Tag Archives: compassion

Compassion of the Messiah

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Matthew 9:35-38

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

Jesus’ Mission was to Minister.

  • His method – He went to the people

Luke 19:10 – for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Matthew 28:19-20 – Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.  Amen.

John 20:21 – So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

  • His area of ministry – Wherever the people were

Matthew 22:9 – Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.

Acts 1:8 – But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

  • His effort – He preached, taught and healed.
  • Preaching – proclaiming the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ

1 Cor. 1:17-21 – For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:  “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”  Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

  • Teaching – explaining, establishing those who are saved in the Word of God

2 Tim. 2:2 – And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

  • Healing – meeting the physical, mental and emotional needs of those who are hurting

James 5:13-16 – Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

  • His message – Jesus Christ died and rose again that all who believe in him might be saved

Luke 24:46-48 – Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things.

  • Jesus’ Mission was to Show Compassion.
  • He saw the crowds fainting.
  • Responsibilities of daily life weighed them down.
  • Man’s religion weighed them down.
  • Sin weighed them down.
  • He saw the crowds scattered.
  • Turning to legalism (their own Law)
  • Turning to philosophy (Stoics, Epicureans, etc.)
  • Turning to false religion (Roman/Greek gods)
  • Turning to no religion (atheism)
  • He saw the crowds with no leader.
  • Jesus’ Mission was to Share his vision.
  • Vision of a great harvest

John 4:35-36 – Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.

Galatians 6:9 – And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

  • Harvest is ready
  • Harvest is great
  • Harvest needs to be reaped now – each generation has a harvest.  If they do not reap it, it will be lost.

Matthew 9:36 – But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

  • Vision of a great need for laborers

Matthew 9:37 – Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few

Romans 10:14-15 – How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:  “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”

  • Vision of a great need for prayer

Matthew 9:38 – Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

Ephesians 6:18-20 – praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

  • Vision of a great force of laborers

Acts 1:8 – But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 – And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

  • The harvest is God’s.  He has chosen to use you and me to reap the harvest.  It can be done if:
  1. There is enough concern within our generation for the lost.
  2. There is enough prayer for laborers.
  3. There is enough commitment to obey his voice and go.
  4. There is enough dedication to live for him day by day.
  5. There is enough faith to believe him and his Word.
  6. There is enough conviction to stand strong and firm through all.

Stretch Out Your Hand

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Mark 3:1-6

And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand.  So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him.  And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.”  Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent.  And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.  Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.

Also in Matthew 12:9-14 and Luke 6:6-11

Jesus knew that He was being watched by the religious leaders trying to find an excuse to harm Him.  But His compassion for the man was greater than any concern for Himself.

He gave a command to the man.  First, he called him to step forward.  Step out from the crowd.  This would draw attention to him – perhaps not something he wanted.  Then Jesus told him to stretch out his hand.

This was a direct instruction from Jesus.  Not “If you want to.”  “If you would like to.”  Of course the man had the choice of obeying or not.  But if he was to gain his healing, he had to do what Jesus said.  By stretching out his hand he was acting in:

  • Obedience – Do what God has told you to do.  Do what is right.
  • Faith – Believe God will do what He said he would do.

Believing and obedience go hand in hand.  To truly believe is to obey.  The man could have believed that Jesus could heal him, but it was only as he obeyed and stepped forward from the crowd, then stretched out his hand that healing came.

What is it Jesus is calling you to do?  Would it require you to “step away from the crowd”, to open yourself to possible ridicule or rejection by others?  Would it require you to take belief to the final step of obedience?

John 14:15 – If you love me, obey my commandments.

We can take this idea of stretching out our hand a further step.  We do not know what this man did after Jesus healed him, but we hope that we began to share the good news with others.

That is what Jesus has commanded us to do – to stretch out our hand and share the love we have received from Him.

John 15:12-13 – This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

  • Stretch out your hand – Rescue and Save –

Jesus told us that we were to be sent just as He was.

John 20:21 – So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

  • How was Jesus sent?
    • In obedience
    • In faith
    • In love and compassion
    • To rescue and save

We can take this idea of stretching out our hand a further step.  We do not know what this man did after Jesus healed him, but we hope that we began to share the good news with others

Who do you know that could use a helping hand today? 

  • A word of encouragement
  • A meal
  • A card saying “thank you”
  • An offer to babysit and give parents a date night
  • Just a smile

Too often we tell others “I’m praying for you” which is good, but let us put legs on those prayers.

