Moved With Compassion

Moved with compassion #3 Mark 1:40 – 45.

It’s personal.

Everybody is motivated/moved by something.

What moves you? Money, success, family, friends, politics, love.

In this series we’ve looked at two things that “moved” Jesus “with compassion”.

In Matthew chapter 9 we found that Jesus was “moved with compassion” for the lostness of man.

The very reason he came from heaven to die for our sins is because of his love for us and I were need for him.

In Matthew chapter 14 we find that Jesus was “moved with compassion” for multitude of people and he stopped to heal them and then to feed them.

In Mark chapter 1 we find Jesus once again teaching and doing miracles in the synagogues in the area throughout Galilee.

We find that Jesus took the time to minister to an individual.

This is a beautiful picture of who Jesus really is and why Jesus came.

Jesus came to die for the sin of man (the world) and our sins (personal).

I’m sure it’s easy to be motivated/moved by large crowds, but Jesus was “moved with compassion” for one man.

One of the most amazing things about Jesus is that he is a “personal Savior” and we have a personal relationship with him.

This is a great hindrance to many people – they failed to understand that God loves “you” and that “you and your needs” are important to God.

I’ve had the privilege to do multiple mission trips. Some international and some domestic.

The most amazing thing to me is that the same God who loves me and gave his son to die for me is the same God in Vermont and South America as he is in my life.

Friend, if you hear nothing else I say today, here this!

Jesus loves you. He came to save you. You are important to him.

Every man/woman/child matters to him and every circumstance/problem in your life matters to him.

Jesus is “moved with compassion” and ”motivated by love” for you.

Mark 1:40 – 45.

What really got me started in this series was a different phrase altogether.

That phrase was “when Jesus pass by” which reminded me that Jesus was never too busy to stop and take the time to make a difference in someone’s life.

That really hit home to me.

We all get so busy that we do not see the needs of others.

Perhaps we’ve got so cynical that we do not believe the needs of others.

Perhaps we are so selfish that we do not care about the needs of others.

So why did Jesus stop what he was doing so many times to make a difference in someone else’s life.

Because he was “moved with compassion”.

This really begin to bother me and I began to ask myself what moves me and what motivates me.

Jesus was moved by the lostness of man, by the needs of people, and in this case by the helplessness of one leprous man.

Leprosy in biblical times was the worst of disease.

They were outcast, they were unclean, they were considered contagious and contaminated.

They were not allowed in public and if they came around they had to announce loudly “unclean, unclean” so that people could avoid them.

They were not allowed in the synagogues or even near the courtyards.

As a matter of fact, throughout the Scripture leprosy is a picture of our sin.

Contaminated, corrupted, and condemned.

But this is not about the leprosy.

This is not about the miracle.

Jesus can raise the dead, feed multitudes, heal sick people, set people free, and forgive our sins.

Jesus could he leprosy – heal cancer – heal depression – and any other issue that we may have.

This is about the motive of love.

“Moved with compassion” may be three of the greatest words in the Bible.

This man came to Jesus in need of what only Jesus could do.

Jesus gave this man the two things that we all need, to be healed & forgiven.

A Touch of the master’s hand and a Word from the throne of God.

Two things that we all stand in need of.

The leper.

He was motivated by his need.

The need of healing, cleansing, and forgiveness.

Bible does not say that a crowd of people was around, but I suspect there were some in attendance when this man arrived to see Jesus.

Perhaps he heard of Jesus great power to heal the sick (and he was really sick).

I can imagine that as he made his way toward Jesus that he followed the law and pronounced himself “unclean – unclean”.

People would have moved aside to make a path for him to walk.

But when he arrives at Jesus, Jesus does not shy away or turn his back on this man.