March 15th, 2026: Giving to the Community | Deuteronomy 15:4-11, Matthew 25:42-45

Spring breezes are blowing gustily, there are flood warnings, tornado watches, and sudden showers in the forecast.  In short, it’s spring, and things are changing.  Seasonal change is almost an oxymoron; if things are seasonal, they are expected and easy to prepare for, but change is something that uproots our routines and causes many to be uncomfortable.  

God gave instructions for Israel to mark their calendars every seventh year for a scheduled release.  What was He asking them to let go of?  He wanted them to release their friends and neighbors from the burden of paying them back.  In the seventh year, they were asked to forgive, cancel debt, and give every one of their countrymen the opportunity to start again with liberty.  Letting things go was good for the borrower and even better for the lender, because God promised them that He would more than make up for their losses with future blessings if they would trust Him and obey.

Deuteronomy 15: 4-11

4 Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the Lord shall greatly bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it:

There was one exception to the year of release.  If they followed God faithfully, He promised to bless them.  So, potentially, there may be a year when no one owes any debts that need to be forgiven, and in that case, they could just celebrate the fact that God had provided so abundantly for their needs.  It’s hard for us to even imagine that kind of freedom and prosperity, and it was even harder for Israel to have faith enough to believe that God wanted to bless them that much. The truth is, obedience to God is the product of the Love we have for God and our Trust in Him.  Their blessings were hindered by their disobedience, and their disobedience was the result of their unfaithful hearts.  

5 Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day.

6 For the Lord thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.

The money, talent, and time God has entrusted to you do not belong to you. You are a steward of His blessings and a vessel for Him to use. God’s promise is that if they would hear and obey, he would bless and direct. They would have enough to be a help to others, including the nations around them. The result of their releasing others with grace would be grace flowing in and through them. They would be a strong, independent nation, relying on God alone. They would be the lenders and not the borrowers. God keeps His promises. Adrian Rodgers said, “It is not that God has been tried and found wanting, it is that God has been wanting and not tried.”  Jesus said, “We have not because we ask not.” You can rely on the faithfulness and the goodness of God, but never on your own understanding and ability to perform.

7 If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:

8 But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.

9 Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee.

W.C. Fields, the famous comedian was standing on a street corner looking at the pages of a Bible, a gentleman passing by, knowing that he was not a believer, cried out, “What are you looking for?”  

His answer, “loopholes!”  Humorous, yes, and absolutely hopeless. There are no loopholes in the word of God; He meant every word that is recorded. Christ answered on Calvary’s cross for our violation of God’s word. Our disobedience cost Him great pain and suffering. 

God’s warning to Israel was not to become “suddenly stingy” in the sixth year, looking ahead to the fact that they would have to release borrowers from their debt in year seven. When they saw someone poor and in need, they should immediately do what they could to help, even though they may not be paid back. Their thought should be, if I do it the way God has asked me to, He will make sure that I will be okay.  It should be our honor to serve others, knowing that Christ sees it as a personal gesture of faith and love directed at Him.  They were so afraid of losing, they forgot whose team they were on.  

10 Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.

11 For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

There will always be a need to help those who are in trouble; that’s the condition of living in a fallen world, but being obedient to give and let it go is an act of faith that God has promised to honor.  While the Old Testament year of release was primarily concerned with financial debts, Christ’s instructions are even deeper, He calls us to forgive our enemies and those who despitefully use us.  He calls us to see past what they owe us to offer them salvation through His name.  All temporary things, like those debts of the past, are to be released in order to offer a new start.  The blessings for being obedient to the gospel are far greater than my ability to put into words.

Matthew 25:42-45

42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Jesus takes things personally.  God has emotions, and they are profound and appropriate.  In the Old Testament, He grieves, He rejoices, He longs to be understood.  In light of that fact, it should humble us to know that He feels deeply for those who are suffering, so much so, that He takes our hard-hearted responses as a direct insult to HIm.  Those suffering in the church, and even in the community, are an opportunity to bless God.  When we give, without expecting return, He considers it worship.  As in days of old, the blessing of God will follow trust and obedience to His word.  Better still, we have the guidance of the Holy Spirit as believers to help us know what we should do and to give us love for those who are hurting.  

44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

Those men standing in judgment were shocked at the words of Jesus. Of course, they would have helped Him!  They didn’t see Him. That’s why we have the word of God.  To our natural eyes, it is not always obvious what we should do to serve Christ, but we are blessed by the promises written in the Bible.  That if we forgive, we’ll be forgiven.  That God will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory (inexhaustible) if we obey and give.  If we’re not careful, we’ll catch ourselves looking for loopholes, for reasons why we don’t have to do things we know that we should.  And that’s when we miss it, we miss the freedom, the opportunity, and the ability to be used by God as a vessel of His anointing.  Don’t view giving as a burden; view it as a gift you can give your Lord.  Take the opportunity to let forgiveness flow, let’s debts and hurts go, give others a new start by sharing the gospel with them, and expect God, who is always good, to do the same for you.

Thank you for studying with us! God bless!