Lent Day 6 [3.11.2025] / The Freedom of Almsgiving Pt. 1

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-42 / 마태복음 5:38-42

James 2:15-16 - If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Overview: After Jesus calls His first disciples, He begins His ministry by healing the diseased and sick. All those who were suffering severe pain, demon-possession, seizures, paralysis, and the like came to Him in large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan to be healed by Him and when a large crowd had gathered, Jesus began to teach them. This series of teachings is known as the “sermon on the mount” and provides many important lessons about how we should live as believers.

In our scripture today, Jesus presents a new standard of justice that is built upon grace rather than revenge, and with the intent to save rather than condemn. According to the teachings of Jesus, we are not to resist an evil person, but instead answer violence with virtue, respond to accusation with abundance, and silence grudging people with generosity. Jesus goes on to reveal the most radical teaching in all of scripture, which is to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, and in these attitudes, not only does Jesus command us to be different from the world, but to be perfect in them.

The second pillar of lent following the practice of prayer is the practice of almsgiving. Alms are goods, money, or acts of charity that are prepared and given to the poor. Right now, we are living amid a war-torn world, international tensions are on the rise, natural disasters are hitting home, and families are struggling to make ends meet across the world and even on our front doorstep. There are an endless population of refugees, those who are homeless, those who are sick, those who are mentally ill, those who are mourning, those who are hurting, and the list goes on and on. Jesus began His ministry meeting the needs of the world He came to live in. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and walked with outcasts. Without a doubt, following Jesus means having a deep compassion for those in need.

Why is Almsgiving so important?

The act of almsgiving recognizes correct ownership and is therefore the deepest form of true worship. When Jesus presents His teaching on Christian-giving, He does not ask us permission to use our resources to further His kingdom. In our day and age, independence is the most prevalent religion that feeds us the ideology that this life belongs to us; this is my body, therefore this is my choice, this is my hard work, therefore this is my money, this is my life, therefore this is my right. However, the core value of almsgiving is to give unto others what God has given to us. Not only has God created and designed everything in and around us, but He also sent His one and only Son to die on the cross to redeem us. Therefore, scripture tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 that we are not our own but have been bought at the price of grace. The core value that creates in us Godliness is knowing that this life does not belong to us, but rightfully belongs to our Creator God who justified us through the death and resurrection of His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.

Therefore, the right attitude of giving is obedience and not out of the goodness of our hearts. When we give out of the goodness of our hearts we give reasonably and preferentially, but God calls us to be perfect in radical generosity. Almsgiving is not just placing spare change into a bucket; almsgiving is the ultimate expression of God’s love and our devotion to Him through our lives. Jesus Christ did not die for us when we were His friends, during our worship to Him, or even when we were asking to be saved. He came to die for us while we were still sinners and gave His life up for us (Romans 5:8). Jesus did not give up just a part of Himself when it was convenient and recognized; Jesus offered everything, even for those who spit in His face and mocked Him in His death. Almsgiving is not charity from the goodness of our hearts, but radical giving in obedience to Christ’s love that is at work in our hearts. To correctly participate in this second pillar of lent, we are first to meditate on and receive the great love that God has for us and surrender our lives to Him willingly as an offering to his purposes and sovereignty in our lives (Romans 12:1-2).  

Prayer:

1. God, touch my heart today with your compassion, and allow me experience the power of your love.

2. Jesus, help me to willingly surrender my life as an offering to you and teach my heart to love others as you love me. 

3. Holy Spirit, guide me and grant me the strength this lent season to truly give compassionately unto others according to your purpose and joy.

   
   

개요:

예수님께서 첫 제자들을 부르신 후, 질병과 아픔을 치유하며 사역을 시작하셨습니다. 극심한 고통, 귀신 들림, 발작, 마비 등의 질병으로 고통받는 사람들이 갈릴리, 데카풀리스, 예루살렘, 유태, 요단강 건너편 지역에서 큰 무리를 이루어 예수님께 나아와 치유받았습니다. 그리고 많은 무리가 모였을 때, 예수님께서는 가르침을 시작하셨습니다. 이 일련의 가르침이 바로 “산상수훈”이며, 우리가 믿는 자로서 어떻게 살아야 하는지를 가르치는 중요한 교훈들이 담겨 있습니다.

오늘 본문에서 예수님께서는 은혜 위에 세워진 새로운 정의의 기준을 제시하시며, 복수가 아닌 구원과 회복을 목적 삼아야 함을 가르치십니다. 예수님의 가르침에 따르면 우리는 악한 자를 대적하지 않고, 폭력에는 덕으로, 고발에는 풍요로, 원망하는 사람들에게는 너그러움으로 응답해야 합니다. 이말씀으로 인해 예수님께서 성경에 가장 급진적인 가르침을 주시는데, 그것은 바로 “원수를 사랑하고 너희를 박해하는 자를 위해 기도하라”는 것입니다. 그리고 예수님은 우리에게 세상과는 구별되도록 명하실 뿐만 아니라, 그 사랑과 용서 안에서 ‘완전해지라’고 말씀하십니다.

