Christ the Servant

I invite you to turn to Isaiah 42. The title of my sermon today is Christ the Servant. Isaiah 42, beginning with verse 1. We read, Behold my servant, in whom I uphold, my chosen in whom my soul delights. I have put my spirit in him. He will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice or make a herd in the street. A bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench. He will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth, and the coastlands wait for his law. Thus says the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it. I am the Lord. I have called you in righteousness. I will take you by the hand and keep you. I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations. To open the eyes that are blind. To bring out the prisoners from the dungeon. From the prison those who sit in darkness. I am the Lord. That is my name, my glory. I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. Before, behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare. Before they spring forth, I tell you them. This is a clear reference to Jesus Christ, the servant. It talks about his nature. It talks about his work. It refers to both first and second comings of Jesus Christ. Throughout the book of Isaiah, there are 23 references to servant. Or my servant. Many of them which are clearly about and describe Jesus Christ. Jesus is also called a servant in the New Testament. Turn with me to Philippians chapter 2, beginning with verse 5. Philippians chapter 2 and verse 5. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus. Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God as a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Actually, Jesus Christ has many names, titles, and identities. In fact, there are more than 100, 115 different names and titles and identities for Jesus Christ. The most noted ones are King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Messiah, the Alpha and the Omega, the Bread of Life, the Chief Shepherd, God, High Priest, the I Am, Emmanuel, the Word. These are just some of the 115-plus names for Jesus Christ. Now to feast with tabernacles, we celebrate the triumphant kingdom of God that is coming to this earth. And we look to Jesus Christ as our King of Kings and Lord of Lords, as he's described in the nineteenth chapter of the Book of Revelation as coming. But at the same time that he comes, he also displays and reveals another identity that I would like to share with you today. What was referred to in the sermonette today is the resurrection and what happens at that resurrection, which talks about a time when Jesus Christ returns in his glory as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

He divides the sheep and the goats into two different groups. But notice the conversation that begins with Jesus Christ and those he's addressing and the topic of discussion. Come, you blessed of my Father, I'm just referring to what already was said in the sermonette, prepared for the foundation of the world.

I was hungry, and you gave me food. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, he took me in. I was naked. I was sick. I was in prison. Then the righteous will say to him, when did we see you hungry and thirsty, and when did we see you in prison? And the king will answer them and say, assuredly I say to you, and as much as you did it to the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.

Attention is given to these humanitarian needs at the same time that Jesus Christ comes to rule with a rod of iron. Attention is given because it's a high priority at this time. The world needs relief. The world is groaning. And so when Christ returns, He will not only rule, but He will restore and rehabilitate the world. That is spoken of in the eighth chapter of the book of Romans, about a groaning, suffering, careening world at the very end.

In Romans 8, verse 21, the creation itself will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Now we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. And it certainly does right now, is what we see. The entire world will be in refugee status. It will be disoriented. The world, when Jesus Christ returns, will be one big Afghanistan. And this world will need a lot of fixing.

It's gone through plagues, wars, terrorism, natural disasters, loss, grief. And a big percentage of people will have already perished. Millions of people will have perished before the return of Jesus Christ, maybe even billions. It will be horrible, what will take place. And this world will need a lot of fixing, a lot of care that takes place at the same time that Jesus Christ institutes a change of government.

As we rule, as we are rulers in many cities, we will not be just sitting in ivory towers with our own little rod of iron. That's not going to be the way to look. We'll be doing the ministry of Jesus Christ as a servant, which is His essence, which we will see today in the sermon, of rebuilding of His leadership, of restoring, rehabilitating, and recovering this earth.

So today, I'm going to talk about the example in the heart of Jesus Christ as servant and what that means, and what it means, or what it should mean to us, and what we can learn from it right now. Some of the biggest and longest narratives in the New Testament are about Jesus Christ's compassionate work. But first, I'd like to take a look in an account in the 20th chapter of Matthew.

I wanted to cover this because Jesus Christ as servant teaches a very, very important lesson about service at this time. Matthew 20 is coming close to the firstly ministry of Jesus Christ. He's already trained His disciples. He's told them about the kingdom of God. So they know that He is King, and He explained to them that a kingdom is coming. And then we see here an incident in the event starting in verse 20. Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him with her sons, who were James and John, the sons of thunder.

