Contributing to the Needs of the Saints
Romans 12:9-13

INTRO:
Good morning. We will continue today in our study of Romans Chapter 12. The text we have been studying the past few weeks is Romans 12:9-13 and let me just read that to get us started. “9. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11. not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12. rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13. distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.” [NKJV] The NAS words verse 13 as: contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.

We've seen as we have read these passages that they contain several short very concise admonitions. These can be viewed individually and we can also consider them in the larger context of Romans Chapter 12. They should also be considered in the even larger context of the first eleven chapters of Romans that led up to the statements. I would recommend as we conclude our look that we should resolve, each of us, to do just that. With these admonitions in mind, take the time to study the pervious chapters of Romans.

In addition it might be of benefit to look at what Paul commands here both individually and as they are linked together. Paul was pleading with them on the basis of the things that he said in the very beginning of the chapter. In verses 1 and 2 he beseeched them by the mercies of God that they be not conformed to the world but they be transformed by the renewing of their mind. In that call for a transformation Paul was being comprehensive.

He wanted them to use their bodies as a living sacrifice before God, but also to transform their minds so that they might approve what is the acceptable and perfect will of God. I'm convinced that those early statements in the chapter set the tone and context in which we can best understand what we're going to talk about this morning from Verse 13.

We are to be new people inside and outside and if we look around at the Christians we know we see evidence of that in many, many ways. We see people that grow spiritually, that stop doing things they use to do that were bad and start doing things that are good, people transformed by the Spirit of God just as the people in the New Testament were transformed. There's probably no better place to look at the evidence of transformation among Christians than the New Testament and the record of those who became Christians in the Book of Acts. They were different people beginning from Acts two onward.
You see a different character develop in the people, even those that had been rebellious like the apostle Paul who was formerly Saul the persecutor. He was totally transformed by the power of the spirit.

One very remarkable characteristic of the transformed Christians in the New Testament I believe, is benevolence. It's the willingness to give.

We studied what hospitality really means in a previous lesson and only lightly touched on the first part of verse 13. However this is a continuance of those thoughts and today I want to look at that part where is says: “distributing (or contributing) to the needs of the saints”. This brief command challenges me. Are we truly “contributing” to the needs of other Christians?

