1 00:00:00,300 --> 00:00:04,410 Marcel: Have coined this time here, the season of the Lord's favor. 2 00:00:04,530 --> 00:00:08,430 And so we are studying out and we are experiencing and trying to experience 3 00:00:08,550 --> 00:00:15,120 more of God's favor in our lives, not only individually, but most of all as a church 4 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:18,250 family, as a communal, , spiritual family. 5 00:00:18,250 --> 00:00:23,290 And so we have,, been doing things here, over the, last couple of months here. 6 00:00:23,695 --> 00:00:27,835 Since we had our LA Jubilee in August, and so for September we 7 00:00:27,835 --> 00:00:29,515 had a prayer and fasting chain. 8 00:00:30,035 --> 00:00:33,095 Last month we had this really powerful moving time. 9 00:00:33,095 --> 00:00:36,665 We called it Release Sunday, in which we were able to release our burdens there. 10 00:00:36,665 --> 00:00:40,124 And then, this month we have, , we're in Restore and we 11 00:00:40,124 --> 00:00:41,675 are, having the gratitude wall. 12 00:00:41,675 --> 00:00:44,345 We had a time of service at the end of October. 13 00:00:44,345 --> 00:00:47,105 We have a toy drive coming up here in December. 14 00:00:47,105 --> 00:00:50,254 And so we're trying to really, not only again, uh, study this 15 00:00:50,254 --> 00:00:51,364 out, but really experience this. 16 00:00:52,190 --> 00:00:56,660 As a church family, and so we also have a sermon series that we 17 00:00:56,660 --> 00:01:01,319 have, , been studying out since September called The Lord's Favor. 18 00:01:01,559 --> 00:01:06,809 And, , in the Lord's favor we see that there is a time where God wants us to 19 00:01:06,809 --> 00:01:09,359 have, where we can have a spiritual reset. 20 00:01:09,899 --> 00:01:15,059 Also a spiritual release of things that are holding us back, and then also 21 00:01:15,239 --> 00:01:18,209 having ourselves be spiritually restored. 22 00:01:18,209 --> 00:01:21,599 And so we began talking about a spiritual reset, resetting 23 00:01:21,599 --> 00:01:26,070 our relationship with God, our priorities, and our views of people. 24 00:01:26,369 --> 00:01:29,489 Then we moved on over to release and releasing the burdens, the 25 00:01:29,489 --> 00:01:33,959 things that prevent us from walking fully in God's favor. 26 00:01:34,484 --> 00:01:38,654 Then last week we started our time in restore and restoring 27 00:01:38,654 --> 00:01:41,174 what has been lost or broken. 28 00:01:41,174 --> 00:01:44,503 And Dallas did a great job preaching last week on how the part of the 29 00:01:44,503 --> 00:01:47,744 Lord's favor is restoring peace. 30 00:01:48,014 --> 00:01:52,874 And so today we'll be talking about how the Lord wants to restore compassion. 31 00:01:53,594 --> 00:01:55,569 And so that's what we're gonna be talking about today. 32 00:01:55,694 --> 00:01:58,214 The Lord's favor, restoring compassion. 33 00:01:58,214 --> 00:01:59,864 Let's go to God in prayer. 34 00:02:00,299 --> 00:02:04,750 Father, thank you so much already for the chance to, , be encouraged, 35 00:02:04,750 --> 00:02:07,149 the chance to encourage others. 36 00:02:07,149 --> 00:02:10,699 I know I feel, , built up already being able to sing, being able to 37 00:02:10,908 --> 00:02:12,619 connect with the brothers and sisters. 38 00:02:13,309 --> 00:02:16,219 Father, I'm excited about what you are doing in our church. 39 00:02:16,219 --> 00:02:18,319 I'm excited about what you're doing and my life. 40 00:02:18,319 --> 00:02:23,059 And Father, I pray right now that you will lead us to a greater faith. 41 00:02:23,059 --> 00:02:28,129 You will lead us to take steps toward you to experience more and more of your. 42 00:02:28,834 --> 00:02:33,094 Favor, father, I know that some of us come in excited, some of us come in 43 00:02:33,094 --> 00:02:35,314 and we, we barely made it here today. 44 00:02:35,644 --> 00:02:37,864 And Father, wherever people are at God, I pray to you, 45 00:02:37,864 --> 00:02:40,144 minister to them this morning. 46 00:02:40,594 --> 00:02:45,514 Father, every soul will walk away with strength, hope, and faith. 47 00:02:45,784 --> 00:02:47,969 It's in Jesus' name, a men. 48 00:02:49,829 --> 00:02:54,724 I want us to, , go back here a little bit and understand that, , this all is 49 00:02:54,724 --> 00:02:57,575 coming from what God had established. 50 00:02:57,935 --> 00:02:59,075 With his people. 51 00:02:59,075 --> 00:03:02,704 In the Old Testament, we call it, under the old covenant, 52 00:03:02,945 --> 00:03:05,015 this idea of the Jubilee. 53 00:03:05,375 --> 00:03:10,415 And so in the Jubilee, God had every 50 years his people to 54 00:03:10,415 --> 00:03:13,234 have a year where there was rest. 55 00:03:14,285 --> 00:03:14,885 Did you hear that? 56 00:03:14,885 --> 00:03:16,984 There was a year where they were called to just rest. 57 00:03:18,725 --> 00:03:20,674 Boy, we wanna bring back that jubilee, don't we? 58 00:03:21,545 --> 00:03:24,040 Can we tell our boss in school, can I get a year of rest? 59 00:03:25,385 --> 00:03:27,605 And you don't charge me any bills or anything like that. 60 00:03:27,605 --> 00:03:28,864 We would all love that, wouldn't we? 61 00:03:29,644 --> 00:03:33,334 However, I don't think American society is up for that, but let's pray. 62 00:03:33,334 --> 00:03:33,725 Amen. 63 00:03:34,445 --> 00:03:39,814 But a guy called his people to a time of rest, he called them to forgive all debts. 64 00:03:39,844 --> 00:03:43,204 And I know we would love to have that today as well, wouldn't we? 65 00:03:43,999 --> 00:03:48,109 Can you go ahead and release me from that school debt, that medical debt, that car 66 00:03:48,109 --> 00:03:50,478 loan, that house loan, whatever it may be. 67 00:03:50,599 --> 00:03:55,609 And so God had the land take a time of rest forgiveness, but then also 68 00:03:55,609 --> 00:03:59,239 returning land to the original families. 69 00:03:59,239 --> 00:04:03,049 Those who had went on hard times and had to give up their land. 70 00:04:03,230 --> 00:04:06,920 And at this time, God said, no, you are going to restore the 71 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:09,949 land to those original families. 72 00:04:10,339 --> 00:04:13,189 Now, this wasn't just something that was economical. 73 00:04:13,864 --> 00:04:20,495 This was something that actually restored the dignity of the people because 74 00:04:20,495 --> 00:04:24,155 yes, they were receiving land, but what that was doing that was restoring 75 00:04:24,304 --> 00:04:27,005 the dignity of those who had lost it. 76 00:04:28,534 --> 00:04:33,933 This also restored compassion in all of God's people. 