Mt 14:13-21 Great Day of Singing: any Sunday in August or during the year.
Title: Our Godly Compassion
Have you ever thought about how if God was to change, how that would impact our lives? If God one day was feeble where all our prayers was over looked and not taken priority and another day he was tretorous no matter the circumstance we was in or what we bring to him in prayer allowing all our joy to become painful and our peace become a nightmare. Really think on that, if God was NOT the God of the bible, what would we really do?
But thanks be to God, we have a father in heaven that not only never changes, but ALWAYS keeps his promises. Not just what we read, but also what we experience as Children of the living God. Reading Malachi ‘For I, the Lord do not change…’ Hebrews tells us ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever’. So I speak to you today with the unfaliable truth that our Lord God is and shall never change and always faithful, you can believe on that no matter who you are or what circumstance you are in. God operates on eternal and unchanging principles friends.
We can all relate to each other by ways of Sympathy, empathy and compassion. When we think of these words, we see different actions come to mind, different emotions and even different pain. Each of these words are used in result of something that is gone wrong, something not just right or even painful and bad towards an individual. You don’t hear these words used in a joyous or peaceful settings as much. So lets look at the word compassion, a strong word that has lots of verbiage and definitions. Compassion is used as a means to act or a capacity for sharing painful feelings. It suggests pity in exclamations, tears or words of comfort. Chiefly though it is used to express grief or loss of something.
When we think of compassion, what comes to mind!
Is it the act of helping our fellow man when we feel or see pain or a need, or giving into demands of a friend or loved one that you care about that demonstrates such a powerful ora of despair, or when you witness or experience the wresting of the spirit which the earge to pray for them comes to mind. What ever does come to your mind do you not agree compassion is a word we all need to inflict in our lives more and more. Compassion is a broader word that implies both an attempt to understand and desire to mitigate pain.
So compassion has a source of pain and even suffering don’t it. One of the ‘biggest’ concerns about compassion is the knowing action that being hurt is not something we want to willfully take part in. Our best intentions to give compassion some would say can be painful especially when those you give compassion to, use it to inflict damage to you. That is always a risk for sure. Its like the old saying ‘Never bite the hand that feeds you.’ So even though our human side has a risk associated with compassion, God has it as a great and awesome thing.
In 2 Chronicles, there was letters sent to cities in the area of Israel giving a Godly direction about compassion since the celebration of Passover was not celebrated correctly, here is what it said. “Do not belike your fathers and your brothers who were unfailthful to the Lord God…” and it goes on to say “For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive and will return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn his face away from you if you return to him.”
So you see, those that was held captive and mis-treated was to have compassion upon them all because of the promise the Lord gave to all who return to him and follow. Some people in an example like this, worry that they commit a ‘unpardonable sin’ that prevents them from being loved and forgiven. Friends, God never turns away anyone who genuinely repents of his sin and places his faith in Christ.
In Exodus we also find another example where the child moses was placed adrift in a basket that ultimately was found by a Egyptian women. Here it shows how she had compassion on him and said “This is one of the Hebrews children.” So in my statement earlier, having compassion does that mean you know exactly how the pain or event feels to you? Not necessarily, but the Egyptian women was moved with compassion for this small child, disregarded by its parents in the effort to save its life and maybe even more than we know, the Egyptian women had a tender heart much more than others. So some people have have more compassion than others, but that is NOT what I am referring to here. We ALL have compassion if we act upon it.
Now in Gospel of Matthew, there is two events that show Christ’s compassion for people who was without food and hungry along with those that need healing. Compassion is what Jesus had here that fed over 10 thousand people and healed countless more. Let me read you his words in one event that Jesus said, “I feel compoassion for the people, because they have remained with me now three days and have nothing to eat; and I do no want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.” Friends you see here that God supplied the needs of several thousand people because knowing their need. He had compassion especially those that was faithful to follow Christ for 3 days. Think about it, several thousand people around Jesus that had not ate for 3 days but they wanted to follow Jesus and even though the disciples wanted Jesus to send them away as they had nothing to eat, what did jesus do? “He took the loaves and the fish, gave thanks and he broke them and started giving them to the disciples to give to the people….” After it was over there was several baskets full of left overs… Friends this happened twice in a short span. Many people in want and need, Jesus had compassion for.
So pastor what does this compassion have to do with me? Well I’m glad you asked that question!
Friends, in a world we live in today, compassion has more vital role than you might want to think. It gives so much to others while also supplying us with a closeness to God. Even though when we give compassion to someone, it doesn’t necessarily mean they in return will comprehend compassion, but its almost a guarantee they will be grateful don’t you think? So as being human, don’t we all like to get a ‘thank you’ or even a ’well done’, or even a term that is used in the U.S. Navy “Bravo Zulu on a Job Well Done.”
Certainly several people gave the disciples a well deserved thank you, but giving from a heart of compassion means to not expect something in return. Gospel of Luke tells us something very admirable “..If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great as you will be sons of the Most High. For he is kind to the unthankful and evil. There fore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.”
Wow! Now we have more than just compassion, we have the words merciful and Love. Well pastor don, you didn’t mention those words. No I didn’t but Jesus did! Friends, compassion, Love, Mercy all fall into the true calling of each follower of Christ! Not to say one has precedence over the other, but as stated earlier, compassion gives so much to others while also supplying us with a closeness to God by being an example of a good and faithful servant.
A servant! Compassion has many flavors to be sure, but only ONE can be an example of a true follower of Christ. Friends, I’m asking each of you today including myself, search yourselves and ask God to give us all a heart of compassion where such a thing seems vacant in a fallen world. Let us all reach out towards our fellow man in ways that the Holy Spirit directs us to do his will. Trust and Obey is what we need to pray for!
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!