Compassion For Us

Good morning church family

Welcome to any guests this morning - My name is Stefan and I am the preaching pastor here at Harvest

We are marching along through the Gospel of Matthew, so let’s take out our Bibles and turn to the end of Matthew 14.

We will be finishing up chapter 14 this morning

If you didn’t bring a Bible, there should be one under a seat nearby

You can also get there on a device

But God’s word is what this church is anchored on, so let’s all make sure that we have our eyes on a copy of God’s word this morning.

Over the last two weeks, we have been confronted with the fact that in the feeding of the 5000 and Jesus walking on water, he is not just a savior sent by God… he is God with us

And we saw how those two miracles actually pointed to a greater reality than the miracle itself

They both, together, pointed to how it is that Jesus provides salvation for us and preserves us through this life because of the salvation he provides.

[Hook] But while we can certainly affirm the truth that Jesus provides salvation and preserves us through this life…

Because I cannot see what God is doing, and he does not always change the circumstances that are hard for me, I can begin to wonder whether he is distant or even disinterested in the day-to-day realities of my life

But what we are going to encounter this morning is a moment in the ministry of Jesus where he shows that, in being God with us, he is a God who draws near and has “compassion for us.”

When we think that God is far off and disinterested, that could not be further from the truth

Yes, God is transcendent - He is beyond this world and is not confined by this world

But he is also immanent, he is close… He can be found and known

And he is near to the brokenhearted… he delivers the crushed in Spirit

And we are going to see a picture of that in Matt. 14:34-36 this morning

So let’s give these words our full attention.

Matthew 14:34–36 “And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.”

These are God’s words for us as his people - May we have ears to hear them and hearts to obey them

Big Idea: The compassion of Christ is shown to all who reach for him [6:00]

He is not distant and disinterested - He is near and cares

And when we are brokenhearted and crushed in spirit, when we are ailing and hurting and experiencing the sorrows that come from living in a broken world…

And we reach out to him… He shows us compassion and he cares for us

Something that I think happens a lot is that we make Christian life one of knowing the right things and knowing why the wrong things are wrong

And I know very well how that can cause me to miss the heart of Christ toward me

And perhaps you know something similar in your own life.

And passages like these are so good for us to pull us out of mere intellectualism about Jesus and be confronted with the heart of Jesus toward people.

Now, don’t miss what I am saying…

I am not saying the right belief doesn’t matter - It matters a great deal

What I am saying is that we cannot make Jesus into a textbook that we study

He is a personal God who relates to us

whose heart is toward those who belong to him

And who cares for us in the very real day-to-day of our lives.

And the day-to-day of our lives is hard

But he isn’t ignorant to that - Remember, he lived this human life with us, so he is able to sympathize with our weaknesses

And the compassion of Christ is shown to all who reach out for him.

[Bridge] What does it look like for him to show compassion when I reach for him?

3 markers of Christ’s compassion

Christ’s compassion…

Is never accidental (34) [9:00]

The storm from last week’s passage has calmed, Jesus and Peter are back in the boat… and we come to v. 34

Matthew 14:34 “And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.”

There are verses in Scripture that seem insignificant, like they are just place markers

But we have to be careful to not just write them off because of how they appear.

You have heard me say many times that we must interpret Scripture with… Scripture.

And in Mark’s account of Jesus walking on water in Mark 6, he tells us that before the storm, he sent the disciples in the boat to Bethsaida… not Gennesaret.

Gennesaret is about 7 miles away from Bethsaida.

The sea is only 8 miles wide… that is a big miss.

No doubt, they were blown off course by the violent wind of the storm in that was against them in v. 24 that we read last week.

So to an observer of this narrative, they didn’t end up where they were supposed to be.

Seems like an accident

But as we will see, there are no accidents and no coincidences in the plan of God.

Because what happens in v. 36?

The people of the town bring all of the sick to Jesus and he heals them.

Now let’s just stop and consider this…

If the disciples had a peaceful journey across the sea, they would have ended up in Bethsaida

And these people in Gennesaret would have had no way to get to Jesus

But it wasn’t a peaceful a journey, they did not end up where they thought they were going… and so many lives were forever changed.

