A Conduit For Compassion.
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Introduction:
Pledge
English Standard Version Chapter 15
29 Jesus went on from there and walked beside the Sea of Galilee. And he went up on the mountain and sat down there.
30 And great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and they put them at his feet, and he healed them,
31 so that the crowd wondered, when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel.
32 Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.”
33 And the disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?”
34 And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”
35 And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground,
36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
37 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over.
38 Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children.
39 And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan.
Last week Matthew introduce to us the Canaanite Woman.
We talked about Faith!
If you were not able to be here and you would like to know about this woman or ...
If you want to watch any of the previous sermons you can go to our Sermon page and look up (by date and title of sermon).
We talked about Faith!
And now, Jesus is on the move again .....
In the words of that great theologian “Willie Nelson” (On the road again)
PAUSE: (If not funny then act like you erased it)
Segway:
But as you have read, Verse 29 reveals that Jesus is on the move again.
Many of us have never experienced the lifestyle of those who are in the entertainment (Music) business.
The lifestyle of living on the road for months on end.
Some of you might be saying, “I wish I could.”
I have heard many of those in that business say that its hard, difficult , and most challenging.
They are always on the go, off to the next location, next gig, next performance.
Please understand that I am not suggesting that Jesus is an entertainer.
But I think the lifestyle he lived here on earth could be equally compared.
Scripture tells us in Verse 29, “Jesus went on from there ...”
The reason I make references to this is because, sometimes, its important to know where he is at.
It brings about a clearer understanding of what is going on, why Jesus is doing what he is doing, and to whom he is encountering.
Such as the Canaanite woman. (Non Jew, Gentile)
I think for us today, in the society we live in, its important to know the location of where we are at: Example
At Page, Arizona .... movie theater .....
watching the new Lone Ranger movie .... Johnny Depp (Tonto)
The Lone Ranger and Tonto was making fun of each other all throughout the movie.
The parts were Tonto was being made fun of (We laughed)
The Parts were The lone ranger was being made fun of the rest of the Movie theater was laughing.
After looking around and realizing where we were (Native American country) and everyone in the theater besides us was Native american.
We understood now why no one was laughing when Tonto was being made fun of.
PAUSE
Body:
As we study the Word of God, It’s important for us to understand where Jesus is at (Location).
I’ll explain why later but ...
Let’s take a look at this passage.
(Vs 29-30) Jesus is walking along the Sea of Galilee.
A Great crowd surrounds him and he begins to heal them.
Scripture tells us that he places himself in an authoritative position (Sit down) and the people (put them) “laid” the sick at his feet.
Picture this: 1000’s of people coming to Jesus.
What we come to understand about this is,
.... they knew who He was ...... They had heard of what he has done.
(Vs 31) They “wondered” (NIV -were “Amazed”) when they saw that all were getting healed.
Example: Let me give you an example of what this group of people are experiencing .....
You heard someone say, You need to go see (Whatever act you like)it’s amazing.
You have heard them on a CD or watched them on TV but when you go see them LIVE you understand what that person was meaning when they said “It’s amazing.”
This is the feel of this word, “WONDERED.” (AMAZING)
(Vs 31) “They Glorified the God of Israel.”
The root word in the Greek for “Glorified” is where we get the English word “Doxology.” (Dox - a - zo)
Doxology:
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. AMEN
(Vs 32) Jesus calls for his disciples and shares with them his heart, (He explains himself to them) “I have compassion on the crowd ...”
For me, who was part of the crowd that needed healing (Spiritually), this moves me.
(Vs 32) Jesus calls for his disciples and shares with them his heart, “I have compassion on the crowd ...”
He realizes the time they have spent with Him. (3 days)
They are possibly running out of food.
He is concerned for their health (lest they faint).
Church I started to wonder what the Disciples were thinking.
Were they possibly thinking “This all looks and sounds familiar!”
(Feeding of the 5000)
This is how my mind thinks sometimes, ......
What if the disciples thought, “OK Jesus,we know where you are going with this. We will play along for the crowds sake!”
And they say with a sense of a really bad actor, “Where are we going to get enough bread in such a desolate place.”
.”
Just being funny!
Whatever the case may be, this had to sound very familiar to them.
Moving on, (Vs 34) They reveal how much food they do have. (7 loaves and a few small fish.)
Jesus gives the same direction as he did when feeding the 5000.
Sit down
Give Thanks
Broke Bread and Fish
Gave to the disciples to give to the people.