I. Contributing to the needs of the saints – Paul tells us that we need to contribute to the needs of the saints. What does that mean? I wonder in the context of what is said about being a new person, am I truly contributing to the needs of other Christians. When we discuss this particular passage we say that Paul is including in this admonition giving financially to those who are in need, to those who have physical needs, to those who are poor and can't sustain themselves.
A. What are the needs of the saints? When we think about this admonition we find, as with a number of these admonitions, that they are laying responsibility on us to understand this with a renewed mind, a different view. Sometimes when we ask “what are the needs of the saints” we come up with an answer that dismisses our responsibility to do anything about it. If we do, we have missed the mark because we have too narrowly defined what needs the Saints might have.
1. Someone might quickly answer that one's need can be defined as food clothing and shelter. What do you really need in this life? You need a place to live, you need something to eat and clothes on your back. When a person has those three things they have the basic elements of life.
2. Indeed Paul said in 1Timothy 6:7-8 – “7. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” The context of Paul's statement to Timothy has to do with being content with what God provides and God provides all of those things.
3. While certainly true, taking this alone may sometimes move us in a direction where we may too narrowly define this aspect of needs. We have to be careful about that.
4. Let me tell you a story from a church website about a fighter who had just won a championship and was sitting on a 747 as it was starting to taxi down the runway for take off. The flight attendant walked by and noticed he did not have on his seatbelt, and said, “Please fasten your seatbelt, sir.” The fighter looked up proudly and snapped, “Superman don’t need no seatbelt.” Without hesitation she replied, “Superman don’t need no plane.” I guess that shows a bit of a different view on need.
B. What are the needs of the saints? Let’s define it in terms of my responsibility as this admonition portrays it. A need is whatever am I obligated to provide or contribute to others so that I am pleasing to God. Let’s consider this in the light of that compelling passage given by Jesus about the judgment in Matthew chapter 25.
1. In this passage Jesus is depicting the final judgment when God discerns between those who will be accepted and those who will not be accepted. Those that He separates to the right and to the left.
2. In giving the explanation of the criteria for God's Judgment, the distinguishing feature between those that are accepted and those are not accepted; Jesus picks this aspect of these obligations to one another. I believe He does that to give us insight.
3. There are a lot of things that divide God’s people from those in the world. When we look at those things which are visible evidence of a difference between God's people and people of the world, nothing more clearly illustrates this difference than the responsibility to care for others.
4. In Matthew Chapter 25 Jesus says; “for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 'I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'”
i. They said when did we do all these things to you and Jesus says as much as you did them unto the least of my brethren you have done them unto me.
ii. Jesus gives the negative of that to those who were condemned, who had not done these things, and for those the list was exactly the same. We see that in the Judgment Jesus Christ included, at least in this context, the meeting of needs.
iii. In the context here what are the needs? We notice in the list that they do include this aspect of sustenance. He says I was hungry, I was thirsty and you gave me food, and drink. I was a stranger and you took me in gave me shelter. I was naked and you gave me clothing, but then notice the list goes on.
iv. He says I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you visited me there. In this particular context in which Jesus includes the needs that we are called upon to meet, there is more than just physical food, clothing, and shelter. We see in this context it has to do additionally with emotional needs, needs that extend beyond the physical.
v. To be encouraged, to have companionship, to be around when someone needs someone to be there. To help people through difficult circumstances, aid in the experience of life by responding to the needs that they have at the time.
5. Certainly it might be food, it might be clothing, and it might be more than that. We have to be careful when we look at this that we do not define this aspect of need so narrowly that it dismisses us from doing anything to respond to the needs that other people have right before our eyes.
i. As we looked at Roman Chapter 12 we saw where Paul talked about using gifts. There is the gift of Ministry, serving another person. You see there are a number of gifts to be used that a person must be willing to exercise depending on the need of the individual.
ii. Sometimes a person needs to be taught, to be encouraged. That is a gift we have that can be used to satisfy that need.
C. We asked the question what are the needs. There is another part to this that we need to ask; am I contributing? What am I doing to contribute to the needs of the saints? Whether or not I define the needs of the saints in the same way that you do, or the same way someone else does, whether I define it broadly or narrowly, the real question I think that needs to be addressed—am I doing anything to help somebody, with any need that they have, whether it is physical or whether it is spiritual?
1. Sometimes we find our real desire is to do nothing, not just about this admonition but about any of these admonitions. They are not always easy to receive much less obey. Yet we must. It is going to take study of more then these few verses to fully comprehend what is being taught. We must be careful not to attempt to justify what really is a desire to do nothing by narrowly defining the question so it seems unanswerable in any definitive way.
2. That's exactly how the enemies of Jesus approached the obligation that God placed before them. You remember Luke 10:25 – “behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?''” Jesus asks him right back; “what is written in the law?” “What is your reading of it?”
i. “And the lawyer answered and said 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.'”
ii. That was the right answer. That was a statement coming from the old law that summed up all the commands. As Jesus says in verse twenty eight you have answered rightly do this and you will live.
3. Then notice verse twenty nine; “But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?''” You see this man gave an appearance that he wanted to respond in obedience to God so he might be accepted by God and have eternal life. What must I do?... Well what does the law say? He summarized the law himself in the aspect love, and Jesus said you just keep the law.
i. Love that was not only directed toward God but love that was directed towards my neighbor. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
ii. His response to that was; ok, who is my neighbor?
4. I wonder if this is not the same thing we do when we consider the admonition for us to contribute to the needs of the saints. What are needs? If you could tell me what the needs are we can get that question out of the way and maybe we can move on. Gimme a list in other words.
