We're going to start a study on Wednesdays tonight on the mind of Christ and its attributes, its characteristics that the believer is supposed to duplicate. Well, right out of the gate, Sometimes you preach subjects that you really don't feel like you're very qualified for. Somebody else would probably be much more qualified than me. But like I said, this was by a series of lessons by John McDuff in the 1800s. I was just blown away by these. And so I'm coming back. And we'll take a look at these. I don't know. twenty, five, thirty lessons. So let's look at these together and I pray that we will take these to heart. Take these to heart.

Let me read you a quote by Mr. McDuff. He says, the more we study the mind of Christ And the more we are in his company, holding conversations, holding communion with him as our best and dearest friend, the more shall we be transformed into the same image. And it's that reason why I've chosen to have these lessons. It's my desire that we as a body, of believers would be to show more compassion within and without.

So let's look at where we're going to get the main text. It's going to always be this text in Philippians chapter 2 and verse 5. Paul says to the Philippians, let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. And tonight we're going to look at compassion. Compassion.

Turn with me to Mark chapter 8. I'll take you to a few places. Mark chapter 8. And verse 1 and 2. In those days, the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples unto Him and said unto Him, I have compassion. I have compassion.

Mark 8 verses 1 and 2. I have compassion on the multitude, because they have been with Me three days. I don't know why He waited, but whatever He does is right. perhaps to make the miracle more implanted in their minds and in their thoughts, how gracious he was. Because most of the time, if we don't need a physician, we're not going to go. But they've been with him out where he's at for three days, and they have nothing. to eat and if i send them away says christ fasting to their own houses they will faint by the way for divers of them came from far but the verse two i have this is the lord speaking i have compassion on them what a pattern for us to duplicate what a pattern for us to duplicate especially when christ it says very specifically he came into the world he came into his own and they, or we, his own, did not receive him.

There was no beauty, says the scriptures in Isaiah 53, there's no beauty that we should desire him. He still, nevertheless, he came into his own, his own didn't receive him, nevertheless, there it is, the words of Christ, I have compassion on the multitude. It was his delight to visit the sick, Help the downtrodden and save the sinner.

Even the faintest cry, turn with me to Luke chapter 18, the faintest cry arrested his attention. Luke chapter 18. The faintest cry arrested him in his sojourn.

Luke 18 and starting in verse 35. Luke 18 verse 35, And it came to pass, that as Christ was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the wayside, begging. And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth passed by. And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And they which were before him rebuked him, that he should hold his peace, but he cried so much the more, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stopped. He stood. and commanded him to be brought unto him. And when he was come near, Christ asked him, what will you have me that I should do unto you? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, receive thy sight, thy faith has saved you. And immediately he received his sight and followed Christ, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God. Mark chapter one. Now we could go on for quite a while, I'm just going to pick a few of these, but there's a lot here.

Also, a leper's cry for mercy, that lifelong disease that came with uncleanness and exile with its consequences, but he stopped. He stopped. Mark chapter 1 verse 40 and 41. and there came a leopard unto him, Christ, beseeching Christ, kneeling down to Christ, saying unto Christ, if you will, it's your will, it's not my will be done, but it's according to your will, you can make me clean. And Jesus moved with compassion, moved with compassion, put forth his hand and touched him and said unto him, I will be thou clean.

Now this attitude of compassion that led us to have the same mind as Christ. Now this is opposite, you don't have to turn there, but this is opposite of, in James chapter 2, you don't have to turn here, this attitude and kindness is opposite of that which we find in the church, unfortunately. James chapter 2 and verse 16, and if one of you say unto them, Let's see, okay, verse 15. If a brother or sister be naked, destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, depart in peace, be warm and filled, notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needful to the body, what does it profit? That's not the attitude. That's not the right attitude. The attitude is to have compassion.

Now we can't, Christ said, you know, there's gonna be poor always, there's gonna be hungry, there's gonna be these problems, are never gonna go away until this whole thing is wrapped up and done away with. So you can't help everybody, but you know as well as I do, this is an area that we need to duplicate our Lord much more than we do.

