Bobby McDonald - The Lord Is Considerate And Sympathetic

Bobby McDonaldNovember 10, 201719mWatch on YouTube

Speaker: Bobby McDonald Title: The Lord Is Considerate And Sympathetic Date: 11-05-2017 Our Goal as Christians is this: To be an exact reflection of Jesus, the Son of God (Romans 8:29) We do this individually by growing in purity in our personal lives (1 John 3:2-3) We do this corporately by becoming fully functioning members of a local Church (Ephesians 4:11-16)

Summary

The central message is that true Christian transformation comes not from merely following rules or external actions, but from receiving a new spirit and heart from God. The speaker emphasizes that this internal renewal, which involves considering the needs and cares of others, is what allows us to truly reflect Jesus. He illustrates this with an account of needing help in a parking garage, where only one person showed genuine consideration and willingness to assist.

Outline

The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.

God's promise of a new heart in the New CovenantGod promised to take away the heart of stone and give a heart of flesh by putting His Holy Spirit within His people.

Trying to act like Jesus without His heartFaking Christian actions or trying to imitate Jesus in our own strength is like a dog trying to act like a cat; it only works until pressure reveals our true flesh.

The burden of micro-analyzing rulesTrying to micro-analyze every action and follow every rule creates a heavy burden without addressing the internal state of anger, attitude, or patience.

Growing dependent on God for inner transformationRealizing we cannot change ourselves makes us completely dependent on God, crying out for Him to transform us from the inside out in spirit and truth.

Growing in consideration for othersLoving God and loving people requires actively considering what is in the best interest of others and taking action.

Stranded in the parking garageWhen the car battery died with sleeping kids in the car, multiple people and a security guard refused to help, mirroring the parable of the Good Samaritan.

The humble man who stopped to helpAn older man driving a beat-up car eagerly stopped, spent considerable time working on the cables, and celebrated when the car finally started.

Reflecting God's heart of kindnessThis experience convicted the speaker of times he was hardhearted and reminded him of Jesus' words in Matthew 25 regarding caring for the least of these.Matthew 25:34–36

Leaving gleanings for the needyGod commanded Israel not to harvest the very corners of their fields, leaving provision for the poor and the stranger.

Scriptures on considering the vulnerableTrue religion involves visiting orphans and widows, and Scripture pronounces a blessing on those who consider the poor.James 1:27

Applying consideration in the home and with strangersConsidering others changes how we interact with rambunctious children and how we respond to homeless individuals, shifting our focus from our own annoyance to their true needs.

Looking on the one we piercedWhen God pours out His spirit of grace, we look upon Jesus whom we pierced and mourn over our sin as if losing an only child.Zechariah 12:10

God's vast and precious thoughts toward usMourning over sin is driven by recognizing how deeply God considers us, with thoughts more numerous than the sand on the seashore.

Related messages

Back to the catalog

NCCF Church

Bobby McDonald - The Lord Is Considerate And Sympathetic

Bobby McDonald · November 10, 2017 · 19m

Becoming like Him Freedom from sin