No Strings Attached
Illus from sermon central
One day a woman was rushing home from a doctor’s appointment. The doctor had been somewhat delayed at the hospital, and the lab work took a little longer than usual, so by the time she left the clinic she was running quite a bit behind schedule.
She still had to pick up her prescription, pick up the children from the baby-sitter, and get home and make supper, all in time to make it to the prayer meeting at her church that evening.
As she began to circle the busy Wal-Mart parking lot, looking for a space, the windows of heaven were opened and a downpour began.
While she wasn’t usually the type to bother God with small problems, she began to pray as she turned down the row closest to the front door.
"Lord, you know what kind of a day I’ve had, and there’s still an awful lot to do.
Could you please grant me a parking space right away, oh, and close to the building so I don’t get soaked."
The words weren’t even completely out of her mouth when she saw the backup lights of a car come on at the end of the row.
It was the best space in the whole parking lot, the number 1 spot right next to the handicap spots and straight out from the front door.
She made straight for it and as she pulled in, she said, "never mind God, something just opened up."
Isn’t that the way it seems to be now a days, It’s like today’s society of self absorbedness feels too entitled to take the time to say thank you, when someone shows them kindness or compassion.
Have you noticed when you hold the door for a stranger and only a small percentage acknowledges the gesture and says thank you? Kind of makes you think why even bother! When that happens, we tend to think how rude. Have you ever been there?
True compassion and kindness doesn’t look for opportunities to be recognized, they just look for opportunities.
If an act of kindness or compassion continually seeks to be reciprocated, is it truly an act of kindness or compassion?
Sometimes showing compassion and kindness is hard to do. Has anyone ever heard or muttered the words, “they didn’t even say thank you or nothing?”
Many have said why even bother, but the Bible instructs us as to seek out opportunities to be kind and compassionate. The fruit of the spirit sometimes gets confused with the gifts of the spirit. The gifts are what we possess inwardly, the fruit of the spirit is what we produce or show outwardly, the more we strive to be like Jesus.
Jesus shows us a great example of kindness and compassion in the book of Luke.
Luke 17:11-19 MSG.
11-13. It happened that as he made his way toward Jerusalem, he crossed over the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten men, all lepers, met him. They kept their distance but raised their voices, calling out, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"
14-16. Taking a good look at them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests."
They went, and while still on their way, became clean. One of them, when he realized that he was healed, turned around and came back, shouting his gratitude, glorifying God. He kneeled at Jesus' feet, so grateful. He couldn't thank him enough—and he was a Samaritan.
17-19. Jesus said, "Were not ten healed? Where are the nine? Can none be found to come back and give glory to God except this outsider?" Then he said to him, "Get up. On your way. Your faith has healed and saved you."
TBS. As he entered a village, ten men, all lepers, met him. They kept their distance but raised their voices, calling out, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"
There are a lot of people even today, including Christians that have the same philosophy. They have needs that need to be met and their calling out for mercy, but always from a distance.
Jesus shows us kindness and compassion without strings attached to them. Jesus shows kindness and compassion in its purest form.
The good news is that God is accessible to you, no matter where you are. Like the lepers, He will help you where you are, all you have to do is come as you are to Him!
So many people treat the opportunity of relationship with God like flipping a coin. Some say that they will come to church and the things of God, if He will just help them.
And the second bunch says after they do this and give up that, when they stop living in sin, or when they change the way their living.
Even knowing the way people are and think, Jesus still chooses to help us just how we are, in the condition we are in and right where we are!
TBS. Taking a good look at them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests."
They went, and while still on their way, became clean.
*Did they confess their sin, before they went and received their healing?
*Did they clean up, or change their lifestyle before they went and received their healing?
They weren’t sin conscious first, they were Jesus conscious, they were aware of Jesus and His capabilities, not theirs.
TBS. Taking a good look at them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests."
Jesus knew that He had their attention and He told them, “Go”
He didn’t say, never have I seen such great faith, in all of Israel like yours,
Your faith has made you whole, be on your way!
He said Go and Show yourselves to the Priests.
TBS. faith without works is dead, He wanted them to step out and exercise their faith in what He was capable of doing for them and with every step they took, they were one step closer to the miracle they were so desperate for.
God still asks, the same of us today, He hasn’t changed.
God says step out in faith, if you looking for something look to me, trust me!
*Don’t look to world for kindness and compassion, you won’t find it there,
*Don’t look at your circumstance,
*Don’t look at your condition,
*Don’t look at your doctors prognoses,
*Don’t look at your test results
Don’t look at anything else but God and what His word says about you, because He has the final word in every situation!
If you have a need, look to His Word! Praise God, even Jesus reminded the devil of the word, He said it is written!
God’s word says He’s not a respecter of persons, if you step out believing in faith you shall live and not die no matter who you are!
Isaiah 45:1-7 MSG
1-7 God’s Message to his anointed,
to Cyrus, whom he took by the hand
To give the task of taming the nations,
of terrifying their kings—
He gave him free rein,
no restrictions:
“I’ll go ahead of you,
clearing and paving the road.