So here's the mother of two apostles who were brothers, none other than John, who wrote five books of the New Testament. And also we have James, a James that we know very little about. And so she was her name was Salome, and she was the wife of Zebedee. And she came and kneeled down before Jesus Christ and wanted to ask Him something. She may have even come with some gifts to Christ. She says, I have something I want to ask you. And He said to her, verse 21, What do you wish? And she replied, she said to Him, Grant that these two sons of mine sit, one on your right hand and the other on the left in your kingdom.

I really want you, Jesus, to give them special favor. But one on the right side and one on the left side. Make one president. Make one chairman of the twenty-four elders.

You know, please, couldn't you do this for me? Jesus replied in verse 22, You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I'm about to drink and be baptized, immersed with a baptism that I am baptized with? What Jesus is saying is that with leadership, there is sacrifice, effort, and pain required. It isn't just position, power, and perks. There's far more to it than that. You're not seeing the whole picture.

There's going to be sacrifice and effort. And you don't know what leaders go through as far as the pain and the decisions that have to be made and the difficult situations that they have to unravel. Well her response, and actually they said to him, it's the boys right there, James and John along with the mother, that, oh yeah, we are able. They wanted that status and importance.

So he, verse Jesus, said to them, You will indeed drink my cup and be baptized, as you'll be immersed into what I will be immersed into. Oh, you'll have that. But to sit on my right hand and on my left is not for me to give. But it is for those to whom it's prepared, for whom it's prepared by my Father.

So that's a position that you don't just take for yourself. It is something that will be given to you. But believe me, you will have that baptism that I have. You will suffer the things that you will suffer that I have suffered. That you will have. That I can give you. But as far as who's placed in right and left, that's a responsibility that God the Father gives.

It's not for you to choose. Well, the story gets more interesting here, verse 24. Then when the ten heard it, the other ten apostles, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. And why were they displeased? Is it because they made such a terrible request? Wanting it for themselves? They wanted those positions, too. They said, how come we have Salome come here with her two boys and she gets them into a very high position? Why not really talk to all of us?

They were displeased, so they were jockeying for position. And they wanted those positions as well. So Jesus takes a moment here to teach an important lesson about service and being a servant. Verse 25, But Jesus called them to himself and said, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. And that's the way we see government in this world today. We see rulers who love power and exercise it, lord it over people, oppress people.

We see that kind of bold leadership. But he says in verse 26, Yet it shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to be great among you, let him be your servant. And who desires to be first among you, let him be your slave. Just as the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many, this is what it takes to be a godly servant, to make yourself a slave, make yourself a slave to the mission, to the church, to the brethren.

That's what it takes to be great as a servant. This is a kind of, to be this kind of leader requires sacrifice. And actually, Jesus Christ, from the very foundation of the earth, from before the earth was created, it was predetermined that he would be slain as the lamb for mankind. So that service, that giving of himself, that dying for mankind was determined in part of the identity of Jesus Christ.

It was what he was. That is Jesus Christ, and that's the kind of service that's looked up to here as the ideal. We could take a look, further look at Christ's example and his mindset.

Now, the feasts of the Lord lay out a plan and progressive steps in man's destiny, starting with a Passover in a very small way, a personal repentance, accepting Jesus Christ's sacrifice for our sins, moving on to the other holy days, to the Feast of Trumpets, which is the return of Jesus Christ, to the Feast of Tabernacles, which is the kingdom of God, to the Ace Dave, speaking about salvation being open to all of mankind.

We cease to start from small to large, from few to many. But all this was preceded, the very first New Testament Passover, was preceded by a special little service. That's only mentioned in the book of John, but one that is very, very important for us to understand. It was preceded by the foot-washing, the humblest of all events, because it reveals this character of Jesus Christ. The foot-washing actually introduces the Passover.

