Embracing Compassion

Introduction

Breathing Exercise

We cannot live if we merely breath in and hold our breath, neither can we live if we merely exhale.

Breathing requires a two stage process that depends on each other.

No element of breathing exists independently

So it is with our passage today

The disciples return to Jesus

Sent on their mission to emulate Jesus in pairs

In our text today, we see the complementary elements of gathering and going out, motivated and controlled by compassion.

Following Christ’s example, the purpose and work of the church is for the world.

We see this in three ways:

Gathering Fuels Mission

Mark 6:30-

Mark 6:30–32 NRSV

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves.

The pattern of Jesus ministry

Together

Going out

Coming together

Never isolated

The church cannot exist without gathering together

Sabbath

Rest and reenergizing together

Breathing in

Coming away to a deserted place

Following Jesus

Mark 1:35 NRSV

In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.

The formation of community

Israel’s formation of community in the wilderness

The gathering of the church serves a purpose, but a purpose that is not sufficient by itself

The right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing

The community of Christ withers if caught in an inward focus.

The

The inward focus pushes outward through compassion.

Compassion Drives Mission

Mark 6:33-

Mark 6:33–34 NRSV

Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

Compassion interrupts plans

Compassion like diaphragmatic breathing

Compassion from the depths of the body

Compassion is not pity

Compassion emerges from shared experience and suffering

Compassion comes from the incarnate God walking among us

Exposure to people

We have compassion when we are with people

When we experience struggle with them

Sheep without a shepherd

Lack of spiritual leadership

Indictment from the prophets

An abundance of priests

Compassion must drive the community of Christ or we become a part of the problem

A superiority complex

To avoid stagnation:

Community thrives on Mission

Mark 6:53–56 NRSV

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

Mark 6:53-

Feeding of the 5000

Walking on Water

Healing comes from the church out on mission

Rest

Compassion

Mission

Exhaling

The church is incomplete without outreach

Exposure to those who need healing

The community of Christ cannot be waiting for people to come to us

Vision for SPC

Every SPC student to hear the gospel before they leave

We must be out encountering the people.