Boxing Day - A Tradition That Needs To Be Revived

Boxing Day is traditionally a day following Christmas when wealthy people in the United Kingdom would give a box containing a gift to their servants. This tradition, dated from the Middle Ages, has long included giving money and other gifts to those who were needy and in service positions. 

What should be the attitude of the Christ Followers toward the needy? 

Before offering our opinion, let us consider the strong scriptural basis for helping the poor: In the Old Testament, God gave the Israel specific guidelines for taking care of the poor. He commanded that the corners of fields were not to be harvested so that something would be left for the needy to eat (Lev. 19:9-10).

God also promised a special blessing to all who gave to the poor (Prov. 19:17), and judgment to those who oppressed the poor (Ps. 140:12). 

Robbing and cheating the poor were condemned (Hosea 12:7). Widows and orphans - who were especially vulnerable to oppression - came under special protection from the law (Exod. 22:22-23).

God - in the law - also made provisions for poor and foreigners who were not a part of Israel's theocracy. Gleanings from the harvest were to be left for them (Deut. 24:19-21), and they were ranked in the same category as widows and orphans as being defenseless (Ps. 94:6).

Jesus is very clear about our responsibility to the poor and oppressed. Christ's strong warning that eternal condemnation awaits those who do not feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the prisoners (Matt. 25:31-46) shows that the disadvantaged are not merely a peripheral concern of His. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus taught that anybody in need is our neighbor (Luke 10:29f.).

The biblical view of the poor and oppressed is such that God's people everywhere should be appalled at the poverty of the people in the world. 

In my opinion the Church of Jesus Christ must act to help relieve the suffering of the needy in our world. Now, as a new year approaches, would be a great time to start!

Paul Weresch

Christ is Risen! So what? Part 3

Jesus Christ rose from the dead so that he could establish and empower his church, a church with a clear mission and function in this world.

Let me state this clearly. The church was not created in order that we may have another religious organization and it definitely was not created so that the clergy would have a job.

There may be varying opinions about the tasks and functions of the church, but the following represent what would be its three primary priorities.

1. The Church is to bring people into a personal relationship with God by proclaiming the Gospel throughout the world and making disciples of all kinds of people.

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19-20).

"And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15).

The two ministries of the church, evangelism and discipleship, are Christ's primary mission. "Evangelism" is the ministry of proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ that will bring mankind into fellowship with God, while "discipleship" is the training of believers to become disciplined followers of Jesus that understand their blessings and freedom in Christ while responsibly sharing this good news with the rest of the world.

In other words the mission of the church is, a continuation of Christ's earthly ministry (John 14:12). Jesus main purpose of coming into this world was to bring people into fellowship with God, through his life, death and resurrection.

Listen to his words; "For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost" (Matt. 18:11). And in turn, He imparted this same objective to His disciples. He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matt. 4:19). Can anything be clearer then the words in the gospel of John? “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” (John 20:21 KJV)

Perhaps the statement which best summarizes the mission of Christ and His church, was given as Jesus read from Isaiah's prophecy in Nazareth's synagogue on the Sabbath day. He said, "The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to preach the acceptable year of the LORD" (Luke 4:18-19).

2. The Church is to nurture all believers and prepare them for the work of ministry.

"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ..." (Eph. 4:11-12).

The church should be a fellowship of believers, where God's Word is taught, people are built up spiritually, emotionally and socially. This not only serves to anchor their faith in Christ, but serves to develop good character and prepares them for service to others. According to God's plan, each member of the body of Christ is called to serve in some aspect of ministry (Rom. 12:6, 1 Cor. 12:14-31, 2 Cor. 5:17).

3. The Church is to serve as a community of worshipers that praise God, love one
another and represent the interests of the Kingdom of God in the world, and thereby influence the society for good.

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden" (Matt. 5:13-14).

Jesus used salt and light as metaphors of the influential characteristics of His church in the world. Historically, salt has always been a commodity used as an antiseptic to withdraw infection. Light, of course, dispels darkness.

Jesus Christ intended his church to let its light shine in the world by loving, caring, and meeting needs of humanity, while upholding the redemptive truths and righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Jesus also told his church, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:16).

Paul Weresch