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A Blessing to The Nations
Paul’s heart was ablaze to bring the Good News of Messiah to the Gentile
world. In his letter to the believers in Rome, Paul shares his
travel-plans (15:23-29) and his travel prayers (v.30-33) for events that
would unfold in the 20th and 21st chapters of Acts. After Paul would
bring the gift from his Gentile brothers to Jerusalem, he hoped to see
the Roman believers on his way to Spain (v. 23, 29, 32). But this was no
ordinary gift. Paul saw the gift as urgent! So urgent, in fact, that
Paul was willing to give his life to bring this gift to Jerusalem (see
Acts 21:10-13). But why the urgency? Since Paul saw Yeshua** as the
fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant, “the seed of Abraham”, Who would
be the “blessing to all the nations,” he understood his own ministry to
the Gentiles a result of this fulfillment (see Gen. 22:18; Gal.
3:14,16). Thus this gift represented the Gentile believers’ appreciation
for what they had received through Israel’s Messiah. It reflected their
love for their Jewish brethren. Even more than that, this gift was a
testimony to the Jews in Jerusalem of the validity of Yeshua as the
Messiah--and that was worth dying for! (see Acts 21:17-20).
A Blessing from The
Nations
Paul gives several principles regarding
the Gentile Believer’s responsibility to care for Israel.
“…but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints. For Macedonia
and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among
the saints in Jerusalem” (Romans 15:25,26). The Greek believers Paul
refers to were pleased to give a gift, in response to the grace they had
received. The gift is called a “contribution,” literally, partaking in
the needs of others. So we see the first principle: By God’s grace and
mercy we are called to be gracious and merciful to others in need.
Opportunity & Obligation
“Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they
are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual
things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things”
(Romans 15:27). But if the gift was for the poor, why would someone be
asked to give because they were “indebted to minister”? Wouldn’t the
needs of those in poverty be reason enough to give? Yes and no. The
poverty provided the occasion, but not the reason. The financial need
provided the opportunity to give, but the Gentile believer has a
spiritual obligation to minister to the Jewish people. Therefore the
second principle is: Those who receive spiritual blessings are indebted
to minister back through material blessings. The matter of giving back
materially to those who have ministered to you spiritually is taught
throughout the Scriptures: In 1 Corinthians 9:11 we read, “If we
sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things
from you?” And in Galatians 6:6, “The one who is taught the word is
to share all good things with the one who teaches him.” Simply put, you
thank the Lord by appreciating the means He uses to edify you. However,
in Romans Paul is developing an even greater principle for Gentile
believers and their testimony in Messiah. In Romans 11, he explained to
Gentile believers that, “it is the root that supports you” (v.18), since
they have been grafted into the Olive Tree, and the root of which is the
people of Israel. As long as the Gentile believers are grafted into the
Olive Tree and receive the “fatness of the root” (the promises to and
through Israel) they have an obligation to give back to help the people
of Israel, especially the remnant saved by grace (11:5,6). (For more on
this read Romans 11:11-24.)
A Lesson in Love
Some may ask, “How can we pay back the
past benefactors, the Apostles, etc., now that they are gone?” In 2
Samuel we read of a situation that sheds light on this responsibility.
King Saul had repeatedly sought to kill David, but Saul and his son
Jonathan, David’s close friend, had fallen in battle. Now that his
friend was dead and David had become King of Israel, he sought to bless
others--despite the hostility of Saul--in light of the blessings he had
received from Jonathan. In 2 Samuel 9:1 David said, “Is there yet anyone
left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s
sake?” David is informed, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is
crippled in both feet” (9:3). In 9:6,7 we see this son of Jonathan,
Mephibosheth, coming to David, and David says to him, “Do not fear, for
I will surely show kindness to you for the sake of your father Jonathan,
and will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul; and you
shall eat at my table regularly.”
If David had been cruel to Mephibosheth, what would it have said about
David’s love for Jonathan? And if Gentile believers don’t care for
Messiah’s brethren according to the flesh, what does it say about their
love for Yeshua? In light of Paul’s teaching, Gentile believers need to
pray, “Is there one of the house of Israel that I may show kindness to
for the sake of Yeshua, the king of Israel?” Yes, there is! You can show
kindness, even the love of Messiah to the Jewish people. Like
Mephibosheth, a ‘spiritual lameness,’ a partial hardening has happened
to Israel. They need your care for Paul’s sake, for the promises’ sake,
and for Yeshua’s sake!
It’s A Family Affair
Paul teaches that giving is a duty, an
obligation. But even further, in Romans 15:26,27 Paul uses the present
tense twice, “they are indebted.” Though the Gentile believers gave,
they are still indebted to give. This is not only an obligation for what
they had received--but that Gentile believers today have a continuing
obligation. So does grace put us into debt? No, it’s not a business
debt; it’s a family affair. Think of it this way: imagine a man writing
to his mom and dad and saying, “For 20 years I’ve sent you mother’s day
and father’s day cards, 20 years of birthday gifts, and 20 years of
anniversary gifts. I figure that evens us up. It wipes the slate clean
between us for the 20 years I mooched off of you, right?” Wrong. Family
care is never ‘paid back’; it’s a debt of love that continues as long as
love continues. Since by faith in Messiah you’re a child of Abraham, you
are part of the family, and you are called to love as part of the family
(see Rom.4:16,17). It’s amazing how many exult in the title “children of
Abraham,” and yet they seem to have no regard for the rest of the
family. So we have our third principle: as members of Messiah’s family,
Gentile believers have a debt of love to Israel.
Sowing On Good Ground
Also, note that Paul wrote in 15:25 that
he was “going to Jerusalem to serve the saints.” Here “saints” refers to
the Jewish believers in Jerusalem. When giving to Jewish organizations,
be careful. There are Christians who love Israel and the Jewish people,
but unwittingly support Jewish organizations that not only deny the
gospel, but aggressively work against the message of Messiah Yeshua, and
even persecute Jewish believers. This is tragic. Therefore, as you pray
for the Lord’s guidance regarding your giving, consider supporting
Jewish ministries who are actively reaching out with the Good News
locally and around the world. Here at WMM our ‘friends and family’ are
helping us to proclaim the gospel through our evangelistic and
discipleship materials, and assisting our efforts in planting Messianic
congregations. Others are helping get our books and literature printed
in Russian and Hebrew for distribution to Jewish people overseas,
particularly in parts of the world that are economically restricted,
just as the saints in Jerusalem were. Projects such as these are seen by
Gentile believers as opportunities to help fulfill their calling to
minister to the Jewish people.
Have you received the gift of Messiah’s love? If so, then like all
believers, Jewish and Gentile, you too have a debt of love as a member
of His family. Please ask the Lord how you can “minister to them also in
material things” to the Jew first, then “whatsoever He saith unto you,
do it.” Be blessed. Y
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