What about those blind beggars on the road to Jericho, on the Jericho Highway, pleading for help? That's found in Matthew chapter 20, verse 34. Let's look at that, Matthew 20, verse 31, starting in verse 31 of Matthew 20. And the multitude rebuked them, that they should hold their peace. But they cried out the more, have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. And Jesus stood still and called them and said, what would you that I do unto you? And they said unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. So Jesus had compassion, had compassion on them, touched their eyes, and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

Isn't that what gracious people do? You know, I used to have a thing on a bulletin board by my study desk. It was, don't forget a kindness. When someone does something to you, don't forget that. But this nitpicking stuff, let it go. Let it go. May we be like our master. On and on we could go, chapter after chapter, book upon book. Compassion befits Christ's character, and it should befit our character.

Turn with me to Lamentations chapter 3. Lamentations chapter 3. In verse 22 and 23. What does the Scripture say? It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed because His compassions fail not. Now, us, unlike our Savior, He has the power, the ability, and the compassion, and mercy, and grace to save. We can't save anybody, but we may be able to relieve some burdens, or we may be able to point them to Christ. We'll get to that in just a little bit. It is of the Lord's compassions, his compassions fail not. They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness.

Oh, listener and speaker, does the compassionate and tender actions of a crucified savior do they find lodging in our heart tonight? Now we just hear the message. walk out, and then nothing happens, nothing changes. I don't think we would have to go very far to find someone who is less fortunate than ourselves. And we cannot save or redeem anyone, but we do have the very truth of the grace of God in the gospel.

Can we not speak to sinners like we are? Somebody spoke to us. Somebody spoke to us. Who can tell, perhaps God in his good providence will open the hearts of many who are pressing headlong towards hell. And that's our children too. Keep the scriptures ever before them and be an example before them.

Jesus had compassion. Let me read you a few things from Mr. McDuff. Oh, may we live as dispensers of God's good bounties. May we be dispensers. He says this, property and wealth are talents to be traded on and laid out for the good of others, not selfishly enjoyed. That's our problem. We got too much stuff. We are not only ambassadors for Christ, in Corinthians says that, but we are properly his representatives of him and Christ's glory.

Perhaps we only have a widow's might. She gave it all. We just don't think this way. Not in this country, not in this day and age, we don't think this way. Well, if your back gets against the wall, and you're laying flat up and you can't move, you can't talk, you can't do any of this stuff, then you've got to rely totally on Christ. Well, why not now? Why not now?

Perhaps we only have a widow's mite, or maybe we just have a word in due season. May we share it, may we tell it. And that is his word, this book, this letter of his loving truth to his people. We don't know who his people are. So we tell everybody and have the Lord will do what he will do. Remember, he is able to save. May we make the way plain.

And you can turn there if you want to. You don't have to turn there, but you can write it down. Joshua in chapter 20 and numbers 35 talks about the cities of refuge. Okay? And there were, according to historians, Jewish historians, there were those who were responsible for keeping these roads clear. There were six cities of refuge, and they were strategically placed up on a hill, so if somebody killed somebody, unaware, not on purpose, And the revenger of blood was looking like it may have been his brother. He's like, well, I'm going to kill you. And you just take off. You dropped what you were doing, and you took off to that city of refuge.

Well, there was people that kept those lanes, that kept the trees, that moved stuff out of the way. That's what I'm saying. That's what we can do. We can't save anybody. It's all by God's grace. It's not by works. It's by his blood and righteousness. But we can. Make the way plain. We can clear and remove hindrances. Speak of Him who shed His blood on Calvary's tree. Just speak His blood on Calvary's tree.

And I close with this last word, compassion. Compassion. And Peter says, get there in a minute, Arm yourselves likewise with the same mind. He's perfect. We're not. He wasn't a sinner. We are. That still doesn't give us an excuse to live for ourselves. We ought to desire like Christ. Let this mind that was in Him be in us. And if we have communion and union with Him, He has our heart, he has our affections, he has our mind, he has our love, our gratitude. May we show it. And not necessarily financially, spiritually. A kind word, a kind thought, a phone call.

Let us encourage one another to desire to have the mind of Christ. And next week it's even, It's even more of a struggle. But I wanted to do these, and I hope it helps everybody. Even if it just helps me, then so be it. Bruce, would you close this?