77 00:04:34,715 --> 00:04:38,435 You see what God is doing here is not just something for the economics, not 78 00:04:38,435 --> 00:04:42,544 just something for the emotional and social wellbeing, but also what he's doing 79 00:04:42,544 --> 00:04:44,945 is what is called spiritual formation. 80 00:04:44,945 --> 00:04:49,685 He's forming his people spiritually to become compassionate people. 81 00:04:50,944 --> 00:04:57,214 You see, by giving back the land, by giving back the property over to others, 82 00:04:57,365 --> 00:05:02,074 what this was doing was putting them in a position and putting them in a posture 83 00:05:02,255 --> 00:05:05,135 to see people with compassionate eyes. 84 00:05:06,125 --> 00:05:11,885 To see people, not with judgment or superiority or inferiority, 85 00:05:12,125 --> 00:05:15,515 but to see them as what's equals. 86 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:23,690 God is instilling, God is restoring compassion amongst his people because it 87 00:05:23,690 --> 00:05:29,030 can be lost or it could be broken, and he's instilling and he's restoring it 88 00:05:29,150 --> 00:05:34,549 so that God's people will see each other again, not as debtors, not as slaves, 89 00:05:34,549 --> 00:05:42,320 not not as burdens, but as brothers and sisters created in the image of God. 90 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:44,360 You see? 91 00:05:45,183 --> 00:05:49,114 Jesus does this today through the Lord's favor. 92 00:05:50,135 --> 00:05:55,354 He restores our compassion, which can be lost, which can be broken. 93 00:05:55,714 --> 00:05:59,914 He restores our compassion so that we too can be compassionate. 94 00:06:00,364 --> 00:06:02,255 And Jesus models this. 95 00:06:02,284 --> 00:06:03,694 He teaches it. 96 00:06:03,765 --> 00:06:08,625 He, he initiates it in our lives and allows us to experience compassion. 97 00:06:08,864 --> 00:06:13,484 And then he also invites us to be compassionate to. 98 00:06:15,825 --> 00:06:18,974 And so we see this in our themed passage. 99 00:06:19,125 --> 00:06:20,205 Luke chapter four. 100 00:06:20,205 --> 00:06:22,815 This is our theme passage for the whole series. 101 00:06:22,815 --> 00:06:24,645 Brothers and sisters, are you with me here? 102 00:06:25,185 --> 00:06:25,485 Okay. 103 00:06:25,485 --> 00:06:26,385 You can't be quiet. 104 00:06:26,385 --> 00:06:27,224 You know what I'm preaching. 105 00:06:27,224 --> 00:06:28,125 We don't do all that. 106 00:06:28,125 --> 00:06:32,985 All right, so in Luke chapter four, we're gonna go here and, and, uh, let's see. 107 00:06:32,985 --> 00:06:34,935 I clicked it here, but it's not, it doesn't seem to be 108 00:06:34,935 --> 00:06:36,195 working for some reason there. 109 00:06:36,375 --> 00:06:38,085 Can you go to the next slide there? 110 00:06:38,294 --> 00:06:39,044 Appreciate it. 111 00:06:39,224 --> 00:06:40,215 Luke chapter four. 112 00:06:41,265 --> 00:06:42,525 Or maybe it's not working. 113 00:06:42,525 --> 00:06:42,915 Okay. 114 00:06:43,095 --> 00:06:45,465 Y'all know what happens with me and technology. 115 00:06:47,265 --> 00:06:50,775 It just, I love technology, but technology does not love me back. 116 00:06:50,775 --> 00:06:51,585 You know what I'm saying? 117 00:06:52,665 --> 00:06:56,205 It's like I keep chasing after her and she keeps saying, that's okay. 118 00:06:56,775 --> 00:06:58,155 And so I don't know what, it's okay. 119 00:06:58,155 --> 00:06:58,784 We got it working. 120 00:06:58,784 --> 00:06:59,175 Here we go. 121 00:06:59,325 --> 00:07:00,765 So here's this situation. 122 00:07:01,725 --> 00:07:05,085 Jesus gets up and we, they don't realize it at this time, but 123 00:07:05,085 --> 00:07:06,915 Jesus is making his pronouncement. 124 00:07:06,945 --> 00:07:11,265 He's announcing to the world his public ministry, that he actually is 125 00:07:11,265 --> 00:07:16,065 fulfilling the Jubilee principles that God had established, that he is the 126 00:07:16,065 --> 00:07:18,435 Messiah, the long awaited Messiah. 127 00:07:18,555 --> 00:07:22,635 And he goes to the church service, he picks and scrolls up, and he 128 00:07:22,635 --> 00:07:26,265 goes to this passage and he reads it, and right after he reads it, he 129 00:07:26,265 --> 00:07:28,845 says, this is being fulfilled today. 130 00:07:29,354 --> 00:07:34,575 Everybody's eyes were hung up on him, like, whoa, who is this man? 131 00:07:35,505 --> 00:07:36,585 But look what he says here. 132 00:07:36,585 --> 00:07:38,174 He says, the spirit of the Lord. 133 00:07:38,174 --> 00:07:39,494 He's quoting Isaiah. 134 00:07:39,674 --> 00:07:43,724 So this was a prophecy hundreds of years before the spirit of the Lord 135 00:07:43,724 --> 00:07:47,385 is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. 136 00:07:47,445 --> 00:07:52,515 He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for 137 00:07:52,515 --> 00:07:57,914 the blind to set the oppress free to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. 138 00:07:58,770 --> 00:08:04,800 Now, if you look at this, we see here the Lord's favor is rooted in compassion. 139 00:08:05,940 --> 00:08:07,350 Look at all these things. 140 00:08:08,220 --> 00:08:12,510 Setting the prisoners free, setting the oppressed free to 141 00:08:12,510 --> 00:08:14,940 restore sight to the blind. 142 00:08:14,940 --> 00:08:18,090 Jesus did this literally and he did this spiritually. 143 00:08:18,300 --> 00:08:22,440 All of that is rooted and based in compassion. 144 00:08:23,940 --> 00:08:28,020 He is moved and therefore he wants to restore the site. 145 00:08:28,049 --> 00:08:30,360 He wants to release those who are oppressed. 146 00:08:30,390 --> 00:08:34,110 He wants the prisoners to be set free. 147 00:08:34,110 --> 00:08:37,950 All of that is rooted in compassion. 148 00:08:38,429 --> 00:08:42,690 And so at the heart of the Lord's favor for his people, his favor that 149 00:08:42,690 --> 00:08:48,480 he wants to bestow on all creation, it comes from love and compassion. 150 00:08:49,530 --> 00:08:52,230 Jesus's ministry flowed from compassion. 151 00:08:52,350 --> 00:08:57,060 He saw the broken, he saw the loss, and he was moved by it. 152 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:00,210 Compassion was his default mode. 153 00:09:00,210 --> 00:09:01,530 We all have a default mode. 154 00:09:02,100 --> 00:09:06,360 Jesus's default mode was compassion, and it was restorative. 155 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:10,620 It brought life, it brought healing, it brought, uh, dignity. 