Everyone ate until they were satisfied (Full)
7 baskets full of leftovers.
Matthew tells us that 4000 men, besides Women and children were fed.
Climax:
As I sat and pondered this passage of scripture I asked the Lord, “What is the MAIN IDEA, (the prepositional statement) of this Passage?”
Church, it’s the idea of “Compassion.”
Its the understanding of Christ compassion for his people.
Not revealing the basic IDEA of compassion (What it is and does).
But who receives compassion and how it’s distributed!
Let me explain!
Remember I told you it is just as important to know where Jesus is at, as it is what he is doing or saying?
In this passage of scripture we might think this sounds very similar to Chapter 14 story.
It is very similar but there are some differences and one of those is .......
LOCATION:
This is on the East side of the Sea.
Chapter 15 (This is on the East side of the Sea.)
() tells us, “in the region of Decapolis.”
This region is know as a Gentile territory. (Greeks)
Chapter 14 (This is located in the Jewish territory)
Jesus is ministering to the Gentiles. (Showing Compassion)
This is big to the Jewish readers of that Day.
But here is what is even more mind blowing: the response of the gentiles .... (Vs 31 end) “They Glorified the God of Israel!”
Go back and read
No were does Matthew tell us the Jews “Glorified” (Praised) their God.
PAUSE
All of this comes about because Jesus “had compassion on the crowd.”
There are 2 things I believe we can gather from this pericope when it comes to compassion.
Compassion is What Moves Christ!
Some might say that Christ was moved because he was presented with (Whatever it might be).
Some might say Christ was moved because the DISCIPLES asked him to do something.
Let’s look at these 2 events .......
Chapter 14:14 - When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
The Disciples didn’t ask him to heal.
They asked for him to send them away to get food.
Chapter 15: 32 - Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
The Disciples didn’t ask him to feed them? (They asked where to get the food)
Compassion is what moved him, not man’s request!
Christ was moved because of compassion for God’s People.
Compassion Moves People!
Compassion Should be What Moves People!
The very thing that moves Christ should be the thing that moves us.
Christ helps the disciples see this. ...... Not just see this but do this as well.
Let me show you what I mean .....
In both accounts of the feeding of 5000 and 4000 one of the things that is replicated is .....
Sit down .... break break .... He give to the disciples to give to the people.
PAUSE:
I think we may have missed the significance of this process.
Would you agree that Christ didn’t need to give the food to the Disciples for it to get to the People?
As he was multiplying the food, He could have had it placed right in front of them.
Christ, being moved by compassion ..... has the disciples, as the “go between” (the distributors) of his compassion .....
Let me put it into a more simpler formula:
Let me put it into a more simpler formula:
CHRIST — Disciples — Extension of compassion
God, in His almighty wisdom, is setting up the method of which His compassion will be extended to His people:
The conduit for His compassion is .......
(HIS DISCIPLES)
(US)
PAUSE
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
I think this brings us to a question that needs to be asked,
“Are we allowing the Compassion: Love: Mercy: Grace of Christ to flow through us, out into a world that needs healed?”
I have been watching the news lately: mass shootings, people loosing everything due to floods, hurricanes, earthquakes.
Locally: people overdosing, cancer, marriages being destroyed, etc...... the list could on......
If we were to look around I think if would be fair to compare our community to that of this crowd we read about in this pericope.
Would it be fair to say that we are
Our community needs the compassion of Christ ....
Jesus has compassion on this community
Our families need the compassion of Christ ....
Our marriages need the compassion of Christ ....
There is someone here today that needs the compassion of Christ ....
I wonder if the reason compassion is not being shown today in these certain areas is because we (the Church), as Disciples of Christ, have stopped the flow of compassion out into this hurting, sinful world?
I’m reminded of a Pastor’s wife who had compassion on a young man who was waist deep in sin (Got a young lady pregnant, drank alcohol, every other word was a cuss word, was ready to tear you down before you could tear him down).
But this Pastor’s wife (repeatedly) showed him compassion.
Invited him to church every time she saw him.
Eventually one day, I told that Pastor’s wife YES!)
Because of this Pastor’s wife (Disciple of Christ) allowing the compassion of Christ to flow through her to me, I stand before you today a man of God!
Have you stopped the flow of the compassion of Christ?
When’s the last time you have allowed (compassion, Mercy, grace,love) to flow through you to someone?
There might be someone here this morning that needs God’s compassion today. (Love Mercy, Grace)
Is that you!