In The Same Fashion Share The Lord’s Compassion

“No thank you.”  Lots of people asked if they could bring over a meal but Frank was determined to show everyone that he was fine even though his wife recently passed away and he didn’t have a decent meal in weeks.  Then one day he opened the front door and there on his steps was a cooler with a note. “Put these in your freezer and pull one out if you need it.”  Then there was George. He had recently broken his leg.  One day he heard the mower outside his front window! He propped himself up on his elbow to peek out the window. Sure enough! His neighbor was mowing his lawn!

Compassion doesn’t take much. But, let’s be honest, we all could be better at it. So, what’s the best way for us to show compassion?  Matthew gave us some insight.  Listen:

“³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were troubled and downcast, like sheep without a shepherd.” 

Our compassionate Good Shepherd leads the way by noticing the “troubled and downcast” just like the man who lost his wife and the man with the broken leg. Helping people like this is a wonderful way to show compassion. Yes,

In The Same Fashion Share The Lord’s Compassion

Who

³⁵ Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were troubled and downcast, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 

Who do you think Jesus was looking at?  Would you have seen the same?  It makes me wonder as I look at people that their lives are going great.  The kinda look like I do most the time. Nice car, new condo or three car garage, healthy portfolios.  Except, what did Jesus see? People who didn’t know about his forgiving love.  Seems simple enough, but where do we start?  Jesus said,

“³⁸ Therefore pray that the Lord of the harvest will send out workers into his harvest.”

Can you see Jesus and the Twelve? They get down on their knees, raise their hands heavenward, and pray, “Heavenly Father, send workers into the harvest field of souls.” Then Jesus gets up, looks at his disciples, and says, “Brothers! How about that! The heavenly Father has already answered your prayer. You’re it!”

Remember who Jesus is looking at.  Peter!  He denied Jesus, talked before he thought, made empty promises like, “I’ll never leave you!” and then he did. , James and John jostled for power and honor. Philip didn’t think Jesus could multiply bread and fish to feed a crowd. Thomas doubted that Jesus rose from the dead. We heard about Matthew the tax collector last week!  Simon the Zealot wore a camo-colored robe with Ninja weapons tucked inside for guerilla warfare to subvert the Roman government. Of course, there’s also Judas. These were the guys Jesus picked to communicate compassion to others.

Who does Jesus pick today? People like the Twelve.  People like you and me that he pulls out of the dumpster of sin and equips for service.  Yes, Jesus has compassion on sinners like you and me, and In The Same Fashion Wants Us To Share Jesus’ Compassion with WHOM?  Hear his prayer again!  Jesus wants us to communicate his compassion so he says, “Pray to the Lord to send workers into the harvest field” and reminds us, “You are part of the answer.”

To whom?

What would be your first choice with whom to share the compassion of Jesus?  Jesus said,

“⁵ Jesus sent these twelve out and commanded them, “Do not go among the Gentiles, and do not enter any town of the Samaritans. ⁶ Go instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Don’t get the wrong impression. Jesus wasn’t encouraging them to be racists. Later he added the command, “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:16). But at the start they needed a focus. Their training was not yet complete. They hadn’t learned how to train others who could take Jesus’ love even farther around the globe. They had to start somewhere. Why not among the people they knew best? Why not in a culture and in surroundings where they felt comfortable?

To whom will we go? Jesus doesn’t give us an either-or proposition such as, “You can either communicate my compassion for sinners, or you can give money to support others to do it.” No! It’s a both-and situation. He wants us both to support others who go in our name and to do our own communicating. So where do we start? Start with the people you know. Start where you are comfortable. If there are people you work with, people in your family, or neighbors who don’t have a close relationship with God, start there. They trust you. They like you. They know you. They know you’re not weird.  And when can we share Jesus with them?  How about when they’re in trouble or afraid or lonely? They won’t get upset if you show them love (start with a meal or mowing their lawn and I bet a discussion will open us!).  Jesus sends us first to people who don’t mind if we talk heart to heart about important matters. In The Same Fashion Let’s Share Jesus Compassion with whom?  Start with people you know.  And just what does that compassion look like?

With What?

What were the disciples to say?

“⁷ As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near!’”

Jesus is not talking about someone sitting on a throne and ruling over some territory on earth. God’s kingdom isn’t so much a place as an activity.  God’s activity goes to work when the message of sins forgiven is shared with other.  I’ll share it with you right now!  Your sins are completely forgiven! That’s what the disciples were to communicate.

Can you say that? When someone you know is scared that they’re not good enough to be considered worthy of heaven.  Or how about some teens who are tempted to do what their parents say is wrong.  When the spouse dies.  The leg breaks.  When bills pile up.  You can say it: “The kingdom of God is near.” That’s the same as saying, “All your sins are completely forgiven.” In The Same Fashion You Are Sharing Jesus’ Compassion! 

If you had been standing with the disciples, wouldn’t you have asked, “What if they challenge us?”  Jesus gave them an awesome tool.

“⁸ Heal the sick. Raise the dead. Cleanse lepers. Drive out demons.” 

These miracles would back up their message.  I can hear you asking this question already: “What if people ask us, ‘How do you know you’re right.’” God isn’t going to give you the power to raise the dead or power to do miracles to back up what you say like he did for the Twelve. He gave them that power because the New Testament wasn’t written yet. They were going to be the writers. You can say lovingly, tactfully, and with authority, “This is what the Lord Almighty says in his Word.” You have a source of authority greater than miraculous healing. You have the Bible, God’s own words. Jesus simply asks us to share the words of God. If people reject what you say about Jesus, they’re not rejecting you. They are rejecting God. Just say what you know is true. In The Same Fashion Let’s Share Jesus’ Compassion!

I didn’t say sharing Jesus’ compassion was easy.  I can just imagine the disciples wondering where they would get the motivation, until they heard these words. “Freely you have received; freely give.” God has given you his love freely. You have so much of it that it will overflow from your hearts onto your lips, then onto the ears of others and into their hearts.  That’s what happened to George with the broken leg and Frank with the broken heart. They received really nice gifts from people who treasured the gift they had from Jesus Christ.  God fills us up with his love so we can pour it out to others. And where do we get filled up with his love?  Here is worship as God speaks to us.  At home when we read the Bible.  When we get together to encourage each other in God’s promises.  Then the Holy Spirit will inspire us in The Same Fashion to Share Jesus’ Compassion. Amen.