His quotation of Christopher Wright’s, The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative, led to the purchase and reading of this book. It is by far the most important treatment on mission that I have worked through in the last twenty-five years.

One link between the Old and New Testaments is especially provocative when connected with human care ministries of the contemporary church.

Wright contends that one aspect of the covenant with the Israel of old has to do what we might term God’s expectation of exemplary behavior. They were to be such positive examples of caring for one another that the nations around would be attracted to the worship of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. One part of this expectation is laid out in Deuteronomy 15, a chapter devoted to the “sabbatical” or “seventh” year.

The Lord recognizes that some people will have difficulty supporting their family, in spite of their best efforts. Illness, crop failure, storms, whatever could erode a family’s ability to provide even basic food and clothing. A system for loans was instituted so that the clan or the tribe would make available the resources for a family to get back on its feet. After seven years, even if the loan was not repaid, it was to be entirely forgiven. Specific instructions were given that loans were still to be provided in the sixth year even though they would be forgiven in the next. Talk about being realistic about human nature!

These instructions were given so that “there will be no needy person among you” (Deuteronomy 15:4).

There is a direct link between this verse and Acts 4:34 with its simple statement that “there were no needy persons among them.” The words in Acts are virtually an exact quotation of the Greek Septuagint translation of Deuteronomy 15:4. “There will be no needy” is changed to “there were no needy.” The efforts of the early church caring for those in need as described in the early chapters of Acts signaled that the sabbatical year was now an every day activity. What a compelling witness to the grace of God that prompted outsiders to state: Behold how they love one another.

So, the call to be involved in God’s mission means, in part, caring for those in need. It means more than that to be sure – sharing the Good News of what God has done in Christ Jesus. Mission is both across the world and in our communities. The link between Deuteronomy and Acts reminds us that our mission is not just words about the Christ. It is also sharing the love of Christ. Both are part of the faithful witness of the people of God.

May the Lord so grace his people that the sabbatical will also take place in churches everywhere.