Yesterday we saw Jesus saying the way we treat a hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, or imprisoned person says something about our desire to join his kingdom. What is the consequence of this story?
The story makes it clear that Jesus’ kingdom is based on generous sacrifice. Our motivation for compassion and care is not to be someone else noticing, or that we’ll get thanked, paid back or will otherwise benefit. It’s not even entirely about the other person’s benefit.
It’s simply the right thing to do, and it’s the overflow of a relationship with God in Jesus.
The deck-building neighbour I described on Monday was also married to a great neighbour. She was a nurse, and one day she came over to check on my wife, who’d fallen asleep laying on the grass resting from gardening. This was part of that nurse’s vocation, it’s not just a job to help people in need, it’s actually part of who she is, and what she is called to do.
Christians have the same kind of vocation to love our neighbours, with friendship, words, and also our actions not because there’s something in it for us, but because it is who we are as citizens of the kingdom of God.
Sometimes this isn’t as easy as checking on a friendly neighbour – not everyone finds visiting prisoners easy, it can be scary. Serving the thirsty can mean travelling places we’d rather not see. Helping those with no clothes can be awkward!
But this is how Jesus challenges us to dispay kingdomliness. He calls us to overcome our fears, prejudices, anxiety for the sake of his kingdom and its values.
Q: List the six needs Jesus wants his followers to meet:
- The hungry
- The thirsty
- The stranger
- The naked
- The sick
- The imprisoned.
Who do you naturally have the most compassion for? Who do you find most challenging to show compassion for? Why?
Remember, we meet for coffee every Wednesday night at Starbucks in the Chapters Store in Ajax, in Durham Region just East of Toronto. Maybe we’ll see you there?
Loading Content...
Share a Link to this Message
The link has been copied to your clipboard; paste it anywhere you would like to share it.
CloseRyan Sim - July 19, 2013
Friday - Reflect - Originality
We'll reflect and pray on this week's topic of Jesus' originality and authority in his teaching.
Related Topics: Authority, Jesus, Originality, Teaching | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio
From Series: "Sermon on the Mount"
More Messages From Ryan Sim...
Thursday - Act On It - Disappointment | April 10, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Disappointment | April 9, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Disappointment | April 8, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Disappointment | April 7, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Reset Death | April 4, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset Death | April 3, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset Death | April 2, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset Death | April 1, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset Death | March 31, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Reset: Society | March 28, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset Society | March 27, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset Society | March 26, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset Society | March 25, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset Society | March 24, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Reset: Nature | March 21, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset: Nature | March 20, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset Nature | March 19, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset Nature | March 18, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset Nature | March 17, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Reset: Compassion | March 14, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset Compassion | March 13, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset Compassion | March 12, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset Compassion | March 11, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset Compassion | March 10, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset Family | March 6, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset Family | March 5, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset Family | March 4, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset Family | March 3, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Reset Sex and Marriage | February 28, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Sex and Marriage | February 27, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset Sex and Marriage | February 26, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset Sex and Marriage | February 25, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset Sex and Marriage | February 24, 2014 | Sex Is | Watch | Listen | |
Friday - Reflect - Reset Body and Food | February 21, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset Body and Food | February 20, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset Body and Food | February 19, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset Body and Food | February 18, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset Body and Food | February 17, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Reset: Work | February 14, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset Work | February 13, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset Work | February 12, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset Work | February 11, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset Work | February 10, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Reset: Money | February 7, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Reset Family | February 7, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset: Money | February 6, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset: Money | February 5, 2014 | O'Leary | Watch | Listen | |
Tuesday - Study It - Reset: Money | February 4, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset: Money | February 3, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Reset Time | January 31, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset Time | January 30, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset Time | January 29, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset Time | January 28, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset Time | January 27, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Reset: Goals | January 24, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset: Goals | January 23, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset: Goals | January 22, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset: Goals | January 21, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset: Goals | January 20, 2014 | TED Talk | Watch | Listen | |
Friday - Reflect - Reset | January 17, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Reset | January 16, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Reset | January 15, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Reset | January 14, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Reset | January 13, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Best of 2013 | January 10, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Best of 2013 | January 9, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Best of 2013 | January 8, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Best of 2013 | January 7, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - Best of 2013 | January 6, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - The Night that Changed The Wise | January 3, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - The Night That Changed the Wise | January 2, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - The Night That Changed the Wise | January 1, 2014 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - The Night That Changed the Wise | December 31, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - The Night That Changed the Wise | December 30, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - The Night that Changed You | December 27, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - The Night That Changed You | December 26, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - The Night That Changed You | December 25, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - The Night That Changed You | December 24, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - The Night That Changed You | December 23, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Study It - The Night That Changed the Poor | December 20, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - The Night That Changed the Poor | December 19, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - The Night That Changed the Poor | December 18, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - The Night That Changed the Poor | December 17, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - The Night That Changed the Poor | December 16, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - The Night That Changed the Powerful | December 13, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - The Night That Changed the Powerful | December 12, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - The Night That Changed the Powerful | December 11, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - The Night That Changed the Powerful | December 10, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - The Night That Changed the Powerful | December 9, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - The Night that Changed the Religious | December 6, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - The Night That Changed The Religious | December 5, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - The Night That Changed The Religious | December 4, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - The Night That Changed The Religious | December 3, 2013 | TED Talk | Watch | Listen | |
Monday - A New Idea - The Night That Changed The Religious | December 2, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Generosity in Resources | November 29, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Generosity in Resources | November 28, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Generosity in Resources | November 27, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Generosity - in Resources | November 26, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Generosity - in Resources | November 25, 2013 | Extra | Watch | Listen | |
Friday - Reflect - Grace in Lifestyle | November 22, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Grace - in Lifestyle | November 21, 2013 | 10 Comms | Watch | Listen | |
Wednesday - Change It - Grace - in Lifestyle | November 20, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Grace - in Lifestyle | November 19, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Grace - in Lifestyle | November 18, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - God in Worship | November 15, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - God in Worship | November 14, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - God in Worship | November 13, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - God in Worship | November 12, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - God in Worship | November 11, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Groups in Community | November 8, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Groups - in Community | November 7, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Groups - in Community | November 6, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Groups - in Community | November 5, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Groups - in Community | November 4, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Growth in Discipleship | November 1, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Thursday - Act On It - Growth - in Discipleship | October 31, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Wednesday - Change It - Growth - in Discipleship | October 30, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Tuesday - Study It - Growth - in Discipleship | October 29, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Monday - A New Idea - Growth - in Discipleship | October 28, 2013 | Watch | Listen | ||
Friday - Reflect - Becoming Like Family | October 25, 2013 | Watch | Listen |