To Be Like Jesus

I love that song that we sing sometimes called, “TO BE LIKE JESUS”.

This world is filled with people who only think of themselves but if everyone was like Christ this would be a world of LOVE AND COMPASSION!

Illus: The story is told of General William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, and the day Queen Victoria of England asked to meet with him. Because she had heard so many favorable things about his work in the slums, she asked him for the secret of his success.He said “Your Majesty,” he replied, “Some men have a passion for money. Some people have a passion for things. I have a passion for people.” (Source Unknown)

The word compassion, as it is used in the Bible means, “To be moved inwardly; to yearn with tender mercy, affection, pity and empathy.”

Someone else has defined compassion as “Sympathy coupled with a desire to help.”

When we read the Gospels we are told that Jesus went about doing good. We could translate that to mean Jesus went about helping people in need.

We see that our Savior was moved deeply in His inner being by the needs of those around Him.

Illus: We see a good example of compassion when Jesus stood on a hill side in Jerusalem and said, In Matthew 23:37, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!”

In this sermon, I would like to address the subject of compassion.

I want to talk about what motivated Jesus to be compassionate and how we can become more compassionate like Him.

I don’t know about you, but I surely need all the help in this area that I can get.

Too often:

• I am selfish

• I am self-centered, but I want to be more like Jesus.

Let’s look at The Compassionate Christ and learn His secrets for caring about the needs of others.

First, we need to consider…

I.THE ORIGIN OF HIS COMPASSION

Many people read the Old Testament and come away God is a God of wrath and judgment.

Yet, we read that He is also a God of infinite love, grace, mercy and compassion.

Illus: A man fell into a pit and couldn't get himself out.

• A Christian Scientist came along and said, "You only think that you are in a pit."

• A Pharisee said, "Only bad people fall into a pit."

• A compassion-less Fundamentalist said, "You deserve falling into this pit."

• A Charismatic said, "Just confess that you're not in a pit."

• A Methodist came by and said, "We will bring you some food and clothing while you're in the pit."

• A Presbyterian said, "This was no accident, you know."

• An Optimist said, "Things could be worse."

• A pessimist said, "Things will get worse!"

• Jesus, seeing the man, took him by the hand and lifted him out of the pit.

One of the reasons we lack compassion in our society is because we have been so greatly blessed of God.

Let me explain…

Illus: We often tell people, “I know how you feel!!!”

But before you can know how someone feels you have to experience what they have experienced.

Illus: For example, I do not know how a woman feels when she works on a job and does the same thing a man does but yet she does not get the same salary that a man gets. As a man I have not experience what a woman has experienced.

Illus: For example, the other day I saw a person that was an Albino. Every where they go people look at them because their skin is white, hair is white and most of the time their eyes are blue.

The reason they are born like this is becase they were born without any MELANIN IN THE PIGMENTS OF THEIR SKIN.

This MELANIN determine the color of our skin, hair and eyes.

Every human alive are the same and it is only this Melalnin makes our skin color different. Albinos have no MELANIN SKIN PIGMENT THAT IS why they are WHITE.

But as I looked at this albino and every was looking at him I do not know how he feels bcause I have not experienced what he experienced!

Illus: For example, I do not know how a black person feels when he-she is passed up for a job promotion simply because he/she has more mela-nin pigment in their skin than a white person. I do not know how a black person feels because I have not experienced what a black person has experienced

Illus: For example a Latino that lives in this country is often mistreated because they were born in another country! They had nothing to do with being born in another country!!! I do not know how a latino feels because I have not experienced what a latino has experienced