![\"Compassion](\"http:\/\/www.all-creatures.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/lambleft.jpg\")
<\/a>A Sermon Delivered to
\nThe Compassion Internet Church<\/p>\n
11 May 2014<\/p>\n
Frank L. Hoffman, Pastor<\/p>\n
Scripture References:<\/p>\n
Exodus 2:6
\nPsalm 23:1-6
\nJonah 4:11
\nMatthew 7:13-14
\nMatthew 23:37
\nJohn 10:1\u201310
\nActs 2:42-47
\nRomans 8:20-22<\/p>\n
This is the fourth Sunday in Easter, and it is also Mother\u2019s Day in the United States, and both days should give us a sense of true compassion for our children and all creation.<\/p>\n
In Exodus 2:6 we are given an example of this compassion for our children and the children all over the world.<\/p>\n
6. And she [Pharaoh\u2019s daughter] opened it, and saw the child [Moses]: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews’ children.
\nASV<\/p>\n
Before making any comments about this Exodus passage, let\u2019s take a look at Romans 8:20-22\u2026<\/p>\n
20. For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope<\/p>\n
21. that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.<\/p>\n
Pharaoh was the one who subjected the Hebrew people to slavery and corruption and ordered the male babies to be killed, just as our society has subjected most animals to a life of slavery and misery, and kills over 100 billion of them every year.<\/p>\n
However, it was Pharaoh\u2019s daughter who had compassion for one of the Hebrew babies, and her father permitted her to do so.<\/p>\n
22. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
\nNASB<\/p>\n
This Romans passage confirms God\u2019s creation and heavenly intent, which He also expressed to the reluctant prophet Jonah when he didn\u2019t want to have Nineveh forgiven.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s take a look at Jonah 4:11\u2026<\/p>\n
11. “And should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?”
\nNASB<\/p>\n
The people who don\u2019t know the difference between their right and left hands sounds a lot like little children and perhaps some people who are mentally deficient, but in either case it expresses God\u2019s compassion for His Children, which is an example of us having compassion for our children.<\/p>\n
And God goes even further, and extends His compassion for all the animals of Nineveh which is an example for us to have compassion for our children and all creation.<\/p>\n
In Matthew 23:37, Jesus gives us another example of having no limits to our compassion.<\/p>\n
37. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.
\nNASB<\/p>\n
Jesus uses the example of a hen having compassion for her children to express the compassion Jesus had for the people of Jerusalem, even when He knew that many of them wanted to kill Him.<\/p>\n
We are to have no limits on our compassion; we are to have compassion for our children and all creation.<\/p>\n
In Psalm 23:1-6, David writes about God\u2019s compassion for His children who have to face the evils of this world, but as we read this, let\u2019s apply this message to our own society and what we are to do to express our compassion for our children and all creation.<\/p>\n
1. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.<\/p>\n
2. He makes me lie down in green pastures;
\nHe leads me beside quiet waters.<\/p>\n
3. He restores my soul;
\nHe guides me in the paths of righteousness
\nFor His name’s sake.<\/p>\n
Isn\u2019t God\u2019s love really an expression of the same kind of love and compassion for our children and all creation that each and every one of us should have?<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s continue with the Psalm\u2026<\/p>\n
4. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
\nI fear no evil; for Thou art with me;
\nThy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.<\/p>\n
The valley of the shadow of death is to us this evil and corrupt world\u2019s influence over all creation.<\/p>\n
And when we consider the plight of the animals, the shadow of death is a cloud of pending doom from which very few \u201cfood animals\u201d ever escape, totally unlike the way the psalmist expresses God\u2019s care and protection.<\/p>\n
5. Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
\nThou hast anointed my head with oil;
\nMy cup overflows.<\/p>\n
6. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
\nAnd I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
\nNASB<\/p>\n
In our present time, the only goodness and lovingkindness that exploited animals experience is following their death when they come to dwell in the house of the Lord forever.<\/p>\n
All this suffering and death is caused by our fellow human beings who follow the ways of this corrupt world.<\/p>\n
It is not caused by God.<\/p>\n
The people who do these kinds of evil things have no true compassion for our children and all creation.<\/p>\n
In John 10:1-11, Jesus describes the difference between true believers who follow the will of our heavenly Father and do no harm to any part of creation, and those who further corrupt the world.<\/p>\n
The other thing we need to keep in mind as we look at this passage is that the sheep represent the true believers as well as animals.<\/p>\n
1. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber.<\/p>\n
Many of the people who do these things actually claim to be believers, but their belief bears no fruit, because they have had no spiritual change; instead they continue in the worldly ways of their former lifestyle.<\/p>\n
2. “But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep.<\/p>\n
3. “To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.<\/p>\n
4. “When he puts forth all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.<\/p>\n
5. “And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”<\/p>\n
The voice of one who speaks in the heavenly will of God speaks with love and compassion for our children and all creation, but those who speak in worldly terms, such as mentioning the dead animals and by-products that they enjoy eating, live in the ungodly ways of this world.<\/p>\n
6. This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them.<\/p>\n
7. Jesus therefore said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.<\/p>\n
8. “All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.<\/p>\n
9. “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.<\/p>\n
Those who enter through Jesus are the true peacemakers who live in the heavenly will of God, and do everything in their power to free creation from its present corruption.<\/p>\n
These are the ones who have true compassion for our children and all creation.<\/p>\n
10. “The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.
\nNASB<\/p>\n
We hope and pray that we all can see the difference between these two kinds of people, and if we look at them and their lifestyle, particularly in the way that animals would perceive them and their actions, we can easily discern who falls into which category.<\/p>\n
This also highlights one of the major problems in most churches today, for they bring death and destruction into their churches in the forms of animals they eat at their dinners and the animal skins they wear, just as the priests did in the Temple.<\/p>\n
They are not following the peaceful teachings of Jesus.<\/p>\n
They do not have compassion for our children and all creation, as we all are supposed to have.<\/p>\n
With this in mind, let\u2019s take a look at Acts 2:42-47\u2026<\/p>\n
42. And they [the true believers and followers of Jesus] were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.<\/p>\n
43. And everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.<\/p>\n
44. And all those who had believed were together, and had all things in common;<\/p>\n
45. and they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.<\/p>\n
We may not be living in a communal society as they were then, but we can use our resources as loving and compassionate peacemaking children of God to help end the corruption of creation in every way we can.<\/p>\n
This is what following the teachings of Jesus is all about.<\/p>\n
This is what living in the heavenly will of God is all about.<\/p>\n
46. And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,<\/p>\n
47. praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.
\nNASB<\/p>\n
Many of the people in our corrupt churches are also praising God, but they are not following the compassionate teachings of Jesus and living in the heavenly will of God where there is no longer any pain, suffering, or death.<\/p>\n
And if we look upon this corrupt and evil world, we can also see that followers of the ways of the world also seem to be increasing in number.<\/p>\n
Isn\u2019t this what we are told in Matthew 7:13-14?<\/p>\n
13. “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it.<\/p>\n
14. “For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it.
\nNASB<\/p>\n
We are to be among the few who find and enter by the narrow way and gate.<\/p>\n
We are to reject the ungodly ways of this world, and live as peacemaking children of God who help free creation from its present corruption.<\/p>\n
We are to be the ones who have compassion for our children and all creation.<\/p>\n
Amen.<\/p>\n
See all of our other sermons:\u00a0 http:\/\/all-creatures.org\/sermons.html<\/a><\/p>\n
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