This wasn’t an accident

This was the very providence of God ensuring that what needed to happen, happened, even if it seemed like things weren’t going according to plan.

If we have a low view of God’s providence in this scene, then the fact that they ended up in Gennesaret would be an inconvenience

Like, Jesus and the disciples are now thinking,

“Now we have to walk mules to get to where we were supposed to be…”

“And now, because we are here, there is this large crowd of people, which means not only do we have to walk, we have to wait…”

“Ugh… okay, let’s get this over with.”

But if we have a high view of God’s providence, we will see this as exactly what Christ intended

There are people in need and he is compassionate toward them

So he draws near to them so that he can show them the compassion that they need.

Christ’s compassion is never an accident

He seeks us out

He meets us where we are

And notice - We are not told that these people were searching for Jesus

We are told that Jesus came to them

This is so important for us this morning because I think that for many of us, we feel like we are a bother to Jesus

Like he is doing things and didn’t mean to bump into us

And no he is stuck with us

We are reluctant to bring our cares and our burdens to him

But Matthew shows us that isn’t the case

He is not inconvenienced by these people

He goes to them, shows them compassion, and heals them.

Whatever you are struggling with today, don’t think for a second that it is an inconvenience to Jesus

He shows compassion to all who reach for him

And his compassion is never an accident

So go to him confidently and consistently

… casting our cares upon him knowing that he cares for us.

Next, we see that Christ’s compassion…

Welcomes all who know their need (35) [17:00]

If you have been a Christian for very long, you have probably heard of people who claim that they can heal people

But something interesting happens… and it is a way to know if that person is a fraud…

They only are willing to “heal” certain people

Minor things… bad eyesight… a cold… a limp…

But bring them a quadriplegic… and they have a reason why they can’t heal that person.

And they typically blame it on a lack of faith on the part of the one asking for healing.

You know someone is a fraud when the thing that would prove they can do what they claim they can do, they are unwilling to do.

But notice in v. 35 “when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to ALL in that region and brought to him ALL who were sick…”

No qualifiers… No caveats…

They bring all who are sick to Jesus.

No one is too sick.

No one is too weak.

No one is saying, “Well, Jesus might be able to help the others, but there is no point bringing this guy.”

Their need for healing doesn’t keep them from Jesus.

Their need for healing is precisely why they come to Jesus.

[Salvation reality]

Now, I want to pause and do a little theological connecting of the dots here, because there is soemthing bigger on display in this verse.

Remember what Jesus said back in Matthew 9, Jesus said:

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.”

And then he says:

“I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Back in chapter 9, he connected the healing of people to the saving of sinners

Which means that anytime we come to a healing narrative, there is a truth to be learned about how God deals with us in our sin.

And when he says “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick… I came not to call the righteous, but sinners…”

He is not saying “Some are spiritually healthy and don’t need me while others are sinners and do need me.”

He is saying “There are some who are aware of their need for me and some who think they are doing just fine.”

The reality is that we are all affected by sin.

Some recognize it and others don’t

You will never seek out a physician for a sickness you refuse to believe you have.

And you will never come to Christ for salvation while insisting that you don't need to be saved.

You will never reach out for Christ while being committed to not needing any help.

These people knew there was something wrong with them that they could not fix, that’s why they reached for Jesus.

And that is true of every one of us spiritually.

Sin has not just made us imperfect people who need a little help becoming better.

Sin has left us guilty before God, separated from God, and incapable of making ourselves right with God.

We need a healing we cannot provide for ourselves.

But the good news of the Gospel that is being displayed here is that when you are aware of your need and you come to Jesus for healing from your sin, he will not say, “Sorry, not you.”

Sorry, your sin is too great.

Sorry, your past is too dark.

Sorry, your life is too broken

Instead, Jesus welcomes to himself ALL who know that they need him.