156 00:09:10,620 --> 00:09:11,430 It brought hope. 157 00:09:11,430 --> 00:09:14,130 It brought more and more. 158 00:09:14,819 --> 00:09:16,525 Jesus' ministry can be labeled as. 159 00:09:17,175 --> 00:09:19,605 God's compassion in action. 160 00:09:21,315 --> 00:09:22,695 That was Jesus's ministry. 161 00:09:22,695 --> 00:09:26,835 And we see this and we wanna study this out over here in Mark chapter 10. 162 00:09:26,835 --> 00:09:30,855 Churchill, you still with me here this morning, mark, chapter 10. 163 00:09:31,035 --> 00:09:35,085 Jesus is on his way to the ultimate display of God's 164 00:09:35,085 --> 00:09:37,035 compassion, which is the cross. 165 00:09:37,545 --> 00:09:40,875 And so Jesus, and he's on his way over to that. 166 00:09:41,145 --> 00:09:42,555 To, to, to Jerusalem. 167 00:09:42,675 --> 00:09:45,915 But there's all these stories and interactions that take place, and we 168 00:09:45,915 --> 00:09:51,855 stop here in Mark chapter 10 and it reads, then it came to Jericho as Jesus 169 00:09:51,855 --> 00:09:58,485 and his disciples together with a large crowd we're leaving the city a blind man. 170 00:09:58,515 --> 00:10:00,375 Bartimaeus, which means son to MEUs. 171 00:10:00,375 --> 00:10:05,955 We're sitting by the roadside begging when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth. 172 00:10:06,195 --> 00:10:11,475 He began to shout Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. 173 00:10:11,985 --> 00:10:16,245 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted, all the 174 00:10:16,245 --> 00:10:18,975 more son of David have mercy on me. 175 00:10:19,335 --> 00:10:21,315 Jesus stopped and said, call him. 176 00:10:22,005 --> 00:10:26,235 So they called to the blind Man, cheer up on your feet. 177 00:10:26,265 --> 00:10:28,845 He's calling you, throwing his cloak aside. 178 00:10:28,845 --> 00:10:32,295 He jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. 179 00:10:33,165 --> 00:10:35,025 What do you want me to do for you? 180 00:10:35,505 --> 00:10:36,315 Jesus asked him. 181 00:10:36,945 --> 00:10:39,705 The blind man said, rabbi, I want to see. 182 00:10:39,945 --> 00:10:40,455 Go. 183 00:10:40,515 --> 00:10:41,415 Said Jesus. 184 00:10:41,565 --> 00:10:43,845 Your faith has healed you. 185 00:10:44,445 --> 00:10:49,485 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. 186 00:10:49,485 --> 00:10:51,165 Let's stop right there. 187 00:10:51,375 --> 00:10:51,835 Let, let's, let's. 188 00:10:52,425 --> 00:10:54,675 Let's dig into the scene here. 189 00:10:54,675 --> 00:10:58,455 Let's make sure we capture this so that we can draw what God wants 190 00:10:58,455 --> 00:11:01,335 us to see from this passage here. 191 00:11:01,755 --> 00:11:08,445 First off, we see here that there was a blind man sitting by the roadside begging, 192 00:11:08,775 --> 00:11:12,675 and so we can kind of get a visual right there, so they're leaving the city. 193 00:11:12,675 --> 00:11:16,365 This whole group, Jesus, they're departing, they're leaving, and as 194 00:11:16,365 --> 00:11:21,315 they're leaving on the roadside, on the side was a blind man who's begging. 195 00:11:21,945 --> 00:11:26,085 He has this, his little, you know, in our day we had this little jar there. 196 00:11:26,085 --> 00:11:29,835 He is hoping to get some help and as he's begging, he shouts 197 00:11:29,835 --> 00:11:33,675 out to Jesus, have mercy on me. 198 00:11:34,755 --> 00:11:40,725 So we have a blind band begging and asking for mercy. 199 00:11:42,465 --> 00:11:44,175 And what does the crowd do? 200 00:11:44,175 --> 00:11:45,495 How do they respond? 201 00:11:45,975 --> 00:11:46,515 What does it say? 202 00:11:46,515 --> 00:11:48,075 They rebuke him and told him to shut up. 203 00:11:49,935 --> 00:11:50,350 Think about that. 204 00:11:51,839 --> 00:11:55,650 Here he is begging and maybe they thought, oh, this guy, he's, he's, you know, 205 00:11:55,680 --> 00:11:58,380 he's lying, or whatever the case may be. 206 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:00,959 What did they do? 207 00:12:01,650 --> 00:12:03,839 Shut up, man. 208 00:12:03,839 --> 00:12:04,740 Can you be quiet? 209 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:06,150 Now, think about this for a second. 210 00:12:06,270 --> 00:12:10,770 They only had to deal with this for maybe a minute or so, because they're walking. 211 00:12:11,550 --> 00:12:15,990 They're on their way out, so they only had to really deal with this for a little bit. 212 00:12:15,990 --> 00:12:17,849 So my man must've been yelling pretty loud. 213 00:12:18,900 --> 00:12:22,260 But to get to the point where they rebuked him and said, man, you need to shut up. 214 00:12:22,260 --> 00:12:23,220 Can you be quiet? 215 00:12:23,370 --> 00:12:24,330 We're trying to go. 216 00:12:24,330 --> 00:12:25,920 We're leaving here. 217 00:12:26,730 --> 00:12:27,900 You are bothering us. 218 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:31,980 And then you wanna call for Jesus, man, somebody tell this dude to shut up. 219 00:12:32,940 --> 00:12:33,810 That's what they're doing. 220 00:12:35,250 --> 00:12:36,540 And what does Jesus do? 221 00:12:37,380 --> 00:12:39,390 He said, Jesus stops. 222 00:12:43,050 --> 00:12:43,650 No, no, no, no. 223 00:12:44,490 --> 00:12:45,360 We're gonna stop writing. 224 00:12:47,910 --> 00:12:51,240 Blind man over there who's calling me, tell, tell him to come here. 225 00:12:53,430 --> 00:13:01,589 And so Jesus sees the man, everybody else what ignores the man. 226 00:13:02,699 --> 00:13:05,069 Everybody else thinks he's an annoyance. 227 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:10,620 Everybody else thinks he's somebody that needs to be discarded, that 228 00:13:10,620 --> 00:13:11,969 needs to actually be rebuked. 229 00:13:11,969 --> 00:13:14,910 He needs to be told that what he's doing is unacceptable. 230 00:13:14,925 --> 00:13:19,755 Oh, and Jesus though sees the men. 231 00:13:20,745 --> 00:13:21,885 And what does he do? 232 00:13:22,365 --> 00:13:26,415 Then he goes and he sees him and he asks him a question. 233 00:13:27,255 --> 00:13:29,444 Now, this is interesting because again, he's blind. 234 00:13:29,444 --> 00:13:32,834 He's a beggar, so in society, he's low on the totem pole. 235 00:13:32,834 --> 00:13:34,245 In fact, he's discarded. 236 00:13:34,245 --> 00:13:35,175 He's to the side. 237 00:13:35,175 --> 00:13:36,734 He's not valuable. 238 00:13:36,734 --> 00:13:39,734 In fact, we can tell he's not valuable because what did people do? 239 00:13:39,885 --> 00:13:41,084 They just walked right by. 240 00:13:41,145 --> 00:13:44,140 And in fact, they not only walked by, they said, quiet the man. 241 00:13:45,689 --> 00:13:48,180 That's how low he is viewed. 