The
Scriptures told us the coming King would preach
the gospel to the poor. This forces us to consider three questions:
Who is this audience of poor people?
What is the gospel?
Why is preaching it an important part of the
King’s identity?
To
answer the questions we must understand this poverty is not primarily about economic
status. The materially poor are not necessarily different than the materially
rich. They
are not to be treated differently in matters of justice. In either category
there are movers-and-shakers who enjoy clout in the pecking order of their
status, and there are those who enjoy the perceived perks of playing the lesser
roles. Because we forget this, we are confounded by those who give up wealth to
embrace deliberately the vagabond lifestyles or who resist efforts to move out
of them.
Jesus
understood this paradox. He who could multiply loaves refused
to become a bread line. He sought the poor
in spirit - those who recognized their entrapment. These were people who recognized their eternal danger
and longed for the authoritative words, “Your sins are forgiven;" but they longed for more. To them it
was good news to know they could become citizens of God’s kingdom and live for a cause greater than creature comfort. Through
their redeemed skills, they themselves could touch lives with the heart of compassion Jesus
revealed through his miracles. As Jesus preached, individuals of varying social strata heard this invitation: a ranking Pharisee,
a cheating Publican,
a desperate Roman
military official, a serial divorcee,
and a repentant
prostitute, to name a few.
The
pulsating
core of the message was finally identified in Jesus’ death, burial, and
resurrection. Several weeks later, when the Holy Spirit poured that message
into believers’ hearts at Pentecost, a centuries-long narrative began. A
narrative of men and women of all rank and file who have preached the gospel
while following the heart of their King to invade the physical needs of living
in a fallen world.
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