Compassionate Christians?
Have you ever wondered how our Lord, was, and for that matter, still is, so compassionate? Jesus gives us the greatest examples of compassion seen, ever, in our world. I guess to be compassionate, one must first understand what compassion really is. "Compassion is the sometimes fatal capacity for feeling what it is like to live inside somebody else’s skin. It is the knowledge that there can never really be any peace and joy for me until there is peace and joy finally for you, too." (Source: Frederick Buechner,) Have you taken time, lately, to walk a while in someone else’s shoes?
This morning I would like to take time to see the command of compassion listed in scripture and perhaps learn a little about becoming more compassionate Christians. Folks, I think we would all agree that compassion is a form of love, and real compassion is love in action. If you have your Bible with you this morning, please take time to turn to the Gospel of John, chapter 15 and we will read together verses 9-17. Let us hear the words of our Lord and Savior as He speaks of love and the way we should love one another, and understand this is what compassion really is. John 15: 9-17. "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit -fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
PRAYER
Jesus so loved the world . . . he had so much compassion on us, sinners, that He died on a cross! He died a horrible death in order that we might benefit, in order that we might be reconciled to God and have eternal life. So as we study His Word this morning let us see three things from this scripture passage. The first of which is:
I. REAL COMPASSION STARTS WITH LOVE FOR CHRIST
John 15:9-10 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
It involves remaining in love with Jesus, as God the father, loved His Only Son, and Jesus loved us so much He gave His life for us, He asks us to remain in love with Him. See here that Jesus gives us an example, the love of the Father for His Son, and then tells us that HE has loved us in this manner, He died for us!! And this constitutes a love in return, a love that will remain. An ongoing love. And after an example of that love, Jesus speaks of HOW to achieve this love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
If we obey the commands of God given to us by the Word, which according to John 1 is Jesus, we will remain in His love. Now it is important to understand that this is a CHOICE! We do not have to obey our Lord and His Word, but if we do it is a true sign that we LOVE Jesus. This is evident in so many aspects of our lives, when people do as we ask of them, without HAVING to, it is only because they really care about us. NOW, all of us will admit that it is difficult at times to fully obey the commands of Christ.
As I wrote this sermon, I happened also, to be reading a book entitled Simple Church, by Thom S. Rainer & Eric Geiger. Now, I don’t want to get off the subject at hand, however, they state something about another church that really tied in with this sermon. In the book, they interview a vibrant growing church who’s Purpose Statement and process are the same. (“Love God, Love Others, Serve the World”) they accomplish this simply by, first loving God, moving people toward loving God, worship, then loving others, small groups, dynamic fellowship and finally serving the world, plugging into ministry. I reflected on this formula and thought about the 2 greatest commands that Jesus gave us. The first is to love the Lord your God and the second, to love your neighbor. And I thought about how compassion starts - it starts with a real love for God and that is witnessed by our willingness to obey what God has asked us to do.
The fact that it is a choice, can be related to the love our dog has for us. Think about this; if a dog owner is asked if their dog loves them they will usually say “yes, of course my dog loves me, you should see how he acts when I come home.” It would be true of course, dogs go crazy when their owner returns from being away for any period of time. BUT, you can really tell if a dog has a love for their owner, when they are given a choice. When a cat goes by and the owner commands the dog to stay, and the dog is faced with a choice, if the dog obeys, it TRULY, loves their owner. This applies to us as well, it is easy to say we love Jesus, it is easy to show our love, on the surface when we are around Him, but when given a choice? When we must turn down the temptation to get something we really want, and obey the call of our master, do we show our love for God?
II. REAL COMPASSION INVOLVES THE JOY OF THE LORD
This brings me to the second aspect of the compassionate Christian. Jesus tells us this in order that we may have His joy.
11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
In the second step of having a simple church, it is love others. The second greatest command is to “love one another.” And here, Jesus tells us “love each other, as I have loved you.
Until recently, I rarely watched television, as a matter of fact, Becca and I chose not to have televison (cable or dish) for the younger years of our kids lives. Since we have allowed ourselves dish network in recent times, one of my favorite shows is “Extreme Home Makeover” I feel this show illustrates JOY. People giving freely to other people. I get choked up every time I watch the show, because I see people giving of their time, money and talents, without desiring to get anything back. I see real compassion offered to the less fortunate, and it brings the giver JOY.
This is exactly what Jesus is speaking of in this scripture. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. Compassion brings JOY! At the end of the show, the design team is interviewed about how they feel, and they are tearful and full of emotion, because they have given and seen giving to people who are less fortunate. I am moved by the show because I see that people display caring compassion. And even though, I might have to choke back the tears, I feel real joy and happiness by these random acts of kindness.
Another great example of what Jesus is talking about here is witnessed in the movie, ‘The Blind Side’ Sandra Bullock stars in a “based on a real story” movie about an underprivileged athlete. She opens her home and her life to this kid from the streets and gives him a shot at making something of himself. There is a scene in the movie where Sandra Bullock is told that her kindness is changing that boys life, her response is so true - “No, he is changing mine”
Before I even started school to become a minister I was afforded opportunities to do short term mission trips into Mexico. I was so excited about the opportunity to show compassion on those less fortunate then myself. I was so ready to go down there and serve others and help change lives. I came back from those trips and one life that was really changed was mine. Compassionate Christians, those who love others because it is the choice they make will feel the complete JOY of the Lord.