John 13. John 13. It's the only place where the only one of the four writers of the Gospels mentions this. Jesus, verse 5, chapter 13, verse 3. John 13, verse 3. Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, he knew that all power was already given to him by God the Father. This is given and noted in Matthew 28, 18. That he had come from God and was going to God. Jesus knew really what his identity was in that powerful way.

He rose from supper. Now the events were supper, and then this event, the foot-washing, and then the New Testament symbols. He laid aside his garments, took a towel, and girded himself. And after that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with a towel with which he was girded. Verse 12. So when he had washed their feet, taken his garments, and sat down again, he said to them, Do you know what I have done to you?

You call me teacher and Lord, and you say, Well, for so I am. If I then your Lord and teacher have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly I say to you that a servant is not greater than his master, nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.

If you know these things, bless there you if you do them. So since the disciples were to wash each other's feet, and this is a command given for all time, what are we knowing and what are we doing? Not only in that ceremony or that act of foot washing, but in what it represents. Jesus began his Galilean ministry spoken of in Luke 4 and verse 14. He laid out in a very general way what his ministry would be.

Verse 14, Luke 4, Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of him went out throughout all the surrounding region, and he taught in her synagogues, being glorified by all. Verse 16, For he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.

And he was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book, he found a place where it is written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He is reading from Isaiah 49 and Isaiah 61. As I mentioned, there are many, many references to Jesus Christ in the book of Isaiah, and Jesus Christ affirms that. He has sent me to heal the broken to preach the gospel to the poor.

He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, and to set at liberty those who are oppressed. This was a very, very important part of his ministry, also to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, of the return of Jesus Christ and his kingdom to this earth. A foremost activity in Jesus Christ's earthly ministry was to attend to the needs of human beings. He made that very, very clear. In fact, there is so much narrative, story after story, about Jesus Christ and the miracles that he had done, which I would like to just quickly go through a few of them.

Matthew, Mark, chapter 2, Mark, chapter 2, and Mark is called a miracle writer. He writes more about the miracles than the others. He was young, impressionable, and these miracles had an impression on him, and so he records a number of them. He records 10 specific healing miracles with their lessons in the book of Mark.

Here is one, Mark, chapter 2, verse 3, about a paralytic person, verse 3 of chapter 2 of Mark. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they tried to get up to Jesus Christ, they removed the roof above him. And when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.

He said to the paralytic in verse 10, I say to you, pick up your bed and go home. And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all. So that all were amazed and glorified God. We never saw anything like this, a dramatic miracle in front of many, many people. In Mark, chapter 7, and verse 31, we find another remarkable healing. Mark, chapter 7, beginning in verse 31. We find the record of another healing, again departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon. He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee.

Then they brought to him the one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged him to put his hand on him. And he took him aside from the multitude, put his fingers in his ears. He spat and touched the tongue. Then he looked up to heaven. He sighed and said to them, Ephatah, that is, be opened. Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly.

The wonderful healings that were conducted by Jesus Christ as he cared for people, as he wanted to alleviate their suffering. We have another one that was an amazing miracle in Luke 10 and verse 13.

This was a miracle that Jesus Christ performed on the Sabbath day, which brought him into conflict with the religious leaders of the time, who imposed severe restrictions on what could be done on that day, far beyond the requirements of God's law. Let's note what happened. Verse 10, Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath, and behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over, and could in no way raise herself up.

But when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said to her, Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity. And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight and glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day, and said to the crowd, There are six days on which men ought to work. Therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day. They lost sight of this wonderful miracle of this woman who had been in their midst crippled for eighteen years, and now she's walking straight happy as could be. But he said it didn't follow our rules.

According to our policy, we don't allow that kind of healing to take place on the Sabbath day. There are times when people do good, and are criticized, and scorned for doing good. And that was very, very true in Jesus Christ's time, in spite of the fact that the crowds followed him and were happy. There were those who also followed him, the Pharisees and the other critics that found fault in what he did.

They said it was because of policy, but really it was because of them being jealous of what he was doing. They were envious. They felt like they were losing power and control over the people. They could not glorify. They could not thank Jesus for what he had done. They couldn't say, Wonderful, we know this lady for eighteen years, for almost two decades, and how wonderful that she's healed. Instead, it's against policy. Another instance is the Ten Lepers in Luke 17.

