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This is the audio from the February 4, 2024 sermon, “Immeasurably More Compassion: A Time To CARE!”, shared by Tom Lemler at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

Text: 1 Peter 3:8-17

This morning’s message continued a sermon series designed to help us look at some of the immeasurably more God desires to do in us, through us, and for us.  Often when we think about immeasurably more, it focuses on what we want to receive.  God, on the other hand, is more concerned about what He will do to make the good news of the kingdom grow.  So far we have looked at the immeasurably more that God wants to do in our prayer life, in the way we love, in our serving, and in our giving.  Today we gazed into God’s Word to consider the immeasurably more compassion He has toward us and that He desire for us to have toward others.  Compassion is one of those traits that we are often more comfortable in receiving than giving.  We want someone who is willing to suffer with us — not in the sense of a pity party, but in a way that provides companionship and help.  Not only did Jesus join in the suffering of individuals as He walked this earth, He joined in our suffering as He went to the cross to become payment for our sins.  We reflect the immeasurably more compassion of God when we choose now as a time to . . .

• Comfort: — 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

  • When we choose to enter into the sufferings of others in order to be with them, we model the actions of Jesus who entered into this world as “God with us”.  As a people who deserved to be condemned, we should find comfort in a God who came to save.  It is through this comfort that we receive from Christ that we not only are told to comfort others, but we are given the ability to do so.  When we choose to care for people with immeasurably more compassion, we find ourselves equipped by God’s Spirit to be instruments of His comfort.

• Appreciate: — Romans 15:7

  • When we choose to enter into the sufferings of others in order to be with them, we find the importance of accepting one another in ways that show appreciation and value.  To accept others just as Christ has accepted us doesn’t mean we ignore or overlook sin, but rather we value people for who they are as one created in the image of God and we desire to see the work of God transform each person into the fullness of that image.  When we choose to care for people with immeasurably more compassion, we learn to appreciate the people around us in ways that lets them know the great value they have.

• Restore: — Galatians 6:1-2

  • When we choose to enter into the sufferings of others in order to be with them, we understand the need for each of us to be restored in every way possible.  God warns us to be careful in this process so that we don’t get caught up in the sins of others, but the reward of seeing a person restored to Christ and to the fellowship of believers is a great thing.  The compassion to restore isn’t an us versus them thing as we all sin and need to experience the full restoration that only God can accomplish.  When we choose to care for people with immeasurably more compassion, we live as those who have been restored to restore others.

• Embrace: — Luke 15:20

  • When we choose to enter into the sufferings of others in order to be with them, we find ways to embrace one another in a manner that brings healing.  The culmination of our learning to be with others in ways that comfort, appreciate, and restore will be an embrace of belonging whether that takes place in the form of a physical hug or something that gives the same result.  When we choose to care for people with immeasurably more compassion, we find ways to embrace them with the love of God that never fails.

Today, how will the compassion God calls you to lead you to CARE?