Viewing Others Like Christ Did

Introduction

If you look around this morning, I would encourage you to do just that, please. Look around. By the way, I can see when you don’t actually do that, so look around. Okay. If you will see, you’ll see a lot of years of experience, of wisdom. This morning I want you to notice you see a lot of patience in the audience before you. There’s my wonderful spot there. There’s a lot of patience in the audience this morning. I say that because I see a lot of mothers in the audience. And I’ve got to tell you, if the other mothers had to deal with even a third of what I presented my mom with, there is a good deal of patience and a lot of thanks to be had today.

So please take advantage of the day, the opportunity to thank those mothers who have dealt with us so wonderfully and lovely. Look in your Bibles in Matthew chapter 7 and verse 12. If there’s a principle that mothers understand perhaps more than any others, it’s an extension, in fact, an obliteration of Matthew chapter 7 in verse 12. Many of you may be familiar with it. Many of you may turn there and realize that you are familiar with it. In Matthew chapter 7, in verse 12, Jesus says right before a passage that we are well familiar with in verse 13 and 14 so whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the law and the prophets. Now, uh the way that we commonly express this passage is treat others the way you want to be treated.

If you think about a mother’s love for just a moment this morning, you recognize that mothers not only treat others the way they want to be treated, they treat others significantly better than they even begin to expect that others would treat them in the same way. You see, a mother’s love is full of compassion, humility. And frankly, the word love itself is the best definition of what a mother shows. And this world would be a significantly better place if we all showed that same kind of love that a mother has. If you think about Christ and his love, he came to this earth and he died on the cross for our sins because of our iniquity, because of the death that we earned, Jesus died on the cross.

And we remember that. We celebrate that. We champion that, and hopefully we confess that before our fellow men as we are instructed to do. But realize also that in a very physical and earthly way, mothers are a manifestation of that love as well. In the way that they look out for, they cherish and love others. But I’ve got to admit before you this morning, I don’t believe I show near the love of Christ or even my mother or other mothers I see before you. And the question that I have is why not? In fact, why do I not view others the way Christ did? Why do I not view others as special children, special creations given from God? Because we all are.

1. Humility: Christ Came to Serve

Certainly an example worthy of us emulating. In John chapter 13, read with me beginning in verse one. Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot Simon’s son to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his other garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

He came to Simon Peter who said to him, Lord, do you wash my feet? Jesus answered him, What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand. Peter said to him, You shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I do not wash you, you have no share with me. Simon Peter said to him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. And Jesus said to him, The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean, and you are clean, but not every one of you. Who was Jesus? He was the Son of God. What did Jesus do on this earth? He showed love in just about every form it can be exhibited.

Look with me in verse twelve. When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I, then, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example that you should also do just as I have done to you. Look at verse 16. Star it, center your mind around it, get it into your mind into your lives. Truly, truly I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. Who are we? We are servants. We are not greater than the master, and the master came to this life, and he lived. And he washed his disciples. Gross, dirty, disgusting feet. So when we’re talking about things that we need to do for others, how we need to view them, we need to recognize that not a single thing was underneath our Lord and Savior. Do you realize that? The Son of God came to this earth in our form, humbling enough. And secondly, he not only served, he not only healed, he not only taught and had compassion on the masses and dealt with them time and time again, he washed the disciples’ feet because his purpose was to serve.

That was Christ’s reason. That is Christ’s example that we are to emulate. Now look at Philippians chapter 2. Let’s lock in on the magnitude of this in Philippians chapter 2. Because you may be reading along and listening along and say, you know what, I knew Jesus did those things. I understand that. But make sure you understand what that means for us. In Philippians chapter 2, beginning in verse 3, Paul says, Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Excuse me, one moment. I’m going to take this microphone off. I’m going to continue from here. Okay. Hopefully I’m going to take it off.

If you look at verse 5, if you notice what Paul says, have this mind among yourselves. Okay, so this is a mindset that we are to have. What is it, verse 6? What’s the key? Who, though he was in the form of God did not count equality with him a thing to be grasped. We can’t fully grasp what it is to be with God yet. Although the time will come when we come before his throne. But Christ did. Christ was there. Christ is with God. He was then, he is now, and he left in the middle of that. He left the eternal throne to come to this earth. You want to talk about humility that changes a life? Christ’s life in this flesh was perfect. It was sinless.