On the way to Jerusalem, he was passing between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered the village, he was met by ten lepers who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, Jesus, master, have mercy on us. When he saw them, he said to them, Go and show yourself to the priests. And as they went, they were cleansed. Then one of them said, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. And he fell on his face and, Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Where's the rest of them? Was no one found to return to give praise to God except this foreigner? He said to them, Rise and go your way. Your faith has made you whole. Sometimes people aren't grateful for the good that is done. That even happens in our instances. People not only are jealous, but they have good things done to them and some say thank you and most say thank you. But in this particular case of the ten lepers, nine saw that they were okay and so they kept on walking.

But one came back to thank Jesus for healing him. While many of Christ's miracles were one-on-one, as I have brought out, in some cases his miracles affected thousands of people. They were the feeding of the multitudes, which is recorded a few times in the Gospels. In Mark 4, one of the instances, Mark 4, 6, and verse 34, When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, he had compassion on them. One thing we find that drove Christ, that motivated Christ to do what he did, is because he had compassion on the people that were in his midst, that he saw, that came across. He did it because he loved them, he had compassion, he felt sorry for them. That's what generated his doing what he did. Not only because of the suffering they had gone, but because they were like sheep without a shepherd. People who have no guidance, no help, they're lost. And he began to teach them many things, and he drew large crowds. And it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, this is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. Gave them a way to go into the surrounding countryside and villages to buy themselves something to eat. There were thousands of them. But he, Jesus, answered them and said, you give them something to eat. And they said to him, shall we go and buy 200 denarii worth of bread? That's how much money they had, it seemed like they had in the little treasury. And that amount of money is not great. I've tried to find out exactly how much 200 denarii is.

I found various values, some as low as $40 and some as high as $200. And give it to them to eat. And he said to them, how many loaves do you have? Go and see. And when they had found out, they said, well, what we've got here for food is five loaves and two fish. Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups by hundreds and by fifties. And taking the five loaves and two fish, he looked up into heaven, set a blessing, and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all, and they all ate and were satisfied. These people were desperate seekers. They're the ones who came to hear Christ. They were willing to stay a long time, but they were getting hungry. Jesus Christ found a way to serve them, not only spiritually, but also physically. He fed them both spiritually and physically. What motivated Jesus Christ was compassion for these people. Although he had slipped away to a deserted area for much-needed rest and privacy, the crowds were still following him. They followed him down the bank of the Sea of Galilee because they wanted to hear him speak what he said was very satisfying to them. He says that when he saw the crowds and the fact that they were lost and they were wanting to hear the Word of God, he had compassion. He was moved with compassion for them. It is what he was, and it is what Jesus Christ is today. Christ's compassion is an example for us. Jesus Christ's compassion led to other acts of grace, kindness, and love, including raising people from the dead. We read of an example here in Luke 7 and verse 11. Let's turn to this example, Luke 7, of the raising of a young man from the dead. Luke 7, verse 11, Soon afterwards he went to the town called Naeen, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. And he drew near to the gate of the town, behold a man who had died being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said to her, Do not weep. Then he came up and touched the beer, and the bearer stood still, and he said, Young man, I say to you, arise. And a dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, A great prophet is arisen among us, and God has visited his people. And this report about him spread throughout the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country. But we see he was moved with compassion. And his ministry, where he was the greatest teacher of all time. We take a look at all the things that he taught, but the stories of his life are about so much of what he did for people physically and alleviating suffering. We see that this desire to help people carried on to the New Testament Church, following the ascension of Jesus Christ. People in the early New Testament Church followed the same spirit that Jesus Christ portrayed. One of the main points that I'm bringing out in the sermon is the importance for us to follow the example of compassion that is taught biblically by Jesus Christ, the servant, and also by the examples of others. And this is the story about the famine that was taking place in Judea.

There was a famine. There were people that were suffering in the area of Judea, Jerusalem, and the Apostle Paul was very well aware of this. Of course, he was on tour through Greece and Asia Minor. And so a collection was organized. It took some time. It actually took more than a year. A collection for saints was a humanitarian mission to help the famine-stricken brethren in Judea.

