Benevolence - What is it according to the scriptures?

1. The Good Samaritian (Lk 10:11-15) But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
   
   
   1. Compassion for the less fortunate moved this Samaritan to respond in a fashion that is pleasing to our Lord.
   2. When we see a situation that calls for one's compassion, the Lord is pleased when we do what we can.
   3. Sometimes it is difficult to decern if a true need is present, we must sometimes err on the side of compassion.
   
   
2. Fellow Christians (2 Tm 1:16-18) - 16The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: 17But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. 18The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.
   
   
   1. Christians are to help each other when a fellow christian is found in circumstances that are not pleasant and out side of their present ability to alleviate
   2. The Lord would have a Christian to consider a fellow Christian ahead of ourself.
   3. A Christian's priorities should be First - God, Second - Others, Third - Self.
   
   
3. The Macedonian (2 Cor. 8:1-4) - 1Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; 2How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. 3For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyound their power they were willing of themselves; 4Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.
   
   
   1. The first century Macedonians have set a good example for today's church to immulate.
   2. When a congregation knows of a need that is appropriate to which to respond, it should do so liberally.
   3. Needs can arise from circumstances that are beyound our ability to mitigate. In the above scripture, famine in the Judean region had created this need. Many natural disasters such as storms, earthquacks, flood, fire and so on can cause such needs.