Harvest of Compassion

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Live Oak Sermons

A HARVEST OF COMPASSTION

Imani Community Church, June 13, 1999
Matthew 9:35-10:23
Rev. Chuck Freeman

bulletRead Matt. 9:35-38
bulletYou have something God doesn’t have--- A body! 9:37,38. "harvest plentiful, laborers few." Ministry is a cooperative enterprise between you and God.
bulletWhere does ministry begin? How does one know the starting place of the harvest?
  1. The Eyes of Jesus: 9:36. "crowds harassed and helpless"
  2. The Heart of Jesus: 9:36. "he had compassion on them" Not that he wanted to show them how right he was, not that he wanted to demonstrate how holy he was, not that he wanted to exhibit how talented or educated, or smart he was. No!
  3. Compassion. Any religious message or service that doesn’t flow from compassion is not a Jesus centered one. Compassion- "to suffer together."

    4. Me wanting to become a Chaplain. Conversation with John Serkland at M.D. Anderson. "Do you think ulcers will disqualify me from being a Chaplain?"

    " In fact they just might qualify you. When a patient says, ‘Chaplain, I have ulcers, and they hurt like hell;’ you will know what they mean!"

    Meister Eckhart: "Whatever God does, the first outburst is always compassion." (Original Blessing, p.277)

  4. Real life needs. 9:35. Preaching and teaching in the style of Jesus is always combined with healing.

 

bulletTools For A Harvest of Compassion
  1. The harvest begins in the fields of home. 10:5,6. "Go to the lost sheep of Israel, not the Gentiles or Samaritans."

    2. These days the headlines would read, "Religious Leader Espouses Discrimination." This is not what Jesus was advocating. He was saying, "bloom first where you are planted." It is no accident where you are, your gifts, and your interests. No one can be involved in every cause to remedy the world’s ills. (Expound) In fact, the counsel of Jesus is to narrow, focus your efforts at the outset. Later, you can broaden your mission.

    Read from John Heider, The Tao of Leadership, p.107, "The Ripple Effect."

  2. Everything ain’t about money. 10:8-10. "Take no gold, sliver, copper, bag, extra tunic, sandals, staff."

    3. "You received (healing, compassion, teaching) without paying, give without pay."

    Is there a message that our culture needs to hear more than this one? Is it just to exploit, use, abuse, and misuse creation, and humanity just because you can turn a buck doing so?

    One of the primary marks of the spiritual person is that they act out of the gifts they have been given, rather than the slights and injustices. The true disciple of faith seeks to do things because they are good and decent, in view of the larger picture.

  3. Learn when to shake a little dust. 10:11-15.

    4. Where did some Christians get the idea that forcing your beliefs on another is in the spirit of Christ? (Christians certainly don’t have the market cornered on this type of bigotry.)

    Just this week several so called Christian groups have called on their followers to boycott the military because believers in Wicca are allowed to practice their faith on military bases.

    I say this is an opportune time for these religious leaders to shake the dust off of their feet and pray that in the process they will shake some rocks out of their heads as well!

    Jesus is interested in calling seekers, not in taking prisoners. If there is any judging to be done, that’s God’s territory.

  4. Be wise as a serpent, innocent as a dove. 10:16-22.

This has been one of the costliest spiritual lessons I have had to learn. Being a born idealist, and romantic, I have foolishly believed that if I treat people right that they will return such in kind.

I compounded this with a religious belief that if I was faithful to my calling from God that I would be a protected golden child.

I didn’t look at the life of Jesus, or read the Bible with much honesty in this regard.

People will flat betray you, and do you harm!

Simon and Garfunkel, "I’ve been slandered, libeled, I’ve heard words I never read in the Bible."

Or, how about the O’Jays, "They smile in your face. All the time they want to take your place, Backstabbers."

10:17-22.

I had the innocent dove part polished to a tee! But, I had scales on my eyes in the wise serpent category. The challenge has been to let the serpent grow without the dove becoming bitter and disillusioned.

You will go a long way in the harvest of compassion if you can write this verity on your heart.

bulletThe Payoff

"The one who endures to the end will be saved." 10:22

Psalm 1:1-3 "Blessed are they whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law, they meditate night and day. They are like a tree planted by streams of water, that yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither. In all they do, they prosper." (Adapted)

In other words, when the qualities of the compassionate harvest become an integral part of your soul, they cannot be taken away. No force or power can tear them from your being. They are with you unto eternity.

Or, if you prefer the triumphant promise of the Revelation to John; "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God; never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (3:12,13)

Amen

 

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