Dear Christian friends:

"Earth and highest heaven belong to the Lord your God. And yet He rejoiced in your fathers and loved them so much that He chose you, their children, to be above every other nation, as is evident today. Therefore, cleanse your sinful hearts and stop your stubbornness. Jehovah your God is God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great and mighty God, the God of terrors who shows no partiality and takes no bribes. He gives justice to the fatherless and widows. He loves foreigners and gives them food and clothing. ("You, too, must love foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt." verse 19)

Dear Christian friends:

During these Wednesday evening Lenten services we are preaching about the theme, CELEBRATE LIFE. Last Wednesday we learned why we should celebrate life. Do you remember why? Yes, because our life, both our physical and spiritual life is a gift from God. Do you remember how we can celebrate our life? Yes, value your life, thank God for it, rejoice in it, and use it to honor God, your dear heavenly Father.

Tonight we begin to consider various exact ways that we can celebrate life. One exact way is by showing kindness to the poor.

We have learned that we celebrate life when we value our life. If we value our own personal life, we will also value other people's lives. When we see some sick or hungry person we should value that person's life and try to help him keep well.

In our text we read how God commanded Israel to love foreigners. (verse 19) Why? Two reasons: First, because they themselves were before foreigners in Egypt and they knew how much foreigners must often suffer injustices. Secondly, they should love foreigners and other poor and needy people because God loves them. In verse 18 we read, "He, God, gives justice to the fatherless and widows. He loves foreigners and gives then food and clothing."

As God commanded Israel to show kindness and mercy to the poor, so He commands us, His "Israel" today. Jesus says, "You be merciful, even as your Father in heaven is merciful. " (Luke 6:36) And again Jesus says, "Happy (Blessed) are the kind and merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." (Matt. 5:7) We must not make excuses like many people always do. People say: "I don't want to help foreigners. Their own fault. Why don't they help themselves? Why do they have so many children? Not true? USA does plenty - more than its share?" When Israel made such excuses God said to them, "Cleanse your sinful hearts and stop your stubbornness." (verse 16) Same God says to us when we refuse to share and make many excuses. Much of world's hunger is caused by America and other rich nations. The average American during his lifetime will use 50 times more natural resources than a person who lives in a poor country. We are the pigs of the world. One man wrote a book called, "The Ugly American", meaning he is so rich but doesn't share and shows off his wealth too much. Among the 17 rich nations of the world USA ranks 12th in “doing its share." USA gives .26% of its gross national product (G.N.P.) Sweden, which is first, gives .86% of its G.N.P. The goal set by the United Nations is for each of the rich nations .7% of G.N.P.

God chose Israel to be His people. Why? Were they better than other nations? No! They were the same sinners as other nations. God chose Israel because He wanted to. No other reason. His mercy to them. In verse 15 we read, "Jehovah, your God, is God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great and mighty God , the God of terrors who shows no partiality (does not like one better than another) and takes no bribes."

Same for us here in America. God blesses us more than other nations - true. Why? Because we are better than other nations? No! Because He wants to. God Himself decides! However, He does expect us to share our great blessings with the poorer nations. He wants us to stop wasting the world's natural resources and change to a lower life-style. Then other nations can have an equal chance to get world's natural resources. So, let us do it! Celebrate life by showing kindness to the poor!

Amen.