★ MY SERMON NOTES
@ Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN)
(now, Church of Christ in Nations)
Hwolshe, Gigiring - Jos,
Plateau State - Nigeria
12th May, 2001
SERMON
* Speaker: Rev. Dr. Sidney Garland
* Topic: The Compassion of Jesus
* Unless God Himself fills you with compassion, you cannot do it on your own
* As Jesus becomes more real to you, He shows you His compassion and He wants you to fix your eyes on Him
* The world is generally deficient in compassion;
→ Many people who genuinely need help never get a hand of love
☆ Some Observations on the Compassion of Jesus Christ
1. Jesus had compassion on the crowd because of the fact that they were harassed and without a shepherd (verse 36)
→ He looked at them with the understanding of their need
→ He identified with their cares and burdens
→ Where were the shepherds? ('shepherd' literally means, a leader of God's people)
→ Every good shepherd is sacrificial: "He lays down his life for His sheep." (See: John 10:11) - Do we see this practically happening today?
2. Compassion moved Jesus to do something
→ Unlike sympathy and pity, compassion is always backed with action - there is always a 'reaching out'
→ Let compassion move you to pray for missions - that the Lord will send out workers & labourers into the fields
→ Jesus saw the need - do you?
★ John 13:1 → "Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end."
* Jesus loved His own and He showed them the full extent of His love
→ Is your love (towards others) dependent on any condition?
4. Jesus humbled Himself because of compassion
→ He is our High Priest and He sympathises with our weaknesses
→ He doesn't just feel it, He acts!
★ Hebrews 4:15 → "For we do not have a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin."
→ How many times do you weep over the sins and the rebellion of your community/Nation?
6. While on the cross, Jesus asked the women crying to weep for themselves and their sins
→ This is a wonderful demonstration of compassionate prayer
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* We should have compassion for the people of God not only when they are suffering, but also when they are doing wrong
* Compassion entails patience
* Gossip is not an act of compassion
→ We must learn to solve our differences in love
* Jesus expects you to reach out to those in trouble.
* What is your personal attitude towards those around you?
→ Are you involved?
* Some Christians have a self-centered attitude
→ They help only those they know
☆ Obstacles to Showing Compassion
1. If you don't have Jesus living in you, you'll not have a heart for others
→ Only Jesus can empower you to look beyond yourself or the weaknesses and helplessness of others
→ It takes Jesus to genuinely love anyone other than yourself and to put their interests above your own
→ Unless you see others through the "eyes of Jesus", it is impossible to genuinely show compassion
→ If you have recieved mercy, you should be ready to show mercy to others who deserve it (either because they are in trouble, in need or they are doing wrong)
→ You're not better than others - You are what you are today by the grace, favour and mercy of God
3. Many people (including Christians) talk about themselves when they are approached by others in trouble, seeking help
→ Selfishness is one of the biggest hindrances to showing genuine compassion to anyone
4. Sometimes we look at other people and think that they are just getting what they deserve
* NOTE: The issue about what our attitude or disposition towards suffering is always a hard one
→ You are not to ask "why", but rather: "what am I going to do about it?"
* Do not despise others (especially when they are in need or in trouble)
