Breakfast Club Devotion #5: Blessed Are the Poor

Looking at his disciples, he said “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” Jesus has a way of saying things that make us think. What does this mean? God wants us to be poor? More spiritual if we are poor? God loves the poor more? There are 9 occasions on which Jesus used this word, and many other NT teachings. It is clear that it was important to Jesus to bring good news to the poor, and that he wanted his followers to get involved as well.

Brief references to the 9 occasions that Jesus uses this word are as follows:

1. The Spirit of the Lord anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. Luke 4:18
2. Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of heaven. (Luke 6:20; Matthew 5:3 reads “blessed are the poor in spirit..”)
3. The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. Matt 11:5, Lk 7:22
4. Go and sell all you possess, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven.
5. For the poor you have with you always; but you do not always have me. Mt 19:21, Mk 10:21, Lk 12:33
6. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins,... and He said to them, Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury. Mk 12:42, Lk 21:2
7. But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind ... Lk 14:13
8. Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame. (A man gave a great banquet and invited guests, and the initial group of invitees gave excuses about not attending the banquet.) Lk 14:21
9. Now it came about that the poor man (Lazarus) died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom .... Luke 16:20

It is significant that Jesus first public appearance in the synagogue, recorded in Luke 4:18, begins with the reference to Isaiah 61:1 prophecy or proclamation that the Servant of the Lord is anointed to preach good news to the poor.

Secondly, as Matthew and Luke present a large systematic collection of Jesus teaching to the multitude, they both report Jesus as leading off with this statement “blessed are you who are poor.”

What does the New Testament teach about the rich and the poor? There is a great deal of Scripture that addresses the topic of money, wealth, and poverty, and books have been written on the subject. But as a first look, consider the following as affirmations.

1. A primary purpose of Jesus’ mission is to bring good news to the poor. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.” Luke 4:18

2. Money competes for our attention and can distract us from God. No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Luke 16:15

3. God will entrust his servants with material provision to see if we can manage it properly and use it for the glory of God. Parable of the talents (not just money). To the faithful servants, Jesus said, Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.” Matthew 25:21, also Luke 19.

4. It is easy for us to begin to trust money when we have it, to feel self sufficient, or to feel that we deserve to have whatever material blessings that we have. Luke 12:18, A man became very successful. He became very confident in his riches ... “I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink, and be merry. But God said to him, You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” About this, Jesus said ...Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15

5. Whatever we have, we must hold it very loosely, willing to give it all away if God asks. When the rich young man approached Jesus, Jesus asked him to give it all away. Mark 10:17 What must I do to inherit eternal life? First he asked him about his obedience to the law, and the man indicated his faithfulness to these things. But Jesus knew that he was held in bondage to his wealth. One thing you lack. Go, sell everything you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me. The man was unable to give up his possessions.

6. It is difficult for a wealthy person to seek God. Jesus did teach us that it is very difficult for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. Story of the rich young man who could not follow Jesus, when asked to give up his wealth.“How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Mark 10:23

7. There is a sense in which those with earthly wealth are enjoying life now, whereas the poor will enjoy heaven. This was the point of the parable of the rich man and Lazarus.
Luke 16:20-22 And a certain poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom ....(v. 25) Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.”

8. This should not in any way lead us to think that poverty, in and of itself, brings us into God’s kingdom. Jesus clearly explained how to gain eternal life through the new birth, by faith in Jesus. (John 3)

9. The one who has less in earthly things should be more inclined to reach out and trust God. The question is, do we look to God for salvation or do we look to the world to covet its goods?

10. God loves everyone, but the Scripture indicates that God has a special compassion for the poor. James 2:5 “Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

I hope that these collected thoughts have shed some light on the difficult statements of Jesus .. “Blessed are the poor in spirit / . Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of heaven.”