Summary: The ONLY way we can be persons of compassion is to first become Disciples, true followers of Jesus Christ. That is, to be Christ-like in both heart and mind.

BEING LIKE MINDED

Scripture: Luke 22:39-46

Big Idea: The ONLY way we can be persons of compassion is to first become Disciples, true followers of Jesus Christ. That is, to be Christ-like in both heart and mind.

I. Introduction:

QUESTION: DO YOU EVER WONDER WHAT LIFE WOULD BE LIKE IF YOU HAD THE SAME ATTITUDE AND PASSION AS CHRIST?

QUESTION: Do you want to know how you can?

QUESTION: Are you willing to do what it takes no matter the cost?

READ LUKE 22:39-46 HERE

Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

45When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46“Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”

A. Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane

• Word of instruction to the disciples: Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”

• Submit to god saying: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

Out of submission comes strength.

Our problem:

We lack power because we:

• sleep when we ought to pray.

• We pray for OUR WILL rather than God’s.

QUOTE: “Prayer doesn’t get man’s will done in heaven; it gets God’s will done on earth” Ronald Dunn

BIG IDEA: The ONLY way we can be persons of compassion is to first become Disciples, true followers of Jesus Christ. That is, to be Christ-like in both heart and mind.

II. A PERSON WITH A PASSION FOR JESUS IS A PERSON OF COMPASSION

A. A FORMULA to have a passion for Jesus

1. WORSHIP (fold hands)

2. LOVE (Hand on heart)

3. THINK (Finder on forehead)

4. TALK (Finger at mouth)

5. LIVE (Hands outstretched)

QUOTE: H.V. ADOLF once said, “We are all manufactures in a way, making good, making trouble, or making excuses.

FORMULA

1. WORSHIP (FOLD HANDS)

READ PSALM 95:6 Oh, Come, Let us Worship and Bow Down; Let us kneel before the Lord our God our Maker.

A. ACKNOWLEDGE / ACTION ~ recognize Jesus is lord.

B. OBEDIENCE ~

QUOTE: THE REASON SOME PEOPLE DO NOT RECOGNIZE OPPORTUNITY IS BECAUSE IT OFTEN IS DISGUISED AS HARD WORK.

QUOTE: “SUCCESS IS SWEET, BUT ITS SECRET IS SWEAT.”

C. LIFE STYLE ~ WORSHIP God in SPIRIT AND TRUTH: Action of Worship, bowing down, kneeling before…

D. CREATOR ~ In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).

2. LOVE (HAND ON HEART)

A. “THE WORLD WILL NOT CARE WHAT WE KNOW UNTIL THEY KNOW WE CARE.”

QUOTE: Dave Wilkerson put love this way, “Love is not only something you feel. It is something you do.

John 3:16 is the greatest example of love as an action. For it says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

B. Ephesians 3:14 -20 says, For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

1. BOW OUR KNEES before God acknowledging God’s glory.

2. Strengthened with might through the spirit in the inner man.

3. Being rooted and Grounded in Love ~ to know how wide, long, deep and high is the love of Christ.

C. When we know the love of God, we then can do MATTHEW 22:37 – 40, saying, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39

D. OUT OF THE FIRST COMES: And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

LOVE MUST EXPRESS ITSELF DAILY AS JESUS CHRIST DOES FOR US.

F. Ephesians 4:1-7 says, WALK WORTHY OF THE CALLING

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

7But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

Again, the world will not care what we know until they know we care.

3. THINK (FINGER TO FOREHEAD)

WE MUST THINK JESUS!!!

I Peter 4:1 we must arm ourselves also with the same mind as Christ.

Philippians 2:1-5, If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

4. TALK JESUS (FINGER AT MOUTH)

CONFESS JESUS AS LORD.

Psalms 71:24 My Tongue also shall talk of your righteousness all the day long;[CONFESS].

For they are confounded

Speak truth, no once can deny Jesus.

For they are brought to shame, Thw word will convict of sin and righteousness.

QUOTE: REMEMBER: SOME SECRETS ARE WORTH KEEPING, TIHERS ARE TOO GOOD TO KEEP.

6. LIVE JESUS (HANDS OUTSTRETCHED)

CHRIST’S PERFECT LIFE WAS THE PERFECT MANIFESTATION OF HUMAN LIFE AS GOD INTENDED IT.

BE CHRIST-LIKE –

BE SALT TO THE WORLD. MATTHEW 5:13-16 SAYS, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

14“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

BE LIGHT TO THIS WORLD.

ILLUSTRATION: Casting a play: an announcement about a school play in Memphis read: all of the cast will be played by members of the 8th grade, except the baby Jesus, who will be played by a concealed light bulb.

The Christians Philosophy is “I LIVE TO GIVE.” Matthew 5:44 says, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use and persecute you.”

QUOTE: “The Christian life is saturated by giving.”

QUOTE: “God did not save us to be a sensation, he saved us to be a servant.

CONCLUSION: A PERSON WITH A PASSION FOR JESUS IS A PESON OF COMPASSION.

REMEMBER:

• WORSHIP - HANDS FOLDED

• LOVE – HAND ON HEART

• THINK – FINGER TO HEAD

• TALK –FINGER TO MOUTH

• LIVE - HANDS OUTSTRETCHED

If you do all these things, you will not fall into temptation.