Why? Because of his love, his understanding of who he was and why he was here, and that was to serve God only. And by manifestation to serve others. So when we think about who we are and who we’ve been, we need to take the mind of Christ and realize we are here for a distinct purpose. A lot of times we look at the world and we watch the news, we turn on TV, we turn on our radios, we go through the internet and we read about how wicked and corrupt and vile the world is. Isn’t it kind of sick sometimes to see what’s going on around us? And we say, that is just too bad. If only people had God, this world would be a better place.

Now please understand, I agree with that sentiment 100%. But can I suggest something to you this morning? Every single one of us needs God. Not a single person in this room this morning is any better without God than those out in the world who are living against his very will this moment in time. When we argue with people, when we talk with people, when we see people do things that are sinful, corrupt, and vile, and we say they need God, recognize you need him too. Humility changes the way we look at others. Why? Because you recognize you were just as lost. Do you realize that? If you have sinned this morning, you deserved death. There is no two ways about it. You were dead, and you needed a savior.

And Christ provided it. You want to talk about humility? You want to talk about love? Christ left his eternal throne to die for us. What do we do for our fellow man? Look with me in 2 Timothy chapter 2. In 2 Timothy chapter 2. Notice what verse 24 says. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome, but kind to everyone. Able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. And they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil after being captured by him to do his will. What are we to do, verse 24? Not be quarrelsome, be kind, able to teach, correcting our opponents, verse 25 with gentleness.

Why? What’s the big deal? Why treat others that way? Why view them with humility? Verse 26. And they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil because the devil has them. Verse 25, God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. I hope this morning God has found you and you’ve been led to a knowledge of the truth. I hope you have been restored in your relationship with him. But just because you are, just because you might be better than you were years ago, does not give us the right to look down on others, to treat them differently. And as long as we consider that people are sinful and lost in their sins, and that it shouldn’t be like that, are we going to be the first in line to help them?

I’m afraid we won’t. Perhaps you’re like me when you drive on the road, you have this severe problem. I don’t think everyone has it. I think it’s just me, actually. When I’m driving, people are out to get me. You know that the most annoying drivers in Orlando always know when I’m on the road? Especially on a long trip. They’re always around me, no matter what state I’m in, actually. I think I’m just marked that way. You see, I get really frustrated very quickly with people who are driving because they interrupted my way. How rude of them to cut me off. Who are they to do that? I sit in my car and I look at my wife and say, People are so rude these days. I don’t view them the way Christ did.

Do you really think Christ would be around someone who treated them rudely and looked around and said, Man, this world is just so vile. This world is awful. Or do you think he would have humility? Do you think he would have patience? Do you think he would be kind and courteous and give people the benefit of the doubt? Because why? He had a greater purpose. We need to have more purpose in our lives that will not be upset, and the apple cart will not be completely overthrown just because someone does something that throws off our day. And that will be helped if we have the mind of Christ, and that’s one that remembers who we are and where we’re going to. We are servants of God.

And if we are those servants, then we have the opportunity to be an example to that vile and vicious world. We have the opportunity to recognize that God did something amazing for me. And he can do that for them too. Rather than lamenting and being angry with people. We should have compassion on them, recognizing that we were there. Well, the strongest forms of connection you can have with someone is when you’ve experienced what they have. Let me ask you a question this morning. Raise your hand if you have never once in a car, walking, or in any other type of vehicle or situation, cut somebody off. On accident or on purpose, or accidentally on purpose. Raise your hand if you have never once done that. What a vile and vicious church we have here.

You see the point? If you saw somebody from church cut you off, you might say, depending on who it was. Oh, they just can’t see very well. They’re a little elderly right now. They are blind. They can’t see well. Maybe I was in their blind spot. Maybe they didn’t know I was coming. Maybe they’re playing a trick on me. But when somebody we don’t know does it, they are so rude. They are so vile. Why? What’s the difference? We have humility. We recognize that people may have other motives than just to bother us. Christ washed the disciples’ feet because of his reason for living was for God. What is our purpose for living? What is our purpose for serving? How do you view others as opportunities or obstacles to your life?

2. Love One Another as I Have Loved You

Because God valued us so highly that He not only created us with His Spirit, but He sent His Son to die on the cross to redeem us. How do we view other people? Perhaps another example of how Christ viewed others is just in the term itself love. Look at me in John chapter 13. Notice the challenge that Christ lays down. In John chapter 13. In John chapter 13, beginning in verse 34. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another just as I have loved you. You also are to love one another. By this, all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another. By this people will know. Look at verse 34 again. A new commandment I give to you that you love one another just as I have loved you.

