Sunday, July 10 – “Part 2: Compassion”

View this recorded version of Sunday Worship from July 10, 2022.

Bible Verses

Bible verses: Isaiah 6: 1-8

Reflection: “Jesus Followers–Part 2: Compassion”

Excerpts from the sermon by Rev. Dr. Fred Grewe:

“I love the book of Isaiah for the simple reason that the book of Isaiah for me is quite like a James Bond movie… The first 5 minutes of the movie have little or nothing to do with the actual plot of the movie… the first 5 minutes are just the to give us a flavor, a taste of what this guy can do, and that’s like the book of Isaiah–just to give you a taste for what the prophet can do.

…if you remember last Sunday I suggested [that for] Jesus followers, there are 3 particular attributes we’re going to look at. Last week we looked at becoming people of reconciliation; this week we’re gonna look at becoming a more compassionate people; and then next week, God willing, and the creeks don’t rise, we’re gonna look at becoming more wise and understanding.

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Now, when the Holy One says, ‘Who will go speak on our behalf?’, Isaiah can say, ‘Send me, send me. Hi! I get it now; I realize that your agenda is so much bigger than ours. Your ideas and plans are so much bigger than ours. [Isaiah is] broken over, so that he can go forth with compassion to communicate the love, the wisdom plan of God, to the people, to His people, to all of us 2,800 years later.

So I think this is an incredible model of what it is to become compassionate, because you and I live in a world that does everything I can to make us uncompassionate to make us hard and mean and brittle, and I need mine, and I want mine and we’re constantly bombarded with the fear of not enough.

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And so for us. I just recommend 2 things to help us become more compassionate, and I can’t guarantee we’re gonna have an experience like Isaiah or Merton or mother Julian. The 2 things we can do to help compassion grow in our hearts is one: I’m gonna suggest, make time for prayer–this contemplative kind of prayer, and it’s a kind of prayer that’s wordless where you’re not banging on God’s door give me this give me that give me…

The other thing I’m gonna suggest is much more practical and that is, spending time doing good things for other folks…

And so I would highly suggest, get involved. Do something for somebody else… it is powerful. So prayer and serving others are the 2 most effective ways I know to help us to become more compassionate, and we need, we desperately need compassion.”