Sermon Tone Analysis

COMPASSION 15

RECONSIDERING THE DEFINITION

OF THE WORD `COMPASSION' 1

(cmpas15.doc)

*THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE*

          

        Most people have little knowledge of any language other than their own.

That's why it is difficult to comprehend the abilities of a person such as the ancient Parthian ruler Mithridates.

He could speak the languages of all the 25 nations he ruled.

But even more astounding was the 18th- century Italian linguist Mezzofanti.

He was fluent in 114 languages and dialects.

We certainly admire these men for their great knowledge.

But we as Christians know one language that stands above all others--the language of love.

It is essential in communicating the gospel.

Even if we speak flawlessly in our own tongue and learn to converse in other languages as well, our words will sound empty and unpleasant, like a clanging cymbal, if they don't flow from a heart of love.

It is our responsibility to share our knowledge of the Savior, but if we fail to demonstrate */care/* and */compassion/*, we are wasting our breath.

Jehovah God is a compassionate God and we, being His people, are to demonstrate that compassion to the world.

We must now review all that we have covered in the past fourteen messages on compassion.

We covered every Scripture where the words "compassion, compassions or compassionate," occurred in the Old Testament.

We defined all the Hebrew words that were translated as such, plus some related words.

We entertained these words from the most frequently used word to the least frequently used word.

These words are:

/ /

/racham/ (raw-kham') 7355,

/racham/ (rakh'-am) 7356,

/rachuwm/ (rakh-oom') 7349,

/chamal/ (khaw-mal') 2550,

/chemlah/ (khem-law') 2551,

/chus/ (khoos) 2347,

/nacham/ (naw-kham') 5162,

/nichum/ (nee-khoom')/ /5150,

/nocham/ (no'-kham) 5164,

/chanan/ (khaw-nan') 2603,

/rachamani/ (rakh-maw-nee') 7362,

/rechem/ (rekh-ame') 7359.

\\         Although we logged numerous observations, really observations, interpretations and applications, we have reduced our learning to seven principles:

 

*Principle #1:*  Jehovah God, as to His nature, is love.

He consistently demonstrates His love by being compassionate.

*Principle #2:*  Jehovah God, as to His nature, is love.

He consistently demonstrates His love by being compassionate.

But God does have self-imposed limits and boundaries and hence, His compassion can run out.

These limits and boundaries have to do with high-handed and unrepented of sin.

Yet, this running out of His compassion seems to be temporal, with respect to Israel, and not eternal.

He sets conditions for restoration to His temporal compassion, but seems to state that in the final analysis His immanent lovingkindness and transitive compassion will be eternally bestowed upon Israel.

*Principle #3:*  Jehovah God, as to His nature is love.

He demonstrates His love by consistently being compassionate.

In certain instances His compassion is depicted as a Motherly feeling towards His children.

*Principle #4:*  Jehovah God as to His nature is love.

He consistently demonstrates His love by being compassionate.

In certain instances, His compassion is depicted as pity.

He has sympathetic, heartfelt sorrow for our suffering.

He pities us!

* *

*Principle #5:*  Jehovah God, as to His nature, is love.

He consistently demonstrates His love by being compassionate.

*In certain instances, His compassion is depicted as mercy.*

The major ideas are (1) forbearance shown to an offender, i.e. kindness instead of strictness or severity; (2) grace, i.e. divine favor or compassion; and (3) pity.

*Principle #6:*  Jehovah God, as to His nature, is love.

He consistently demonstrates His love by being compassionate.

In certain instances, His compassion is depicted as grace.

He is the Superior bending down to help us, the inferior; He is a gracious God.

 

*Principle #7:*  Jehovah God, as to His nature, is love.

He consistently demonstrates His love by being compassionate.

In certain instances, His compassion is depicted as a Motherly feeling toward His children.

Two specific manifestations of that Motherly feeling are tenderness and kindness.

He is a *tender* and kind God.

 

\\         Jehovah God's revelation of Himself, as a compassionate God, in His Word, meets every characteristic of Webster's definition of the word "compassion" and beyond.

Let's thoroughly explore Webster's definition of the word "compassion" in the light of God's Self-revelation.

compassion "deep feeling for and understanding of misery or suffering and the concomitant desire to promote its alleviation *:* spiritual consciousness of the personal tragedy of another or others and selfless tenderness directed toward it."

Let's break this definition up into its constituent parts:

 

1.

Compassion is a deep feeling for misery or suffering.

I have abundantly demonstrated through the Word of God that God has a deep feeling for the misery and suffering of His children.

Hallelujah!!!

        The word "compassion" has several synonyms, i.e. words that have essentially the same meaning and can be used interchangeably.

By looking at these synonyms, we can pick up the nuances of the meaning of the concept of "compassion."

/(The first synonym is:)/

 

1)      Sympathy.

sympathy "*4 a :* the act or capacity of entering into or sharing the feelings or interests of another : the character or fact of being sensitive to or affected by another's emotions, experiences, or especially sorrows *b :* the feeling or mental state brought about by such sensitivity *:* the expression or demonstration of this feeling."

Jehovah God enters into and shares my feelings and my interests.

Jehovah God is sensitive to and affected by my emotions, experiences and especially my sorrows.

/(Let's break this down further.)/

(1)     "Sympathy" is an *act* or a *capacity*.

We know what an act is, but a capacity is an ability to do something.

So, sympathy is either an action or an ability to act.

(2)     "Sympathy" is the act of entering into or sharing the feelings or interests of another.

Sympathy does not denote being a bystander, but an active participant in someone's feelings and interests from a feeling, relating, practical perspective.

(3)     "Sympathy" is also the *character*, i.e. personality, or *fact of being sensitive* to or affected by another person's emotions, experiences, or especially sorrows.

(4)     "Sympathy" can also refer to the *feeling* or *mental state* brought about by being sensitive to another person's emotions, experiences or sorrow.

(5)     "Sympathy" can also refer to the *expression* or *demonstration* of being sensitive to another person's emotions, experiences or sorrow.

Hebrews 4:15, "For we do no have a high priest who cannot *sympathize* with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as /we are, yet/ without sin."

*1167: "I WAS THERE"*

 

        A mother once told of an incident which occurred shortly after she received the news that one of her sons had been killed in Germany.

She said that while shopping, she saw a friend who had also lost a son in the war.

When the two ladies met, they embraced without speaking.

But in their silence each was eloquently communicating comfort to the other.

Each was saying in her heart, "I know how you feel, for I too have gone through the deep waters of sorrow."

/(Another synonym for "compassion" is:)/

 

2)      Mercy.

mercy "*1 a :* compassion or forbearance shown to an offender or subject : clemency or kindness extended to someone instead of strictness or severity; *2 a :* a blessing regarded as an act of divine favor or compassion; *3 :* relief of distress : compassion shown to victims of misfortune."

/("Mercy" is slightly different from "sympathy," so let's analyze its definition.)/

(1)     "Compassion" is extended to *anyone* in misery or suffering, while "mercy" is extended to an *offender* or *subject*.

\\         We are the offenders.

We have offended God's holiness by sinning against Him in the persons of Adam and Eve, but God had mercy on us by sending His Son Jesus Christ.