242 00:13:48,599 --> 00:13:50,010 But what does Jesus do? 243 00:13:50,609 --> 00:13:54,780 Just by calling him and asking him a question and engaging 244 00:13:54,780 --> 00:13:56,670 with him, he restored dignity. 245 00:13:58,410 --> 00:13:59,250 You are valuable. 246 00:14:00,900 --> 00:14:01,920 I see you. 247 00:14:03,479 --> 00:14:06,810 And in fact, not only do I see you, I want to engage with you. 248 00:14:08,189 --> 00:14:11,885 I want to have a relational connection with you right now. 249 00:14:12,225 --> 00:14:12,285 Wow. 250 00:14:12,885 --> 00:14:13,695 Let's talk. 251 00:14:13,785 --> 00:14:18,045 And again, in the gospels as we read them, remember these are 252 00:14:18,075 --> 00:14:19,845 overall summaries of what happened. 253 00:14:19,845 --> 00:14:23,385 They don't give us every detail, and so I'm sure that there was a longer 254 00:14:23,385 --> 00:14:30,525 conversation, but just this tells us that Jesus gives him value and hears him out. 255 00:14:30,945 --> 00:14:35,115 He hears his story, and what does Jesus do? 256 00:14:35,745 --> 00:14:40,995 Jesus blesses him and he goes and he restores his sights. 257 00:14:42,180 --> 00:14:46,439 Not only does he do that, but he helps him out spiritually as well because he 258 00:14:46,439 --> 00:14:50,250 connects all of this to the real issue that's needed, and that's his faith. 259 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:52,439 He already has some faith. 260 00:14:52,439 --> 00:14:56,610 He says, I see some faith in you and we're gonna reward that faith, but 261 00:14:56,610 --> 00:14:58,650 what does it say that the man does? 262 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:00,959 It says he followed Jesus. 263 00:15:01,140 --> 00:15:03,630 I read this story many a times and that never stood out to me. 264 00:15:04,319 --> 00:15:05,939 This man became a follower of Jesus. 265 00:15:05,939 --> 00:15:07,349 He literally was following Jesus. 266 00:15:08,550 --> 00:15:10,410 He becomes a disciple of Jesus. 267 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:12,390 That's probably why we even have his name. 268 00:15:13,140 --> 00:15:15,150 'cause they're like, oh, this is Bar Mason's story. 269 00:15:15,150 --> 00:15:16,200 Yo, that's crazy. 270 00:15:16,380 --> 00:15:16,710 Barma. 271 00:15:16,710 --> 00:15:18,240 Is this what happened to you? 272 00:15:20,460 --> 00:15:25,740 And so he becomes not only healed physically, but there's a spiritual 273 00:15:25,740 --> 00:15:32,250 blessing of upon his life, and we see something magnificent take place because 274 00:15:32,250 --> 00:15:34,980 Jesus, again, he models compassion. 275 00:15:35,790 --> 00:15:40,050 And he's also instilling and restoring compassion in every, 276 00:15:40,050 --> 00:15:41,760 well, everybody else around. 277 00:15:42,689 --> 00:15:45,300 You see, compassion died in the crowd. 278 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:47,700 There's no compassion in the crowd. 279 00:15:47,700 --> 00:15:48,540 Did you see that? 280 00:15:50,730 --> 00:15:55,950 But compassion lived in Jesus and the compassion restored in 281 00:15:55,980 --> 00:16:01,770 everyone who was watching, wow, this is what the Messiah is like. 282 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:04,860 This is the hearts of God. 283 00:16:05,940 --> 00:16:13,650 He sees people, he hears people, he calls people, he redeems people. 284 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:18,720 He gives them value, dignity, as Corina shared earlier identity. 285 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:24,810 And then he reminds his people, we need to have the same hearts 286 00:16:25,290 --> 00:16:26,790 and action toward others. 287 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:33,750 You know, before Jesus restores compassion in us, he gives compassion to us. 288 00:16:35,670 --> 00:16:39,240 Just like Bar Dees, you and I, we were the ones sitting by the road, 289 00:16:39,330 --> 00:16:44,880 spiritually blind, spiritually ignored, spiritually broken. 290 00:16:45,540 --> 00:16:49,890 Jesus not only saw him, but Jesus sees you. 291 00:16:51,060 --> 00:16:55,530 Jesus not only heard him, Jesus hears you. 292 00:16:56,310 --> 00:17:00,359 Jesus not only asked him what he needed, Jesus invites you 293 00:17:00,930 --> 00:17:03,599 to speak your need to him. 294 00:17:04,875 --> 00:17:08,325 Jesus has been compassionate to us. 295 00:17:08,565 --> 00:17:13,003 Has anybody experienced the compassion of Jesus in this room? 296 00:17:13,694 --> 00:17:14,535 Of course you can. 297 00:17:14,535 --> 00:17:16,785 'cause just the fact that you are here and hurt. 298 00:17:16,785 --> 00:17:18,763 What I said, show Jesus' compassion. 299 00:17:19,723 --> 00:17:23,805 And so every one of us can testify to the compassion that we have 300 00:17:23,805 --> 00:17:27,285 experience in and through Christ. 301 00:17:28,079 --> 00:17:33,000 We too cried out Jesus have mercy on me. 302 00:17:33,090 --> 00:17:34,230 And you know what Jesus did? 303 00:17:34,290 --> 00:17:35,730 He stopped for us. 304 00:17:37,590 --> 00:17:38,850 He looked at you. 305 00:17:39,750 --> 00:17:41,429 He saw you. 306 00:17:42,030 --> 00:17:46,139 He called you to him and he dignified you. 307 00:17:46,199 --> 00:17:47,310 He raised you up. 308 00:17:47,310 --> 00:17:48,659 He redeemed you. 309 00:17:48,870 --> 00:17:51,270 All of those of us who have been redeemed. 310 00:17:51,270 --> 00:17:52,560 Can I get an amen? 311 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:52,710 Amen. 312 00:17:54,360 --> 00:17:56,909 You see, when you remember the compassion you received. 313 00:17:57,885 --> 00:18:00,225 God restores compassion in you. 314 00:18:02,115 --> 00:18:07,784 You know, if the disciples who were literally physically with Jesus 315 00:18:08,024 --> 00:18:12,705 struggled with compassion, we shouldn't be surprised when we do so as well. 316 00:18:14,085 --> 00:18:14,985 You get what I'm saying? 317 00:18:16,274 --> 00:18:19,485 You know, but Jesus, he keeps instilling, he keeps restoring 318 00:18:19,485 --> 00:18:21,254 compassion in his people. 319 00:18:21,254 --> 00:18:21,705 Why? 320 00:18:21,825 --> 00:18:25,485 Because the disciples, they repeatedly lack compassion. 321 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:28,050 Just a couple of times here. 322 00:18:28,110 --> 00:18:31,650 When we look here, Jesus restoring compassion, they go 323 00:18:31,650 --> 00:18:32,670 and there's all these people. 