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REFLECTIONS ON THE JUSTICE OF GOD. 05 : Christian Care & Compassion FGA Faith & Genesis Cell Group 27 th March, 2009 Ps. Philip James Brisbane, Australia. REFLECTIONS ON THE JUSTICE OF GOD. 01 : Home for the Homeless 02 : Justice for All Nations 03 : God’s Economy
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REFLECTIONS ON THE JUSTICE OF GOD 05 : Christian Care & Compassion FGA Faith & Genesis Cell Group 27th March, 2009 Ps. Philip James Brisbane, Australia.
REFLECTIONS ON THE JUSTICE OF GOD • 01 : Home for the Homeless • 02 : Justice for All Nations • 03 : God’s Economy • 04 : Christian Stewardship • 05 : Christian Care & Compassion • 06 : Christian Hospitality
Video Clip : You Are My Angel • How do you feel when:- • someone shows care & concern for you? • you show care & concern for another?
HEALTHY CELLS – DNA Factor • Does my Body have a Healthy Relationship to the Work of the Blood? • Is my DNA Factor compatible with the rest of the Cell Structure of the Body? • Is the individual Cell functioning in harmony (i.e. culturally compatible) with the rest of the Body?
What is ….. ……. Compassion?
Compassion – significant component in DNA structure JESUS was moved with compassion … • 6 times in Matthew’s Gospel. • 5 times in Mark’s Gospel. • 3 times in Luke’s Gospel. • 21 times in Old Testament. • 20 times in the New Testament. A heart response of empathy that triggers caring action – towards sickness, suffering or tragic circumstances of my fellow man!
Compassion releases Mercy and Forgiveness. PSALM 78:38 -39 But He (God) being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them. Yes many a time He turned His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath. For He remembered that they were but flesh, a breath that passes away, and does not come again.
2. Compassion remembers the physical needs of others PSALM 111 : 4–5 He has made His wonderful works to be remembered, the Lord is Gracious and full of Compassion. He has given food to those who fear Him: He will ever be mindful of His Covenant.”
3. Compassion reaches out the hand of Acceptance to those who feel lonely and rejected. ISAIAH 49:15 – 16 Can a woman forget her nursing child and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. See I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me.
Compassion believes in giving a 2nd chance to people who have hurt God’s People. JEREMIAH 12:14 – 15 Thus says the Lord: against all My evil neighbours who touch the inheritance which I cause My people to inherit – behold I will pluck them out of their land, and I will pluck them out of the House of Judah from among them. Then it shall be after I have plucked them out, that I shall return and have compassion on them, and bring them back, everyone to his heritage and everyone to his land.
Compassion is the right Motive behind Godly Justice. ZECHARIAH 7:9 Thus says the Lord of Hosts, Execute true Justice, show mercy and compassion every one to his brother.”
How can we consistently demonstrate Godly care & compassion?
Maintain a Constant and ConsistentConnection with Jesus who is our Love and our Life. 1 JOHN 3:2 – 3 Behold what manner of Love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are the children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is everyone who has this Hope in Him, purifies himself, just as He is pure.
Maintaining such a relationship with Jesus will • Effect right motivation to be vehicles of Care and Compassion. • Ensure that our actions of Care and Compassion will bring Glory to Jesus and not to us. • Enable us to rightly carry God’s burden for those who are in needful situations. • Establish a sensitivity to a “what would Jesus do?” mentality.
Maintain a Healthy Relational Commitment to each other as vital members of Christ’s Body. ROMANS 12:3 – 5 For I say through the Grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each on a measure of faith.” For as we are many members in one body, but all members do not have the same function.” So we being many are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”
Demonstrate a Consistent Display ofCompassion and Care toward Family Members. LUKE 11:11- 13 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask for a fish, will he give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask for an egg, will he give him a scorpion? If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father Who is in Heaven, give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?
See one another as the extendedHands and Feet of Jesus to any person who God allows me to feel the ache of His Heart for. MATTHEW 25 : 31 – 40 In as much as you did it to the least of these, my brethren, you did it unto Me.
APPLICATION • Start demonstrating the kindness of God THIS COMING WEEK! • Start offering to serve others holds great power. • Remember to serve without any strings attached.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;where there is hatred, let me sow love;when there is injury, pardon;where there is doubt, faith;where there is despair, hope;where there is darkness, light;and where there is sadness, joy.Grant that I may not so much seekto be consoled as to console;to be understood, as to understand,to be loved as to love;for it is in giving that we receive,it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,and it is in dying [to ourselves] that we are born to eternal life. St Francis of Assisi