North Main Street Church of God
1201 North Main Street Ext.
Butler, PA 16001
09/17/2023
We are so glad that you joined us today at North Main Street Church of God. At North Main, we exist to develop completely committed followers of Christ who...
Know Christ intimately,
Grow in Christ continually, and
Go for Christ daily
Lost and Found
We’ve been collecting lost items all over North Main. Please stop by the LOST & FOUND table near the Gathering Place (coffee shop) to see if anything belongs to you before we find them a new home.
A Touch of Kindness
(Luke 5:12-16)
Yearly Theme: “Kindness is… Astounding”
Series Title: “Kindness 24/7”
September 17th, 2023
Something to think about:
In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote, “Do not waste your time bothering whether you ’love’ your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this, we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him. If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less.”[1]
Today we come upon one such occasion where Jesus’ compassion far exceeded His concern about cultural mores or social pleasantries. The great compassion of GOD through Jesus knows no bounds. Let’s take a look:
[1] C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, (Broadman & Holman Publishers: New York, New York, 1980), 116.
Luke 5:12-16 NLT
Key Point: “True acts of kindness come from a willing heart of compassion.”
What can we learn from this one compassionate act of healing? We can learn that…
· Jesus’ _________ comes in the form of a gentle ______.
Luke 5:13 (NLT), Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared.
· Jesus’ ___________ to heal the sick and diseased was a __________ of the coming of the Kingdom of GOD.
Luke 5:14 (NLT), Then Jesus instructed him not to tell anyone what had happened. He said, “Go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”
· Jesus prioritized ____ _____ with GOD the Father.
Luke 5:15-16 (NLT), 15 But despite Jesus’ instructions, the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.
Something to take home:
The story is told of General William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, and the day Queen Victoria of England asked to meet with him. Because she had heard so many favorable things about his work in the slums, she asked him for the secret of his success. “Your Majesty,” he replied, “Some men have a passion for money. Some people have a passion for things. I have a passion for people.”[1]
A passion for GOD coupled with a passion for people can radically change a society/culture for the better and bring healing to nations. However, compassion seems in short supply these days in our polarized, political environment. What does it look like to enact true acts of kindness from a willing heart of compassion indiscriminately? It looks a lot like loving and touching the unlovable and untouchable. It looks a lot like giving witness to what the Kingdom of GOD looks like on earth as it is in Heaven. And it looks a lot like prioritizing time alone with GOD the Father from whom all blessing, power, and authority flow.
Key Point: “True acts of kindness come from a willing heart of compassion.”
[1]Source Unknown.
Jesus stretches out his hand and touches the man. What do you imagine the leper was thinking at that moment? The disciples? Jesus?
Jesus told the leper, “I will. I am willing to heal you.” Imagine what it must have been like for the leper to hear those words from Jesus.
What prayer of yours lately do you most long to hear those words from Jesus?
Verse 16 says that Jesus “often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” What do you most appreciate about your prayer life right now?
What is difficult for you about prayer right now?
Jot down a few notes, then talk to God honestly about that. Is there a step He’s inviting you to take?
OFFICE HOURS
Monday - Thursday
9:00am - 4:00pm