What type of love are do we have to have for others? An all-encompassing, all powerful love. That’s what we are commanded to do. There is no way around this. If you don’t view others with compassion and treat them with love, you are in violation of Christ’s direct commandments. And in fact, you’re in violation of what he esteems as one of the highest commandments. Look at me in 1 John chapter 3. What type of love did Christ show? What type of love are we to show? What is he getting at here? 1 John chapter 3. Notice in verse 16. 1 John chapter 3 and verse 16. By this we know love that he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him. How does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and in truth. Okay, the answer to how to love is there twice. Did you catch it? In verse 16, by this we know love that he laid down his life for us. Sacrifice is love. And look at the end of verse 17. What else is love? Loving indeed and in truth. It is action. It’s not saying I love people. It’s not saying I should love people, or that they’re good people, but they mess up all the time. It’s saying, I was like them, I want to serve them.

Because I want to obey God. I want to do what God has said. I want to be the person that Christ was. And if we are going to emulate Christ’s example, we need to view people with love. And that’s not just talk. It’s not just some warm and fuzzy feeling. It is action. We need to love indeed in truth. What have you done for other people this past week? Make a list in your minds just for a moment. What have you done for no reason other than to help somebody else this past week? What about the past two weeks? Now, if you will, make a list of all the things you did for your relaxation and enjoyment? Which list is longer? Which list is extensively longer?

You see, we’ve mistaken the idea of love as something we do as part of a checklist. Christ’s sacrifice. Christ’s love took his life. What do we hold back? What do we not give to others? If love is to be indeed and in truth, what deeds are we doing for others? What love? What sacrifice are we making? And if we’re not making one, what does that say about us? What does that say about my heart? And most importantly, if we want to be like Christ, how far short of his example are we following? The gauntlet was laid in 1 John chapter 3. If anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?

Does God’s love abide in you? Do you provide for people when you have the subsequent ability to do so? Do you have the world’s goods? Do you have time? What do you have? What do you give? You’ve got to have something. Christian love demands it. Being like Christ demands viewing others as more important than yourself. You will not love until you are humble, until you realize that you need God. Just like everyone else. And once you recognize that need, it should allow you to open your heart and say, I need to serve for others because I had a God who made all of these things possible for me. You see, it’s a changing life to view others as Christ did is to look around and see needs, to see opportunities.

Isn’t that what verse 17 is getting at? To see what do you have opportunity to do? And if you have that opportunity, what are you doing with it? Love dictates that you do it, that you walk through that open door that God has put in front of you. See, this is very simple in concept. At least for me. It’s very difficult in practice. Maybe you’re with me on that. But what we need to see is that not only can we do that and should we do that, but Christ has already done it. Again, do you remember he washed the disciples’ feet? What is it that we can’t do? We can’t drive 15 minutes to help someone do something? We can’t go visit someone in the hospital.

We’re going to talk more about that in just a moment. What is what is below us? What do we not deserve to have to do? Do we deserve relaxation time if it means we can’t quite get to someone this day? What should we do? What’s our line? What is love? That’s been answered. You can give whatever answer you would like. But the Bible defines love as practice, as putting someone’s needs above your own, loving your neighbor as yourself, putting that person number one, being willing to lay down your life for others. Christ showed the ultimate love. Do we even show a fifth of a fake version of Christ’s love? With humility, we can recognize and see others as people who just like us need to find God.

3. Compassion Makes the Difference

With love, we can start practicing how to serve others. But with this last one, something that Christ had, this makes all the difference in the world. Look with me in Matthew chapter 14. Look in Matthew chapter 14. Notice what characteristic. Christ shows. If you want to change your life, if you want to be more dedicated to viewing others and acting on that new viewpoint towards others, this is the key. Matthew chapter 14, beginning in verse 13. Now, when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd. And he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

Look with me now in Mark chapter 6. Look at a parallel account. Mark chapter 6. Mark chapter 6, beginning in verse 30. The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest awhile. For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them. What did that how did that rear itself this time? Because they were like sheep without a shepherd.

And he began to teach them many things. You see, Christ had compassion, and so he healed them and he taught them. What was his compassion? That they didn’t have good leadership. That they were lost. They needed someone to protect them. They needed someone to guide them, to be there for him. And Christ had compassion for them. He had compassion for their physical needs. What did he do in the rest of these accounts? He fed the 5,000 people.

