Compassion: The Touch Of God

Compassion: The Touch Of God

(Matt. 8:1-4)

I. THE MAN THAT CAME

A. His Plight

1. A slow and painful death

2. A life without personal contact

3. No hugs from his kids, no kiss from his wife

4. Living without ever “feeling” compassion from another person

B. His Prerogative

1. Worship, not healing

2. He came to Jesus because Jesus is God, and God deserves worship because of the very life you have, no matter how good or bad you think it may be. He gives life!

C. His Purpose

1. He wanted to be healed.

2. He didn’t demand it, but he knew that Jesus could do it.

3. The fact that he worshiped before his healing shows us that this man’s relationship with God did not rest on God doing exactly what he wanted Him to do.

4. He could live with not being healed.

II. THE ACT OF COMPASSION

A. The Touch Didn’t Heal Him.

1. Jesus healed people with a word, even with a thought. He didn’t have to touch this man.

2. But He did. Jesus went out of His way to physically touch this man. When you understand why, you will understand compassion.

B. What The Touch Did For The Man.

1. How long had this man had been a leper? We don’t know.

2. How long had it been since he’d felt the soft, warm embrace of his wife? How long since he picked up his little son or daughter and held them in his arms? How long had it been since he had been touched by anyone besides another leper?

3. I’m sure his friends and family still told them they loved him, but how long since somebody showed him that they cared?

4. Jesus touched this man to show him that He really did care for him, that He was genuinely concerned about him, that He was willing and wanting to get to know him, and most of all, that He accepted him as he was.

5. Jesus showed true compassion because He got personally involved in this person’s life. He didn’t just stand off at a distance and do that “God thing”. The one thing that man had missed for so long, Jesus gave, compassion.

III. GO AND DO THOU LIKEWISE

A. Why Should I Show Compassion?

1. A touch is personal.

2. A touch is powerful.

3. A touch is proof.

B. How Can I Show Compassion?

1. Don’t just pray, act.

2. Don’t just talk about how bad off a person is, help them.

3. Accept people as they are and show them Jesus, the One who can change them.