Words From The Cross Pt. 3-2 Series

Words From the Cross

Part 3-2

Compassion

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Intro: In the third set of words spoken from the Cross of Christ, we can clearly see the compassion of Jesus Christ. It is important to remember that these words are spoken in a LOVING, DIRECT, PERSONAL manner. These words were spoken to His mother, and the Disciple that HE loved. There are 3 things that I believe can clearly be seen from these words on the cross.

Lets read our text:

John 19:26-27 (NIV)26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," 27 and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

I) His compassion is undeserved

A) I can only imagine how humbled this DISCIPLE and MARY must have been.

1) Jesus is in tremendous pain

2) Suffering

3) Emotional Distress

4) Spiritual Agony

(a) And yet he pauses for just a moment to show them compassion, and speak these words.

(i) In the middle of this horrible time in His life, he stops to take care of His mother.

¨ I don’t think Mary was going… “I deserve this”

¨ “It’s about time Jesus, I was wondering if you would ever get me taken care of.”

¨ “Finally.. the compassion I deserve”

Þ No, I believe Mary and this Disciple would have been and were humbled by these words of compassion of Jesus.

· After all they understood that he was the:

Þ Savior of the World

Þ The Christ who would forgive their sins

Þ God in the Flesh

Þ The Christ they had been waiting for.

Þ Mary and This disciple would have been humbled, and felt undeserving of this great compassion of Jesus Christ.

B) Matt 8:8-10 (GW) 8 The officer responded, “Sir, I don’t deserve to have you come into my house. But just give a command, and my servant will be healed. 9 As you know, I’m in a chain of command and have soldiers at my command. I tell one of them, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and another, ‘Come!’ and he comes. I tell my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” 10 Jesus was amazed when he heard this. He said to those who were following him, “I can guarantee this truth: I haven’t found faith as great as this in anyone in Israel.

1) How many of you think you DESERVE the compassion of Christ in your life?

(a) How many of you have earned it?

(b) How many of us are worthy of this great compassion?

(c) How many of us are deserving of such compassion?

(i) No one in the world is deserving of the compassion and Grace that Jesus gives us.

(ii) No One

2) This man, this officer of the army, understood that he was not:

(a) Worthy or

(b) Deserving of the Compassion of Jesus

(i) But He also understood that the grace of Jesus goes far beyond:

¨ What we have earned

¨ What we deserve

¨ What we are worthy of

Þ The grace and compassion of Jesus far exceeds what we deserve.

C) We can learn from Mary and this Disciple.

1) WE are not worthy

2) We are not deserving

(a) But Jesus still pours his grace and Mercy out on our lives.

(i) The Compassion of Jesus is undeserved,

¨ But He gives it freely to all who draw near to the cross of Christ.

II) His compassion is unexpected

A) Why do you suppose Mary and this disciple came to the cross?

1) Most of the other disciples where hiding in fear for their lives, so why did these show up?

(a) Do you think they came expecting the compassion of Christ to be poured out on them?

(b) Do you think they came because they thought Jesus might pour His inheritance out on them?

(c) Do you think they showed up to receive anything that day?

(i) I don’t

(ii) I think they showed up for support

(iii) I think they showed up because they loved Jesus

(iv) I think they showed up in case there was something Jesus needed in this horrible time

¨ They did not show up thinking about themselves.

¨ They showed up thinking about Jesus.

B) This compassion that Jesus shows them is unexpected, and undeserved.

1) This is a big difference from the followers of Christ today isn’t it?

(a) We come to Jesus when we need:

(i) Healing

(ii) Money

(iii) Strength

(iv) Love