THE COMPASSION OF CHRIST

Lecture Objectives:

The world admires compassion! Or does it? Is compassion sign of weakness? Hardly. As one Siberian University professor said: "Compassion is a sign of inward spirituality." In this presentation, we wish to note that Jesus was a man of compassion and that He reflected the nature of God.

References:

Luke 15.11-32; Luke 4.18, 19; Hebrews 4.15; John 8.2-11; Hosea 11.4.

Questions for Focus:

1. What does the word "compassion" mean?

2. Who was Lord Shaftsbury? What was his position in England? How compassionate was he?

3. What do we mean by saying that Jesus in His sympathy was stirred by a righteous anger?

4. What quality is "very close" to compassion?

5. Can you name some types of people for which Jesus had compassion?

6. Whose compassion was Jesus actually revealing to the world?

1. INTRODUCTION
   1. Our world in recent years has been drawn to respect a lady called Teresa. She is a Catholic nun. For years she worked in Calcutta, India showing compassion to thousands. She received the Nobel Prize for her tremendous compassion. The world stood to attention the night she received it. She said, dressed in the shroud of India's poor: "I accept this award in the name of the poor of India's streets." Wherever she goes in the world she is looked upon as a compassionate woman. We admire her so.
   2. Jesus, too, was a man of compassion!
      1. Question: Who is the most compassionate person you know?
      2. Is compassion a weak tenderness?
      3. Jesus' compassion was not a weak tenderness. It was often the response of deep sympathy stirred by anger:
         1. Anger at the mistreatment of people.
         2. Anger at disrespect for the personhood of people.
         3. Anger at the lack of love some had who called themselves religious (Luke 10.25-37).
      4. Question: Is it enough to be angry when we see people hurt and in need?
         1. Anger is an energy which must be used to relive the people who are suffering in their need.
2. JESUS TAUGHT THAT HIS FATHER WAS THE GOD OF COMPASSION.
   1. What is your view of God?
      1. Question: What kind of view does one have when they look through the wrong end of a telescope?
         1. Answer: Everything is small by contrast.
      2. Question: If you look at God through the wrong end of a telescope, will you have a distorted view of God?
         1. Answer: Yes. You will see a pygmy size God.
      3. Question: How will this view of God affect your life?
         1. Answer: It will determine your view of life.
         2. It will determine your view of self.
         3. It will determine your view of history.
   2. Read Luke 15.11-32 Jesus taught the compassion of God in this famous story.
      1. Daymon Runyan, the modern famous short story writer said this story "moved me to tears."
         1. Question: Why do you think he was moved to tears?
      2. What circumstances in the life of the son brought such compassion?
         1. He learned that he was following his own youthful wisdom. (read verses 11 & 12)
         2. He learned by experience that wrong decisions have consequences. (read verses 13-16)
         3. He learned the hurt of having to change. (read 17-19)
         4. He learned that life without the Father is no life at all. (read verse 20)
      3. Jesus taught that the compassion of the Father could well supply all the wayward son needed.
         1. The Father was approachable. (read verse 11)
         2. The Father released what He loved. (read verse 12b)
         3. The Father's love was unconditional. (read verse 20b)
         4. The Father love was extravagant. (read verses 21-23)
      4. A quality which is very close to compassion is mercy.
         1. The root word for mercy means "womb"; "to climb inside the skin of another."
         2. It is used to depict the deep compassion a mother has for her child.
         3. So, God's nature is to act towards people, in deep compassion, expressed outwardly in a helping action.
3. JESUS SHOWED THE COMPASSION OF GOD.
   1. Jesus was God in the flesh.
      1. Teacher reads Hebrews 4.15
         1. Question: Is it a sign of weakness to cry?
         2. Through the years, what have you learned from your tears?
      2. Through the historical Jesus coming in flesh, God could understand the suffering, futility, hurt, grief and hardship of mankind.
   2. Read Luke 4.18-19
      1. Question: List the four types of people in this reading who were the object of God's compassion.
      2. Important observation: This event demonstrates what God was really after in the earth.
         1. He is interested in people! The man with economic burdens, political hardships, social strugglers, physical disease, and spiritual starvation.
      3. Jesus showed compassion for many types of people:
         1. Isolated lepers, the blind, the depressed poor, the tearfully bereaved, the lonely, the criticized and helpless.

            	Question: Do you know problemed people who need compassion who could be added to this list?
            	Add three actual people you know personally:

4. A CASE IN POINT.
   1. Question: We all know people who have made poor decisions and have done foolish things with their lives. What is the easy way to treat these people that cost the least amount of involvement?
      1. Punish them?
      2. Become their friend, counseling them and helping them recover?
      3. What would YOU do?
   2. Jesus met such a person.
      1. Read John 8.2-11.
      2. Note the difference in treatment of this lady by Jesus and the Pharisees.
         1. Pharisees:

            	brought her as a captive.
            	regarded her as an adjunct to their convenience.
            	saw the wrong of her past.
            	were eager to stone her.
            	had wrongs in their own lives.

         2. Jesus:

            	questioned her as a free person.
            	respected her as a human being.
            	saw hope for her future.
            	wanted to save her.
            	sinless, he forgave her.

5. SO, WHAT HAVE WE SAID? CLOSURE
   1. Illustration: A boy in my community ran away from home. His mother asked me, as a friend, if I would try to find him. I looked everywhere! Finally, a neighbor called: "I know where the boy is hiding," she said. I went to the place, opened the door and called his name. He came to me and put his arms around my neck and cried. He then whispered softly: "I wish it had been my father who came looking for me..."
   2. God is compassionate. He looks for those who need Him and for those who think they don't need Him.
   3. Jesus, God's Son, was truly a man of compassion reflecting the very nature of God.
   4. Don't you yearn for compassion in your life?
6. ADDITIONAL RESOURCE MATERIAL
   1. Story of the Prodigal Son - Luke 15.11-32
      1. Contrast the compassion of the Father with that of the older brother.
   2. Israel as a people - Hosea 11.4
      1. What 5 things did God do in his compassion for this nation of people?
   3. The woman with a bad character - Luke 7.40-50
      1. Describe Simon's attitude towards the woman.
      2. What do you admire about Christ's attitude?
      3. What would your attitude have been if you had been a guest in Simon's home on this occasion?