Opening
Prayer
We have read about the persecution of
Christians in the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere. We also read of the kidnapping of about 200
Christians in Syria by ISIS. In light of
all these events, Dr. Tiong started with a prayer for all persecuted Christians
in all these places.
FBC
Mission
One part of this mission statement talks
about compassion for the marginalized and unreached in Sarawak. It is this part that Dr. Tiong’s sermon will
cover.
Profile
of compassionate heart
In FBC profile of a disciple, there is also
a section on how to have a compassionate heart.
Dr. Tiong expressed that personally he also
needed help in this area and said he may not be the right person to share on
this subject. He felt that he also
needed help in showing compassion to others.
He said he is also a learner. Our
world is not a compassionate one, e.g people are cruel, there are injustice
everywhere and many are taken advantage of.
In the Bible we are asked to be salt and light to the world. At times Dr. Tiong wondered how this should
be done. He said thankfully FBC is known
in the Christian circle to be a Church with compassion. He thanked all Brothers and Sisters for doing
their part.
Compassion
Compassion is to be moved inwardly, to feel
inwardly so as to understand the others.
Compassion in Greek is splagchnizomai.
If we look into the Scripture there
passages calling us to be compassionate, to love others, and to be sympathetic
to others. These seem to be the major
themes of the Scrpiture. There are
several thousand verses about being marginalized. In the first three Gospel, 10 % of the verses
talked about the poor. In the Gospel of Luke, one in seven of it talks about
the poor.
The
Central theme of the Gospel
Matthew
22:37-39
37
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your
soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
It is a command to be compassionate. However, it is easier said than done.
We are to look after those who are in
need. If we ignore those who are needy
we are ignoring God as it is His command that we do so.
Who are the people in God’s heart?
There are two groups of people.
Group 1
The sick, needy, poor, orphans, and widows.
There are many stories in the Bible
covering what Jesus and His disciples did for these people.
John chapter 4 – The story of the Samaritan
woman Jesus spoke to. The Samaritans
were hated by the Jews, yet Jesus showed her love and compassion.
Matthew 15 – Jesus feeding the four
thousand people. He showed compassion to
them as they were hungry.
Mark 1:40-42 – The story of the leper who
asked to be healed. Jesus showed
compassion for him and healed him.
Acts 3:6 – How Peter healed the crippled.
Group 2
The second group are people who are lost
and they are drawn away from Christ.
The Great Commission gives us motivation to
share the Gospel with these people.
Galatians
6:10
10
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to
those who belong to the family of believers.
Our
Response
How should we response to the call to be
compassionate?
Pray
We are to pray for ourselves especially
that our hearts to be soften to obey God’s command to be compassionate to the
less fortunate and needy. That our
hearts be tender to help these people.
Be
Involved
We do not have to create any new ministry
to get involved. There are already so
many ministries that we can be involved.
E.g World Vision, World Outreach, Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity,
Breakthrough Ministry, Hope Place, SMILE, Prison ministry and children work in
Sanggau. Dr.Tiong is glad that our
church members are already involved in some of these ministry.
We help others in turn our hearts are changed.
But involvement may cause us our time,
inconvenience, disappointment etc. We
have to bear the cost. When we help
others we are like holding their hands.
The outcome is not that important but that we have extended our help to
these people.
We are not to wait until we are perfect to
help others. Even if we are imperfect in
some ways we can help others.
Dr.Tiong said Pastor Malcolm has been
asking him to share about the work in hospice. But he felt that the subject may
not be interesting to people and may even be “morbid”. However, he share stories of what he heard
from hospice worker when attending a hospice seminar.
Terminal
Cancer Young Woman
A young woman had breast cancer, and she
had her chemo done, however it seemed that these chemos did not work. She being a loving mother wanted to walk her
son to school as she used to when she was well.
Knowing her time is limited she took time to walk her son to
school. After several trip her son told
her mother that he did not want her to walk him to school any more. His mother asked him why. He said his friends told him his mother
looked like a ghost. (result of medical treatment). How do one response to such situation and
question?
Mother
of Six children with breast cancer
Dr.Tiong now thanked his Life Group members
for helping in this case. A young woman
with six children had breast cancer. Her
husband left her with three children, the others he took them away. She and her children lived in a run-down
place belonging to her relative.
Everything was dirty. Her cancer
got worst and one can see her bones through the whole in her body. Dr.Tiong’s LG members took turn on
alternative day to dress her wounds and make her family more comfortable. A lawyer brother helped with her will. Breakthrough Ministry helped to repair her
kitchen so that it can be used. After
looking after her for two years she passed away.
These stories really make us appreciate
life. There are so many who are less
fortunate than us other there.
John
13:35
35 By
this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
The
Story of the Star fish
This story is usually used by Alpha to
illustrate about sharing the Gospel with others. Actually this story was created by a
businessman who was burnt out. In any
case, the story is that there may be thousands of dying star fishes on the
beach, the ones that were thrown into the sea will survive. No matter that there are only a few survivals
but yet they do survive. The story is
the same for us, there are so many needy people out there and it is impossible
to help all of them, but if we reach out to help the few we are already helping
these people.
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