The Compassion Of Christ Part 2 Series

The Compassion of Jesus Christ Part 2

The Book of Mark

Mark 8:1-10

I. Introduction:

A. Last week we started to examine compassion as exemplified in Jesus Christ’s life.

B. Compassion is defined as a sympathetic consciousness of another’s distress together with a desire to help alleviate that distress.

C. Simply put it is being aware of other people’s needs and being willing to do something about it.

D. Perhaps the most well known example of compassion is the story of the Good Samaritan recorded in Luke 10:29.

1. A Jewish man fell to robbers.

a) Three different people came upon the man 2 of which were fellow Jews. But only one demonstrated compassion.

b) He not only saw the man’s situation but he took action to help alleviate it.

c) He didn’t just call for help.

d) He didn’t just stand there and say “I feel your pain man”.

E. As we saw last week having compassion means placing other people’s needs before our own.

1. I am sure there were many reasons that the Jewish leaders didn’t stop to help one of their own country men.

a) They may have been on the way to an important meeting.

b) They may have had to teach a class.

c) They may have had a queasy stomach.

2. People can come up with lots of reasons why they fall short in showing compassion to others.

F. We also learned that showing compassion means taking action.

1. Compassion isn’t passive, it is proactive you can’t be a compassionate person unless you are willing to do something about it.

2. Notice how far out of his way this Samarian went.

a) He cleaned and bandaged his wounds.

b) He put him on his own donkey

c) He took him to a place where he could be taken care of

d) He stayed for the whole day taking care of him..

e) He promised to pay the bill.

3. At what point would you consider it appropriate to stop?

a) Remember the Jews and Samarians had a very strong dislike toward one another.

b) He didn’t stop until he had made sure that the man was fully taken care of.

4. I think that you can also take from this that compassion is no respecter of persons.

a) Jesus didn’t discriminate between Jews and Gentiles just as the Samarian didn’t.

G. Last week we looked at the definition of compassion this week I want to look at the practical application of compassion.

II. Three facets of Compassion: the feeding of the 4,000.

A. See the need.

1. The crowds who followed Jesus stayed with Him.

a) They were so wrapped up in what was happening that they just stayed

b) Matt.15:29-31 gives the details.

c) They were the witness of a great work of God.

2. The need was obvious 8:1-2 they had little or no food.

a) It may have been that they ran out of food. Having brought some for a short stay but then they stayed longer.

b) So they may have just run out of food.

3. The needs of people we come into contact with are sometimes harder to discern.

a) We hear about people with problems all the time.

b) We receive letters in the mail.

c) We get phone calls imploring us to help.

d) It can cause us to become callous to people.

e) It can be overwhelming vs.4.

B. Feel the need vs.2-3.

1. Jesus emphasized with these people.

a) He had been ministering to them for these 3 days.

b) He had been observing them.

c) Heb.4:15-16 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

2. Vs.3 He knew that if He sent them away in that state it would be detrimental to them.

a) Remember they were in a out of the way place.

b) There wasn’t a town close enough by to accommodate all of those people and their needs.

3. He wasn’t just interested in their spiritual need compare 6:34.

4. We often do just the opposite we focus on the physical need and forget to bring up the desperate spiritual need people have.

5. Feeling the need in other people requires a sensitivity which can only come from God.

a) We must be discerning in this area.

b) It all goes to the one another principles that we spoke about earlier this year.

c) Christianity is an other oriented faith Phil.2:2

C. Meet the need vs.5-10.

1. The most difficult part of compassion is acting on what your heart prompts you to do.