude toward neighbors, telling them to be willing to show mercy to others, share forgiveness and love, and be willing to give what they have as those who have received the abundant gift of God. And when we give, He said that He would give it generously, pressing down, shaking, and overflowing (Luke 6:38).
First, we must share the gospel of the Lord.
The Apostle Paul said in Romans 1:14, “I am indebted to both Greeks and barbarians, both the wise and the foolish.” As a debtor of the gospel, he devoted his life to sharing the gospel, and did not waste his life. Not just Paul. The disciples of Jesus and the members of the early church lived a life of sharing the gospel. Why? Because the gospel is life.
Jesus said, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst” (John 6:35). Those who have received the gospel receive the blessing of neither hunger nor thirst. It is also because the gospel is power (Romans 1:16) and because the gospel is a blessing (Deuteronomy 28:2).
Therefore, we must become saints who share the gospel of life, the gospel of power, and the gospel of blessing to our neighbors.
Second, we must share spiritual grace.
Joseph lived a life of hardship by his brothers. As he lived a life of slavery and was falsely framed and imprisoned, he must have had feelings of resentment and cursing against his brother. However, at a reunion with the brothers who sold him into slavery in Egypt, he said, “It was not you who sent me here, but God, who made me the father of Pharaoh, and lord over all his house, and ruler over all the land of Egypt. He has known” (Genesis 45:8).
Just as it was the grace of God that Joseph realized that it was God who sent him to Egypt and made him prime minister, it is grace to realize that it is God who provides and works in our lives. We must become the saints who give the grace of realization to our neighbors.
Third, we must share the love of the Lord.
Song of Songs 8:6 says, “Love is stronger than death.” Also, the apostle John said in 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, for fear has its punishment, for the one who fears is not perfected in love.”
Because Jesus loves us, He did not hesitate to die on the cross. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. And although prophecies, tongues, and knowledge are abolished, love is eternal. (1 Corinthians 13:7-8) Following Jesus, who showed that eternal love with his whole body, we too must become saints who share love with our neighbors.
Fourth, we must serve the Lord and share with loyalty.
The members of the Early Church shared all things with each other, worked hard to help others with their possessions (Acts 2:45), devoted themselves to prayer (Acts 2:42), and evangelism. They also lived a life of fellowship and service under the teachings of the apostles. Just as the early church members devoted themselves to helping neighbors, evangelizing, and praying at all, like the woman in Suga-seong who met Jesus at the well, we must serve the Lord and preach to our neighbors with loyalty (John 4:28-30). )
People just want to grab anything. But God's law is not like that. God gives us something better when we share. Therefore, let us follow Jesus, who set the example for us, to serve the Lord, to share the gospel with faithfulness, to share spiritual grace, and to become saints who share love. Let's become saints who give what we have. So, I hope you receive and enjoy the blessing promised, “Give, and I will give you abundantly.”