Today, God is challenging us in the way that we view others; especially how we view our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Our perspective toward others is the source of how we think about them, our attitudes toward them, and ultimately the way that we treat them.
Our end goal is to see others the way that God sees them. We want His perspective toward them.
Jesus sees our selfishness, our evil and wicked ways, our sin, and everything bad about us.
Jesus also sees our full potential and the person that He created us to be.
Jesus sees when we hit the bullseye and do good and when we dismally fail and miss it.
Jesus sees us entirely and perfectly.
While we were yet sinners, He chose to die for you and I and everyone else in the world.
Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
How can we be like Jesus?
How can we see the issues that people have, be mistreated, wronged and deeply hurt by them, and yet still love them and give ourselves in service to them?
How can we do all of this and remain compassionate toward them and not become cold-hearted or embittered by them?
While Jesus was hanging on the cross bleeding out after being flogged and beaten and mocked and spit on by those people shouting “Crucify!” Jesus responded by saying, “Father, forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.”
Jesus forgave them even in the midst of the hurt that they were intentionally and maliciously putting Him through.
How can we live like Jesus lived, love like Jesus loved, and see others from His perspective?
How can we:
1 Thessalonians 5:15-18
15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
This is God’s will for us, but how can we do it?
Jesus said:
Matthew 5:38-48
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ (Exodus 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21) 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ (Lev. 19:18) 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
What a standard! Perfection!
Jesus literally said, “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
How can we do these things?
How can we perfectly view others and perfectly think about them and perfectly treat them?
You may have guessed this already. YOU can’t…
However, God within you can!
Christ in you can!
The Holy Spirit within you can and does!
The only way that we can ever see people from God’s perspective is to allow the Holy Spirit within us to show us and to train us and to guide us and to transform us.
That’s the only way that your heart can break FOR the person who is trying to destroy you.
That’s the only way that you can feel compassion FOR the person who hates you.
That’s the only way that you can humbly serve the needs of the person who wants nothing good for you.
There are some truths that can help us to properly view others, though. If we drive these truths deep into our minds and hearts, they will help to shape our perspective to be more like God’s.
First of all, we are all created in the image of God. All of us reflect God’s glory. Even if someone completely denies God’s very existence, their very existence shouts and declares God’s glory.
Genesis 1:26-27
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
27 So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.
Now this doesn’t mean that everyone is godly, but it does mean that every person is a reflection of God’s image. Each person reveals the handiwork of God as we were all fearfully and wonderfully knit together by Him in our mother’s womb.
We are free to do whatever we would like with our lives, whether good or bad. We are free to develop and define our lives and use them however we decide to.
No matter how wicked or evil someone may choose to be, we can still look at them and see the image of God. Though corrupted, the image of God still remains.
While that person still draws another breath, salvation is still theirs for the taking. No matter how corrupt, the blood of Jesus is still able to wash them clean and the power of the Holy Spirit can still transform that corruption into something good.
God intentionally and purposefully created them and is still awaiting them to receive His invitation to salvation. God’s purpose still remains for them and their potential is still obtainable. God can still rebirth them spiritually to a new life and into a new creation.
To see others from God’s perspective, we first remember the truth that they were created in God’s image. Secondly, we remember that they were purposefully created by God.
This is where the spiritual gifts of words of knowledge, words of wisdom, and prophecy comes into play. Anyone can look at someone and see them as they are. Equipped and empowered by the Holy Spirit within, a follower of Christ can see beyond their currently reality to their future potential; their God-created purpose.
1 Corinthians 14:1-5
1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. 4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.
To be edified is to be built up, improved, strengthened. Speaking in tongues is us speaking to God the words that the Spirit gives us. We don’t understand what we’re saying. However, it edifies ourselves. It is so important and can’t be encouraged enough in the church. As God’s word states, “I would like every one of you to speak in tongues.”
We need to be built up, improved, and strengthened ourselves spiritually. Yes, it is important to read and study and memorize and live out God’s word. It is important to pray with the words that we understand and the language that we naturally have been taught to speak. It is also important to pray in the Spirit allowing the Holy Spirit within us to search our lives and to intercede perfectly for us since He knows the mind of God as well.