11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
III. REAL COMPASSION IS FRUIT THAT WILL LAST
Now in the interest of time, I want to dwell on one last point about Compassionate Christians. It starts with a love for God displayed through our choice to obey Him. It gives us real joy when we show compassion by loving others as a choice and real compassion is fruit that will last.
13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit -fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
Jesus chose us to GO and bear fruit - FRUIT THAT WILL LAST. Is it not easy for all of us to forget compassion, to forget love? Listen to this “love from a Kid’s point of view;
[Love from a Kid’s Point of View, Citation: "What Is Love—From a Kid’s Point of View," LightSinger, (accessed 3-14-02)] What is love, from a kid’s point of view?
"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love."
"Love is when someone hurts you, and you get so mad, but you don’t yell at them because you know it would hurt their feelings."
"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is okay."
"Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."
"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well."
"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford."
"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."
"You really shouldn’t say ’I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."
PEOPLE FORGET! We forget, don’t we? Don’t we all take for granted that God and others know that we love them? I truly believe that real compassion is fruit that lasts. I know how easy compassion can be at the start, but after time it is just as easy to lose.
I want to dwell the greatest act of compassion, our greatest example as Jesus shows us. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
Jesus knew what He would do to display His love and compassion for mankind before He even came to earth. Throughout His ministry on earth he spoke of how He must die that we might live. He would show the ultimate act of compassion by laying down His life for us. BUT, He never forgot! He continued to show compassion when the Apostles scattered and ran, when Peter betrayed Him, when Peter cut off the ear of the soldier, it was Jesus that showed compassion. When they spat on Him and cursed Him and made fun of Him, he asked the Father’s forgiveness for them. In all, as things got tough, Jesus continued to show compassion on the people who hurt Him most. I think we forget that true compassion is fruit that should last, and we all are given ample opportunities to show that compassion. So many times we are willing to help a cause that catches our attention at the time, BUT what of the many times we pass up opportunities God has plopped in our laps?
WHAT ARE WHALES WORTH?
During the 1988 presidential election, an unexpected shift of attention occurred. Instead of the evening news focusing on the candidates, all eyes were on three gray whales that were cut off from their migratory route by a frozen sea of ice. At first, only a few Eskimos with chain saws attempted to rescue them. But when the media brought the whales’ plight into our living rooms, volunteers flocked to the scene with heavy machinery and a determination to set those stranded whales free. But volunteers’ ingenuity and energy were soon exhausted. Enter the National Guard. Their helicopters dropped a five-ton concrete basher to break up the ice. Then, in a cooperative effort with the United States, the Soviet Union dispatched two of their ice-breaking ships to facilitate the rescue. After three weeks and a expenditure of $1.5 million, the whales were freed. The heroic and noble rescue sparked a sense of compassion throughout the world. But it did something else too. By showing how willing we were to save a couple of ocean-going mammals, it underscored how hesitant we are to join hands in rescue efforts that involve mankind. How many people would have pitched in to help the homeless? How many would have dug in their pockets to help free a family from a New York ghetto? How many would have opened their homes to an unwed mother? So willing to save the whales. So reluctant to save our fellow human beings.
(SOURCE: Chuck Swindoll in "The Grace Awakening" (1990, Word Publishihng)
Is not the call of Jesus to us compassionate Christians to bear fruit, did He not appoint us to GO and bear this fruit, - fruit that would last. When we accepted Jesus as Lord, do we not make a commitment to follow and serve Him, and did He not say “whatever you have done for one of these least brothers of mine, you have done for me?”
I know how easy it is to lose our compassion in a world that does not seem to care about what good is done, as long as they benefit from the good. Yet, we must remember the good we do, the compassion we show, is not for those that receive it but for those that give it. The kindness we display is not so that we can gather recognition, but so that we might have the joy of serving a God who readily gives to us expecting nothing in return, but hoping we will serve him because we love Him and we want the complete joy that only He can provide.
This morning let me leave you with this final story I first read in a Book by Tony Compolla:
There is a true story of a boy who suffered under the Nazis during WWII. This Jewish boy was living in a small Polish village when he and all the other Jews in the vicinity where rounded up by Nazi SS troops and sentenced to death. This boy joined his neighbors in digging a shallow ditch for their graves. Then they were lined up against a wall and machine-gunned. Their corpse fell into the shallow grave and the Nazis covered their crumpled bodies with dirt. But none of the bullets hit this little boy. His naked body was splattered with the blood of his parents. And when they fell into the ditch he pretended to be dead and fell on top of them. The thin covering of dirt was so thin that it didn’t prevent the air from getting to him so that he could breath. Several hours later when darkness fell this 10-year-old boy clawed his way out of the shallow grave. With blood and dirt caked to his little body he made his way to the nearest house. And he begged for help. Recognizing him as one of the Jewish boys marked for death by the SS the woman who answered the door screamed at him to go away, and slammed the door. He was turned away at the next house as well as the one after that. In each case the unwillingness to get into trouble with the SS overpowered any feeling of compassion. Dirty, blooded and shivering the little boy went from one house to the next begging for someone to help him. Then something inside him guided him to say something very strange for a Jewish boy to say. When the next family who responded to his timid knocking they heard him cry, “don’t you recognize me? I’m the Jesus you say you love.” After a poignant pause the woman who stood in the door way swept him into her arms and kissed him. From that day on that family cared for the boy as if he were one of their own.
Matt 25:40
`I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Are you ready to commit your life to being a more compassionate Christian? I offer an invitation to all here who would like to come forward and commit to changing the world one kind act at a time.
INVITATION
