I want to preach to you about compassion. We miss compassion when we do not have it and we admire it when we see it.
Illus: A pastor wrote, "I was in Time’s Square, in New York, during rush hour. Thousands of people were thronging and pushing at the corner, ready to cross at the intersection. Ten lanes of cars were backed up for blocks, racing their motors waiting for the light to change.
Suddenly, a mother cat came out of an alley followed by her four little kittens. She started across that busy intersection. The policeman on duty dashed out into the middle of the traffic, at the risk of his life stopped the cars and the people, and allowed that mother cat and her kittens to cross. Everyone stopped and watched this brave act exhibited by the policeman, and the calm manner in which that cat and her kittens crossed the busy intersection, all because of the caring of that policeman."
The policeman had compassion for the mother cat and her kittens, so he guided them across the street. Jesus has compassion for us as a shepherd does for his flock, and He guides us across the busy intersections of life.
WHAT IS COMPASSION? Let me give you two definitions:
(1) A BIBLE DEFINITION
Look at Matthew 10: 35-38, we read, “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”
Notice, the Lord went about teaching, and healing the sick of all types of diseases. In verse 36, the Bible says, “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.”
As a pastor, I can not tell you the times I have asked someone if they would do something for the Lord, and I knew what they were going to say before they said it. It is a stock answer that we hear all the time in the church that goes like this, “Pastor, I would love to do that for the Lord, but I already have so many important things to do and I wouldn’t have time to do what you are asking.”
The Lord could have said the same thing, but the Bible says that HE SAW THEM IN THE CONDITION THEY WERE IN AND HE HAD COMPASSION ON THEM.
(2) A REAL LIFE DEFINITION
Illus: The NY Times had a story about a little boy who was riding the bus. He sat so close to a woman dressed in a gray suit that everybody assumed he was her son and she his mother, until finally another lady sat down on the same seat with them.
When the little boy put his feet up on the seat and got the other lady’s dress dirty, she turned to the women in the gray suit and said, "Would you please tell your son to put his feet down because he is getting my dress dirty."
The lady in the gray suit pushed the boy away and said, "He’s not my son. I’ve never seen him before in my life."
The second lady looked at the little boy sadly for a moment and then started talking with him. She asked him if he was traveling alone.
"Yes," he said, "I always travel alone. My mommy and daddy are both dead and I live with Aunt Clara. But Aunt Clara thinks that Aunt Mildred ought to take her turn in taking care of me too. So whenever she gets tired of me, she sends me to Aunt Mildred. I’m going to Aunt Mildred’s now."
The woman said, "It must be tough traveling alone."
"Yeah," said the little boy, "it is. But I never get lost.” He said, "Sometimes I do get very lonesome. So whenever I see someone with a kind face I sit close to them, and pretend that I belong to them and that they belong to me."
He continued, "I sure hope that Aunt Mildred is home when I get there, because it looks like it is going to rain and I don’t like to be outside when it rains."
The woman reached over and grabbed the boy, hugged him so tight that it almost hurt, and wished for a moment that this little boy who wanted so much to belong, could belong to her.
We live in a world today that lacks compassion. Every day, people’s lives are made difficult by the lack of compassion.
• THE BUSINESS WORLD LACKS COMPASSION. The only thing they care about is making money
• THE POLITICAL WORLD LACKS COMPASSION. All they care about is getting us to cast our vote for them in the next election
We can all be thankful that Jesus was a compassionate Savior. People were drawn to Him like a magnet. For example, look at...
I. THE GROUP
In Luke 15:1, we read, “Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.”
It is always refreshing to see people gather together for the right reason. They did not gather:
• Because of curiosity
• Because of any selfish gain
• Because of a hidden agenda they were promoting
They were there because they wanted, “TO HEAR HIM.”
WHO WERE THOSE PEOPLE? The Bible tells us who they were...
A. THE PUBLICANS
Who are the Publicans? First, let me tell you who they are not!
Illus: One little boy went home from Sunday School, and his dad asked him what his Sunday School teacher had taught him. The little boy said, “Dad, our lesson was on how wicked the republicans are and how God wants to save them."
Before I get into trouble with Republicans, let me quickly explain that “publicans” ARE NOT REPUBLICANS. The publicans were the hated, despised tax collectors of that day.
They knew a great deal about being hated and despised. But evidently they knew that the Lord DID NOT HATE THEM, AND THEY DREW NEAR TO HEAR HIM!
These despised tax collectors somehow knew the Lord loved them, and they drew near to hear Him.
Illus: When I think of being hated, I think of a man that absolutely hated his wife's cat.
• He decided to get rid of him one day by driving him 20 blocks from his home and leaving him at the park. As he was getting home, the cat was walking up the driveway.
• The next day he decided to drive the cat 40 blocks away. He put the cat out and headed home. Driving back up his driveway, there was the cat!
• He kept taking the cat further and further, and the cat would always beat him home. At last he decided to drive a few miles away, turn right, then left, past the bridge, then right again and another right until he reached what he thought was a safe distance from his home and left the cat there.
• Hours later the man calls home to his wife: "Jen, is the cat there?"
• "Yes," the wife answers, "why do you ask?"
• Frustrated, the man answered, "Put that miserable cat on the phone. I'm lost and need directions!"
These Publicans were tax collectors and they were hated and despised by everyone.
WHY WERE THEY HATED? They were hated by the rest of the Jews because they collected revenue for the Roman government. Many of them were “crooked.” They often collected, along with the taxes; a little extra for themselves so they could become wealthy. It is easy to understand why they were hated.
