COMPASSION: WHAT REAL LOVE LOOKS LIKE
The Parable of the Good Samaritan - LUKE 10:25-37
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”
28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
"HE WENT DOWN…"
THE SYMBOLISM: HIS BACK WAS TURNED AWAY FROM ONE PLACE, AND HIS HEART WAS TURNED TOWARD ANOTHER.
JERUSALEM WAS THE CENTER OF WORSHIP.
JERICHO: A CURSE. THE ROAD TRAVELED WAS A STEADY DECLINE, 18 WINDING MILES THAT LEAD TO THE DEAD SEA.
DEAD SEA: ANY NATURAL RESOURCES THAT WENT INTO THE DEAD SEA STAYED; NEVER RETURNED. IE: THE POINT OF NO RETURN.
WE NEED A NEW BIRTH OF COMPASSION.
COMPASSION DEFINED
COMPASSION: TO SUFFER WITH ANOTHER PERSON. THE WORD HAS A STRONG PERSONAL ELEMENT. THIS IS REAL LOVE.
ORIGINALLY THE DEFINITION WAS PUBLISHED AS “A SUFFERING WITH ANOTHER; PAINFUL SYMPATHY.”
PAINFUL SYMPATHY: The Parable of the Lost Son
“So he got up and went to his father. ‘But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.’” — LUKE 15:20
COMPASSION IS MORE THAN A FEELING OR EMOTION.
BIBLICAL COMPASSION MEANS THAT YOU SEE THE PROBLEM, YOU ARE MOVED BY THE NEED, YOU GO OUT TO WHERE THE PROBLEM IS, YOU GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY TRYING TO HELP ONE PERSON AFTER ANOTHER GET THEIR PROBLEMS SOLVED AND RAISE THEM UP TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF LIFE.
FISH AND BREAD, AND OTHER VARIOUS MIRACLES
“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” — MATTHEW 14:14
JESUS HAD COMPASSION, SO HE HEALED THE SICK AND FED 5000
MORE FISH AND BREAD, AND VARIOUS MIRACLES
“Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.” — MATTHEW 15:32
JESUS FELT THE SAME COMPASSION ON A DIFFERENT CROWD, AND FED 4000 MORE.
TWO BLIND MEN OF JERICHO - Matthew 20:29-34
29 As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
31 The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
32 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
33 “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.”
34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
JESUS WAS FILLED WITH COMPASSION, AND HEALED THEM IMMEDIATELY.
Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy
“A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, ‘If you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’” — Mark 1:40-41
THE MOST SHOCKING PART: JESUS TOUCHED A LEPER!
HE BROKE ALL CUSTOMS OF THAT TIME
ACCORDING TO OLD TESTAMENT, LEPROSY MEANS “UNCLEAN”. THEY WERE MADE TO LIVE AWAY FROM SOCIETY SO THEY COULD NOT “CONTAMINATE” ANYONE ELSE.
JESUS WAS MOVED BY THE MAN WITH LEPROSY. HE TOUCHED HIM, AND HEALED HIM.
FOR JESUS, COMPASSION WAS NOT A FEELING. IT WAS A COMMITMENT TO GET INVOLVED WITH HURTING PEOPLE.
REAL COMPASSION MOVES FROM FEELING TO ACTION.
Compassion Illustrated
ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY OF JESUS’ MINISTRY
“He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” — ACTS 10:38
“WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?"
The Parable of the Good Samaritan - LUKE 10:25-37
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
ROBBERS SPIRIT: "WHAT'S YOURS IS MINE" (NOT REAL LOVE)
THE ROBBERS INADVERTENTLY STOPPED HIS DOWNWARD SPIRAL TOWARD THE DEAD SEA.
RELIGIOUS SPIRIT: "WHAT'S MINE IS MINE" (NOT REAL LOVE)
THE PRIEST HAD NO INTEREST IN THE MAN. IN FEAR, KNOWING THE MAN HAD BEEN BEATEN HE "PASSED BY ON THE OTHER SIDE"
THE LEVITE:
RELIGIOUS & SELF-RIGHTEOUS
SHOWED NO COMPASSION. WALKED BY ON THE OTHER SIDE.
TO OFFER ONLY CURIOUS CONCERN ADDS INSULT TO THE PAIN OF AN INJURED BROTHER OR SISTER.
THE OPPOSITE OF LOVE IS NOT HATE BUT APATHY. NOT CARING.
33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
THE SAMARITAN:
A DESPISED GROUP OF PEOPLE. NOTHING GOOD WAS SAID ABOUT THEM.
REGARDLESS, HE CLEANED & DRESSED HIS WOUNDS, CARRIED HIM ON HIS DONKEY (WHICH MEANNT HE HAD TO WALK), PAID FOR HIS STAY AT THE INN, ETC.
HE SHOWED TRUE COMPASSION. ABOVE & BEYOND “NORMAL” HUMAN OBLIGATIONS.
HERE’S A THOUGHT:
WHEN GOD PUTS SOMEONE IN YOUR PATH, IT’S LIKELY TO BE A DIVINE APPOINTMENT WITH A TRUE PURPOSE OR REASON, EVEN IF WE DON’T SEE IT OR UNDERSTAND AT THE TIME.
Light a candle in the darkness
IT’S NOT A MATTER OF BUSY-NESS OR PREPARATION. IT’S ABOUT BEING EFFECTIVE!
THE SAMARITAN WAS AN OUTCAST, SO HE UNDERSTOOD THE HUMANN NEED.
COMPASSION MOVED HIM TO ACTION.
No One Can Do It All
THE ONLY DECISION TO BE MADE WAS TO STOP & HELP, OR PASS ON BY. WE RARELY KNOW WHAT COMPASSION MAY DEMAND OF US. COULD BE QUICK AND EASY. COULD BE TOO DIFFICULT TO DO IT ALONE. (DON’T OVER THINK IT, JUST HELP)
USUALLY WE NEED ADDITIONAL HELP TO HELP OTHERS. EVEN THE SAMARITAN DIDN’T STCIK AROUND, HE LEFT HIM AT THE INN.
GOODS NEWS: NO ONE IS ASKING US TO BEAR IT ALL ALONE. BUT WE CAN, AND SHOULD, DO SOMETHING. WHATEVER WE ARE CAPABLE OF.
IN THE STORY JESUS TOLD, THE REAL QUESTION IS NOT, “WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?” BUT RATHER “WHOSE NEIGHBOR WILL I BE TO THOSE I MEET TODAY?"
IT’S ABOUT MORE THAN THOSE IN NEED. IT’S ALSO ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP—THOSE WITH A CHANCE TO HELP BUT DIDN’T, AND THOSE WHO DID WHAT HE COULD EVEN THOUGH HE COULD HAVE WALKED AWAY.
COMPASSION APPLIED
COMPASSION IS AN ACTION—IT’S NOT SOMETHING YOU TALK ABOUT, IT’S WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT REAL LOVE
1) WE NEED TO PRAY AGGRESSIVELY.
2) WE NEED TO BE RADICALLY PERSONAL.
3) WE NEED TO BEGIN ASAP.
THERE ARE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE WHO NEED HELP, AND ONLY YOUR APPROACH OR PERSPECTIVE CAN BECOME THE SOLUTION.
PRAY FOR GOD TO GIVE YOU THE EYES OF A MISSIONARY
AN EYE TO SEE REAL PEOPLE AND THEIR REAL NEEDS. AND HOW YOU CAN HELP.