사순절의 두 번째 기둥은 기도에 이어 ‘자선’(구제)을 실천하는 것입니다. 자선은 가난한 자들에게 제공되는 재물, 돈, 또는 선행을 의미합니다. 지금 우리가 살고 있는 세상은 전쟁으로 고통받고 있으며, 국제적 긴장이 고조되고, 자연재해가 일어나고, 많은 가정이 생계를 유지하기 어려운 상황에 처해 있습니다. 난민, 노숙자, 병든 자, 정신적으로 아픈 자, 애통하는 자, 상처받은 자 등 도움이 필요한 사람들의 수는 끝이 없습니다. 예수님께서 사역을 시작하실 때, 그분은 이 땅에서 가장 필요한 이들의 필요를 채우셨습니다. 병든 자를 고치시고, 배고픈 자를 먹이시며, 소외된 자들과 함께하셨습니다. 그러므로 예수님을 따르는 것은 곧 도움이 필요한 이들에게 깊은 연민을 품고 행동하는 것을 의미합니다.

왜 자선이 중요한가?

자선은 ‘올바른 소유권’을 인정하는 행위이며, 따라서 가장 깊은 형태의 참된 예배입니다. 예수님께서 기독교적 나눔에 대해 가르치실 때, 우리의 자원을 하나님의 나라를 위해 사용하는 것에 대한 허락을 구하지 않으셨습니다. 현대 사회는 ‘독립’이라는 개념을 신앙처럼 여기며, “이것은 내 몸이니 내 선택이다.” “이것은 내 노력의 대가이니 내 돈이다.” “이것은 내 인생이니 내 권리다.”라는 사고방식을 심어줍니다. 하지만 자선의 핵심 가치는 ‘하나님께서 우리에게 주신 것을 다른 이들에게 베푸는 것’입니다. 하나님은 우리 주변의 모든 것을 창조하시고 디자인하셨을 뿐만 아니라, 독생자 예수 그리스도를 보내어 십자가에서 우리의 죄를 속량하셨습니다. 그러므로 성경은 “너희 몸은 너희가 하나님께로부터 받은바 너희 가운데 계신 성령의 전인 줄을 알지 못하느냐 너희는 너희의 것이 아니라 값으로 산 것이 되었으니 그런즉 너희 몸으로 하나님께 영광을 돌리라”(고린도전서 6:19-20) 라고 말합니다. 우리가 경건하게 살아갈 수 있는 근본적인 가치는 바로 이 생명이 내 것이 아니라, 하나님의 것임을 아는 것입니다.

그러므로 바른 나눔의 태도는 ‘순종’이지, 단순히 선한 마음에서 우러나오는 것이 아닙니다. 우리의 선한 마음에서 우러나온 나눔은 합리적이고 선별적이지만, 하나님은 우리에게 완전한 나눔을 요구하십니다. 자선은 단순히 남은 돈을 기부하는 것이 아니라, 하나님의 사랑을 표현하는 궁극적인 행위이며, 우리의 삶을 통해 하나님께 대한 헌신을 나타내는 것입니다. 예수님께서는 우리가 그분을 사랑할 때나, 예배드릴 때나, 구원을 요청할 때가 아니라, 우리가 여전히 죄인이었을 때 우리를 위해 죽으셨습니다(로마서 5:8). 예수님께서는 부분적으로 자신을 내어주신 것이 아니라, 온전히 모든 것을 내어주셨습니다.

그러므로 자선은 우리가 가진 것을 나누는 ‘선한 행위’가 아니라, 우리 안에서 역사하시는 그리스도의 사랑에 대한 순종입니다. 사순절의 두 번째 기둥을 올바르게 실천하기 위해, 우리는 먼저 하나님의 크신 사랑을 깊이 묵상하고, 그 사랑을 온전히 받아들이며, 우리의 삶을 하나님께 기꺼이 드리는 태도를 가져야 합니다(로마서 12:1-2).

기도:

1. 하나님, 오늘 제 마음을 주님의 긍휼로 만져 주시고, 주님의 사랑의 능력을 경험하게 하소서.

2. 예수님, 저의 삶을 온전히 주님께 드릴 수 있도록 도와주시고, 주님께서 저를 사랑하신 것처럼 저도 다른 사람들을 사랑할 수 있도록 가르쳐 주세요.

3. 성령님, 이 사순절 기간 동안 저를 인도하시고, 기쁨으로 주님의 뜻에 따라 참된 자선을 실천할 수 있는 힘을 주세요.