1 John 3:16-18 – This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

James 2:14-17 – What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Christ in Us

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Philippians 2:1-11

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

A STRONG CHURCH

  • The Philippians’ Church was a strong church.  When a church is strong, it always has a vision.   It is always working out some strategy to carry forth the Gospel.  A strong church launches ministry after ministry.  A strong church is not complacent.  A strong church is vibrant with things going on that will give glory to God and touch the lives of believers and nonbelievers alike.  A strong church has people in its midst that are always busy doing and going and helping, and inviting, and listening and caring.  A strong church is an active church. 
  • In a strong church there is great need for unity.  With many different ideas and things going on there will always be people with divergent ideas and pet projects.  Unity must be the goal of all involved.  That unity only comes by Christ dwelling in us richly.  There are seven traits in these first four verses of Philippians 2 that will hold the church together and keep it unified.
  • Consolation
  • Love
  • Fellowship in the Spirit
  • Compassion
  • Concern for one another’s joy
  • Humility or lowliness of mind
  • Controlling self-interest or concentration upon oneself

TRAITS TO UNITY

  • Consolation – In this passage the word means encouragement, comfort, solace, exhortation, and strengthening believers to be one in spirit and busy about the ministry of His church.  Christ wants no murmuring, no grumbling, disturbance, or weakening of the unity within the church.  The Spirit of Christ in us is to take the disturbed or upset person and console, comfort, encourage and strengthen them.  Not only are we to help the individual that needs consoling or comforting, but we are to allow that same comfort, strength, and encouragement of Christ to flow through us when we are in need of comfort, encouragement or strength.  Just imagine the spirit of unity that would prevail in a church if all the members would let the consolation of Christ course through them.  There would be no murmuring, grumbling, disturbance – no disunity whatsoever.

John 14:18 – “I will not leave you comfortless:  I will come to you.” 

1 Thessalonians – “Therefore comfort each other, and edify one another, just as you are also doing.”

“Isaiah 40:1 – Comfort you, comfort you my people, says your God.” 

  • Love – There is a comfort of love that is in Christ.  The love of Christ stirs a person to keep the unity with other believers.  The word used here for love (agape) is the kind of love that is selfless and sacrificial.   It is the kind of love that loves a person even if he does not deserve to be loved, when he is utterly unworthy of being loved.  It is the love of Christ, the love which He showed when He gave and sacrificed Himself for us.  We did not deserve it and were utterly unworthy of such love, yet Christ loved us despite all.  Imagine the spirit of unity that would exist within a church if every member would let the love of Christ flow though them.  There would be no bitterness, anger, or strife – no action that would hurt another.  Even if the person was as wrong as could be and deserved the most drastic punishment that could be given, the church’s members would sacrifice and give themselves for that person.  This is the answer to unity, the Lord’s spirit of love!  How desperately the church needs its members to let the love of Christ flow through them to each other.

John 13: 34-35 – “A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another.” 

Romans 12:9 – “Let love be without hypocrisy.  Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.”

1 Thessalonians 3:12 – “And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you.” 

  • Fellowship in the Spirit.  The Holy Spirit works mightily in the person who has trusted Jesus Christ as his Lord.  He enters the heart and life of the believer to comfort, guide, teach, equip, and use him as a witness for Christ.  The Holy Spirit creates a spiritual union between the new believer and other believers.  He melts and molds the heart of the new believer to other believers.  He attaches all their lives together, and they become one in life and purpose.  They have a joint life sharing their blessings and needs and gifts together – all focused upon their Lord and His purpose.   The church and the believers are to have the same mind.  There are to be no discordant elements whatsoever.  There are to be no differences, no gossip, rumors, or cliques, nothing that would tamper with or disturb the fellowship of the Spirit in the church. 
  • Compassion – Compassion is a must.  Compassion is the same trait that caused Jesus to reach out to us.  The compassion of Christ flowing through us will cause us to reach out to those who have been hurt, to those who are different, to those who withdrew, to those who have been disturbed, to those who have been critical.  Compassion will stir us to reach out to others. 

Romans 15:1 – “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” 

Galatians 6:2 – “Bear one anther’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” 

  • Joy – The believers in a church are to be consumed with joy and to be concerned for each other’s joy.  Joy brings unity to a church quicker than any other trait.  Joy is always disturbed if there is criticism, dissatisfaction, grumbling, murmuring, cliques, opposition, and a host of other divisive negatives.  We are to worship, plan, organize, program, build, staff, finance, minister, and serve in the joy of Christ. The only way we can do that is to be like-minded, to have the same love, to be of one accord, to be of one mind. 

John 15:11 – “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” 

  • Humility (Lowliness of Mind) – A strong and active church will always have two problems to deal with – rivalry and empty glory.  Some people just seem to want to struggle with others. They simply are not mature in the Lord; therefore they give in to gossip about differences, jealousy, envy, desire for position, desire for recognition, opposition, loving flattery, forming cliques.  If they do not get their way or what they want, they fight against the church or other members.  The result is disunity and divisiveness, one of the most terrible crimes within the church.

