The Benifits of Discipleship
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The Benefits of Discipleship
The Benefits of Discipleship
Matt 5:7
7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
Think
Mercy is define as compassion shown towards another especially an offender.
People who help others are healthier and live longer. That was one of the conclusions of a team headed by Stephen G. Post, professor of bioethics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, which evaluated fifty scientific studies of volunteers.
One of the studies, from Cornell University, spent thirty years following 427 women who were married and had children. Researchers found that only 36 percent of women who regularly volunteered had experienced a major illness, while 52 percent of those who never volunteered had a major illness. Other studies indicated that those who volunteered their time lived longer than those who didn’t. Frequent volunteers had a 44 percent reduction in early death when compared to nonvolunteers.
One of the studies, from Cornell University, spent thirty years following 427 women who were married and had children. Researchers found that only 36 percent of women who regularly volunteered had experienced a major illness, while 52 percent of those who never volunteered had a major illness. Other studies indicated that those who volunteered their time lived longer than those who didn’t. Frequent volunteers had a 44 percent reduction in early death when compared to nonvolunteers.
Scientists also identified precise areas of the brain that are highly active during empathetic and compassionate emotions. “These brain studies show this profound state of joy and delight that comes from giving to others,” Post said. “It doesn’t come from any dry action — where the act is out of duty in the narrowest sense, like writing a check for a good cause. It comes from working to cultivate a generous quality — from interacting with people. There is the smile, the tone in the voice, the touch on the shoulder. We’re talking about altruistic love.”
Scientists also identified precise areas of the brain that are highly active during empathic and compassionate emotions. “These brain studies show this profound state of joy and delight that comes from giving to others,” Post said. “It doesn’t come from any dry action — where the act is out of duty in the narrowest sense, like writing a check for a good cause. It comes from working to cultivate a generous quality — from interacting with people. There is the smile, the tone in the voice, the touch on the shoulder. We’re talking about altruistic love.”
There are so many benefits to performing acts of mercy or (compassion), but it has to be deliberate. This is not something we do naturally.
9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?
jer 17
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.
ps 51:
rom 7
19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.
How do we do this good, how do we practice the compassion that Christ had?
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
gal
gal 5:19-21
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
None these things has anything to do with mercy and love. This is who we are without God dwelling within.
:19-21
But when He is allowed to enter our lives
gal 5:22-
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Know
Just like we cannot save ourselves, we cannot have mercy without Christ.
6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.
8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
rom 8:
If Christ is in you?
If Christ is in you?
You will love your neighbor
you will go the extra mile
you will fill in at church without being asked
You will be his hands and feet
Mercy is defined as active compassion
36 At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.
37 But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.
38 And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them.
39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.
acts 9:3
They all knew her acts of compassion because they were wearing them.
The merciful are those who manifest compassion to the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed. Job declares, “I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.” .. Mount of Blessing 22.4
We are here to manifest God’s love to those who need it the most. What Peter did was not just for Dorcas but for the community at large that was affected.
You don’t know the good you are doing. What we today call Adventist community service was originally called Dorcas.
40 But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.
when Peter said Tabitha Arise, she obtained mercy.
What is your witness?
What is your witness?
Does is consist of giving tithe each week?
Do you say it’s my life?
How are you actively showing God’s love?
Do
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
what is the will of God?
what is the will of God?
8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
Mic 7
you are not here to live for yourself
Do justly
16 “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil,
is
Make yourself right with God
19 If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land;
Be obedient to God
Love mercy
1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
eph 5:1
Be like Him in every way
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
col 3:
We are putting on a set of traits that will help us to be like our creator
To walk humbly with your God
13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.
13 And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.
matt 18:13
luke
13 And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.
17 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”
we are to walk not as the proud, but as a little child
3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
Submitting to God
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
James
In order for us to obtain the mercies of heaven, it will require those of heaven to dwell in and around each and everyone of us.
Mercy is an attribute that the human agent may share with God. As did Christ, so man may lay hold on the divine arm and be in communication with divine power. To us has been given a service of mercy to perform for our fellow man. In performing this service, we are laboring together with God. We do well, then, to be merciful, even as our Father in heaven is merciful.
Let those who desire to perfect a Christlike character ever keep in view the cross on which Christ died a cruel death in order to redeem mankind. Let them ever cherish the same merciful spirit that led the Saviour to make an infinite sacrifice for our redemption.…1
White, E. G. (1967). In Heavenly Places (p. 238).
30 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.
I can of myself do nothing
I do not seek my own will
But the will of the Father who sends me
“I will have mercy,” God says, “and not sacrifice” (). Mercy is kind, pitiful. Mercy and the love of God purify the soul, beautify the heart, and cleanse the life from selfishness. Mercy is a manifestation of divine love and is shown by those who, identified with God, serve Him by reflecting the light of heaven upon the pathway of their fellow creatures.
The ask
“I will have mercy,” God says, “and not sacrifice” (). Mercy is kind, pitiful. Mercy and the love of God purify the soul, beautify the heart, and cleanse the life from selfishness. Mercy is a manifestation of divine love and is shown by those who, identified with God, serve Him by reflecting the light of heaven upon the pathway of their fellow creatures.
Whose light are you reflecting? and are you bringing relief to those who are in distress?
35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
I will leave this question with you, think about your life and your actions. And ask yourself have I displayed the mercy of God to others or is there a work for me to do?