His Compassion

Sermon Series Outline (Original)

November 2: Thankful for His Dominion

God Simply Is (Connect God's words at the burning bush, that He is the "I AM", with Solomon's words in Ecclesiastes that there is a season for all things.  God will be whatever He Wills which means that all moments contain God's benevolence, judgment, graciousness, and sovereignty.)

God is Good in the High Points (Reference moments in the Bible such as the consecration of the Temple by Ezra as a moment to remember God.  Reference David's victories and Psalms associated with thanksgiving as evidence God is there in the good times.)

God is Good in the Low Points (Mirror the last section by referencing some of David's Psalms showing thanksgiving for God even as he cries out for help.  Point out our dependence on God's goodness in those moments and reference the healing of 10 lepers in John 17.  Conclude the sermon by highlighting that of the 10, only 1 returned and was "healed by his faith"... use that as a charge to be the 1.)

November 9: Thankful for His Compassion

Compassion for the Outsider (Use the story of the Centurion who asked for healing for his servant as evidence that Christ is compassionate to those seen as outsiders.)

Compassion for the Sick (Use the story of the woman with internal bleeding as evidence that God healed those who were sick.)

Compassion for the Lost (Use the story of the feeding of the 5,000 and point out that it says Christ had compassion on the crowds seeking him.)

Compassion for the Broken (Use the story of Lazarus as evidence that Christ has compassion on all of us for the tragedies sin causes in this world.)

Compassion for the Sinners (Use imagery of the crucifixion and the statement that 'they know not what they do' as a display of God's compassion on us despite ourselves.)

November 16: Thankful for His Desire

God's Image (Start by pointing out that we were made in God's image and then relate this to the fact God is all about displaying His glory throughout the universe... this means that you are a reflection of what God wishes to display... WHOA!)

God's Pursuit (Identify several examples of God enacting His judgment, but also providing pathways for salvation and/or redemption, relating it to a pursuit of us rather than simply destroying us.)

God's Adoption (Point out that the ultimate show of God's desire is in adopting us as "sons".  Reference Paul's words about being "heirs" of the kingdom and how that serves as a now-eternal display of God's desire.)

November 23: Thankful for His Salvation!

Salvation As Promised (Start with imagery of atonement after the fall in Eden, then carry through Abrahamic Covenants, prophecies of Jeremiah, and then Christ)

Salvation For All (Point out that the tax collector in Matthew and Samaritan woman at the well shows God wants forgiveness for even the most rejected and deeply-entrenched sinners)

Salvation Without Qualification (Identify the thief on the cross as an individual who had the 'deathbed confession' and Christ validates his salvation)

Boundless Compassion

God’s compassion is something we really take for granted.

So many ways things “could have played out”, yet God chose to give us redemption.

God’s compassion is embodied in Christ so it makes sense that Christ’s life would be full of examples of God’s perfect sense of compassion.

An example...

Luke 7:1–10 CSB

1 When he had concluded saying all this to the people who were listening, he entered Capernaum. 2 A centurion’s servant, who was highly valued by him, was sick and about to die. 3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, requesting him to come and save the life of his servant. 4 When they reached Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for you to grant this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built us a synagogue.” 6 Jesus went with them, and when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, since I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I didn’t even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I too am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9 Jesus heard this and was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found so great a faith even in Israel.” 10 When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant in good health.

An Odd Scene

Centurion… a gentile?! But Jesus told the disciples NOT to approach gentiles!

Matthew 10:5 CSB

5 Jesus sent out these twelve after giving them instructions: “Don’t take the road that leads to the Gentiles, and don’t enter any Samaritan town.

Demonstrates that Christ was not WITHHOLDING compassion; He just had a specific job for everyone

Boundless Compassion fulfills prophecy/covenant...

Genesis 12:1–3 CSB

1 The Lord said to Abram: Go from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

We see here that God’s compassion knows no bounds, and yet we “regulate” compassion.

We decide who is and is not worthy of our love, our generosity, and our forgiveness… but did Christ?

"We regulate compassion based on effort, agreement, and proximity. We love people who are trying (effort), people who agree with us politically or spiritually (agreement), and people who are already in our circle (proximity). The Centurion had none of that, yet he was met with Christ's full attention. If Christ set no such bounds, what makes us the Chief Regulator of God's most defining characteristic?”

If Christ did not have such bounds, but we do, we have to ask ourselves honestly what qualifies us more than Christ to choose who does and does not deserve our love.

Read Luke 7:1-10 and consider how Christ had compassion on this person He “didn’t know” and who was a part of the Gentile population. 1) What are some different types of compassion? Which are harder or easier for you to show? 2) What causes us to withhold different forms of compassion? 3) How do you define compassion? Is it just giving someone what they want? Did Christ ever withhold compassion?

Compassion for “The Others”

One thing that challenges us the most is how no group of people was beyond Christ’s compassion…

You won’t find people Christ wasn’t compassionate for.

Even those who were “lost” and led to His death, He prayed for the Father’s compassion on them as He hung on the cross!