James 3:14 – “But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.” 

Proverbs 20:3 – “It is an honor for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.” 

2 Timothy 2:14 – “Of these things put them (the church) in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.” 

2 Timothy 2:24 – “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient.” 

  • Some are going to seek glory within the church. The Scriptures call it vainglory, which means empty glory.  Some just want attention, recognition, position, flattery, praise, and honor.  They want people seeking their advice, counsel, and opinion. 

Matthew 23:12 -”And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” 

John 5:44 – “How can you believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only?” 

  • The church must control self interest.  The members must quit looking out for their own ambition, desire for acknowledgment, for honor.  They must quit worrying about rather or not they are ignored, overlooked, or neglected.  Believers are to concentrate upon Christ and his ministry to people and reaching the world with the glorious gospel of salvation.  They are not to be focused on self.  Every believer is needed to reach the lost and lonely, the shut-ins and helpless, the hungry, the cold, the sinful, the doomed of his community, city, country, and world.

Matthew 19:21 – “Jesus said unto him, If you would be perfect, go and sell what you have and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come follow me. “

Matthew 25:43 – “I was a stranger, and you took me not in; naked, and you clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and you visited me not.”

Believer’s New Clothing

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Colossians 3:12-14

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

A BELIEVER IS THE ELECT OF GOD

  • Elect is Greek word electors and means chosen, one picked out from among the larger group for special service or privileges.  It is used to refer to Christ as the chosen Messiah of God (Luke 23:35) and believers as recipients of God’s favor (Matt. 24:22; Romans 8:33; and Col. 3:12).
  •  

Matthew 24:22 – And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

Romans 8:33 – Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

Colossians 3:12 – Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;

  • Chosen to be holy.  Holy (haggis) means set apart or separated.  Believers have been chosen to be separated from the world and its sin, and set apart for God.
  • Chosen to be the beloved of God.  Believers have been chosen to receive God’s love through Christ Jesus and to experience this new love of God. 
  • This passage is therefore for the believer, the one who has accepted Christ and experienced His forgiveness and His love.  Paul is not writing to the world – he is writing to the Christian.

A BELIEVER IS TO PUT ON NEW CLOTHES

  • Put on enduno is a picture of a man putting on clothing.  The concept is that when we accepted Christ, we took off our old garments of sin.  Now we must put on something new or we will be naked. 
  • Mercy oiktirmou is compassion, pity, tenderness.  As a Christian, we are to have compassion and reach out to meet the needs of those lonely, hurting, depressed, homeless, hungry, aged, widowed, orphaned, etc.

Isaiah 58:6-7 – Is this not the fast that I have chosen;…to undo the heavy burdens,…Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house and poor who are wandering; When you see the naked, that you cover him and not hide yourself from your own flesh?

Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God

Acts 20:35 – I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Hebrews 13:3 – Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.

  • Kindness chrestotes is goodness in action, gentleness in dealing with others.  The ability to act for the welfare of those who tax your patience.  As a Christian, we must be gentle in our actions and our conversation with others.  We must show goodness, not only to those we like, but to those who irritate and even provoke us.

Luke 6:35 – But love your enemies, do good and lend, expecting nothing in return…

1 Corinthians 13:4 – Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up.

Ephesians 4:32 – And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

  • Humility tapeinophrosune means modesty, total absence of arrogance and conceit, an attitude of unselfish concern for others. 

1 Peter 5:5 – …all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

James 4:6 – But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.

James 4:10 – Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

Titus 3:1-2 – Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.

  • Meekness praotes means a disposition that is even-tempered, tranquil, balanced in spirit, unpretentious and that has the passions under control.  This does not mean someone who is weak, but rather of someone who has power and strength under control. 

Matthew 5:5 – Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

James 3:13 – Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.

  • Long-suffering makrothumia means patient endurance, ability to endure persecution and ill-treatment.  It describes a person who has the power to exercise revenge but instead exercises restraint.

James 1:2-4 – My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience (endurance or perseverance).  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect (mature) and complete, lacking nothing.

Ephesians 4:1-3 – I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

  • Forbearance anechomai means to persevere, tolerate put up with, stand firm and not lose courage under pressure.  As Christians we must “put up with” and “tolerate” the failures, bad habits, irritating behavior and mistreatment of others.

Romans 15:1 – We then who are strong ought to bear with the weaknesses of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Galatians 6:2 – Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Ephesians 4:1-3 – I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

  • Forgiveness charizomai means to know kindness unconditionally, give freely, and forgive freely.  This word is from the same root word as grace.  The example we are to follow in our forgiving is the example of Christ.  We forgive others only to the degree that Christ forgives us.  Since Christ forgives us of any and every sin and forgives us over and over, we must use that standard as our standard of forgiveness.