Let's take a look at some of the passages and what is described. First Corinthians 16 and verse 1. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, and these are in Asia Minor, where Turkey is today, so you also are to do. He's writing to the Corinthians.

So I've given orders. I've given instructions to the churches in Galatia, but also I'm giving instructions to you here in Southern Greece to do the same. And here's what I want you to do. On the first day of the week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up as he may prosper. So there will be no collecting when I come. By the time I get there, I'm looking at it all in one place, all the things that you are collecting. And what were they collecting? Well, that clue is given in the 15th chapter of the book of Romans, Romans chapter 15 and verse 25.

Romans 15 verse 25. And now, I am going to Jerusalem, Paul writing, to minister to the saints, to help the church. For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. Macedonia is north in Greece, where Philippi was a major city, and Achaia in the south, where Corinth was a major city. And so we're going to take up a collection for the saints in Jerusalem.

Quite a ways away. But the news was there is that they were suffering. It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For though the Gentiles had been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things. Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, he talks about collecting fruit. Some translations have this as money, as contributions, but the Greek word is the one that says a fruit.

It is unsealed, collected, brought together, this fruit, probably dried fruit, that they collected and put on ships and sent to Jerusalem. There's a big collection from different areas, from north, south, and Turkey, or Asia Minor. This is also described in 2 Corinthians 8. Moreover brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia. He talks about the churches up in Macedonia to the people in Corinth. Here's what he says, pretty clever, and quite an organizer, Paul. Paul was, that in great trial of affliction, the reason he says that is that the Macedonians were a poor church, poor area.

There had been a civil war going on there. It was an economically depressed area. The area of the south was rich. Corinth was a rich area. But he said the people in the north, in a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. He said that these people, even though they were poor, they really stepped up to help the people in Jerusalem.

The churches up north made generous contributions. And sometimes it's the people who are very rather normal, you should say, average, that make some huge contributions. But then he talks to them further in 2 Corinthians, the next chapter, in chapter 9 and verse 1, where he tells them about the people in Macedonia. He says, Now concerning, verse 1, the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you. He says, I bet we shouldn't even be saying this, but let me go on here. For I know your willingness, about which I boast to you to the Macedonians. When I was up north, I told the Macedonians about what a great group of people down south you were, that Achaia was ready a year ago, that you were ready a year ago, and your zeal has stirred up the majority.

It's actually your pledges that have caused the people up north to kind of say, well, we don't want to be left behind. We'd like to help out too. That I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain, in this respect, that as I said, you may be ready. He said, I really want when I get there for you to be ready with that promise that you had made, lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared.

So if I come there, and we have some Macedonians with me, he said, hey, we've already collected. Poor area. And what has the Corinthians done? Not to mention you should be ashamed of this confident boasting. He says, let's not drop the ball here. Therefore, I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time and prepare your generous gift, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation. But this I say, verse 6, that he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. But each one givest he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity, because God loves a cheerful giver.

Have we heard these verses before? We've heard them many, many times in connection with the holiday offerings. But the original story is for the collection for the poor saints, the starving saints in Jerusalem, and Paul's work in collections in southern and northern Greece. How are we following these examples of compassion? First of all, I want to tell all of you, tell the whole church, I want to give kudos for the many who have been just like this.

Our church has been wonderful in helping out poverty within the church. We have helped out those who have gone through hardship by following the examples of Christ, as we've been able to. And I am just very, very thankful for that. I work with that aspect of the church and its outreach to our members and even beyond our members. You've done that. You've done that personally. You've helped people one-on-one in the church and maybe have helped people in your neighborhood, known people who have been sick in your neighborhood and have helped them, because it's part of the nature of Jesus Christ to serve and not just to look away or not to ignore or think that somebody else will do it, but to take that obligation upon yourself.

You've done it through your local congregations. You've done it in your community. You've done it through events like the ABC in their annual charity evening, which has done many things for decades now in helping out people in different parts of the world with a major charity drive in the spring of the year. This last year, we had a major event here at the home office, the Farmers for Families.

People stepped up to this and we delivered hundreds of tons of food to our community. Hundreds of tons of food to the community. My wife and I still have meatballs left over from that. But our people have been very good, and we have had many people that have come through that we've been able to be those who facilitated this kind of aid. Feast of Tabernacles assistance to places around the country. We will have a wonderful Feast of Tabernacles.

We've saved our second tithe. We have parts. We have people around the world that we have helped with supplements for the Feast of Tabernacles so that they can have a little better feast. Most people live in Africa under the poverty level that we would not be surprised and shocked how low they live. But we have provided extra food and special activities for them. Feast of Tabernacles assistance. Through good works and through life nets, we have a history of helping a diversity of people with diverse needs, whether it be health, food security, food helping in famines, which we have.

We've helped with clean water, which is one of our big activities, education and scholarships, helping them find decent places to meet. We've built buildings all around the world, and we've helped with natural disasters. I'd like to commend everyone for doing that. I consider this to be a very important part of our spiritual makeup, following the compassionate spirit and heart of Jesus Christ. Why do we do this?

Because we are compassionate, and we do it for Jesus Christ. Because He told the people in the resurrection, when have we done this for you, Lord? It's when you've helped those people around. That's how we do it for Jesus Christ. We do it to follow the example of Jesus Christ. James 1, verse 27. James 1 and verse 27. To fear an undefiled religion before God and the Father is this. To visit orphans and widows in their trouble.

And to keep oneself unspotted from the world. How simple can you get, as far as you want to try to be a spiritual person, a religious person? Visit orphans and widows, the vulnerable elements in society. To visit them, make sure that they are taken care of. And to keep yourself unspotted from the effects of this world. I mean, that's true religion brought out in one verse. First John chapter 3 and verse 16, which is my favorite verse, dealing with compassionate aid.

First John chapter 3 and verse 16. By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us, and we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world's goods, and sees His brother in need, and shuts up his heart from Him, how does the love of God abide in Him?

I like John 3.16, but I also like 1 John 3.16 and 17. If you have this world's goods, and you don't pay attention to the needs of others, how does the love of God abide in Him? Galatians chapter 6 and verse 7. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, he will also reap. For he sows to his flesh, will of the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the spirit, will of the spirit reap everlasting life.

That's been demonstrated by the resurrection that will take place. It's interesting that when the resurrection takes place, the first questions that will be asked of those who are resurrected, what did you do for your fellow man? Not what you knew, not how good you kept the Sabbath. Those questions are important, but what did you do to alleviate suffering for those who were in prison, those who were hungry, those who were naked, those who were thirsty? What did you do for them?

That's question number one. Let's get this out of the way. And you know why that was asked first? Because we're going to be facing a world that is going to need a lot of that. And we want people on the front lines who are prepared to help out in that way. That's how we're going to be serving in the world tomorrow. We're going to be helping a world that is at disaster level. Let us not grow weary while doing good.

For in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are the household of faith. We have some people that are just that way all the time. And if this could be an encouragement or a way of improvement, it's for maybe those who don't participate as much and can help out.

Let me tell you a story. I've worked with the Chernobyl Children's Fund back in the United Kingdom. I traveled with Dr. Morris Frone to Chernobyl, Cherniv. And he started a foundation called the Chernobyl Children's Fund that was on the board. He went all over the United Kingdom and gave lectures about the foundation.

He raised quite a bit of money. But it was interesting what he said as far as the kind of people that he came across. He said that he spoke to people whether they were in the House of Lords. He said that here's these people who would listen to his lectures and he would tell them about the needs in Ukraine after the Chernobyl explosion.

And they would say, hey, keep up the good work. Hang in there. Do a good job. And they wouldn't give him anything. Then he said that he would go to the Women's Institutes, which is kind of like a group in England.

It's a women's group, grouping. And he said he would go there and talk about the Chernobyl. And these little women would come to him, give him a one-pound note, a five-pound note. This is for the kids. So what's interesting, the kinds of people who help out. Now, I'm sure that there are many, many rich people who help out.

But as you have opportunity and as you are able, and if you have this world's goods, what are you doing? How much of a steward are you in helping out with what you have? Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are the household of faith. But also we're going to talk about other things that we can do, things that cost nothing.