i. That's what this lawyer was doing. It says in the passage that he wanted to justify himself. How did Jesus answer someone who wants to justify themselves by attempting to narrow the definition, to limit it for their benefit, their justification?
ii. Jesus didn't answer the specific question the man asked. Who is my neighbor? Jesus did not go into a discussion describing the characteristic and attributes of a neighbor.
5. He simply tells him a story. The familiar story of the Good Samaritan that we just looked at a couple weeks back. Jesus doesn't answer the question directly in terms of defining the neighbor.
i. What he does is tell a story about a man that acted in a neighborly way. He tells a story about a man that fell among thieves and there were those who passed by on the other side and did nothing to help for whatever reason.
ii. Then there was this fellow, a Samaritan who came by and saw the need. He took the man to an inn and paid for his keep and assistance. He said if there's anything else this man needs you let me know because I will supply whatever needs he has.
iii. The story of the Good Samaritan was given as the answer to this lawyer’s question because it addressed the real issue. Not only because it taught a very important aspect about our personal responsibility to help another person but because the real question that needed to be addressed by this lawyer was not to define who the neighbor was, but to ask himself whether or not he was in any way being a neighbor to someone else.
iv. His answer should be to point to his own responsibility and not simply to try and define the issue in a corporate way. That was the nature of Jesus reply, not to answer who is my neighbor, but am I acting neighborly? Am I contributing? Jesus says you go and do likewise.
II. The Command Explained: Let's take a couple of minutes and explain the command as best we can. In the context of this admonition, look at a specific application in verse 10 where Paul said; “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;” We are to recognize that we have a brotherly, family relationship and we must do everything we can to serve the other person, that brother or sister, putting them before ourselves, to prefer that person.
A. This is an application of meeting the needs of the saints. The command is explained in the context that the flow of the brotherly relationship is never inward. It is always outward. I'm always looking for something to do for someone else because they're my brother, because I'm in the family.
1. We must be ready, and that's an important word, we must be ready to give to other people. The New King James Version used in this particular verse the word distributing to the needs of the Saints.
2. Another translation is found in the New American Standard and some other versions, contributing. The New International Version uses the word share, “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
B. The word translated variously as “distributing”, “contributing” or “share” comes from the Greek word (κοινωνέω koinōnéō, koy-no-neh'-o) which means “to become a sharer”, “be made a partner”. It also carries the aspect of “to enter into fellowship”, “join one's self to an associate”,” make one's self a sharer or partner”. The word is used eight times in the New Testament as it talks about fellowship on a spiritual level, giving or sharing.
C. Fellowship in The Bible is more than a theological concept. I understand it is a theological concept, but it's more than that. We've got the best understanding of what fellowship is when we look at the way individuals acted out fellowship or the practical way in which fellowship was carried out in a person's life.
1. Fellowship in its most basic form is the activity of sharing. I have fellowship with God because we share a relationship. I have fellowship with you because I share a relationship with you and with God and therefore we have fellowship because we share relationships. Also it's fellowship when I participate with you in an activity such as we're doing here together. We are fellowshipping in our worship to God.
2. I also have fellowship with you when I share with you the needs that you have and you share with me in the needs that I have and that's how Paul's using the word here. It is the practical aspect of sharing our gifts, our resources, to meet a need.
3. When I have a need not only are my resources in view but also the resources of others are in view. We share in that particular responsibility. It indicates that in the spiritual relationship of being children of God—we are partners.
4. You know what partners are. In a successful partnership no one carries the entire load. You share, and that's the aspect here. That's exactly the picture we get of the first century. The needs of Christians in the first century were shared, they fellowshipped one with another.
D. What this flows from is the clear recognition that in the physical realm as a Christian, we don't own anything. God owns it all. We are given the responsibility of a steward, to manage what we have and God has principles, commandments, by which we are to manage the physical resources. At the heart of that principle of management and stewardship is the willingness to give to, to share with, someone else.
1. Paul tells us in Ephesians that we are to work with our hands. Why? That you may be able to give to someone else from your blessings. We are not to have our needs met and not meet the needs of others. It is a sharing of blessings.
2. We work to get what we have because we have a desire to share it with those who need. There's a sense in which if I fail here I cannot claim fellowship. I may be able to claim fellowship with other Christians on the basis of doctrine, on the basis that we assemble together, and we all agree with the same principles of scripture and what we teach. We all do the same things and therefore fellowship with one another. Yet, if I dismiss this aspect of being willing to share for their physical needs, I fail. Matthew 25
3. It is profound to me that I can meet with people and agree with them doctrinally and we can all say yes to the same questions, but if I'm not willing to help when they have a need I don't truly have biblical fellowship with them.
III. The Command Exemplified: How do we see this born out in the New Testament? The early church modeled this transformed character vividly in several different ways. The church in Jerusalem where you had one church that was willing to care for their poor is an example.
A. In Acts 2:44-45 – “44. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45. and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.” They had all things in common. What does that mean? The word for “common” means “shared by all or several”, which means that they shared it.
B. In Acts 4:32-33 – “32. Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. 34. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, 35. and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.”
1. That passage exposes the two aspects of fellowship we've already mentioned, they shared doctrinally in what they taught. The apostles gave confirmation of that by miracles. They did not dissent from that. They weren't divided on what they were teaching and preaching.
2. They also had fellowship in the problems and the needs that were before them. So much so that there are those who sold property they possessed and laid it at the Apostle feet and said, distribute this to the needs of the saints and that distribution was made.
3. We see this fellowship of sharing physical resources was a vital part of the work of the church. To teach that the work of the church is spiritual not physical is true, but it should never be emphasized to the point where we fail to recognize and heed the physical needs because that also is a part of the spiritual work of spiritual people.