324 00:18:32,730 --> 00:18:33,810 What do the disciples say? 325 00:18:33,870 --> 00:18:35,580 Send the crowds away. 326 00:18:35,790 --> 00:18:38,040 Jesus says, no, you give them something to eat. 327 00:18:39,270 --> 00:18:42,330 Two of his disciples says, let's call fire den on a Samaritan. 328 00:18:42,360 --> 00:18:43,230 Let's judge them. 329 00:18:43,230 --> 00:18:44,070 Let's condemn them. 330 00:18:44,070 --> 00:18:45,510 Let's, let's kill those guys. 331 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:47,190 Jesus turned and rebuked them. 332 00:18:47,190 --> 00:18:48,810 Man, that's not what we do up in here. 333 00:18:49,350 --> 00:18:50,130 What's wrong with you? 334 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:52,860 I'm not a fire breathing minister. 335 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:54,150 I'm a redeeming man. 336 00:18:55,815 --> 00:18:58,455 When they said who sinned, there was a guy who was blind. 337 00:18:58,455 --> 00:18:59,985 Another man they said, who sinned? 338 00:18:59,985 --> 00:19:02,925 His man or his parents not seeing the person being blind. 339 00:19:02,985 --> 00:19:08,355 They just wanna know who's at fault Here following the culture, Jesus says, 340 00:19:08,355 --> 00:19:12,315 neither this man nor his parents who sinned and he heals the man showing 341 00:19:12,315 --> 00:19:13,935 the disciples the hearts of God. 342 00:19:16,185 --> 00:19:20,025 When they all the, the, the people were bringing kids to Jesus. 343 00:19:20,115 --> 00:19:23,535 They rebuked the people, and they were like, man, take these kids away. 344 00:19:23,685 --> 00:19:25,335 We, what are you doing? 345 00:19:25,335 --> 00:19:26,475 You don't bring these kids to Jesus. 346 00:19:26,475 --> 00:19:27,375 Do you know who this man is? 347 00:19:27,375 --> 00:19:29,115 He's so important to be dealing with these kids. 348 00:19:29,385 --> 00:19:30,885 Jesus says, let the children come to me. 349 00:19:31,665 --> 00:19:32,475 Do not hinder them. 350 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:39,060 When they saw a woman who had per perfume because she was so grateful for Jesus 351 00:19:39,060 --> 00:19:43,350 and she, she poured this expensive bottle of perfume just to wipe Jesus' feet. 352 00:19:43,530 --> 00:19:46,350 They looked and said, why is she wasting this perfume? 353 00:19:46,350 --> 00:19:47,550 Jesus says, leave her alone. 354 00:19:47,550 --> 00:19:49,110 She has done a beautiful thing to me. 355 00:19:50,490 --> 00:19:57,419 You see the disciples consistently lost and compassion, and what does Jesus do? 356 00:19:57,450 --> 00:19:58,169 He keeps restoring it. 357 00:19:59,715 --> 00:20:02,925 No, you need to get who we are, what we're about, because when I send you 358 00:20:02,925 --> 00:20:04,965 out, you need to have this heart as well. 359 00:20:05,835 --> 00:20:07,545 You need to have this compassion as well. 360 00:20:07,665 --> 00:20:08,805 This is what we were doing. 361 00:20:08,895 --> 00:20:13,185 This is the heart of God's favor upon his people, upon his 362 00:20:13,185 --> 00:20:14,895 creation that he wants to give. 363 00:20:15,524 --> 00:20:18,975 Now, if the disciples who are with Jesus needed their compassion 364 00:20:18,975 --> 00:20:21,105 restored, how much more do we 365 00:20:23,925 --> 00:20:24,075 now? 366 00:20:24,075 --> 00:20:26,625 Can we have a brief moment of honesty here for a second? 367 00:20:28,065 --> 00:20:30,165 Some of y'all say yes, some of y'all said no, we don't want that. 368 00:20:31,125 --> 00:20:35,175 Like they, I want a brief moment of false and, and faking and lying, right? 369 00:20:35,175 --> 00:20:36,585 It's okay, but we ain't gonna do that today. 370 00:20:37,065 --> 00:20:39,195 So it really doesn't matter if you say yes or no, I'm still gonna have it. 371 00:20:39,195 --> 00:20:39,465 Okay? 372 00:20:41,445 --> 00:20:42,195 Brief moment here. 373 00:20:42,525 --> 00:20:46,575 As a church, I believe we need our compassion restored as well. 374 00:20:47,685 --> 00:20:51,075 And when I say we, I literally mean we, because I'm a hundred 375 00:20:51,075 --> 00:20:52,065 percent included in this. 376 00:20:53,625 --> 00:20:56,025 And so this is not a they, this is a we. 377 00:20:58,139 --> 00:20:59,280 You say, well, how do you figure? 378 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:01,320 Well, because I think we're just like the disciples. 379 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:05,010 I don't think we've ventured and we've went and we've reached this, this, this 380 00:21:05,010 --> 00:21:09,060 high level of spirituality where we don't follow the same mistakes of the disciples. 381 00:21:10,020 --> 00:21:10,889 You get what I'm saying? 382 00:21:12,389 --> 00:21:15,419 But also what are the, some of the things that we see, I think some of 383 00:21:15,419 --> 00:21:19,649 us, we can tell we need our, our, our compassionately restored because 384 00:21:19,649 --> 00:21:21,510 we see people in a worldly way. 385 00:21:23,865 --> 00:21:24,765 We're viewing each other. 386 00:21:24,765 --> 00:21:26,175 We can view each other in a worldly way. 387 00:21:27,315 --> 00:21:30,765 We can view each other with the lens of politics. 388 00:21:30,765 --> 00:21:32,805 Oh, there's the right wing part of the church. 389 00:21:32,805 --> 00:21:36,855 There's the left wing part of the church, and it becomes they and us. 390 00:21:36,855 --> 00:21:38,475 And we use that language. 391 00:21:39,465 --> 00:21:42,645 They and us, we and them. 392 00:21:43,695 --> 00:21:46,665 We can look at things through the lens of the council culture. 393 00:21:46,695 --> 00:21:48,675 Somebody did something wrong, let's counsel 'em. 394 00:21:49,740 --> 00:21:52,680 We can view people, not we can. 395 00:21:52,770 --> 00:21:56,400 Some of us, that's the way we're viewing it and we don't realize it because 396 00:21:56,400 --> 00:22:00,720 if we realize that we would, we would change it, but we don't realize that 397 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:04,410 we're viewing people in a worldly way, not seeing them as image bearers, 398 00:22:05,010 --> 00:22:07,290 but seeing them in a worldly fashion. 399 00:22:08,670 --> 00:22:11,340 Some of us, we've forgotten the compassion God has shown. 400 00:22:13,169 --> 00:22:14,610 Sin in the world. 401 00:22:14,639 --> 00:22:15,840 It numbs compassion. 