“All they asked was that we should remember the needy in their group, which is the very thing I have been eager to do.” (Galatians 2:10)
Paul and Barnabas were given the go ahead to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. Then we have verse 10. It seems out of place and unconnected to what has just happened. Why was this so important that it was especially requested of Paul and Barnabas?
Remembering the poor is required by the Law of Moses. “There will always be some Israelites who are poor and in need, and so I command you to be generous to them.” (Deuteronomy 15:11) The apostles didn’t require anything else of Paul and Barnabas as ministers to the Gentiles. Some theologians believe it was to reconcile them as ministers to the Gentiles to the Jewish believers. It was hard for Jewish believers who considered themselves as holy people to understand that the Good News of salvation was given also to the Gentiles who had never known God, had never wanted to know God and who had practiced all kinds of atrocities in the name of their various idols.
Remember that the early Christians shared their possessions to be used collectively for those who didn’t have. Barnabas was one of them. “The group of believers was one in mind and heart. None of them said that any of their belongings were their own, but they all shared with one another everything they had. With great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God poured rich blessings on them all. There was no one in the group who was in need. Those who owned fields or houses would sell them, bring the money received from the sale, and turn it over to the apostles; and the money was distributed according to the needs of the people. And so it was that Joseph, a Levite born in Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means "One who Encourages"), sold a field he owned, brought the money, and turned it over to the apostles.” (Acts 4:32-37) So it was expected of them but not required. Paul wanted to continue this practice and to include the Gentiles in this thinking.
And so it was that Paul returned to Jerusalem after many years, probably closer to twenty-five years to bring an offering from the Gentile churches. “"After being away from Jerusalem for several years, I went there to take some money to my own people and to offer sacrifices.” (Acts 24:17) The word “sacrifices” means offerings in the original Greek.
What is our obligation? Is it a requirement? Before Paul left Ephesus, he reminded them not to forget the poor. “I have shown you in all things that by working hard in this way we must help the weak, remembering the words that the Lord Jesus Himself said, 'There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.' " (Acts 20:35) Jesus Himself taught us to give not only financially but of ourselves to the needy. “Then the King will say to the people on His right, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father! Come and possess the kingdom which has been prepared for you ever since the creation of the world. I was hungry and you fed Me, thirsty and you gave Me a drink; I was a stranger and you received Me in your homes, naked and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you took care of Me, in prison and you visited Me.' The righteous will then answer Him, 'When, Lord, did we ever see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You a drink? When did we ever see You a stranger and welcome You in our homes, or naked and clothe You? When did we ever see You sick or in prison, and visit You?' The King will reply, 'I tell you, whenever you did this for one of the least important of these followers of Mine, you did it for Me!'” (Matthew 25:34-40)
The Lord has blessed us to be a blessing. It’s a characteristic of the righteous. “Lazy people who refuse to work are only killing themselves; all they do is think about what they would like to have. The righteous, however, can give, and give generously.” (Proverbs 21:25-26) We are blessed abundantly so that we can meet our needs and the needs of others. “And God is able to give you more than you need, so that you will always have all you need for yourselves and more than enough for every good cause.” (2Corinthians 9:8) Paul in his letter to the Romans gave them thirteen marks of Christianity. The fifth one is “Share your belongings with your needy fellow Christians, and open your homes to strangers.” (Romans 12:13)
Jesus gave His all for us. Are we willing to give up what this temporal and fleeting world has for eternal rewards? Jesus told the rich young ruler: “...If you want to be perfect, go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow Me." (Matthew 19:21) Jesus asked him to do that because He knew that the rich young ruler loved being rich, knew he loved his accomplishments and knew he would not be willing to give up everything to follow Him. Sometimes we have to face reality. Do we really love the Lord? Are we serious about wanting to follow Him and obey whatever He asks us to do? Or are we just all talk? “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:21)
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