Romans 8:26-27
26 …the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
Once we’re built up spiritually ourselves, we can more easily and effectively prophecy, which builds up others. Prophecy speaks to people to give them strength, encouragement, and comfort.
Prophecy looks beyond the current circumstances, sin, condition, and any other opposition straight to God’s potential future for someone. God’s future is always good. It’s bound to strengthen, encourage, and comfort anyone. Prophecy speaks solely from God’s perspective.
Again, this is why we are encouraged to “eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.”
Now, we’re going to flip the table. I remember hearing about a guy who did this at the temple a while back… 🙂
As a follower of Christ, it is important for us to see Christ in our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. It’s important for us to be able to receive from God through them.
We learned a little bit about the reality last week that together, we each are a part of the body of Christ with Jesus as the head of His church and the Spirit binding us together in unity.
Just as last week, we learned that there was nothing wrong with God’s old covenant, but with the people; there is nothing ever wrong with the Holy Spirit within us, but there is something wrong with us.
God’s Holy Spirit within us is perfect, but He is speaking and working through people who are very imperfect. The apostle Paul explained it this way:
2 Corinthians 4:7
We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
We’re jars of clay, cracked pots, but there is a treasure within! An all-surpassing power from God.
Do we see this treasure in other Christians?
Sure, we see their issues. We see the sin that they still need to repent of. We see the flesh that they still need to crucify. We see the mistakes that they make and foolish decisions that they choose.
Do we look beyond the jar of clay and see the infinite value and treasure within them? Do we see our own needs that God purposefully allowed to exist in our lives that can only be met by them?
If we do not intentionally do this, we’ll miss out on some amazing things that God wants to do for us and among us! We need to be able to see Christ in others; that all-surpassing power that is from God and not from them. They are simply the vessel that we are receiving it from.
This isn’t a new issue. Jesus, Himself, was limited in being able to release the power of God through His life because those who knew Him best, lived with Him the longest, and were most familiar with Him couldn’t receive from Him.
Mark 6:1-6 (Matthew 13:53-58)
1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.
“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.
They missed out because when they looked at Jesus, they saw only Joseph and Mary’s kid just like all of Jesus’ other brothers and sisters. They didn’t see God’s Son when they saw Jesus. They saw only a carpenter’s son.
Are we guilty of doing the same to the Christians around us? Do we see only them and fail to see Christ in them? Are we willing to receive from God through them? Or do we see the condition of the vessel and refuse to receive by faith God’s ability to work through any broken vessel.
Jesus said:
Matthew 10:40-42
40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”
I’ll take this a step further by recalling King Saul when he was on his way to go and worship God, He ran into a group of prophets. As he approached them, the Holy Spirit fell on him and he received that same anointing on those prophets. Saul, himself, began to prophesy along with them.
I’m a firm believer that when you receive the Holy Spirit-given gifts in others, you will be rewarded. Part of that reward is that you get to partake and share in that same anointing, yourself! Freely we have been given, so freely we are to give. Freely receive all that God has for you through others! See past the clay vessel and receive from the rich treasure within them!
The one who suffers most when we reject Christ through others is ourselves. When we refuse to receive from others, we are the one lacking. Even though we suffer first, it does affect us all.
1 Corinthians 12:24-27
24 …But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
Now just because someone calls themselves a Christian and claims to be ministering in Jesus’ name, that doesn’t mean that we do have to receive it all. We have the Holy Spirit within us, we have God’s written word, and what we receive should bear witness with both.
We want to be careful not to reject Christ through others, but we also want to test everything that we receive so that we can hold on to only God’s goodness. Remember, God is perfect, but He is speaking and moving through imperfect people.
They may get it perfectly right. They may get it partially right. They may get it entirely wrong.
1 Thessalonians 5:19-21
19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good
So, how do we view others from God’s perspective?
Remember that everyone, all of mankind, has been created in the image of God.
Prophetically, God can reveal to us the purpose and potential that He created anyone for.
When it comes to our brothers and sisters in Christ, we must learn to look beyond the broken vessel of clay with all of its weaknesses to the treasure of God’s all-surpassing power within them and the gifts He has entrusted to them.
DISMISS – OPEN FOR THOSE NEEDING PRAYER/A WORD!!!!!!!