402 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:20,129 You ever notice, like when you're like into yourself or, um, you know 403 00:22:20,129 --> 00:22:23,820 you've been struggling spiritually, have you noticed that you are really 404 00:22:23,820 --> 00:22:25,439 lacking in compassion for other people? 405 00:22:26,399 --> 00:22:28,199 You get more annoyed by people. 406 00:22:29,100 --> 00:22:31,620 You ever notice that you get angry? 407 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:34,649 You're quicker to get angry, you're crook to get mad, and 408 00:22:34,649 --> 00:22:35,820 you don't wanna give anything. 409 00:22:35,820 --> 00:22:36,540 What, man? 410 00:22:36,629 --> 00:22:40,199 You want me to, to bring a dish to the, to the thanksgiving from Friendsgiving? 411 00:22:40,229 --> 00:22:41,159 I ain't bringing no dish. 412 00:22:42,524 --> 00:22:44,054 I will bring my appetite though. 413 00:22:45,975 --> 00:22:47,415 And them sides better be good. 414 00:22:47,415 --> 00:22:49,365 'cause if they're not, somebody's going to hear about that. 415 00:22:50,595 --> 00:22:50,955 Okay. 416 00:22:50,955 --> 00:22:52,245 I'll bring some napkins. 417 00:22:56,985 --> 00:23:00,524 You know when we forget, we get corrupted. 418 00:23:01,335 --> 00:23:02,324 Our hearts get hardened. 419 00:23:03,615 --> 00:23:05,115 This is why it's so important. 420 00:23:05,115 --> 00:23:07,695 It's why, man, I love God and his, his just genius. 421 00:23:07,844 --> 00:23:10,964 This is why it's so important that there's a reset in our lives. 422 00:23:12,254 --> 00:23:17,324 There's a reset in our relationship with God and how we view people and 423 00:23:17,324 --> 00:23:22,274 in what we're pursuing, and then it's so important and vital that we have a 424 00:23:22,274 --> 00:23:24,614 release of the things that hold us back. 425 00:23:25,094 --> 00:23:28,395 The sin and the world's grip on us has to be let go. 426 00:23:28,604 --> 00:23:31,484 My bitterness needs to be removed. 427 00:23:31,725 --> 00:23:36,074 My shame and guilt and burdens that I carry need to be dropped 428 00:23:36,165 --> 00:23:38,415 so that God can fill me back up. 429 00:23:39,360 --> 00:23:41,639 With his compassion, love, grace, and mercy. 430 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:44,219 So we have to remove it. 431 00:23:44,219 --> 00:23:46,739 That's why it's so important that we went down this road here. 432 00:23:46,739 --> 00:23:47,730 You guys get what I'm saying? 433 00:23:47,730 --> 00:23:48,210 Church. 434 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:52,020 Because now what God is doing communally what he's doing to all of us, he's 435 00:23:52,020 --> 00:23:54,659 restoring and it's the peace of God. 436 00:23:54,659 --> 00:23:55,529 He's restoring. 437 00:23:55,529 --> 00:23:58,409 And it's the compassion because that's who he is and that's 438 00:23:58,409 --> 00:23:59,969 what he wants to do through us. 439 00:24:01,770 --> 00:24:06,210 And some of us, or maybe, I think it's safe to say many of us. 440 00:24:07,214 --> 00:24:11,955 We're not sharing the gospel with people, and I'm convicted by this. 441 00:24:12,194 --> 00:24:13,395 God convicted me a couple weeks. 442 00:24:13,395 --> 00:24:16,304 Like Marcel, you don't share the way you used to. 443 00:24:17,264 --> 00:24:18,614 You don't share the way you need to. 444 00:24:19,754 --> 00:24:21,584 You're not seeing people's true needs. 445 00:24:22,754 --> 00:24:24,495 You know, we can get caught up in opinions. 446 00:24:24,495 --> 00:24:29,174 We can think politics or self-help, tactics and quotes like that will 447 00:24:29,179 --> 00:24:31,034 be the answer for those people. 448 00:24:31,125 --> 00:24:33,524 That will be the answer for my friends in need. 449 00:24:34,395 --> 00:24:35,355 That's not their biggest need. 450 00:24:36,855 --> 00:24:39,105 The biggest need is the gospel of Jesus. 451 00:24:39,705 --> 00:24:42,315 Your biggest need was the gospel of Jesus. 452 00:24:42,645 --> 00:24:45,764 Your biggest need still is the gospel of Jesus. 453 00:24:46,065 --> 00:24:49,185 So why would it be any different for anybody outside of this room? 454 00:24:49,964 --> 00:24:52,545 They need the gospel of Jesus as well. 455 00:24:53,114 --> 00:24:55,755 They need to experience God's compassion. 456 00:24:56,114 --> 00:25:00,284 You know, Jesus is the way, the truth in a life, a relationship with God, and 457 00:25:00,284 --> 00:25:01,964 following his example and teachings. 458 00:25:02,114 --> 00:25:04,065 That's the answer at the core. 459 00:25:04,125 --> 00:25:04,185 Yeah. 460 00:25:05,054 --> 00:25:08,264 Then all these other things are added benefits, which can enhance 461 00:25:08,685 --> 00:25:10,545 our walking God in our lives. 462 00:25:11,145 --> 00:25:13,875 You know, Jesus is what saved your soul and made you whole 463 00:25:14,534 --> 00:25:15,585 and is making you whole. 464 00:25:16,214 --> 00:25:19,335 That's the same thing that's gonna help your family member, your friend, 465 00:25:19,574 --> 00:25:26,295 your colleague, your classmate, your neighbor, and the stranger is Jesus. 466 00:25:28,694 --> 00:25:32,654 When compassion gets lost in God's people, we stop reflecting his heart. 467 00:25:34,545 --> 00:25:35,384 Here's the thing. 468 00:25:35,955 --> 00:25:36,734 Here's the good news. 469 00:25:37,304 --> 00:25:40,514 Jesus is inviting you and me to be restored. 470 00:25:41,625 --> 00:25:42,855 He's not down on us. 471 00:25:42,855 --> 00:25:44,085 He's not condemning us. 472 00:25:44,295 --> 00:25:45,795 'cause that's not what he's about. 473 00:25:45,855 --> 00:25:51,254 He's about inviting us to be restored and to have our compassion restored 474 00:25:51,344 --> 00:25:56,864 because he's compassionate and his people have the same heart, same lifestyle. 475 00:25:56,984 --> 00:26:00,134 So he is restoring that in us. 476 00:26:02,114 --> 00:26:04,484 You say, well, how should we respond? 477 00:26:04,484 --> 00:26:08,984 Well, we need to have God restore compassion in us and how does 478 00:26:08,984 --> 00:26:10,964 God restore compassion in us? 479 00:26:11,145 --> 00:26:14,745 God does some cool things, but he also gives us a, a little part 480 00:26:14,745 --> 00:26:16,935 of the responsibility in this. 481 00:26:16,935 --> 00:26:19,154 So I want us to go over some of these things here. 482 00:26:19,154 --> 00:26:20,625 Brother and sister, are you still with me here? 483 00:26:21,944 --> 00:26:26,384 Here's how God restores compassion, and it's number one, remembering 484 00:26:26,384 --> 00:26:27,975 Jesus' compassion for us. 485 00:26:28,904 --> 00:26:29,895 That's the very first thing. 486 00:26:30,074 --> 00:26:31,784 What, let's think about Bartimaeus. 