The Ultimate Compassion

The Ultimate Compassion

Luke 10:25-37

Theme: True Biblical compassion is demonstrated in three ways by the Lord Jesus Christ in the story.

Welcome to Mountain View Baptist Church! It is a distinct honor to have you attending today. What a blessing to be in God’s House with God’s people. Welcome first-time guests today. You are special to us by your attendance.

Are you carrying a heavy burden today? There are many burdens you might carry like finances, health, grief, heartache, or wayward children. Many today are burdened and are looking for help.

A lawyer came to Christ asking an insincere question. He was asking what must you “do” to be a Christian? Jesus was focused on the “heart” in his answer. The Scripture shows us the importance of the heart “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9–10)

Salvation is not something we do to be a Christian, it is what has already been done for us by Jesus. We are to call upon Him to be our Savior. Our lives and our hearts are changed when we accept Christ. When we love God, then we will love man. Godly love affects human relationships.

God knows we have burdens and so God has chosen to teach us a great lesson on compassion here in this passage. Mankind is to be compassionate towards others. God uses us to extend compassion; however, I must warn you, “you will be hurt.” Human relationships are messy and will be hurtful at times.

Jesus is teaching a valuable lesson here: “If you want to know the true quality of your relationship with God, look at the quality of your relationship with others.”

In this passage of Scripture, we learn a parable about a man who goes from Jerusalem to a 17-mile winding and deserted road. It is filled with robbers and bandits who will beat and taken advantage of others. Here the man is beaten, robbed, and left for dead. A Samaritan stops to help him. Samaritans are hated people because they were Gentiles who intermarried with the Jews. They were half Jew and half Gentile

The Samaritan in this story is Jesus who demonstrates exemplar goodness to this man in need. Without pressing the story too much, we can also see in the two nationalities of the Samaritan, the dual natures of Christ: God and Man.

The Samaritan shows compassion. There is Samaritan Law.

What kind of compassion do you have to have to show compassion. It is a Godly compassion for sure. Jesus shows us three ways He shows Godly compassion.

1. He shows grace to the needy

Jesus teaches there is a lack of compassion in the law. The first two who came by the man was a priest and a Levite. Both represent the Jewish Law. The Old Testament priest was given the responsibility to represent man to God and even though he saw this man in need, he passed on by. The Levite was responsible for the physical services of the temple and he walked by.

Jesus is teaching that the law and religion has no compassion for the need of man. Man’s need cannot be met by the Law. Our need of forgiveness, of cleansing, of getting close to God is not met by the Law. In others words trying to “do” something in order to be a Christian.

“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” (Galatians 2:16)

The victim did not need the law but he needed grace. He was left half dead and the Samaritan stops to help the man. The Samaritan was not looking at his nationality, his spiritual condition, he saw him as a man in need. Others only thinking of themselves passed by but here is one who stops. This man has been a victim of the world and Satan has made sure he was left helpless.

This helpless man represents you and me. Jesus comes in tender compassion where we are beaten and bruised by Satan and our sin, He comes to rescue us out of sin by His marvelous grace. We are left alone, we are spiritually unable to care for ourselves. We are in a desperate condition.

“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” (Ephesians 2:1–2)

If you want to know true love and true compassion, you need to look to Jesus. Your social media won’t give you grace, the world won’t give you grace, religion won’t give you grace, only by Jesus do we have the fullness of His grace. Religion won’t give your compassion.

This man could not help himself, he could not get up, and he needed someone to meet him right where he is. This man is definitely you and me. We are needy, we are battered and bruise by sin-yet God reached out He rescues us by His amazing grace.

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (John 1:14–17)

“Without the grace of Jesus: a hopeless end. With the grace of Jesus: an endless hope.” (unknown)

“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 15:13)

The Samaritan gives grace to this needy man even though he may not have had grace given to back to him.

2. He shows compassionate care for the needy

Compassion is an inner emotion in the stomach, bowels, and inner being of man. Greeks would place compassion in the nobler viscera, heart, lungs, and liver to be filled with pity and compassion. It is deep feeling of wanting to help.

In verse 34, the Samaritan wants to help the man be healed. The Samaritan went to the man who could not offer anything and sought to help the man be healed. Please notice this picture of healer going to the one who need healing.

Jesus comes to us and we certainly don’t come to Him. Sometimes people will not listen or come to Christ and the Bible us the reason. Before we know Christ our hearts seek our own way.

All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned every one to his own way; And the Lordhath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)

We have gone our own way, we have turned away from God in our sin. Yet Jesus comes to us and wants to bind up our wounds with His own clothing and his own oil and eliminates the infection. John 4:23 “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.”

This Samaritan is willing to accept the man right there just as he is. He lifted the man and placed him on his donkey. He did not ask him or even care what his nationality was or social standing, he was a human being who needed someone to show him compassion.

Jesus shows us His compassion by going to the cross and dying in our place on the cross. No matter who the victim is or what he has done, Jesus offers acceptance.

“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37)

Jesus is willing to accept anyone who will turn from their sin and follow Him.

The Samaritan is also willing to sacrifice for the man by taking him on his donkey, walking beside him, and taking him to the inn. He pays two pence which is about two months of room and board. He was willing to sacrifice his own comfort, resources, and convenience to care for the needy.

Jesus Himself was willing to leave the perfection and the glory of heaven to sacrifice Himself for us on the cross. He sacrificed His comfort of heaven to come to this cruel world to die for us. No one has ever shown a great compassion than the Lord Jesus Christ.

Some may read the passage to think of the high cost of caring, but it is far more costly not to care. The priest and the Levite lost far more by their neglect than the Samaritan did by his concern. They lost the opportunity to become stewards of what God has given to them. They wasted their time on their own selfishness. It is good that Jesus compassionately cared for us that He was willing to deliver us from our sin.

3. He shows compassionate provision for the needy.

There is a continual love shown to this man. Nowhere does this indicate the Samaritan knew the man, he simply had human compassion for someone and showed continual love to him. The innkeeper is told to care for the man and He will return to check on him. God is showing us this is how much He loves us.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

God shows His love to us daily in so many ways. His love provides care, concern, compassion, companionship, and comfort.

God exhibits His love to us every day-He does not just love us sometimes but His love is continual. Love for man is God’s nature revealed throughout the Bible.

There is a continual blessing. He wanted this wounded man to be cared for and looked out after. God blessings us in so many ways and His blessings are continual to us

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all his benefits:” (Psalm 103:2)

There is the continual presence of God with us. Jesus is the ultimate neighbor because He is always there. He promises to be by our side and stands with us. This is one of the great promises in God.

Do you know Jesus Christ as your Savior? He has brought you here so that you might receive Him as your personal Savior. Will you let someone show you how you can have a relationship with Jesus Christ?

Christian, how close are you to God? He has shown His compassion by dying for you, are you living for Him? Will you decide today that you will commit your way and your life unto the Lord? To live for Him? To obey Him?