The Communion of the Saints, 1

In this message we explore the duty of the Church to take care of her own people in 1 Timothy 5:3 and following. But believers are warned to take care of the material needs of their own families first so the church can take care of those who are truly in need: "If anyone does not provide for his own relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." (1 Timothy 5:8)

Giving time, money, and other resources to those in need should not encourage laziness: 'For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat"' (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

An idle mind truly is the devil's workshop: "We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat." (2 Thessalonians 3:11-12)

How did the Church conquer the Roman Empire over the course of three centuries? It was not by forcing other people to believe as they did nor by attempting to make others do what is right; it was by being willing to sacrifice one's own rights and resources to do good for others. Indeed, according to Galatians 6:10, "Let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

In a time of national crisis, we need to remember that Job's three friends were effective when they kept their mouths shut and simply sat with him in his grief. It was when the opened their mouths to explain things, that Job stated, "Miserable comforters are you all!" (Job 16:2-3).