Mat 9:36; Fake It and Make It (Pretend and Transcend).

Class Outline:

Thursday November 14, 2024

 

Main idea: We must have Christ’s compassion for all the outcasts and downcasts. 

 

Application:

Act like you are genuinely moved with compassion for the troubled and downcast in the world since you are told that you must be. 

 

When you act like Christ, you will eventually become like Him. 

 

MAT 9:36

 

Christ had “compassion” - Greek splagchnizomai - have pity, feel sympathy, love, affection, sometimes “heart.” 

 

Sheep without a shepherd. All of us need a shepherd. There are many evil ones; MIC 3:1-5.

 

Our Shepherd is always for us and merciful to us. He also uses others to help lead (shepherd) us. 

 

Christ sends them out to shepherd others, Mat 10 (in pairs; MAR 6:7). We help each other. So Jesus tells us to pray for more workers. 

 

What is compassion? 

 

It is an emotional feeling. Have pity. You don’t make yourself have pity. If you see a downcast person either your heart goes out to them or you’re indifferent. 

 

The verb in MAT 9:36 (compassion) is passive. Jesus received compassion. 

 

If we wait around for it we will likely be waiting a long time. The Scripture will certainly arouse the love, mercy, and compassion of God in you, but it usually doesn’t get you out of the chair. Commandments do that. Commandments and the fear of the Lord. 

 

The compassion of Christ is demanded of you. PHI 2:1-8; COL 3:12-17.  

 

We get the compassion of Christ by giving compassion to others, even if we have to pretend we have it. 

 

This is not fake it till you make it. It is pretend and transcend. 

 

Since it is a feeling, and emotion, it is not something you just do in a mechanical manner. But this is true of all Christian virtues.

 

To be compassionate like Christ you have to pretend or assume you have it and do the things that compassion motivates. 

 

Jesus healed them. We don’t have the power of miracles, but we do have the miracle of Christ’s love and the Holy Spirit indwelling us. 

 

We have the gospel. We have physical ability to comfort with compassion (embrace, touch, facial expression).  

 

We’re not faking because there is a supernatural operation going on within us all the time. Christ and the Holy Spirit indwell us for the very purpose of making real that which we do in obedience to the will of God. 

 

Don’t wait around to discover mercy or tender compassion in yourself. Just know that you have to show it and do so. Tender mercy and compassion were natural to the Lord because of His nature. We have to learn it.

 

These disciples were not mature, but they were sent out anyway.

 

Application:

 

Act like you are genuinely moved with compassion for the troubled and downcast in the world since you are told that you must be. 

 

When you act like Christ, you will eventually become like Him. 

 

Take it with you:

 

Over the next few weeks, leading up to Christmas, smile at people, reach out to them, seek what they are interested in, seek out their concerns and do not tell them any of your own. Do this from today until Christmas, set a reminder for yourself each morning, and see if there is any difference in your own life.