PREACHING TO THE POOR

 

John the Baptist was struggling. He wanted assurance that Jesus wss the one and only Messiah to come, or was He a forerunner who would be followed by another. There was an interpretation among the religious scholars that the Messianic prophecies of a suffering Servant and those of a glorious King would be fulfilled by two distinct people. John is not denying that Jesus is the Lamb of God, as he had attested. He is wondering if he is to look for the King in another person. If Christ is both, then why does He not deliver His cousin from the dungeon?  We know what John did not—that there would not be two different people, but that Jesus would fulfill those roles in two different periods—a first and second advent. 

Jesus offers proof He is the One and Only. His power caused the blind to see, the lame to walk, the lepers to be clean, the deaf to hear, and remarkably, even the dead to rise. Such power displayed was the proof. But, Jesus added one more thing: “the poor have the gospel preached to them.”  That is what I want to focus on in this meditation. 

The rich and powerful are the people of privilege. They are the first recognized, those given places of honor, the ones who have the most comfort and pleasure. Yet, Jesus did not rank people according to social status. He shattered these human norms. The most needy were given the greatest opportunity.

Did Jesus not care for the rich and powerful?  Of course He did, and we find a few who responded to His message. The truth is that the high and mighty typically did not see their need—and still do not. What could a peasant preacher offer them?  That was laughable to most. 

But, the poor—whose lives were continually marked by bad news—were most receptive to good news. They lived daily with the awareness of their need. This made them most receptive to the hope that Jesus offered these hopeless people. The transformation of their lives from spiritual paupers to heirs of the Kingdom of God was as miraculous—I would suggest more so—than any of the other miracles Christ wrought, including raising the dead!

We are still called to preach the Gospel to the poor. We will preach to any who will listen, for all are bankrupt spiritually, including those who live in luxury now. But, the fact is that those who have so much here are not usually concerned about the life hereafter.  The most receptive audience will be the broken and battered, the sick and sorrowful, the helpless and hopeless—these will listen to the good news. 

Paul put it this way:  “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.’”  ( ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭26‬-‭31‬‬)

Notice it does not say, “not any wise…mighty…noble are called,” for a few are. It says “not many,” as most will be less educated, influential, and wealthy.  So, let us preach to everyone—in the penthouse or the homeless shelter. But, let us rejoice in opportunity given in preaching to the poor, for there is fertile soul for the seed of the Gospel. 

I can attest to this reality in the five churches I have pastored in forty five years of ministry.  Those congregations have included a few business leaders, community leaders, educators, and such. Mostly they have been the poor, the unknown, the common people, lower to middle class economically.  The majority have been working families who lived paycheck to paycheck.  Such are most eager to embrace and treasure the unsearchable riches of Christ!

“Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?”  (James‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬‬).