Introduction Today's session is all about compassion. The compassion of Jesus was described by the gospel writers on a number of occasions. The apostle Paul writes (in 2 Corinthians Ch 1 v 3-4) “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God”. This reminds us that our call to be witnesses for Jesus comes within a wider call, which is to share the compassionate love God has for people. We have looked at prayer and now we will look at how caring for others can demonstrate God's love. Our desire to share Jesus with people comes from our love for them because their greatest need is for salvation.
Breakout room - Questions
How has everyone’s week been?
How did you get on praying for 5 people each day?( Celebrate this achievement)
Are you there any signs of God answering your prayers for people?
Are there any other stories of God using you in mission?
Bible reading 2 Corinthians 5: v 14-21. The work of mission is a ministry of love and compassion. Paul says that his work comes from Christ’s love motivating him, and he then presents it as a work of reconciliation - us being used to repair the broken relationship between people and God. We can do this because we have come to know God's love for us. We are brand new people and each of us has a story to tell of how Jeus has transformed our lives. He calls us ambassadors of Christ, this is why what we are talking about is so important. What does an ambassador do? What does this communicate about our role on behalf of God's kingdom in this world?
No matter what else we might say about ourselves in our different roles, this is what the bible says our title is - an ambassador of Jesus Christ.
Read Luke 15: v 1-10. What does this teach us about God and how he feels towards people who don’t know him? (His desire, value and compassion for people who are lost). His active response in looking for those who are lost? What does it mean that people are lost? ( Not knowing God, living each day without knowing God’s love, that they are lost spiritually in life and in danger of being lost eternally when they die). When we care about something that we lose, we are active in searching. What does this say about how we should approach our desire for people to come to Jesus?
Breakout rooms - Questions
How do you need to respond?
Do you share God’s heart for lost people?
Do you care that people are living separated from God’s love?
In Luke 10, Jesus talks about healing those who are sick. He didn't just speak about the kingdom, he showed God’s love in action. Our sharing of Jesus with others must come from a genuine love for them. What do you know about the 5 people you have started to pray for? Do you know how they take their tea / coffee? What about their families? How much do you know about their lives before you came to know them? What do they care about and love to do?
Pick one of your people and write down everything you know about them and their lives including what needs they have that you would help meet in order to show God's love to them?
If we love someone, we are interested in them and we are interested in what matters to them. A key sign of our love is how we respond to people when they have a need. Here are three missional practices that connect with this theme of compassion.
Seek to bless. God loved the world so much that he gave his only son. Generosity is a sign of God's presence in us. When you are praying for your 5 people, you could ask God for ideas of how you can bless them - a card, a home baked cake, some words of affirmation and encouragement, going for a walk with them. Ask God for an idea and take a risk and do it and pray that God will use it and open their hearts to him as you do this and with his love for them.
Respond to need sacrificially. Going the extra mile for someone reflects how God loves us and can deepen our relationship with them. See their need as an opportunity to show your love and care for them.
Praying for others. When we hear someone share a need that we can't actually do anything about practically, we can offer to pray for them.
Breakout rooms - Discuss how we are to demonstrate to someone they are significant to us is a way we can really bless them. Ask each member to prepare a text / message to one of the 5 people you are praying for, saying you're thinking of them, offering to help them with something or just asking them how they are and if there's anything that you could pray for them? Pray in your groups as you prepare to send the messages and for God to prepare their hearts to receive it.
Has anybody prayed for someone outside of a church context? When someone has a need you can say you will pray for them. Praying for someone at that moment can also be important. If the prayer is answered in the way they desired the person connects it to your prayer and they begin to realise God is at work in their life. God often shows up and they become aware of his presence and they begin to ask about what happened. We are demonstrating a relationship with God - a real relationship not just religion ( a club / hobby). We get to see their reaction and that may help us see how open they are to God.
Takeaway in the week 8:40pm-8:45pm ( not homework but tools to help them grow deeper in their relationship with God)
Sending your (text) messages / make a plan about how you will seek to bless / serve or pray for someone on your 5 friends list.
For us to be accountable with each other, maybe a person from your homegroup or another Christian friend whom you will share with them how you are going to do this and for them to pray this with you.