The Mutual Benefits of Sharing

Introduction

Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life sufficient to satisfy the spiritual hunger of the world. Jesus Christ is the Water of Life adequate to quench the spiritual thirst of anyone. Evidences abound indicating our society is a spiritually hungry and thirsty culture eating and drinking at all the wrong places.

The growth of the New Age movement reveals a spiritual appetite. The aggression of secular humanism indicates spiritual starvation. The mushrooming of the occult and cults shows a thirst for the spiritual meaning of life. While the world drinks from these and other salty fountains, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ seems to be willing to sit at ease in Zion.

One cult group requires its members to spend a minimum of 10 hours a month sharing with others, five hours a week attending meetings, and several hours in study. Their religion is not mere formality. They go door-to-door witnessing.

A child came into the room and said, "Mom, you know that vase in the living room that has been handed down from generation to generation in our family? Well this generation just dropped it." That speaks of the lineage of the Christian faith.

There is a historical account in the Old Testament which illustrates the position and condition of the church today.

In 2 Kings 6 and 7 is the story of the invasion of Samaria by the massive Syrian army of King Ben- hadad. His well-equipped army brought bountiful supplies. They were prepared to live comfortably and eat well for months. All Samaria did not have, they had. The siege of Samaria resulted in such a famine that the people even resorted to eating dove's dung. Formerly strong persons walked the streets as shadows of their former selves. Famine had made of them virtual walking skeletons peering through gaunt eyes, crying out for food through parched lips.

Pick up the story at 2 Kings 7:1 and let it speak and exhort us to action.

Verse 1, conditions were deplorable and deteriorating fast. God's prophet, Elisha, said, "Tomorrow" grain will be so abundant in this town that it will sell cheap.

Verse 2, one of the elite officers mocked and used sarcasm to deplore the prophecy. He represents those within any church who say the Christian community cannot do what Christ has mandated.

Elisha warned it was going to happen, but the naysayer would not be around to see.

Any church that does not take the Lord at His Word and seek to share Christ with the community will not be around for long.

Verse 3 describes four poor lepers sitting at the gate of Samaria. They decided they would . . .

I. Dare

Dare to Try (Verse 4)

They mused over the fact that if they sat there, they would starve. If they went into the camp of the Syrians, they might well be killed. However, if they venture, there might be a chance the Syrians would have pity on them and give them food. Either way they might well die. They determined that if they were to die, they would die trying, not crying.

Verse 5, they ventured to go just at sundown.

Verse 6, God intervened. By some means of nature at His disposal, perhaps a rumbling earthquake or roaring wind, He confused the Syrians. The Syrians, thinking themselves to be outnumbered, panicked and fled.

Verse 7, they left everything just as it was: food, clothing, arms, animals, and valuables. They even dropped items as they fled for their lives.

Verse 8, when the lepers came they were astonished. Four starving lepers had the wealth of Syria to themselves. They ate and drank until they could eat and drink no more.

Then reason struck. They realized they should . . .

II. Care

Care for others (verse 9)

The church is called to be fishers of men. Is it doing what is right? They resolved to . . .

III. Share

Share together in helping others (verse 9b "Let us...") They were saved to share.

IV. Bear

Bear Good news (verse 9c "go and tell")

The lepers decided they would wait no longer to tell others the good news. In the Orient, new Christian converts are expected to begin at once sharing their faith. A pastor asked a convert how many persons he had shared with during the three months of his salvation. The convert answered, "I am a learner." The pastor asked, "When does a candle begin to shine? Is it when it is half burned up?" Came the reply, "No, as soon as it is lit." The pastor said, "That is right, so let your light shine right away."

The lepers came back to tell the starving city the good news. Cautiously at first and then with great glee the city responded. They rushed out to enjoy the bounty left by the retreating Syrians.

The next day grain was so abundant in the city it was selling cheap. The cynic who scoffed at the idea was not around to eat any of it. As he tried to keep the people from rushing out in response to the good news "the people trampled him in the gate, and he died" (2 Kings 7:20, NKJV).

V. Compare

Consider the options. What is the church to do? Dare we sit on our apathy while the world around perishes? Dare we extend ourselves in a loving effort to feed the spiritually hungry?

The person who feels his need the most is the most likely to act. Inaction is often as bad as positive wrongdoing; "We sit here and die." Salvation comes only through definite action; "Let us go." A feast awaits.