487 00:26:32,924 --> 00:26:35,745 Bartimaeus received this, I'm sure. 488 00:26:35,745 --> 00:26:40,274 I think it's safe to say when Bartimaeus saw another blind man or another person 489 00:26:40,274 --> 00:26:45,614 in need, he responded differently because he remembered that he too was 490 00:26:45,614 --> 00:26:47,804 once that blind man in need and begging. 491 00:26:48,314 --> 00:26:50,895 So I'm sure he was like, Hey guys, y'all see that person over there? 492 00:26:50,955 --> 00:26:52,154 What can we do to help? 493 00:26:53,084 --> 00:26:56,475 Birdman, I'm sure, was very familiar with his story. 494 00:26:57,270 --> 00:26:59,370 That led to compassion for others. 495 00:26:59,730 --> 00:27:01,230 You know, compassion is restored. 496 00:27:01,230 --> 00:27:06,569 When we remember the compassion Jesus showed us, the compassion we receive 497 00:27:06,569 --> 00:27:08,460 becomes a compassion that flows to other. 498 00:27:08,609 --> 00:27:14,130 We have to remember all that Jesus has and is doing in our lives. 499 00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:20,880 And second, we need to see and hear like Jesus seen and hearing like Jesus. 500 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:25,529 Number one, we need to see people as people and not as enemies. 501 00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:29,040 Did you hear what I said there? 502 00:27:29,969 --> 00:27:31,620 We need to see people as people. 503 00:27:31,620 --> 00:27:37,920 You are a person made in the image of God, you are not my enemy. 504 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:41,489 You are my fellow image bearer. 505 00:27:42,239 --> 00:27:45,690 You know, that's the relational resets having a different view. 506 00:27:45,929 --> 00:27:50,909 But here's the thing, also, seeing people's true need when it comes to 507 00:27:50,909 --> 00:27:54,810 seeing, seeing people, not just the behavior, but seeing, you know, what? 508 00:27:55,980 --> 00:27:58,980 They're really hurt and they need healing. 509 00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:01,350 That's the real issue. 510 00:28:02,549 --> 00:28:07,679 You know, that person is actually, they're just really insecure and they need to 511 00:28:07,679 --> 00:28:14,969 know God's love and God's truth, seeing the real need, not just the surface. 512 00:28:15,060 --> 00:28:19,290 You see, that's what Jesus saw in bar mass, but that's what Jesus sees in you. 513 00:28:20,790 --> 00:28:24,449 And so we are called, and this is how we can, uh, uh, work with God 514 00:28:24,554 --> 00:28:28,799 in, in restoring our compassion is by asking God to help us see 515 00:28:28,799 --> 00:28:34,049 and hear like Jesus, but then also hearing people's hearts and stories. 516 00:28:34,980 --> 00:28:37,170 You know, we lose compassion when we label. 517 00:28:37,170 --> 00:28:40,739 Instead of listening, we put a label on him. 518 00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:43,770 We judge a story that we've never even heard. 519 00:28:44,715 --> 00:28:48,495 Or we judged the story and we only heard the pieces of it. 520 00:28:48,495 --> 00:28:51,165 We only heard the, the, the first chapter. 521 00:28:51,195 --> 00:28:54,855 We didn't hear the story and understand what's really going 522 00:28:54,855 --> 00:28:55,965 on in this person's lives. 523 00:28:55,965 --> 00:28:58,904 We judge and condemn, but we don't even know the whole story. 524 00:29:00,014 --> 00:29:02,895 You know, compassion grows when we hear, see, and understand people's 525 00:29:02,895 --> 00:29:04,815 true needs, not just their behavior. 526 00:29:04,844 --> 00:29:09,045 Here, and this is tough and I, I appreciate God, he's been working on me. 527 00:29:09,225 --> 00:29:12,344 'cause there's things, and you, maybe you're like me as well, but there's things 528 00:29:12,344 --> 00:29:14,384 you see on TV that can boil your skin. 529 00:29:15,284 --> 00:29:18,404 There's things I see on social media that, that, that can really irk me. 530 00:29:19,065 --> 00:29:20,114 And I'm like, man, are you serious? 531 00:29:20,114 --> 00:29:21,915 These people, I can't believe this. 532 00:29:22,065 --> 00:29:25,245 And, and I start to get angry and I start to get mad and I, and 533 00:29:25,245 --> 00:29:31,185 I wanna combat, but then I just love it when God has me coming to. 534 00:29:31,949 --> 00:29:36,719 Contact and engagement with somebody who I think might be doing something that is 535 00:29:36,719 --> 00:29:43,860 in agreement with what I'm upset by, and I hear their story and I go, oh, I get you. 536 00:29:43,860 --> 00:29:44,130 Now. 537 00:29:45,509 --> 00:29:49,469 We might not even agree about something, but I see you as a 538 00:29:49,469 --> 00:29:53,009 person now and I see your need. 539 00:29:53,009 --> 00:29:53,429 Now. 540 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:56,009 I see why there's this anger. 541 00:29:56,009 --> 00:29:59,819 I see why there's this approach, because you're missing the gospel. 542 00:29:59,880 --> 00:30:00,750 Jesus. 543 00:30:02,429 --> 00:30:06,210 I love it when I get a chance to hear your stories, when I get a chance 544 00:30:06,210 --> 00:30:08,969 because sometimes I can be at this post here and I'm just be honest. 545 00:30:08,969 --> 00:30:09,210 Okay? 546 00:30:09,210 --> 00:30:09,870 Can I be honest? 547 00:30:10,590 --> 00:30:12,300 It don't matter if you say yes or no, I'm gonna be honest. 548 00:30:12,300 --> 00:30:12,690 Okay? 549 00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:13,500 Alright. 550 00:30:13,889 --> 00:30:17,699 I'll be honest with you, I can look at this because of my position, being in a 551 00:30:17,699 --> 00:30:21,659 position of leadership, I hear a lot of good news, but I can also hear a lot of 552 00:30:21,659 --> 00:30:24,480 bad news and that can really tain me. 553 00:30:25,784 --> 00:30:28,335 Then I can get frustrated like, man, why aren't we like this? 554 00:30:28,335 --> 00:30:29,534 Or why aren't we doing this? 555 00:30:29,594 --> 00:30:32,895 And I can get angry and then I engage. 556 00:30:32,895 --> 00:30:35,775 And I've been grateful, you know, I was able to to in our family groups 557 00:30:35,775 --> 00:30:39,405 and went to the Placentia family group, uh, two weeks ago and just hearing 558 00:30:39,405 --> 00:30:42,284 people's hearts and I'm just softened. 559 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:45,315 I got, man, this is God's people. 560 00:30:46,485 --> 00:30:48,585 This is, people love Jesus. 561 00:30:49,155 --> 00:30:49,784 They really do. 562 00:30:50,864 --> 00:30:52,905 I go, Karina, people love Jesus. 