B. THE SINNERS
WHO WERE THE SINNERS? They were those who were considered to be immoral, such as thieves, murderers, liars, rapist, adulterers, harlots, etc.
No decent Jew would have wanted to be caught talking to a “sinner” in public. He certainly would not have wanted to have been caught eating with a “sinner,”
The PUBLICANS and SINNERS were considered to be the most despicable groups of people on earth by the religious Jews. To the Jews, it was appalling that Christ would be caught in broad daylight eating and mingling with “sinners.”
We read about their shock in verse 2, “And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.” They were SHOCKED!
There was something that crowd did not know about the Lord Jesus.
• Jesus did not come to fit into their social circles
• Jesus did not come to please the legalistic crowd
• Jesus did not come to please the religious crowd
Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost!
We are not really sure why the religious people went to hear Jesus, but the Bible tells us why the SINNERS and PUBLICANS were there.
As we look, we will see TWO things in this verse of scripture. We will see WHAT and WHY they went to Christ.
WHAT DID THEY COME FOR? We do not have to guess. The Bible makes it crystal clear. We read, “Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.”
It is a marvelous thing when men want to draw close to the Lord. The fact is, I do not know how close any of you are to the Lord, and you do not know how close I am. We are all as close to the Lord as we WANT to be.
The Book of James (4:8), teaches, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.”
Did you know that if you do not draw “nigh” to God, you will never be any closer than you are right now? The Lord Jesus has done everything that can be done to have a close relationship with you. Now it is up to you!
No one twisted anyone’s arm to make them come. It was their desire to be near Him. They knew what it was to be HATED AND DESPISED and:
• They wanted to hear more from this Savior Who loved them
• They wanted to hear more of this Savior Who socialized with them
• They wanted to hear more of this Savior Who did not look down on them with disgust
There is another reason for their drawing near to Jesus.
WHY DID THEY COME NEAR? They wanted to be able to hear everything that came out of His mouth!
Illus: An evangelist, who usually knows very little about the people in the congregation, knows that those who sit near the front do so MOST OF THE TIME because they want to eliminate distractions. They are really hungry for the Word of God. They are the ones who have their Bibles open and usually are taking notes as God’s Word is being preached.
Don’t misunderstand what I am saying. Not everyone who sits near the back is trying to get away from God’s Word.
The Bible makes it clear that the PUBLICANS and SINNERS wanted to know more about the Savior that had COMPASSION ON THEM. The Bible says these made up THE GROUP that, “...DREW NEAR UNTO HIM...”
Some drew near to Him for the RIGHT REASONS, some for the WRONG REASONS. Look at...
II. THE GRUMBLERS
Verse 2 tells us, “And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.”
Any time people gather for the right reasons, you can rest assured there will be some nearby who have come for the wrong reasons. Look at...
A. THE COMPANY OF THE COMPLAINERS
HOW CAN YOU TELL WHO HAS COME FOR THE WRONG REASONS? They are the ones that are CONSTANTLY FINDING SOMETHING TO GRUMBLE ABOUT!
Illus: A customer was bothering the waiter in a restaurant.
First, he asked that the air conditioning be turned up because he was too hot, then he asked for it be turned down because he was too cold, and so on for about half an hour.
Surprisingly, the waiter was very patient, he walked back and forth and never once got angry. So finally, a second customer asked him why he didn't throw out the pest.
"Oh, I really don't care or mind," said the waiter with a smile. "We don't even have an air conditioner."
Notice, the Pharisees and Scribes went under the guise of being members of the religious group, but they were the ones who were doing the grumbling. They were THE COMPANY OF COMPLAINERS.
B. THE COMPLAINTS OF THE COMPLAINERS
Their complaint was, “...This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.” Their words marked them as being, in common language, “snobs.” It was beneath their dignity to associate with such vile sinners. Jesus let them know that IT WAS NOT BENEATH HIS DIGNITY!
He shows us something very important in this passage. Jesus shows us that He was NOT OF THE WORLD but HE WAS OUT IN THE WORLD, trying to reach the lost.
Many folks have a very difficult time getting that straight. For example, the theme verses of many who make up the legalistic churches is, 2 Cor. 6:17-18. We read, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
They have taken this scripture much further than God’s Word teaches we should take it. We will never be able to reach the lost for Christ, by walking around like “snobs”!
The Lord said, in Mark 16:15, “GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
God save us from the religious “snobbishness,” which causes us to think we are too good to mingle with people who desperately need the Lord.
III. THE GATHERING
The Lord was very displeased with the crowd of religious “snobs.” Look at what He said to THE GRUMBLERS in verses 3-7. We read, “And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”
A. THE SHEEP WERE SOUGHT
Jesus saw the SINNERS and PUBLICANS were as sheep that had gone astray. Listen, before they ever came to Him, He went to them.
We are told that the sheep loses itself in one of five ways.
• It, by nature, wanders off and does not even know it is getting lost
• It is attracted by things in the wilderness
• Some refuse to follow the other sheep that are not wandering
• It does not walk close enough to the Shepherd.
• It does not trust the shepherd to lead him into green pastures so decides to take care of himself.
THE LOST SHEEP IS SOUGHT BY THE SHEPHERD.
B. THE SHEEP WAS SAVED
Look at verse 5. We read, “And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.”
The safest place a person can be is on the shoulders of our Lord and Savior! Jesus does not place us on one shoulder where we can slide off. He places us around His shoulders so we are secure.
Conclusion:
We are to go out into the lost world and COMPASSIONATELY reach them for the Lord.
We have looked at:
I. THE GROUP
II. THE GRUMBLERS
III. THE GATHERING
