How are you? How is your week going?

Today, I attended Aurora’s Community of Faith meeting. Each time I go, I am humbled and amazed. There are so many people sacrificing much time and energy to serve the community in some way.

It was a great reminder of our calling as Christ-followers and a great reminder of this past Sunday’s sermon on the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

“But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.” -Luke 10:33

Compassion does not just pass by on the other side. Compassion does not just share a gospel tract and walk away. Compassion does not only speak words.

Compassion moves toward the broken and the hurting. Compassion mercifully serves the hungry and the naked. Compassion loves at a cost to the self.

The Good Samaritan embodied this compassion. We are called to this kind of compassion. This compassion describes the compassion of God.

The people of God are marked by the mercy of God. Have we been merciful this week? Have we had a heart of compassion for the broken this week? In our community and in our nation, there are people who cannot help themselves. We are called to minister to them.

How can we do this? It’s because God embodied this compassion in the person of His Son. God did not pass by on the other side. God did not just share His words. God moved toward us who are broken and hungry. He served us first.

He loved us at a cost to Himself. It was at the ultimate cost. Jesus Christ, God the Son, was crucified for our sins. We were the ones in need who could not help ourselves. He was the One who came and helped us by saving us.

This is how we can be merciful. This is how we can show compassion. This is how we proclaim the gospel in both word and deed. It’s because we have received mercy… the mercy and love of God that overflow through our lives.

People of God, may you be marked by the mercy of God this week and forevermore.

See you at Lord’s Day Worship. Come out to the last September Topical Study on Mercy!

Prepare your hearts. Pray for one another.

In Christ,
Pastor Tim

Image source: netivist.org