There are many things that you can do that cost absolutely zero. That you can do to serve your fellow man and to serve your brother in the church. We may not all be able to do great and important things. But you know, in the sermonette, it was mentioned by Louis van Ostel, that the person who brings a glass of water for the speaker is just as important as the person who's giving the sermonette. Do you know that we were actually thinking about cutting that out of the sermonette because it didn't sound kind of odd that somebody could bring a glass of water that's as important as the sermonette? But what that person is doing in being helpful, being supportive, and being compassionate with water is just as important as the glowing words of a sermonette. Both are important, but we don't minimize some of the work that's being done by these lesser activities. Do we have a mindset of compassion, of how we can help? Do we take an interest in others? When we come here, do we walk up to people that we haven't talked to yet and ask them a question, how are you? Do we ask about them? Do we talk to them? Or do we start saying hello and then we start talking about ourselves? They talk about themselves, we talk about ourselves. Do we take an interest in others? Do we have a kind word for someone?

A kind word really means a lot to people, rather than shutting up, not saying a word at all, or saying something sarcastic. A kind word is so, so important. Something which energizes and can change a person's entire day. Ask about someone here. You have an opportunity to serve right here, not in doing great marvelous things, but walking up to somebody that you haven't talked to and how are you doing, finding out more about them. Ask them follow-up questions and wanting to have them talk about themselves. Saying thank you and a compliment. Do you compliment people?

Maybe for how they look, for what they've done, for what you've heard about them? Oftentimes we just shut up, we don't do that. And a compliment can truly change a person's day. By having a cheerful and positive disposition, are you a person that brings energy, warmth in a group of people, or are you a person that causes people to be tense around them?

A cheerful and positive disposition is so, so very important, and it's a way that we can serve. It costs absolutely nothing. Being thankful, being appreciative, being complimentary, you must say, those are simple things. Well, one thing that I have learned in working with people, and one consultant told us that the soft stuff is the hard stuff.

Sometimes this soft type of thing is not the easiest to do, but it's important to do. One of the sweetest words that a person can hear is the sound of their own name. You say, hello, mention the person's name. Dale Carnegie knew that in How to Win Friends and Influence People, people who hear their name, somebody who knows their name. Even if you know very well they know your name. If they use it, it sounds sweet. We send cards to people who have been sick, and people who have gone through grief, and we say, oh, more cards to sign, more cards to sign.

But when you talk to the people that receive those cards, they say, we really appreciate getting those cards. As one person told me, I go through those cards over and over again. They give me comfort, knowing that other people in the church have thought about them. Are you encouraging to people? Are you merciful to one another? The everyday kindnesses, so many practice, may never be seen by the public and never be known by the majority of people.

Yet in two funerals that I have just attended, the tributes that were given to the person who had died were tributes of, this person did this, this person said that, this person did these little unknowing things. They are very important. They are not done to broadcast, but they are very important in how you do to change somebody's life.

Isaiah 58, verse 10. I feel that this is a message of caring for people in a devastated world that will be restoring that's important. Isaiah 58, verse 10. If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday. The Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your soul in drought and strengthen your bones. You shall be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not.

Talks about helping people, feeding the hungry, extend yourself to them. This is not just talking about spiritually. If you just do it spiritually, never do it physically, you've not done it at all. You're one who is not acting on faith. Verse 12. Those from among you shall build the old waste places. And that's what we will be doing in the world tomorrow. We're going to be rebuilding a wasteland.

As we look forward to the kingdom of God, we are not coming to a kingdom all prepared for us like a Disneyland, everything in place. We're going to be coming to a wasteland. We'll be coming to Afghanistan, and we are going to be rebuilding it. You shall raise up the foundations of many generations.

You shall be called the repair of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. What a marvelous and powerful story. And the summary of the compassionate mindset of Jesus Christ, who was our soon-coming king, is in Philippians 2. We started reading there at the beginning of the sermon, but I'll give you more of that passage. Philippians 2, starting with verse 1. So if there be any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy, Paul says, by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord, and of one mind.

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.