You can see Christ’s compassion for “othered peoples” in how he loved those who were sick, lost, and broken.

Mark 5:24–34 CSB

24 So Jesus went with him, and a large crowd was following and pressing against him. 25 Now a woman suffering from bleeding for twelve years 26 had endured much under many doctors. She had spent everything she had and was not helped at all. On the contrary, she became worse. 27 Having heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his clothing. 28 For she said, “If I just touch his clothes, I’ll be made well.” 29 Instantly her flow of blood ceased, and she sensed in her body that she was healed of her affliction. 30 Immediately Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 His disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing against you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 But he was looking around to see who had done this. 33 The woman, with fear and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34 “Daughter,” he said to her, “your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be healed from your affliction.”

WHY THIS EXAMPLE?! (Out of the many...)

No pre-requisite: She just came up and was healed!

Bleeding made her unclean: Jesus healed despite the “ew, gross” effect.

We all have aversions of sorts. Unfortunately, that rears it’s ugly head when it comes to those with sicknesses and disabilities who may be stressful to work with or result in some inglorious situations. Christ’s compassion overcame those barriers in ways we regularly fail.

Christ’s compassion is available for the sick and infirm, but also for those who are spiritually sick. Jesus clearly has compassion for “Lost Sheep”.

Mark 6:30–43 CSB

30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. 32 So they went away in the boat by themselves to a remote place, 33 but many saw them leaving and recognized them, and they ran on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. 34 When he went ashore, he saw a large crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then he began to teach them many things. 35 When it grew late, his disciples approached him and said, “This place is deserted, and it is already late. 36 Send them away so that they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages to buy themselves something to eat.” 37 “You give them something to eat,” he responded. They said to him, “Should we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?” 38 He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” When they found out they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he instructed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke the loaves. He kept giving them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 Everyone ate and was satisfied. 43 They picked up twelve baskets full of pieces of bread and fish.

Didn’t “earn” anything.

Explicit identifies with the “lost”.

Addressed both physical and spiritual needs.

Didn’t just tell them “be good” and send them away… ACTUALLY HELPED!!!

James 2:14–17 CSB

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can such faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily food 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.

Both of these examples have a component of “compliance” from the recipients of compassion, but compassion is not reserved for only those who “play nice”… Christ is compassion even for those who hate Him (WHOA!).

Luke 19:41–44 CSB

41 As he approached and saw the city, he wept for it, 42 saying, “If you knew this day what would bring peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come on you when your enemies will build a barricade around you, surround you, and hem you in on every side. 44 They will crush you and your children among you to the ground, and they will not leave one stone on another in your midst, because you did not recognize the time when God visited you.”

God’s heart breaks at disobedience

Meets disbelief and rebellion with sorrow, NOT CONTEMPT

Should convict us to look at those who attack us with compassion and desire for redemption, not contempt or hatred.

The picture of Christ’s compassion is one of conditionless compassion; there was no qualification required or caveat.

Christ seems to go out of His way to demonstrate during His ministry that the barriers of men are no obstacle for His Will.

It drives us to identify our own barriers and our own aversions… and to tackle them head-on so that we, too, can show conditionless compassion!

Read the examples discussed of Christ’s compassion in Mark 5:24-34, Mark 6:30-43, and Luke 19:41-44. 1) Have you ever felt unqualified to get compassion? Did anyone show it to you anyway? 2) If someone has to earn or qualify for relief, is it really “compassion” at that point? 3) What are barriers or obstacles you know you need to overcome to have a more compassionate heart?

God’s Glorious Compassion For Us

Perhaps the most striking image of Christ’s compassion is what He did while He was actively being beaten, harassed and mocked, and crucified.

Luke 23:32–43 CSB

32 Two others—criminals—were also led away to be executed with him. 33 When they arrived at the place called The Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided his clothes and cast lots. 35 The people stood watching, and even the leaders were scoffing: “He saved others; let him save himself if this is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him. They came offering him sour wine 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 An inscription was above him: This Is the King of the Jews. 39 Then one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God, since you are undergoing the same punishment? 41 We are punished justly, because we’re getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Christ’s TWO Acts of Compassion to Sinners

1st - The Crowds who mocked and jeered at Him.

2nd - The thief who cried out for mercy.

In Christ’s final moments before death, He reached beyond the chaos and tragedy of His circumstances to forgive.

CONNECTION: Think of the entire Old Testament. Look at how many times God’s creation rebelled over and over again.

Each time, God’s compassion was revealed through redemption after redemption.

Christ is the culmination of perfect redemption!

We are often Israel… sinning over and over against despite God’s generosity and immense blessings.

God could easily turn His back on us and leave us to our justifiable destruction.

Yet time and time again, Christ’s glory is presented to us in the form of forgiveness.

We should be truly THANKFUL for God’s infinite compassion, because...

In our rejection, Christ embraces.

In our sickness, Christ heals.

In our need, Christ provides.

In our confusion, Christ leads.

...and in our rebellion and selfishness.....… Christ forgives.

Our God is a God of perfect compassion. Living by a “whole thanks” means reflecting that compassion back to others.