This past Sunday Susan and I worshipped at First Baptist Church, Durham.  I was greatly encouraged, convicted and challenged by Andy Davis’ sermon on Romans 12:15: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”  The title of the message was “Corporate Compassion”.  It spoke to my heart, and spoke a well-timed word into the many situations we face in our church and in our community with so many we know and love struggling and hurting in different ways.  What follows is a brief summary of the message.  You can hear Andy’s message at http://www.sermonaudio.com/playpopup.asp?SID=712151150137

The reminders are everywhere that we live in a world that doesn’t care, a world that is indifferent to suffering, a world filled with people fanatically committed to self.   As infants we are born with this fanatical commitment to self, and we perfect it as we age.  This indifference was first evidenced when Cain replies to God by asking, “am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen 4:9)  This indifference takes on a religious appearance in the story of the Good Samaritan when the priest and Levite passed by the wounded man on the other side of the road, indifferent and uncompassionate. 

God stepped into this kind of world on his mission of mercy and compassion.  God’s “mercies” toward us is Paul’s summary word for the first eleven chapters of Romans, and the great gospel of God that saves us and changes our hard cold indifferent uncaring hearts and conforms us to be like Christ, and creates a caring community of faith.   God’s great mercy and compassion was revealed and made incarnate in Christ, who was himself the perfect example of compassion and care. 

The rejoicing and weeping in Romans 12:15 deals with the realm of emotions, and the command  implies that we are called to control our emotions, and through the power of the Holy Spirit submit them to the lordship of Christ.  Saying “that's just the way I feel” , or "I just don't feel anything" is not acceptable for the born-again follower of Christ.

The first command of the verse is to rejoice with those who rejoice.  This is genuine, godly joy, and it is the more difficult of the two commands.  Rejoicing with those who rejoice is harder than weeping with those who weep, because when we weep with others we are, in a way, standing above them, reaching down to help.  We are up and they are down.  On the other hand, rejoicing with those who rejoice means they are up and we are down, below them looking up at their success or blessing. 

Rejoicing with those who rejoice is harder than weeping with those who weep because we are by nature covetous and jealous of others blessings.  We may put on a happy face, but deep in our hearts we want the blessing, the success, the baby, the new job, the health, the house, the relationship, etc. that others are celebrating. 

So how is this Christ-like trait developed in our lives and in our church?  How do you become a caring, compassionate person and how does our church become a more caring community?

First, through conversion.  Only when a hard, cold indifferent heart is removed and a heart of flesh – a spiritual heart, is given to us,  can we be the caring and compassionate people God created us to be.

Second, trust God’s sovereign provision.  His blessings don’t run out, there’s not a limited supply and he will not overlook any of his children.  He is not withholding of his blessings.  He is bestowing them as he sees fit and he will not forsake his own.  Be patient.

Third, be thankful!  Be thankful for the many blessings he has already poured out on you.  Especially, be thankful for Jesus.  Is the fact that God loved you, sent his Son to die and be raised him from the dead for you, and has blessed you with “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Eph 1:3), is this not enough for you today?!?!

Fourth, Pray for others to be blessed.  In fact, Pastor Andy suggested that you specificially  target and pray for blessings for others in very area in which you struggle with jealousy. 

Fifth, Thank God for the afflictions and weaknesses in your life.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  (2 Corinthians 12:10)

Sixth, ask for compassion.  Pray for God to give you the compassionate and caring heart that will serve others, edify the body of Christ and give you great joy.

Seventh, meditate on the body of Christ.  Read what Paul writes about the church in Ephesians and 1 Corinthians.  Think deeply on the fact that “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (1 Corinthians 12:26)

Eighth, focus on spiritual joys and blessings.  Rejoice for the spiritual blessings in other’s lives; for those growing in their faith; for those getting saved and baptized.  Meditate on Luke 15, and notice that in all three events the response of the lost being found was a party!

The second command is to “weep with those who weep.” 

What does this mean, what does it look like?  Andy Davis defined it as “having your heart wrapped up in the sorrows and sufferings of others.”  It means to feel their sorrow and hurt as if it were your own.  It means that when we hear of misery and hurting and sorrow we move toward it, not away from it. 

This is hard because it hurts; and because “sick sheep bite!”; and because its messy; and because people with needs are ………….needy!  

The blessings that come from weeping with those who weep are many.  They include:

First, becoming more like Christ.  We are no more like Jesus than when we are moving toward and serving those who are hurting.  Is this not, after all, exactly what Jesus did for us?

Second, when we weep with those who weep we feel the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in amazing ways. 

Third, it gives us a realistic understanding of the world.  We live in a fallen hurting world and the very reason God has blessed you is so you can see and respond to the needs of others. 

Fourth, it builds up the unity of the body.  We are joined together in the body of Christ in a supernatural way so that we can minister to and serve one another in a supernatural way.  We suffer together and rejoice together.  We take on the burdens and sorrows of our brothers and sisters in Christ as if they were our won.  In fact, they are our own as we share them together. 

Fifth, weeping with those who weep is attractive to the lost world and holds amazing evangelistic power.  Jesus prayed for this to be the case:  I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.  (John 17:23) 

Sixth, there is great reward in weeping with those who weep.  This is what Jesus meant when he said, Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’  Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?  And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’  (Matthew 25:34-40)

Finally, How do we do this?  How do we weep with those who weep?

First, pray for God to do this work in you and in others within our church.  Pray for God to give you a heart that rejoices when others rejoice and weeps when others weep.

Second, go to those who are hurting.  Move toward the hurt, not away from it.  Go to them and care for them.  One note here, don’t be like Job’s friends who go with empty hearts and mouths full of religious platitudes.  Don't worry about what to say or what to do.  Go and sit with them; go and cry with them; go and be with them.  As others needs arise you will be there to meet them as well, but first go!

Third, see the lost and care for them.  Pray for God to make you and me more like Jesus:  When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

(Matthew 9:36-38)

ONE DAY God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”  (Rev 21:4)

ONE DAY there will be only rejoicing, but not yet.  One day there will be no more tears, but not yet.  Until that great day comes, God has saved us a left us here to be the body of Christ, and to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. 

God help us to do that well for the sake of our joy in Christ and his glory in us.