The gospel of Jesus is GOOD news.. When we watch the news today, so much of it is BAD news. We want to hear about that failing economy, that person that died, that recent robbery, that horrible wreck. The gospel of Jesus is GOOD GOOD NEWS.

• If you like bad news, the gospel is not for you.
• Some people turn the good news into bad news.

Isaiah 61:1 (NLT) — 1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon me, for the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.

Luke 7:22 (NLT) — 22 Then he told John’s disciples, “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.”

• Being poor is painful
• Being poor it’s hopeless
• Being poor is a cycle

MUCH OF THE WORLD IS IN POVERTY

Why is the gospel good news to the poor?

1. In Christ the poor are the PRIORITY
   1. They matter to God
      1. Psalm 113:5–8 (NLT) — 5 Who can be compared with the LORD our God, who is enthroned on high? 6 He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth. 7 He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. 8 He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people!
      2. Isaiah 25:4 (NLT) — 4 But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, O LORD, a tower of refuge to the needy in distress. You are a refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat. 
      3. His reputation
         1. Compassionate - His heart
         2. Omniscient - His eyes
         3. Attentive - His ears
         4. Just - He’s crowned
         5. Able - His arms
      4. Why does God help the poor?
         1. He’s attracted to humility and detests the proud
         2. He is the father to the fatherless, husband to the widow, friend to the foreigner
         3. He is the equalizer - The first shall be last
   2. They mattered to Christ
      1. HE WAS A POOR MAN - often we glorify the manger, but it was a manger! 
         1. Undercover billionaire show - he became one of them to show them that they can get out of poverty. 
         2. Willie Wonka and the Chocolate factory 
      2. Matthew 8:19–20 (NLT) — 19 Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20 But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”
      3. To be poor means to be marginalized, pushed to the outskirts, pushed to the sides. Jesus brought the poor into focus. They were audience number one. 
      4. Consider Bartimaeus - crowds try to tell him to be quiet, but Jesus called him to come and stand front and center
      5. This was a picture of Jesus‘s ministry.
      6. John the Baptist asked how the ministry of Jesus was going, he said that the gospel was being preached to the poor.
   3. They mattered to the early church
      1. Acts 4:34–35 (NLT) — 34 There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them 35 and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.
      2. Galatians 2:10 (NLT) Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do.
2. In Christ the poor have PROVISION
   1. First the natural, then the spiritual
      1. The Old Testament is story after story of supernatural provision
         1. A ram in the thicket -  Abraham
         2. A well in the desert - Hagar
         3. A son in Egypt - Joseph with food for the family
         4. Manna from heaven - Israelites in the desert
         5. Water from a rock - Israelites in the desert
         6. Never ending oil and flour - Widow at Zarephath
         7. Fed by ravens - Elijah
         8. Spoils of war - Lepers in Jerusalem
      2. GOD WILL MEET THE NEEDS OF THE POOR! 
   2. Then the spiritual provision
      1. If we breathe his air, drink his water, eat his food, don’t you think we will need something for our spirit?!
      2. POVERTY means you have nothing to contribute
         1. If righteousness were money, you would be broke! 
         2. If good works were money, I’d be broke
         3. If holiness were money, I’d be broke!
      3. Matthew 5:3 (NASB95) — 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
      4. James 2:5 (NLT) — 5 Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him?
3. In Christ the poor have a PLACE
   1. In the original languages, one of the main definitions of the word poor means to be without inheritance. 
   2. A place of INHERITANCE
      1. Mephibosheth was brought to David’s table. He was given a place. 
      2. Consider Peter, a fisherman, given a place at Jesus‘s table
      3. Consider John the beloved, given a place right next to Jesus
      4. Consider Mary Magdalene, given a place next to Jesus
   3. A place of PURPOSE
      1. You responsibility is to GIVE as freely as you have RECEIVED
      2. You are now the channel of provision that God wants to use
      3. He SUPERNATURALLY provides, but he also uses his CHURCH to provide
         1. Like in the book of Acts
      4. The rich have a purpose:
         1. 1 Timothy 6:17–19 (NLT) — 17 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. 19 By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.
         2. The rich were warned. 
      5. There is a purpose to prosperity. 

Practically what can you do:

• Be more intentional about LIFTING the poor
• Give things money can’t buy
  • Mentoring
  • Lifting Hope

There are many areas of poverty

• Natural poverty
• Relational poverty
• Emotional poverty
• SPIRITUAL poverty