I Will Be Compassionate Series

Introduction: (Play Video – Open Your Eyes) How is your vision?

Would you characterize your vision as 20/20 or do you need a little help to see things clearly. Ophthalmologists tell us it is normal for our eyesight to start to become weak as we enter our forties. By the time we are in our sixties, 94% of us will have some sort of weakness in our eyes causing us to need some type of vision enhancement.

Our eyesight is truly precious to us, we have all marveled at the beauty of God’s creation that we have seen; Sunrises and Sunsets, The oranges, reds and browns of fall foliage and the greens and blues of the oceans and lakes.

So is it any wonder that in a recent survey to the question; Of the 5 senses which do you believe is the most important, an overwhelming majority said, “The Sense of Sight” For many of us the ability to see is paramount to enjoying life.

Today I want us to focus on what do you see?

We are in a new series titled “I Will” we are looking at 4 resolutions we should consider if we are going to please God this year.

Two weeks ago we looked at the idea of leaving a legacy – I will be faithful, for there are those who are coming behind me. We realize the church, like the culture is in a state of change and it is vital that we remain faithful so the generations coming behind us will find faith.

Last week we addressed the topic of loving God’s people as we stated we would love to those around us striving for harmony among brothers and sisters in Christ, we discovered our love for one another is a sign to unbelievers that we belong to Jesus.

Now we move to a new resolve – I will be compassionate to those who need me. My challenge to you is this; Are you aware there are people who need you?

I did not say are you aware there are people who need the church

I did not say are you aware there are people who need the gospel

I did not say are you aware there are people who need to repent

Are you aware there are people who need you

As a believer in Christ, we do not live for ourselves, but for others. The example of this is seen in the life of Jesus. His life was a life of interacting with others.

Nicodemus The Woman at the Well The Rich Young Ruler

Lazarus Mary & Martha Peter, James, John

The other disciples The women caught in adultery

As Jesus interacted with them he did with grace, truth and most of all compassion. I believe it was the characteristic of compassion that drew people to Jesus. It is also the characteristic that will draw people to Christ’s church.

To help us understand the compassion of Christ we need to look at one section of scripture that reveals our Lord’s heart. Here we see the motives and the methods of his ministry.

Matthew 9:35-38

35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.

36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.

38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

To help us understand the ministry of compassion we have to ask ourselves two questions, first…

1. What did Jesus See?

As we come to the conclusion of chapter 9, Matthew records for us this unique insight on what Jesus was experiencing everyday. AS Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount, we discover the people are astonished by the teaching of Jesus as someone who has spoken with authority. Not only did he have authority in his teaching, soon word spread that he had authority over sickness and demon possession.

Because of this Jesus was attracting a large following. In John’s gospel, we read that Jesus feed 5,000 men in one setting. There is no way to estimate the number of people who were following Jesus at this time, all we know is that the crowds were large.

We do not know the occasion of why Jesus made the comments he made, maybe Jesus was coming over a hilltop and he saw the crowd waiting for him, maybe he looked over his should as he looked behind him. What ever the occasion we know what Jesus saw. Verse 36, he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them. Looking at the crowd he did not say wow, look how many people are listening to me! Look at my followers; they would make a great army! He saw people and he had compassion.