God Imitators pt 2

Characteristics of Christlikeness
Paul lists inner attitudes, which are to be manifested outwardly.

1. Compassion – this refers to the inward part of the body, such as the heart, lungs and liver are considered to be the seat of emotions. God was moved with compassion for the lost and dying world. Jesus was moved too with compassion for a dying world that drove him to the cross. If he was so moved with compassion, we too should be moved compassion for the deadness around us. (imitators of Jesus)
2. Compassion is necessity. Matthew 9:36 – 38 “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 labourers are few.’ Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest.”

Mark 1:40 – 44
Why was he so moved?
Jesus was moved by the spiritual suffering of the people due to their sin. Romans 5:12. Their sin had caused a separation from God, and spiritual death. He saw them as sheep having no shepherd” Matthew 9:36. There were ravaging wolves all AROUND. Along with spiritual death came physical death and many serious diseases.

Jesus felt compassion for those with physical afflictions. So from the very beginning of his ministry He combined both preaching and healing Matthew 4:23 – 25; 9:35, providing an example for us to follow.

It is not enough to be able to preach and witness; if we re to be like Christ, we need to have our inner being moved with compassion.
Christ continues to serve as our sympathetic high priest Hebrews 4:15 (Our advocate) helping us face death or any sickness or trial leading to it, or sin that ensnares us. We will ultimately receive a new, resurrected body and at last be freed from the wages of sin.
V36 says, weary, scattered, harassed and helpless “because they fainted.” The Greek literally means to skin, beat or slash, tear, cut; it occurs in this form only here.
Jesus came however, as the true Saviour and good shepherd. John 10:11

Mercy is to accompany compassion
Mercy is not giving you what you actually deserve (death)
Grace is giving you what you don’t deserve (Life)
Mercy is the outward manifestation of the inner feeling of compassion.
• Kindness – Paul instructs us to adopt kindness and this word may also be translated as goodness or gentleness.
• Humility – It means to consider ourselves as being lowly.
• Meekness – This can also mean gentleness.
• Long-suffering – We must never give up on anybody because if God had given up on us, where would we be?
• Bearing with one another – In the Greek it literally says, “up” – “to uphold”
• One another – This means even our enemies. Matthew 5:43 – 45
• Forgive each other “even as Christ forgave you”

Walk in love, light and wisdom. John 8:32
Goal: that the work of the devil might be destroyed. I John 3:8 – 9 “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”

How?
Matthew 5:48 “Be perfect, therefore as your heavenly father is perfect.”
Psalm 138:8 “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of your hands.”
Philippians 1:6 – 7 “....Being confident of this very thing, that He who begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
1 John 2:5 – 6 “But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in him. He who says he abides in him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.”

We have a goal........
Being Christlike to others