He did the physical, but most importantly, he taught them. He gave them the words of life. Do we have compassion? Because when that car cuts you off, I gotta tell you there is no compassion and being upset about them. Perhaps one practical application to take from this lesson is when someone does something to you that you don’t like, think the best of them. Realize that maybe not only did they do something rude to you, but maybe they don’t know any better. Or maybe they were in a hurry. Or maybe they didn’t see you. There’s a whole lot of reasons that aren’t they were out to get you, and I gotta tell you, as serious as I believe I might be marked, I really don’t believe that everyone in Orlando is out to get Greg Klein.

Although it may seem like it. Compassion makes the difference. Because this is beyond biblical commands. This is what fires the engine of our heart. This is what makes us go. If you have compassion, you want to be there for someone. You recognize where they are and you want to pull them out from it. You want to help them with every fiber of your being. And Jesus had that. His life was motivated with compassion. He saw them as sheep without shepherds, and he wanted to lead them to God. And he did everything it took in the process of doing that. Up to and including being crucified. Do we have that compassion? Look with me at one other passage, James chapter 1. In James chapter 1, verse 27, I want to ask you a very personal question.

In James chapter 1 and verse 27, James says, religion that is pure and undefiled before God. The Father is this. To visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained from the world. Let me ask you in a very personal way. How many orphans and widows have you visited in their affliction? Do you want to practice pure and undefiled religion? I know we teach this verse a lot and we say, this is not talking about church action. That’s right. It’s talking about individual action. So what individual action are we taking? You see, compassion says these people could use a visit. These people could use attention. And God’s plan is for us to do that. And if we aren’t doing that, how can you say you are practicing religion that is pure and undefiled when the Bible defines it as the very thing that we sometimes most often neglect to do?

Conclusion

Who have you visited? What have you done to help orphans or widows? These are questions we must answer if we want. Say that we have compassion, that we serve others like Christ. But I want to conclude with the most important part of compassion. The most important part of this lesson is not to view others as less than us because they’re lost, but to recognize that the world needs God. They all do. How much do you have compassion on their souls? We have compassion to help people with their sick, to help people with their health, with when they’re short on money. How much compassion do you have on people who are eternally damned? Whether they go to church and their soul is astray or they’re out in the world and they’ve never been to a church building.

How much compassion do you have? Because Christ’s compassion acted. Let me ask you, I understand that many of you work in a corporate setting where you can’t talk to other people. And this is not always the case, but I can tell you it’s a lie. Not teaching others because you have corporate bylaws against it is just an excuse of the devil. Not talking to someone because they won’t accept it or they will reject you or you don’t know what to do is an excuse. And I can tell you how that is. If you truly have compassion on people’s souls, and you only didn’t talk to them because of legal restrictions, how many people at the grocery store have you asked about God? How many people that you talk to on the phone have you talked to about Christ?

How many times have you gone to the grocery store or the drive-thru or to the post office? How many people have you left a card or a word of encouragement or ask them about God or Christ that day? Because we bemoan a lot about how we can’t talk about Christ in the workplace, but do we talk about Christ where we are legally allowed to do so? Because if you have compassion on their souls, that will always be on your mind. Compassion runs a person. If you have compassion, you are drawn to them. And if you have any semblance of love and humility, you will want to be there for those people, whether it’s physical or spiritual needs. This morning I encourage you, recognize that mothers love unconditionally.

God desires that all men be saved. Christ died showing us the epitome of love. What love do we show? How do you view others? With humility, love, and compassion. Or selfishness, conceit, and frustration. Let us pray. Our dear God and most gracious Heavenly Father. We praise you for your greatness. You are the one true and living God. Thank you for blessing us the way you have.

We have often sinned against you. And yet you’ve prepared the way for us by sending your Son Christ to die on the cross for our sins. You prepared the way that we may be eternally restored with you. And we are eternally grateful for that sacrifice. Oh God, help us to live like Christ. Help us to be holy, for you are holy. Help us to seek you in the things that are above, not the things of this world and this life. Forgive us when we stumble. Help us to view others as you do and as your son did, even in his time on this earth. Help us to go through this worship, worshiping you, having you on our hearts, worshiping you in both spirit and in truth.

Keep us finally until the end. It’s in your Son’s name we ask this prayer. Amen. We’re now dismissed the Bible class.