He Welcomes the Beggar - Pastor Stacey Shiflett
- Pastor Shiflett
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
He Welcomes the Beggar
Psalms 34:6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
Intro: In our text, Psalms 34:6, we see:
A. The Admission that was Uncomfortable – “This poor man cried…”
POOR MAN: afflicted, humble, wretched; poor, needy
David said it in Psalms 40:17 like this:
· But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.
B. The Attention that was Uncommon – “…and the LORD heard him,…”
David said in Psalm 8:
· 3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
· 4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
God said in Isaiah 66:
· 1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
· 2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
C. The Assistance that was Uncomprehended – “…and saved him out of all his troubles.”
I want to go on record this morning on the authority of the Word of God - He Welcomes the Beggar!!
He Welcomes the Beggar to…
I. Express the Concerns of your Heart
· Mark 10:46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
For the most part, nobody want to hear a person begging.
Notice the text:
· 48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace:
They never pull up a chair and invite a beggar to share their needs.
I’ve never seen a beggar brought into the radio station by the DJ and invited to beg on the radio.
They don’t get a column in the newspaper.
They don’t get a segment on the evening news.
You won’t see a podcaster setting up a studio on skid-row and giving a microphone to the homeless.
When they are standing at the intersection, we avoid making eye contact.
Beggars are not traditionally asked to express the needs and concerns of their heart.
Notice the reaction to this poor man when he was told that Jesus welcomed the beggar:
· 49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
· 50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
· 51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?
Our text in Psalm 34:6 says, “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him…”
What a blessing!!
God is not repulsed by beggars!
God does not turn a deaf ear to the cries of beggars!
He Welcomes the Beggar to…
II. Expect the Curing of your Handicap
· Acts 3:2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
· Acts 3:3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
· Acts 3:10 And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple
I’m not talking about a physical healing of a physical handicap.
There are many things worse than a deformity or handicap in one’s physical body.
I’m talking about things in your life that are broken.
· Things that do not work properly.
· Things that limit you.
· Things that keep you from moving forward; that hold you back.
· Things that you’ve had all your life that have kept you from victory.
Some people are crippled in body.
Others are crippled in...
· their thinking
· their habits
· their past
· their sin
God specializes in CURING lifelong problems.
God is welcoming the beggars this morning!
This man’s handicap had held him back from the day he was born.
This man’s handicap had defined him in the community.
· Acts 3:10 And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple:
Everybody in town knew what he had always been.
Everybody knew what he had never been able to do.
His parents had given up on him.
His friends had just figured he’d never join them in their activities.
His neighbors knew him as the lame man that sat at the gate of the temple begging.
They certainly had no expectations of him.
And whatever expectations he had, I’m sure they weren’t interested.
But he went to the temple, EXPECTING TO RECEIVE SOMETHING.
And praise God – He Welcomes the Beggar!!
We find a blind man in John 5 that was not too handicapped for Jesus to cure!
John 5:5, 6
· 5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
· 6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?
He Welcomes the Beggar to…
III. Explore the Comforts of Heaven
· Luke 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
· Luke 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
· Luke 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Aren’t you glad that you don’t have to have money to get into heaven?
Aren’t you glad you didn’t have to be born into a rich family to become a child of God?
Aren’t you glad there’s no price tag attached to an eternity with God?
Aren’t you glad that there is fees or taxes to being carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom?
This man had nothing in the eyes of the world.
His money was gone.
His health was gone.
He had no possessions; no position; no possibilities.
The Bible says he “was laid at the gate” meaning somebody put him there every day.
He had lost his ability to govern his own life apparently.
When that beggar died, God sent angels – plural – to go get him.
Thanks be to God – HE WELCOMES THE BEGGAR!!
· James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
It doesn’t matter who you are.
It doesn’t matter what you are.
It doesn’t matter how bad off you are.
He welcomes the beggar to experience the comforts and joys of Heaven!
Conclusion: The songwriter said it like this:
Does Jesus care when my heart is pained, Too deeply for mirth or song, As the burdens press, and the cares distress, And the way grows weary and long?
Does Jesus care when my way is dark With a nameless dread and fear? As the daylight fades into deep night shades, Does He care enough to be near?
Does Jesus care when I’ve tried and failed To resist some temptation strong; When for my deep grief there is no relief, Though my tears flow all the night long?
Does Jesus care when I’ve said “goodbye” To the dearest on earth to me, And my sad heart aches till it nearly breaks—Is it aught to Him? Does He see?
He answers these questions in the chorus with an emphatic:
Oh, yes, He cares, I know He cares, His heart is touched with my grief; When the days are weary, the long nights dreary, I know my Savior cares.
Peter said it like this in 1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Jesus Himself said it like this:
· John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
· John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
I have it on good authority this morning - HE WELCOMES THE BEGGAR!!
Isaiah 55
· 1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
· 2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Psalm 72
· 12 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.
· 13 He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.
Call out to God this morning. Confess that you are poor and needy and need saving. He will because HE WELCOMES THE BEGGAR!!