4. We cannot neglect needs of other individuals simply on the basis that we are trying to give them something spiritual and not physical. Then again the physical should never become predominant over the message or take the place of a message.
C. Let’s look at Acts chapter 6 and there we find the needs of the gentile widows are being neglected and this is brought to the attention of the Apostles. These widows are being neglected in the daily ministering to the needs and the apostles said; we can't take time to take care of this our selves for we must give our time to the Ministry of the word and prayer. But choose out from yourself men of spiritual character to take care of the problem.
1. Two perspectives impressed me about this. One is there was a distinction between the meeting of these physical needs and the preaching of the word. The apostles had a singular, predominant duty to give their time to the preaching of the word and they couldn't be distracted by the physical, that's an important perspective.
2. The other perspective is that they did not set aside or dismiss the physical needs of these widows. This was a work of the church, a part of the ministry that this be done. It is important work so that men of a spiritual character were chosen to oversee it and see that it was done. This is an important aspect of sharing.
D. Also we see an example of one church helping other local churches care for the needy saints among them. Acts 11:27-30 – “27. And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29. Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. 30. This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.”
1. Clearly in the first century church congregations, there was relief of needs between congregations. In Antioch, one church helped other local churches to meet their needs on the basis that they were brothers. They had a relationship one with another.
2. As we look at this we recognize that if we are striving to follow the example of the first century church we cannot in any way be hesitant to respond to the needs of the poor Christians that are in our own congregation or that may be in other congregations with needs that cannot be met by the congregation they're among.
3. Both individually and corporately the physical needs of other saints is an integral part of what the church does and what the character of the church is.
E. Interestingly the generosity of the Lord's church not only filled the needs of the saints but also broke down economic and social barriers that existed among Christians. There were social things that may have separated Christians even though they were spiritually and doctrinally in fellowship. They were Jew and Gentile, they were from different cultures.
1. Paul sees this as a very important part and made the point that the willingness of the Gentile Christians to send money back to Jewish Christians was unifying, it broke those barriers down.
2. 2 Corinthians 9:12-13 - “12. For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, 13. while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men,”
3. It should not have been hard for the Christians in Rome to understand what Paul meant when he said contribute to the needs of the Saints.
IV. Reasons for Being a Contributor: God’s commands are not without reason and motivation. Why should we be willing to contribute to the needs of other Christians? I think there are reasons to be found throughout the scriptures, including right here in Romans chapter 12.
A. Paul began by saying I beseech you, I beg you to do this by the mercy of God. What does that mean to beg someone to do something by the mercy of God? It is Paul asking them (and us) to do these things because of what God has already done for us. The mercy God has already shown. We understand mercy as doing good for someone even though they deserve otherwise. If someone deserves punishment, if they deserve discipline, you withhold that, and you don't give it to them--that's mercy.
1. When Paul brings to mind God's mercy to us he is saying God has withheld from you what you really deserve and given you more than that.
2. Rather than condemn you He has redeemed you and made you alive again. Why does God do that? He does that because He loves us. Paul's talking about the love of God.
B. If God so loved us we also ought to love one another. Everybody agree with that? If God loves us we are to love one another. This aspect of God's love becomes the motivation for anything that we do for other individuals, even to loving our enemies.
1. We are able to love our enemies and are motivated to love those that don't love us, because God loved us when we were His enemies.
2. 1 John 4:9-11 says: “9. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
3. John doesn't leave it there. We cannot simply say that we love our brother and sister. We must be willing to do something about it, to contribute to them. 1 John 3:16-17 – “16. By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17. But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” Beloved John says whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need; then John puts this in the negative and says; and shuts up his heart from him how does the love of God abide in him?
4. What is the love of God? Laying down your life for somebody else, that's how far it goes. We’re not all pushed to that point, given that opportunity or given that challenge, so how else can we know that the love of God abides in us? John tells us if you have the world’s goods and see your brother in need, and don't give to him you don't have the love of God. That’s pretty easy to apply isn’t it?
C. The cross of Jesus Christ demands that I contribute to the needs of my brothers and sisters. John says we should be willing to lay down our life for our brother. Then he talks about this world's goods. Notice that makes you and me responsible here in this passage. He says if we have it we have to be willing to give it up. Of course, this says worlds goods which are part of the blessings God gives us, but we have other blessings that can be used to help with other needs, don’t we.
1. I wonder about this other thing John says; “and sees his brother in need”. I wonder if we ever excuse our negligence because the person... well you never asked me for help. If I had known, you just never asked. It does not say here if they asked for help. John says if you see the need then you need to respond.
2. The implication is that I become responsible the moment I recognize that person has a need. “And sees” implies that I need to be looking for opportunities to help another by watching for the needs that exist in their lives. This evening we will be looking at our walk through life being done circumspectly which has the aspect of having our eyes open.
3. In Hebrews chapter 10, the passage we use to talk about the importance of assembly, says in verse 24; “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,” The word “consider” in Greek is (κατανοέω katanoéō, kat-an-o-eh'-o) defines as to “observe fully” “carefully look”. When you consider someone you'll know whether not they have a need.
D. Sometimes we are so isolated from one another though we don't see those needs and therefore we don't think this really applies to us. However John says we are to see the need and we need to give of what we have, we dare not shut up our hearts.
1. The verb in the Greek for “shut up” (κλείω kleíō, kli'-o) means simply to “shut”, “make inaccessible”.
2. John says here that if you shut up your heart how does the love of God abide in you? That question is rhetorical, but it is as well compelling.