Mark 11:25-26 – And when you stand praying, forgive, if you ought against any; that your Father which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses…

Luke 17:4 – And if he trespass against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to you, saying, I repent, you shall forgive him. 

Matthew 6:14-15 – For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Matthew 7:1-2 – Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.

A BELIEVER’S MOST ESSENTIAL GARMENT IS LOVE

  • Love is the most important part – “Above all these things”

1 Peter 4:8 – And above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins.

  • Love is the bond that makes us complete.  If a believer really has love, then the above qualities will follow. 

Mark 12:29-31 – The first of all the  commandments is…you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul…the second is…You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  There is none other commandment greater than these.

A BELIEVER IS TO ALLOW PEACE TO BE THE UMPIRE

  • Peace from God.  Peace elrene means an absence of strife, calmness.

John 14:27 – Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

John 16:33 – These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation (thlipis – pressure, oppression, stress, adversity, affliction, crushing distress.  The word is used for crushing grapes or olives in a press); but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

  • Peace is to rule.  This is a command, not a suggestion.  The peace is from God, but we make a choice rather we accept his peace or not.  Rule brabeueto means to act as an umpire.  Peace is to be the deciding factor in all situations that arrive in our life.  Matthew Henry said it this way, “Let this peace rule in your heart-prevail and govern there…as an umpire (let it) decide all matters of difference among you.” 

Isaiah 26:3-4 – You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.   Trust in the LORD forever, for in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.

Psalm 119:165 Great (rab – abundant, many, large in number, of major importance, significant) peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.

  • Peace is to rule because we have been called to be one body.  The church is to act and behave as one people in union with each other.  The only way we can do that is to let peace be the umpire in the differences and conflicts that arise.

Ephesians 2: 14 – For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation.

Psalm 34:14 – Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.

1 Peter 3:11 – Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.

Romans 14:17 – For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

  • Peace is something we are to be thankful for.  We are thankful for the peace Christ has given us personally and to the church collectively.

Philippians 4:6-7 – Be anxious (merimnao – distracted, preoccupation with things causing anxiety, stress and pressure) for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 5:20-12 – Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.

A BELIEVER IS TO ALLOW THE WORD OF GOD TO LIVE IN HIS HEART

  • The choice is up to the believer – “Let”
  • The word is to dwell (enoikelot – to make a home) in the believer’s heart richly.  A believer is not to be satisfied with a small portion of God’s Word.

Deuteronomy 11:18 – Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.

Psalm 119:11 – Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.

John 15:7 -“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

2 Timothy 2:15 – Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 3:16 – All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

  • The word is to dwell in our hearts so that we can teach and counsel one another.

2 Timothy 2:2 – And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

2 Timothy 2:24 – And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient.

A BELIEVER IS TO USE PSALMS, HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL SONGS

  • Many different ways of worshipping and sharing God’s Truth.
  • Our worship is to be with grace in our heart.  That word grace (charis) comes from the same root as joy (chara) and to rejoice (chairo).  Grace causes rejoicing.  It is the word for God’s grace to sinful man.  So, we sing with joy in our hearts because of God’s grace to us.  That is why we can sing with joy even in difficult times, even when we are sorrowful.  For the reason we sing, God’s grace to us, remains the same regardless of our circumstances.

A BELIEVER IS TO DO ALL IN THE NAME OF JESUS

  • To the Jewish world in the first century A.D., a person’s name stood for the person themselves.  Even in our country, there was a time when a man did not need to sign a contract to validate an agreement.  His name was enough.  Often children were warned, “Don’t disgrace the family name.”  The name stood for the family and their reputation.
  • So, to do all in the name of Jesus, means to represent Jesus in all we do and say.  We must never do anything to bring dishonor on His name.  It means to live our lives trusting and depending upon Jesus in every circumstance.  It means to let the motto WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) really be a part of our lives.
  • Would Jesus go here?
  • Would Jesus say this?
  • Would Jesus read this?
  • Would Jesus watch this?
  • Would Jesus laugh at this joke?
  • Would Jesus listen to this music?
  • Would Jesus wear this outfit?
  • Would Jesus treat his neighbor this way?
  • Would Jesus do his job this way?
  • Would Jesus go to church this often?
  • Would Jesus spend his money this way?
  • It means to let the presence of Jesus saturate, overflow our lives and all we do, say and are.

Colossians 3:23 – Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.

1 Corinthians 10:31 – Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

A BELIEVER IS TO DO ALL THINGS WITH THANKS

  • Giving thanks (eucharisteo) means to be grateful, to express gratitude.  We need to be a grateful people, expressing freely our thanks to God.

Ephesians 5:20 – Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 13:15 – Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

Colossians 3:17 – And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.