But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the
saints. For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain
contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. It pleased
them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been
partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in
material things. – Romans 15.25-27
Most serious dedicated Christians do a pretty decent job of
meeting the spiritual needs of other members of the body. The longer I go
though the more amazed I am that I learned so little about the importance of
meeting material needs.
Before Paul could go to Rome he needed to go to Jerusalem to
take a gift to the poor saints there who were struggling. The churches in
Macedonia and Achaia had taken up a collection to send to them to meet their
needs.
But there is some background to this. The church as
Jerusalem had been responsible for taking the gospel to the Gentiles in
Macedonia and Achaia. The Gentile believers felt like the owed them something
for the sacrifices they had made in meeting their spiritual needs.
Now the Jerusalem believers had material needs. The Gentile
believers had the wherewithal to take care of those material needs so it was
their duty to help the Jerusalem saints.
I just love these glimpses at the naturalness of the early
churches. The New Testament wasn’t complete. They didn’t have all the fancy buildings
or mission programmes or structured giving plans. The simply met each other’s
needs be they spiritual or material.
And I think there is a simple example there for us. We need
to be aware of needs. We need of course to meet the spiritual needs by sharing
the gospel and teaching and edifying. But we cannot neglect the practical side
of giving. We have a responsibility there as well.
It is not enough to focus on one or the other. Both are
vital.
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