CONCLUSION: Hebrews 13:16 – “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” Let's take that back to where we started from in Romans 12. We give our body as a sacrifice to God. You notice that, sharing with others is a sacrifice to God. I thought a sacrifice was taking something to God?
Well it is. It’s giving something to God. Paul says we give our bodies. How do we do that? We share with other people. Jesus says as much as you do it unto them you do it unto me. Sharing with other people is a sacrifice; it's a call to trust in God.

One last passage read with me 2 Corinthians 9:6-. “6. But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, have an abundance for every good work. 9. As it is written: "He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness remains forever.'' 10. Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,
11. while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. ”

That is one of the most powerful passages in the scriptures as it points to my obligation to be someone who gives not just money, but time and energy, at whatever level you want to make application of this. This promise is if you give it away God will provide more. That's not a promise of prosperity but it's certainly an integral motivation to recognize God will not dishonor our willingness to be liberal with other individuals and to sacrifice ourselves to God.
God loves us and provides for us so that we can share that love and share those blessing with others.

We are about to sing the song of invitation. If you are not a Christian, we with all our heart plead with you to make a decision for Christ today. To decide to be His child, step out in your faith and be baptized in water for the forgiveness of sin. That faith becomes access to the grace of God, made possible by the blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We believe in that and we rest our hope in that blood.
We invite anyone who has that need or any other need to come forward while we stand and while we sing.

Invitation song: ???

Reference sermon: David Schmidt