Equipped to Care:

Learning to Care Learning to Care for Othersfor Others

Why care for others?

What is care/compassion?

Attributes of GodAttributes of God““The distinguishing characteristics of God that set The distinguishing characteristics of God that set Him apart and through which He reveals Himself to Him apart and through which He reveals Himself to mankind.”mankind.” Moody Handbook of TheologyMoody Handbook of Theology

Love- Love- Effects…Effects… Grace- unmerited favor of GodGrace- unmerited favor of God Goodness- benevolent concernGoodness- benevolent concern Patience- long-suffering; slow to angerPatience- long-suffering; slow to anger Mercy/CompassionMercy/Compassion- providing care and - providing care and comfort to hurting/needy peoplecomfort to hurting/needy people

Lamentations 3:21-24 Lamentations 3:21-24

This I recall to my mindThis I recall to my mindTherefore I have hope. Therefore I have hope. The Lord's The Lord's lovingkindnesseslovingkindnesses (chesed) (chesed)indeed never cease,indeed never cease,For His For His compassionscompassions (racham) (racham)never fail. never fail. They are new every morning;They are new every morning;Great is Your faithfulness.Great is Your faithfulness.““The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,Therefore I have hope in Him.Therefore I have hope in Him.

Isaiah 54:10 Isaiah 54:10

"For the mountains may be removed "For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake,and the hills may shake,

But My But My lovingkindnesslovingkindness (chesed) will (chesed) will not be removed from you,not be removed from you,

And My covenant of peace will not be And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,"shaken,"

Says the Lord who has Says the Lord who has compassioncompassion (racham) on you.(racham) on you.

I.I. Compassion ExperiencedCompassion Experienced

Mark 2:17 “…Jesus said to them, “It is not Mark 2:17 “…Jesus said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. I did physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but the not come to call the righteous, but the sinners.”sinners.”

I.I. Compassion ExperiencedCompassion Experienced

Mark 2:17 “…Jesus said to them, “It is not Mark 2:17 “…Jesus said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. I physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but did not come to call the righteous, but the sinners.”the sinners.”

Ephesians 2:4 “But God, being rich in Ephesians 2:4 “But God, being rich in mercymercy, because of His great love with , because of His great love with which he loved us”which he loved us”

I.I. Compassion ExperiencedCompassion Experienced

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 “Blessed be the God 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of the Father of merciesmercies and God of all and God of all comfortcomfort, who , who comfortscomforts us in all our us in all our affliction so that we will be able to affliction so that we will be able to comfortcomfort those who are in any affliction those who are in any affliction with the with the comfortcomfort with which we with which we ourselves are ourselves are comfortedcomforted by God.” by God.”

I.I. Compassion ExperiencedCompassion Experienced

II.II. Compassion ExpressedCompassion Expressed

Six “Snapshots” of JesusSix “Snapshots” of Jesus

Extending CompassionExtending Compassion

Matthew 9:35-38Matthew 9:35-38 Matthew 14:13-16Matthew 14:13-16 Matthew 18:21-35Matthew 18:21-35 Luke 7:13 Luke 7:13 Luke 10:33Luke 10:33 Luke 15:20Luke 15:20

Shepherding Tips from the Shepherding Tips from the

Good ShepherdGood Shepherd

John 21:15-17John 21:15-17 Peter denied Christ 3 x’sPeter denied Christ 3 x’s Christ asks Peter 3 questionsChrist asks Peter 3 questions All refer to Christ’s flock- peopleAll refer to Christ’s flock- people Jesus restores Peter- new JDJesus restores Peter- new JD From fisherman to shepherdFrom fisherman to shepherd

Webster’s Collegiate DictionaryWebster’s Collegiate Dictionarycom•pas•sion\n com•pas•sion\n

[fr. L [fr. L com-com- + + patipati to bear, suffer- patient] to bear, suffer- patient] “sympathetic consciousness of others’ “sympathetic consciousness of others’

distress together with a desire distress together with a desire

to alleviate it”to alleviate it”

Paradigm ShiftParadigm Shift

Whose responsibility is it to care Whose responsibility is it to care for our congregation? Our for our congregation? Our community? Our world?community? Our world?

Two types of change:Two types of change:

1.1.External Fix- band aid; temporalExternal Fix- band aid; temporal

2.2.Internal Change- genuine Internal Change- genuine change of heartchange of heart

Care Ministry IS DiscipleshipCare Ministry IS Discipleship

1.1.Seeing a person work through Seeing a person work through their issue is not the end goaltheir issue is not the end goal

2.2.God wants to bring healing in God wants to bring healing in their lives for the purpose of His their lives for the purpose of His glory as they pour into the lives of glory as they pour into the lives of othersothers

God wants to use us to see God wants to use us to see change take place in the hearts of change take place in the hearts of others. We are the hands and feet others. We are the hands and feet

of Jesus!of Jesus!

Before God can use us, we must Before God can use us, we must allow Him to change our hearts.allow Him to change our hearts.

Psalms for Hurting PeoplePsalms for Hurting People

Psalm 6, 10, 18, 22, 23, 25, 28, 31, Psalm 6, 10, 18, 22, 23, 25, 28, 31, 34, 38, 42, 57, 69, 77, 86, 88, 103, 34, 38, 42, 57, 69, 77, 86, 88, 103,

116, 121, 139, 143, 145116, 121, 139, 143, 145

Applications…Pray for one another (James 5:16) Ask, “How can I pray for you?” Listen, and then pray for them.Love one another (John 15:17)Bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2)Forgive each other (Eph. 4:32)Care for one another (1 Cor. 12:25)Challenge- one act of care/compassion toward someone this week