"The Gift of Compassion" 12/14/25AM Sermon

Описание: Pastor Alan opened his Christmas sermon by thanking those who had volunteered the night before and acknowledging the busy, cold season, before directing attention to the familiar yet profound passage of Matthew 1:18-25. He began with a lighthearted story about a politician waking up after surgery to darkened hospital room windows, then transitioned to the more serious account of a young couple - Joseph and Mary - whose wedding plans were disrupted when Joseph discovered Mary was pregnant with a child that wasn't his.

Drawing from Matthew 1:18-25, Pastor Alan painted the picture of Joseph's initial shock, disappointment, and heartbreak upon learning of Mary's pregnancy. As a godly man who knew he wasn't the father, Joseph could have been "really nasty about it," but instead chose to divorce her quietly rather than expose her to public disgrace. This decision alone demonstrated compassion, but God called Joseph to go much further when an angel appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 1:20). Pastor Alan emphasized that Joseph's obedience to this divine instruction was an enormous act of compassion that would cost him dearly.

Pastor Alan defined compassion as more than mere pity - it's "love in action" and "love helping those who cannot help themselves." He established that sacrificial compassion is always an act of obeying God, noting how God spoke to Joseph four times in dreams and Joseph obeyed immediately each time, with every act of obedience being simultaneously an act of compassion toward Mary and her child. This led to practical applications: compassion means responding with kindness when a spouse has a bad day, forgiving children repeatedly, letting someone merge in traffic, giving up a seat for an older person, or letting a mother with screaming preschoolers go ahead in the checkout line.

The sermon emphasized that godly compassion is often expensive, referencing Exodus 34:6 where God proclaims himself as "the Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness." Compassion cost God His son, cost Jesus His life, and cost Joseph his reputation - in that cultural context, marrying Mary would have permanently scarred Joseph's standing as a small businessman, costing him business relationships and friendships while bringing shame to his family. Pastor Alan illustrated this principle with contemporary examples from his own church: the overwhelming generosity shown through adopt-a-family programs, food pantries serving nearly 200 Thanksgiving boxes, and members volunteering in nurseries and children's classes without having their own children in those programs.

Pastor Alan highlighted three key characteristics of godly compassion: it gives people more than they deserve, it fulfills responsibilities without demanding rights, and it sacrifices itself for others. Joseph gave Mary his home, name, love, and most immediately, his trust - something that typically must be earned but which Joseph gave as a gift. Drawing parallels to Jesus, who knew Judas's character yet put him in charge of the disciples' money, Pastor Alan emphasized that compassion gives second chances to those who have taken advantage, hurt, lied, or stolen. Like Jesus in Philippians 2, who fulfilled all responsibilities as Son of God without claiming His rights, Joseph fulfilled all marital responsibilities while claiming no marital rights until after Jesus's birth.

The sermon's climax focused on God's ultimate act of compassion in sending Jesus as Savior, referencing Matthew 1:21: "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." Pastor Alan shared the example of Jan's cousin Jim, a surgeon who spent over 30 years as a Nazarene missionary doctor in Papua New Guinea, sacrificing a lucrative American medical career to serve under primitive conditions because of his compassionate burden for people who were lost and needed Jesus. This led to the altar call, where Pastor Alan invited people to experience God's compassionate forgiveness - whether for the first time or as a fresh start for those whose lives had been going in different directions from God. As Pastor Jerry sang "Softly and Tenderly," the message concluded with an invitation to accept Jesus's simple, clear offer of love, grace, forgiveness, and compassion, emphasizing that salvation is as close as reaching out and saying "yes, please, Jesus, forgive me, come into my heart, come into my life."