Kingdom Compassion

Read Luke 4:16-21

Another evidence that the kingdom of God is here now is compassion, acts of mercy, and relief for the oppressed: 

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

Luke 4:18-19

The kingdom of God is present

ü  In word – that’s the gospel

ü  And in deed – acts of mercy, a life of compassion, and of advocating for the oppressed

Actions speak louder than words.  And while we’re here to let people know about Christ, actions  of kindness, mercy and justice for the oppressed, are driven by a heart of humility.  Followers of Christ, as ambassadors of a new way of doing things, are here for a reason.  

That’s not the perception of Christians though.  In North America, Christians are perceived among young adults as judgmental, hypocritical, old-fashioned, and too involved in politics.  And perception is reality. 

We’ve lost sight of Jesus’ core values.  And we’ve tacked onto our sense of Christian identity a host of cultural apps that obscure the Spirit of God within. 

In the 19^th century many Christians were instrumental in developing child labour laws and in opposing slavery in the US (although there were Christians on both sides of the issue).  Today many Christians (quite rightly) oppose abortion, even as they did in New Testament times.  These are Christians who have been unafraid to think globally, to act locally, and to breathe Kingdom values into every phase of life. 

But there is a wide swath of evangelicals in North America whose arm is too short to grapple with what compassion looks among the urban poor, what compassion looks like to the sick, the addicted, and the dysfunctional. 

Jesus came not for the healthy but the sick, not for the righteous but for sinners. 

And we are all oppressed, all recovering addicts (to sin), and in need of the Great Physician.  I say that not to relativize ministry among the oppressed or sick, but to assert that we are not so different from the meth addict who breaks into cars to finance his addiction.  We’re not so different from the kid whose parents are addicts themselves who dresses Goth and behaves badly in our churches (if he comes at all). 

The kingdom of God is present in word and in deed, and if the Kingdom is present within us, like fruit on a tree the qualities of speaking naturally about Christ and acting with compassion will simply express themselves. 

A healthy Christian – and a healthy church -- has two things it can do locally: evangelism and compassionate service to “the oppressed” in its community. 

How do kingdom values speak to our choice of candidates in election years?  How does bringing liberty to the oppressed speak to who we vote for, locally, nationally?  How does it speak to how we use our free time?  How does it speak to our heart toward the addicted relative or neighbor (and who is my neighbor)? 

And the foundation of it all is the gospel, expressed in four ways: 

1)   Gospel Proclamation – preaching the gospel to the unconverted.  That’s what we just talked about. 

2)   Gospel Transformation – we preach the gospel to ourselves.  In other words, we keep learning what it means to live by faith in Christ. 

3)   Gospel Reconciliation – we preach the gospel to one another.  We pursue honest communication and apply the gospel whenever there’s tension. 

4)   Gospel Incarnation – we practice what we preach (the gospel) in the world. 

That last one, gospel incarnation, takes the gospel and puts feet on it through actions of love and liberation to hurting people.  Our credibility as Christians and as a church hinges, at least in part, upon love that we demonstrate in our community, our country and on the world stage. 

Love in action was at the heart of Jesus’ ministry, and it was at the heart of the early church too.  Tangible ministry among those in need will always be intimately woven together with any authentic gospel ministry. 

One proof of the presence of the Kingdom is compassion, relief for the oppressed, for the poor.  We know this.  Jesus has said as much.  We can be part of the solution.  We can show that the kingdom of God does exist. 

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8 

One proof of the kingdom is the preaching of the gospel, so the church of God, and the people of God, will carry that message with us, into our world.  A second evidence of the kingdom of God is compassion.  Any true church of Jesus Christ will evidence both.   

But if we are the Body

Why aren't His arms reaching

Why aren't His hands healing

Why aren't His words teaching

And if we are the Body

Why aren't His feet going

Why is His love not showing them there is a way

Jesus paid much too high a price

For us to pick and choose who should come

And we are the Body of Christ

If We Are The Body Lyrics, Casting Crowns

The Kingdom of God is present now.  One evidence of the Kingdom is the preaching of the gospel.  A second evidence of the Kingdom of God is acts of mercy, relief for the oppressed. 

What does it mean for you to express God’s kingdom this week? 

ü  What would building a bridge to someone who doesn’t know Christ look like? 

ü  Where are you weakest in expressing the Kingdom values of proclamation and incarnation?  What drives your true beliefs about what makes you Christian?