I’ll break down bronze city gates,
smash padlocks, kick down barred entrances.
I’ll lead you to buried treasures,
secret caches of valuables—
Confirmations that it is, in fact, I, God,
the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.
It’s because of my dear servant Jacob,
Israel my chosen,
That I’ve singled you out, called you by name,
and given you this privileged work.
And you don’t even know me!
I am God, the only God there is.
Besides me there are no real gods.
I’m the one who armed you for this work,
though you don’t even know me,
So that everyone, from east to west, will know
that I have no god-rivals.
I am God, the only God there is.
I form light and create darkness,
I make harmonies and create discords.
I, God, do all these things
Cyrus was a Persian king who received Gods kindness, he accomplished amazing feats, he defeated Israel’s enemies and didn’t even know God, but God used Him to free His people and rebuild Jerusalem!
Amazing things, can and will happen, “When you believe what Gods word declares to you”
TBS. the lepers, they went to show themselves to the Priests, and while still on their way, became clean.
Faith is a verb because faith requires action, faith is an action word! Amazing things happen when our faith takes to action believing God’s promises!
The Bible doesn’t say, whether it was their 1st step, or their 100th step they received their healing,
Do you suppose any of the leper’s doubted or where unsure? I’m going to go out on a limb here and say YES! Human nature is human nature! But Faith in action, given time overcomes the negativity of human nature!
I’m sure with every step they took, they were expecting to receive a miracle. Expectation is a big part of Faith! We need to realize whether we’re a 100 steps or a 100 days into our need of a miracle from God, we’re 100 steps and a 100 days closer to our expectation of receiving the miracle we’re looking for!
If you’re running a marathon, each step takes you closer to the finish line right? But until you take the step that takes you over the finish line your still in action and expectation of reaching your goal, right?
Gods timing is always perfect, sometimes its not easy to understand His timing or perfection! The word doesn’t say we have to understand His timing or perfection, but only accept it and believe He will complete it, in our lives!
Every day we exercise our faith and believe, is one day closer, to our Victory and our miracle, in Jesus Name and all of our needs being met!
Thank you Jesus, for your faithfulness to us, you are so worthy of our praise!
All 10 of the lepers were made whole that day, every one of them healed head to toe, just like they had never had anything at all wrong with them!
And we have no reason to believe that the priest did not pronounce everyone of them clean, each one able to return back into society. All of them should have been praising God from the courthouse square and giving God all the Glory and credit!
But TBS. only one of them, when he realized that he was healed, turned around and came back, shouting his gratitude, (praising) glorifying God. He kneeled at Jesus' feet, so grateful. He couldn't thank him enough—and he was a Samaritan.
He was an outsider, it should have been the other way around. Nine should have came back, except for the outsider...then maybe it would have made more sense! But the word says, the one who should have been the least likely to return, was the one who did.
Jesus said, "Were not ten healed? Where are the nine? Can none be found to come back and give glory to God except this outsider?" Then he said to him, "Get up. On your way. Your faith has healed and saved you."
Ten people that day received kindness and compassion of God’s grace!
Ten people were touched by the love of
God, they were made, both legally and ceremonially clean,
But nine of them kept on going and never even looked back, these people seemed to puzzle Jesus. “Where are the nine?" He asked.
It seems, as if they totally forgot, who was responsible for the healing they had just experienced in their bodies.
Like the lady with the parking space need, “oh never mind” I’m feeling so much better, I won’t be needing You now.
They never thought of giving thanks to God for what had just happened,
Why didn’t they return to give thanks, or even just a “thank you Jesus’’ thought as they kept going,
After all Jesus would have known, but the bible didn’t even mention that kind of gratitude being offered up.
Ingratitude is a very common, it runs rampant.
We know from life experience, the feeling we get, when we really help someone and they don’t even say thank you, that’s really a grace moment isn’t it?
Aren’t you glad for the grace God extends to us, even when we don’t deserve it,
even when He knows how were going to act after we receive it, He still continually offers it, because He loves us!
It was no accident Jesus passed by, where the lepers were that day, Jesus knew where they were and He knew their need.
The leper’s didn’t get a lot of news, because of their condition, but even they had heard of the saving power and miracles Jesus was capable of!
And how did they know?
Because someone else had received what they were looking for, gave God praise and was willing to thank Jesus for what He had done for them and share the gratitude of their experience!
The same is still expected from you and I today. We are mandated to share the Gospel, to show kindness and compassion to the lost and dying world we witness living around us!
He can’t help the helpless, the homeless and the hurting, if they don’t know Him.
Romans 10:14-17 MSG.
14-17. But how can people call for help if they don't know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven't heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it?
Its up to us to tell them, its up to you to tell them.
The man who came back and gave thanks, life was changed forever by Jesus!
Have you shared the life changing message of the gospel with anyone lately.
These are the last days, think of the circle of people you know,
You telling them about Jesus, could be the only thing standing between them and eternal damnation.
Jesus thought it was a pretty important thing to do, so much so, it was the last thing He instructed us to do,
Make a life changing difference in some ones life today, show them real kindness and compassion, tell them about what Jesus can do for them.
