Compassionate Christ

In the Gospels we learn that Jesus loved the sinful man and woman. Jesus accepted, embraced and blessed them right where they were. He literally got close enough to really show love to them! Yes, that means Jesus was much bigger and more powerful than whatever the "sin of the day" was! He didn't allow other's sins to stop Him from his mission of mercy. (John 3:16) Why else would he willingly mingle with the "bad crowd" or the "unclean?" Friends when we seek to be more like Christ, may we also remember to take on His big picture thinking! What do I mean? I want to see past the sin, into the broken and dark heart of the sinner, to allow God's love and light to shine through me to illuminate and emancipate the shackled soul! That glimpse of His light, to a darkened soul, is the hope that changes hearts! Yet, I'm afraid many of us live in our safety bubbles of influence. We don't want anything to do with the lowly, unlovely, cast -outs or sinners. We get so angry when we see the blatant disregard of God's Word and standards in this culture, that we actually hope and pray He will just come back in a hurry to rescue us! Yet, it isn't us that needs rescued is it? It's the dying, lost, and depraved we should be trying to rescue through Christ, before it's too late! Friends, when we see a soul surrendered and enslaved to a pattern of sin, what response do we have? Do we generally point a finger, walk the other way, or shake our head in disgust? That has to change in us! Christ's example teaches us that Jesus actually reaches his hand out to the sinner! Think about it, He embraces the Leper, show grace to the adulterer, and even heals the soldiers ear who Peter cut when they arrested Jesus and were taking him away to be crucified. Why? He loves us wholly and completely, and sees our sin as a "cancer" , a disease, an infirmity that is stealing from us! Ready for the the best part? He is the physician that heals the cancer and infirmity! He is there to bring deliverance! Now imagine if you were an Oncologist and you went to a country on a missionary trip, would you look the other way and turn your head in disgust if you came in contact with a person suffering with cancer? Certainly not! You would embrace him and talk with him and try to help heal him, right? Tonight in this fallen world, there are many people who have embraced a wicked lifestyle. They have willingly turned away from the truth for a hedonistic lie, and now are trying to legitimize and even moralize their sinfulness! It is not only blasphemy, it is detestable before God. Yet, we know He is the unequivocal final authority, higher than the highest authority , and His compassion and mercy should never be underestimated! God loves the sinner and grieves over their sinfulness! There should be a compassion that stirs inside us when we see those children of His ensnared in sin. The compassion should compel us to embrace them with the love of Christ, and share with them our own testimony of the new liberty that comes from accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Thanks for letting me share, Randy Young