There is not a single person who is disqualified from coming to Jesus in this passage by their need for healing

And that is true for our spiritual lives as well - There is no one who knows their own sin and their need for forgiveness and the healing of their lives who will be disqualified from coming to Jesus.

The truth is that your need for Christ is the very reason that he moves near to you in compassion.

[Gospel Call]

And there are some who I am sure are here today who look at their lives and think, “I’m doing fine - I don’t need Christ.”

No, you are not doing fine.

For the moment things might feel fine, but the effects of a broken world will crash in on you and you will be very aware of just how not fine you are.

Rather than waiting for that day, see the truth that you and God are not right with one another because of the sin that affects every person

But God, in his compassion for you, has drawn near and will welcome you to himself if you will simply acknowledge your need for him and reach out to him by faith

Others of you are aware of the sin and brokenness in your life, but you think that Christ’s compassion rests on fixing yourself first.

“I'll clean my life up.”

“I'll get this sin under control.”

“Then I'll come to Jesus.”

But that's like saying:

“I'll get healthy, and then I'll go see the doctor.”

You don't get spiritually healthy so that you can come to Christ.

You come to Christ because you are spiritually dead and only he can revive your heart.

You cannot receive Jesus as Savior while insisting that you don't need saving.

So stop hiding your brokenness.

Stop minimizing your sin.

Stop comparing yourself to people who seem worse than you.

Admit your need and come to Christ.

And there is a third group that I think some this morning fall into

You know your sin, you have turned to Christ, but you think that depending on Jesus and coming to him for his compassion in your weakness is something that you grow out of

Like, true maturity means not needing Jesus anymore.

But dependence on Jesus and receiving his compassion is something we grow into, not out of

We grow more dependent on Jesus as we mature

We see more how much we need his compassion

I've been following Christ for nearly 3 decades at this point, and I have learned a lot of things and I have grown in my knowledge of many things… But the truth that I have grown the most in knowing is just how sinful I am

And just how much I need Christ to show me compassion

And how much more I need to depend on him

Whether you have not trusted Christ yet or you have been following him for years…

Listen to me...

You will be shown the compassion of Christ as soon as you stop pretending you don't need it [REPEAT].

So where are you pretending to be healthy?

What sin are you hiding?

What weakness are you embarrassed to admit?

What burden are you trying to carry without him?

What facade or veneer are you trying to maintain?

Jesus sees right through it - So stop trying to convince him that you're doing better than you are.

He welcomes all who know their need.

So bring your need to him.

And he will show you his compassion.

So, Christ’s compassion…

Is never an accident

Welcomes all who know their need

And finally, Christ compassion…

Is sufficient for all who come (36) [29:00]

There is something so sweet in this last verse that we need to take the time to notice.

Look at what they ask Jesus for in v. 36

Matthew 14:36 “[they] implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment.”

They aren't asking Jesus for some elaborate interaction.

They aren't even asking him to touch them.

They are asking for what seems like the smallest possible thing:

“Just let us touch the edge of your clothes.”

We have seen this once already in Matthew.

Back in Matthew 9, the woman who had been bleeding for twelve years believed that if she could only touch Jesus's garment, she would be healed.

And now word has apparently spread… or at least they share the same idea

“If we can just touch his garment…”

And notice what happens:

“And as many as touched it were made well.”

Their request is minimal… but they are fully healed.

They don't receive a little bit of healing because they asked for a little bit from Jesus.

Jesus doesn’t say, “Well, you could have asked for more, but because you just asked for a little bit, I’ll only give you a little bit.”

Everyone who reaches for him is made well.

It is similar to when the Roman centurion sent messengers to Jesus to ask for healing for his servant.

And he said, “I am not worthy for you to come to my home… But give the word and I know it will be done.”

Or like the Canaanite woman who said, “Just let me eat the crumbs that fall from the table”

In both of those instances, the healing they asked for was given in full

This means that the sufficiency is not in how much they ask from Jesus. The sufficiency is in Jesus himself.

And he is so generous… “You asked for a little… but you get all of the blessing.”

[Salvation reality]

Now this is where we need to understand how a text like this applies to us today vs. back then.

