Happy Christmas Eve! Hope to see you at our Christmas Eve service tonight at 5pm at Echo Park.
So far this week we have seen the compassion of The Father in Jesus and the compassion of Christ lived out by Paul in his letter to Philemon. Today let's simply look at a survey of the NT texts that call us to live with this type of compassion for one another.
Ephesians 4:32 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Philippians 1:8 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 2:1–2 1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
1 Peter 3:8 8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
1 John 3:17 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?
In this short survey we see the three primary authors of the NT letters, Paul, Peter and John, all calling Christ followers to have compassion, affection and a tender heart towards one another. As this compassion was a hallmark of Jesus' ministry and the character of God himself, so it should characterize the people of God.
This coupled with all of the imperatives to love one another the church should be a pretty great place to be. And in large part it is. I don't ever want to be so down on the church to make a point trying to inspire you to be better that I don't acknowledge the things we do well. I can think of many moments in the last few years that have stirred my affections for brothers and sisters in the church. Weeping with people as they share terrible tragedies in their stories, desperately praying for God to heal chronic pain, mourning the loss of loved ones. This should be the norm in churches. We are called to give our hearts and affections to one another.
This is the type of community that the Apostles envisioned Jesus followers to be. A community that embodies the compassion of God towards one another. A community in which our hearts go out to one another. Affections like this for one another can only be developed in incarnate communities like we've been talking about the last few weeks.
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Reflection
Today reflect on your experience of church. Do you yearn for one another with the affection of Christ? Would you describe your relationships in the church as tenderhearted? Do you have affection for one another? Is this what you expect out of your church community? Is this type of compassion what you have given to others in church? If this has praise God for that. If this hasn't been your experience, why not?