The next topic I plan to cover is Lent. I’m admittedly slightly behind my schedule, and many will probably recognize that Lent has already begun. On Ash Wednesday, there is an emphasis on coming from dust and returning to dust. Whether you prefer a fiery pit, separation from God’s ultimate goodness, gnashing of teeth, or annihilation (personally, I think this debate is one of the more pointless ones, as Christians, we should agree to just love God and not go there), the only way to avoid our lives having no eternal impact is to return ourselves to God. Our belongings are the same way!
Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.
Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Mt 6:19). Tyndale House Publishers.
Moths, erosion, the expansion of the sun, a literal account of Revelation, or the heat death of the universe. Again, it doesn’t matter. Our earthly belongings will eventually fade. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will never fade. If you want what you earn to not be void, it must also be returned to God. In all honesty, it’s a pretty simple concept. So why do we have so much trouble following through?
What you do with money and possessions declares loudly what sort of a community you are, and the statement made by the early church’s practice was clear and definite. No wonder they were able to give such powerful testimony to the resurrection of Jesus. They were demonstrating that it was a reality in ways that many Christians today, who often sadly balk at even giving a tithe of their income to the church, can only dream of.
Wright, T. (2008). Acts for Everyone, Part 1: Chapters 1-12 (p. 76). Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge.
Tom Wright is saying that in order to properly testify to the resurrection of Christ, we can not simply give him lip service or an hour or two of our week. It is our time, talents, and possessions. It is everything! This is what the Manna Principle is about. What God provides is used to be people of the Cross.
One of John Wesley’s 22 questions involves asking when we last shared our faith with someone. God’s provision is not intended for a private faith.
If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith apart from works is worthless?
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.
New Revised Standard Version: Updated Edition (Jas 2:15—17, 19—20, 24, 26). (2021). Friendship Press.
I’ve chosen to cut out James’ filler, not because it provides no value, just so I wasn’t throwing 13 verses at you in the middle of this. I encourage you to read all of James 2:14-26 on your own. Here are my four points:
- Having faith that someone else will help someone in need while keeping resources for yourself is not biblical (vv. 15-17).
- Agnosticism, with good works, is not the same as salvation through faith (vv. 19-20).
- Our faith should move us to act radically (vv. 24, 25).
In the Church, I worry that we tend to pick up some of the verses I outlined and miss the big picture. James is not classifying well wishes as work. Preaching just verse 26, without verses 15 through 17, would allow us to convey this perception. We haven’t founded food banks, child sponsorships, hospital and military chaplaincy, missions compounds, orphanages, free clinics, thrift stores, and schools to just give more thoughts and prayers!! The grace of Jesus the Messiah is a grace that moves us to radical action. If you disagree, then you likely have some reexamining to do.
A situation of real human need that is addressed solely by good wishes and warm sentiment is certifiably inadequate. The real need is effectively ignored. Despite the words and sentiments, it doesn’t work, precisely because nothing is done about the situation. The situation that provokes the need is unchanged. Undoubtedly, the expression of care and well-wishes could be sincere and well intended—indeed the needy persons themselves might be momentarily cheered by them—but ultimately nothing of significance happens to alter the need. Words alone cannot solve the problem. Something more than talk is required to meet the need of our hypothetical brother or sister.
Walters, J. M. (1997). James: a Bible commentary in the Wesleyan tradition (p. 96). Wesleyan Publishing House.
It is important to not discount the capabilities of the Spirit or the power of the Gospel. Simultaneously, it is important to remember our impact on the Church. The Bible is full of people being used to do God’s will. God is more than capable of doing it on His own, but He chose to involve us. How great a privilege! This is the final aspect of the Manna Principle. Depending on God is not enough. That dependence is one work of faith. We are not called to just one work. Imagine if David had just killed Goliath and then disappeared; reading the Old Testament would take significantly less time. If we did the same with Moses, then we could cut it off at Exodus 2:12. It was nice of him to stand up for the Hebrew man, but when can we get on to the next guy? This is as absurd as thinking that we can stop depending on God’s provision. Brothers and sisters, how will you act in faith? What radical directions can grace lead you?
Moments with Emmanuel 