563 00:30:54,975 --> 00:30:56,024 And it softens me. 564 00:30:56,024 --> 00:30:58,364 And I go, man, and it makes me grateful. 565 00:30:59,234 --> 00:31:00,944 I go, man, I love God's people. 566 00:31:01,125 --> 00:31:01,364 Yeah. 567 00:31:01,364 --> 00:31:02,174 We're not perfect. 568 00:31:02,174 --> 00:31:04,364 We, no, we, we, we got some things we gotta work on, 569 00:31:05,444 --> 00:31:07,125 but man, people are awesome. 570 00:31:08,024 --> 00:31:09,314 And it makes me more compassionate. 571 00:31:09,314 --> 00:31:12,645 It makes me want to help people instead of come down and condemn. 572 00:31:12,824 --> 00:31:15,165 I want to lift them up and walk with them. 573 00:31:16,034 --> 00:31:18,884 This is why it's so important, brothers and sisters that we model, 574 00:31:18,975 --> 00:31:20,384 that we follow Jesus's model. 575 00:31:20,745 --> 00:31:26,504 Seeing and hearing people, hearing their hearts and hearing their stories. 576 00:31:26,504 --> 00:31:27,134 Are you with me? 577 00:31:28,245 --> 00:31:28,814 Lastly here. 578 00:31:28,814 --> 00:31:29,714 All right, I gotta hurry up here. 579 00:31:29,774 --> 00:31:33,105 Helping people spiritually, you know, I don't know about you, but my compassion 580 00:31:33,105 --> 00:31:34,844 grows when I'm involved in helping people. 581 00:31:35,264 --> 00:31:38,864 I see their need and I get excited, see the way God is moving in their lives, 582 00:31:38,864 --> 00:31:42,194 and, and it reminds me of what he's doing in my life and how he's worked. 583 00:31:42,314 --> 00:31:46,395 And then I just go, wow, this helps me have more compassion, not only upon him, 584 00:31:46,544 --> 00:31:48,705 but on others that I come in contact with. 585 00:31:49,589 --> 00:31:52,620 So what happens when compassion is restored? 586 00:31:53,370 --> 00:31:59,009 Well, we become like God in nature and character, and that's what God wants. 587 00:31:59,370 --> 00:32:03,839 He's a father and he wants his kids to be like him in our nature and our character. 588 00:32:04,469 --> 00:32:09,210 So when you and I have our compassion restored, guess who we reflect? 589 00:32:09,779 --> 00:32:10,650 God, the Creator. 590 00:32:12,270 --> 00:32:13,889 And there's nothing sweeter, nothing better than that. 591 00:32:15,179 --> 00:32:20,280 But then also what happens is that we are then used by God in his redeeming work of 592 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:26,280 this world, and there's nothing greater than joining God and helping him redeem 593 00:32:26,310 --> 00:32:33,780 his creation, helping people experience God's compassion and coming to salvation. 594 00:32:33,780 --> 00:32:36,780 You know, God isn't calling you to try harder. 595 00:32:36,870 --> 00:32:38,250 Please do not hear that today. 596 00:32:38,940 --> 00:32:40,020 God is calling. 597 00:32:40,110 --> 00:32:40,440 No. 598 00:32:40,590 --> 00:32:43,050 God is inviting you to be restored. 599 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:49,469 When compassion grows, God's favor flows. 600 00:32:50,159 --> 00:32:52,830 Let's get real practical here, brothers and sisters, action 601 00:32:52,830 --> 00:32:53,790 steps here for the week. 602 00:32:53,790 --> 00:32:55,199 Just try this out for the week here. 603 00:32:55,199 --> 00:32:55,589 Okay? 604 00:32:55,710 --> 00:32:57,600 You can expand past this week if you want to. 605 00:32:57,600 --> 00:33:00,299 Number one, pray for compassion each day this week. 606 00:33:00,899 --> 00:33:02,219 Just every day have a prayer. 607 00:33:02,219 --> 00:33:03,060 It doesn't have to be long. 608 00:33:03,179 --> 00:33:05,219 Ask God to soften your heart. 609 00:33:05,279 --> 00:33:06,600 God, soften my hearts. 610 00:33:07,290 --> 00:33:10,270 Help me to see and hear people's stories the way you do. 611 00:33:11,400 --> 00:33:12,270 Restoring me. 612 00:33:12,270 --> 00:33:16,920 The compassion that you have, help me to hear what you hear. 613 00:33:17,429 --> 00:33:20,219 And then secondly, help someone spiritually. 614 00:33:20,850 --> 00:33:23,520 You know, this is when compassion moves from the head to the 615 00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:25,770 hands, and that's what God wants. 616 00:33:25,770 --> 00:33:27,360 He doesn't want it to stay in our heads. 617 00:33:27,360 --> 00:33:30,989 He doesn't want this to be nice, cool theory and things that we just talk about. 618 00:33:31,020 --> 00:33:33,600 He wants it to be flowing through us. 619 00:33:34,170 --> 00:33:39,480 And so maybe it's one conversation, one invitation, one act of mercy. 620 00:33:39,899 --> 00:33:45,179 One step of love, but just help someone spiritually this week. 621 00:33:46,500 --> 00:33:48,659 You know, God's favor doesn't stop at freedom. 622 00:33:49,199 --> 00:33:51,750 It moves us toward restoration. 623 00:33:52,500 --> 00:33:57,000 God restores what's been lost or broken in us so that we can bring restoration, so 624 00:33:57,000 --> 00:34:00,480 that he can bring restoration through us. 625 00:34:01,134 --> 00:34:05,429 The goal isn't just personal peace, it's communal compassion. 626 00:34:06,720 --> 00:34:11,760 God's favor is experiencing compassion and then becoming compassionate. 627 00:34:13,080 --> 00:34:15,179 God's favor is a flow of compassion. 628 00:34:15,179 --> 00:34:19,920 God's compassion for us and in God's compassion through us. 629 00:34:20,550 --> 00:34:28,170 And so as we come to a close here, we're reminded of this that a reset prepares us. 630 00:34:29,310 --> 00:34:31,260 Release frees us. 631 00:34:31,590 --> 00:34:32,340 Let's go back here. 632 00:34:32,340 --> 00:34:33,179 Can you go back there? 633 00:34:33,870 --> 00:34:35,460 Reset prepares us. 634 00:34:35,938 --> 00:34:39,600 A reset, a release, freeze us and restore. 635 00:34:39,929 --> 00:34:44,159 Sends us Luke four verse 18. 636 00:34:44,159 --> 00:34:45,330 We'll close out there. 637 00:34:45,779 --> 00:34:49,350 The spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to 638 00:34:49,350 --> 00:34:51,149 proclaim good news to the poor. 639 00:34:51,478 --> 00:34:54,330 He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and 640 00:34:54,330 --> 00:34:56,429 recovery of sight for the blind. 641 00:34:56,609 --> 00:35:01,859 To set the oppressed free to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. 642 00:35:02,205 --> 00:35:04,815 Brothers and sisters, may we experience more of the Lord's 643 00:35:04,815 --> 00:35:07,305 favor in restoring our compassion? 644 00:35:07,365 --> 00:35:07,725 Amen.