We had a guest preacher today at Immanuel. There is no podcast available.

Our Scripture is Exodus 12:38:

A mixed multitude also went up with [the Israelites], and flocks and herds—a very large number of cattle (NET).

Israel's Egyptian experience began with this, "They set a place for [Joseph], a separate place for his brothers, and another for the Egyptians who were eating with him. (The Egyptians cannot eat with Hebrews, for the Egyptians think it is disgusting to do so) (Genesis 43:32 NET).

Racism! That is how the Israelites were received in Egypt. They were not to tell Pharaoh that they were shepherds because such an occupation was detestable there (46:34). Eventually, they became slaves. Egyptian disgust of the Israelites gave way to attempted genocide.

So, when Israel leaves Egypt, we read that 'a mixed multitude' left with them. The NET footnote explains, "The "mixed multitude" refers to a great "swarm" of folk who joined the Israelites, people who were impressed by the defeat of Egypt, who came to faith, or who just wanted to escape Egypt (maybe slaves or descendants of the Hyksos).

We are allowed to wonder how the Israelites would treat these folks, later referred to as rabble (Numbers 11:4). Would the Israelites now act like the Egyptians? Would they treat the 'mixed multitude' like Egypt treated them?

All these people are gathered at Mount Sinai when the Lord gives his commandments forming them into his people. Included is this instruction regarding the Sabbath day, "On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns" (Exodus 20:10). They were all equal before God. They were all given time to rest – to be human – to take joy in life and the gracious gifts of God. Israel was not to be Egypt.

The wonder of the people of God in the Old Testament is the marvel of transformation whereby "not a people" became "God's people" (see 1 Peter 2:10), Jews and Gentiles. In Revelation, there is a great multitude gathered around God's throne, a multitude from every nation (7:9). The gathering of this crowd begins with Sabbath.

The Heidelberg Catechism offers this explanation of the Sabbath law, "that every day of my life I rest from my evil ways, let the Lord work in me through his Spirit, and so begin already in this life the eternal Sabbath". Surely, racism is one of the evil ways we must put aside.

When you gather with your Christian community is there evidence of this crowd? What attitudes do you hold that keep your community uniform? Let's allow the Spirit to probe our attitudes about other people so that we can set aside any pride that gives us superior attitudes "and so begin already in this life the eternal Sabbath".

As you journey on, hear Jesus' invitation:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:28-29).

Our text is Romans 12:15:

Love must be sincere…Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

One of my professors warned, "There will be days when you do a funeral in the morning and a wedding in the afternoon. You will need to weep in the morning and rejoice in the afternoon. Your tears and your joy better be sincere." That advice comes directly from our text for today. Paul is laying out different shades of Christian love which is not rooted in feelings but in a decision of the mind to behave in certain ways.

Empathy is "the ability to understand and share the feelings of another." Sympathy, the capacity to share in another's pain or sorrow, is one side of empathy. To rejoice when another rejoices is the other side. This, I think, is the more difficult aspect. Think about it -- to rejoice with people who are rejoicing, even if we do not feel like it. Your loved one is dying of cancer, and someone else's is healed. And you rejoice with them. That's Spirit stuff.

We are equipped with a great capacity for giving and receiving love. Even the hardest heart melts before the innocent smile of a child or the antics of puppies. Yet these two sides of empathy are often locked up in the confines of selfishness. This may be because genuine, loving, empathetic involvement is debilitating and costly. To weep when you are more interested in having fun or to appreciate another's gain when you are suffering loss is hard, but necessary. Doing so helps us overcome our selfishness; it is an act of selflessness; it is sincere love.

The problem with this rejoicing is that someone else's success often arouses jealousy and envy in our hearts. Jealousy and envy, hatred and malice are our native bents. When we can truly rejoice with someone's success without envying them, we are demonstrating a transformed mind (12:2).

Not envying those that prosper but rejoicing with them, being truly glad that others have the success and comfort which we do not, and not despising those that are in trouble, but being concerned for them, and ready to help them: this is to do as God does. He delights in the prosperity of his servants (Ps. 35:27) and is likewise distressed in their distress (Isa. 63:9).

Where there is a mutual love between the members of the church, there will be such empathy. True love will interest us in the sorrows and joys of one another and teach us to make them our own.

But how do we get there? Philippians holds a key, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength" (Phil. 4:12, 13).

When we learn to be content with out lot in life, because we trust God, then we can be an empathetic community.

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.