Because it would be really easy to read a passage like this and conclude that because everyone who came to Jesus asking for physical healing was healed, therefore anyone today who comes to Jesus and asks for physical healing will be healed

But our own lives and experiences show that to not be the case

There are many who have asked for healing and have not been healed

And even the authors of scripture asked for healing and were told “No” - The apostle Paul talks about his own personal experience with that in 2 Corinthians 12.

Yet, at the same time, there are others who have asked for healing and have been healed

So we must not conclude that Jesus doesn't heal people today

He absolutely does

So how do we make sense out of a passage like this where everyone who asks for healing is healed?

If we are to apply this passage to ourselves properly today, we must understand what the purposes of these healing miracles was in the first place.

When Jesus began his earthly ministry back in Matt. 4, he said "the kingdom of heaven is at hand"

And then his ministry went on to preach the truth of the kingdom and show that the kingdom of God was advancing in the world

And so miracles like this are not simply Jesus doing helpful things for people

They are showing us what Jesus came to do

Reverse the curse of sin and restore everything sin has broken.

In their physical lives, these people were experiencing the brokenness that comes as a result of the reality of sin

And in healing them he is demonstrating that he has power over sin and everything that it broke and he will make all things new

But we must not conclude that that is the ultimate point of the miracle

Because think about it:

Every person Jesus healed didn’t stay well forever…

They all eventually aged…

Their bodies all eventually began breaking down…

Every person Jesus healed eventually died.

So if physical healing was the ultimate point of this miracle, then eventually every one of these healings was undone.

But physical healing isn't the ultimate point - Temporary healing is pointing us toward permanent restoration.

Jesus has come to deal with the thing underneath all of our brokenness:

Sin.

And so this healing event is pointing us to the greater truth that Jesus ultimately heals us in a way that will never be undone.

Christ conquered sin

Christ conquered death

He removed everything that would keep us from being made right with God

Ultimately, the compassion of Christ is a compassion that restored us to God

And his compassion is sufficient for all who come.

As I was studying this week…

This request of these people to simply touch Jesus’ garment and the fact that they received the full healing form Jesus reminds me of the tax collector who came to the temple in Luke 18.

There are two men in that passage, one is a religious leader and the other is a tax collector

The religious leader who followed all the rules and who thought that he was in no need of a savior prayed to the Lord, thanking him that God made him so righteous - He stood in pride and self-righteousness and Jesus said he was not justified in his prayer.

But the tax collector, who betrayed and extorted his own people for his own financial gain, stood a long way off, Jesus says he would not even look up to heaven… and he beat his chest and said, “Lord forgive me, a sinner.”

He couldn’t bring himself to draw near… In his humility he cried out for God to simply have mercy on him.

And Jesus said, “I tell you, that man wen home justified before God.”

He made a humble request… but he received the full blessing of forgiveness.

The thief on the cross simply asked Jesus to remember him… and Jesus told him, “Truly, today, you will be with me in paradise.”

The smallest request… but the full blessing.

Church family, the message of the Gospel that is playing out in v. 36 here in Matthew 14 is that it doesn’t matter what we bring to Jesus, his compassion is sufficient for all who come

And what he will give is the fullness of himself

To undo the effects of sin - And bring full healing to our hearts.

Don’t let the magnitude of your sin make you think that he isn’t sufficient to cover it

Don’t let the depth of your brokenness make you think that there isn’t enough compassion in Jesus for it.

As Richard Sibbes wrote centuries ago that “there is more mercy in Christ than sin in us.”

If you will simply come to him, you will be met with his compassion that is sufficient for all who come.

[CONCLUSION]

We are not wrong to know what we should believe about Christ, but we must never neglect to know the heart of Christ

And this passage shows us the heart of Christ

His compassion is not an accident - He intentionally draws near

His compassion welcomes all who know their need - He doesn’t discriminate based on levels of need

And His compassion is sufficient for all who come to him

So may we be a people who come to him regularly, knowing that what we will find is the compassion of Christ that is shown to all who reach for him.

Amen.