Compassion
Compassion describes one aspect of God’s covenantal relationship with His people.
One of the Hebrew words translated “compassion” is derived from a root word
meaning “womb”, thus comparing God’s love with maternal love (Isaiah 49:15) “can a
woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of
her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget you”.
David understands God’s compassion, and in his prayer he says “teach me Your way,
O Lord Yahweh, I will walk in Your truth, unite my heart to fear Your name. I will praise
You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name for evermore. For
great is Your mercy toward me, and You have delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent me have sought
after my soul, and have not set You before them. But You, O Lord, are a God full of
compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. O turn to
me, and have mercy upon me, give Your strength to Your servant, and save the son
of Your handmaid. Show me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it,
and be ashamed; because You, Lord Yahweh, have helped me, and comforted me”
(Psalms 86:11-17).
Compassion is a quality of showing kindness or favor, of being gracious, or of having
pity or mercy. God is described as being like a compassionate Father to those who
revere Him (Psalms 103:13) “like as a father pities his children, so the Lord Yahweh
pities them that fear (reverence) Him”.
God wants His people to do the same in the book of Zechariah, it says “thus speaks
the Lord Yahweh of hosts saying, execute true judgment, and show mercy and
compassions every man to his brother. And oppress not the widow, nor the
fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his
brother in you heart” (Zechariah 7:9-10).
God’s compassion, however, goes beyond simply feeling the emotion; it was always
demonstrated by definite acts that testified to His covenant with Israel. In spite of
Israel’s rebellions, God still had compassion on His people (Lamentations 3:22-23) “it
is of the Lord Yahweh’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions
fail not. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness”.
God shows compassion toward those who have broken His law (Daniel 9:9); and (I
Timothy 1:12-16) which Paul says “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled
me, for that He counted me, faithful, putting me into the ministry. Who was before a
blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious; but I obtained mercy, because I did it
ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith
and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all
acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am
chief. However for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might
show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them, which should hereafter believe on
Him to life everlasting”; although such mercy is selective, demonstrating that it is not
deserved (Roman 9:14-18). God’s mercy on the lost extends beyond punishment that
is withheld (Ephesians 2:4-6).
God also shows mercy by actively helping those who are miserable due to
circumstances beyond their control. We see this aspect of mercy especially in the life
of our Lord Jesus. He healed blind men and lepers. These acts of healing grow out
of His attitude of compassion and mercy. Because God is merciful, He expects His
children to be merciful, the B attitudes (Matthew 5:7) and then James 1:27 which says
“pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless
and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world”.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, exactly reflected the Father’s compassion in His
dealings with a fallen humanity. Jesus healed diseases and infirmities, cast out spirits
(Acts 10:38) says “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with
power; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil,
for God was with Him”.
Jesus empowered others, and sent them out to do likewise, His twelve disciples
(Matthew 10:1) “and when He had called to Him, His twelve disciples, He gave them
power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness
and all manner of disease”, then the seventy others (Luke 10:1,17) “after these things
the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before His face into
every city, and place, where He Himself would come. And the seventy returned again
with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject to us through Your name”. Then He
gave the great commission to us (Matthew 28:28-20; and Mark 16:15-16).
Jesus fed hungry people and, in response to a mother’s grief, raised her only son
from the dead. Following Jesus’ example, Christians are to show compassion in
dealing with others. Jesus set forth the example in the parables of the Good
Samaritan, who had compassion on the wounded traveler (Luke 10:33), and the
Prodigal son, whose father had compassion on him when he returned home (Luke 15:
20).
God does not want any to perish, but that all would come to the knowledge of the
truth; we should have the same compassion for the lost. We are the body of Christ
and just like the early church “turned the world upside”; we must take every
opportunity to tell others the good news that Jesus’ died for the sins of the whole
world.
We are supposed to snatch people out of hell fire, Jude says “keep yourselves in the
love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And of
some have compassion, making a difference. And others save with fear, pulling them
out of the fire, hating even, the garment spotted by the flesh” verses 21-23.
Ezekiel was warned “Son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel,
therefore hear the word at My mouth, and give them warning from Me. When I say to
the wicked, you shall surely die; and you give him not warning, nor speak to warn the
wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, the same wicked man shall die in his
iniquity, but his blood will I require at your hand. Yet if you warn the wicked, and he
turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity, but
you have delivered your soul. Again, when a righteous man does turn from his
righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall
die, because you have not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his
righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered, but his blood will I require
at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not,
and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned, also you have
delivered your soul” (Ezekiel 3:17-21).
Some say that is Old Testament, but God is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Ephesians 5:11 warns us “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but
rather reprove them”. Galatians 6:1-2 says “brethren, if a man be overtaken in a
fault, you which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness;
considering yourself, less you also be tempered. Bear with one another’s burdens,
and so fulfill the law of Christ”.
Peter says “finally, be you all of one mind, having compassion one of another; love as
brethren, be humble, be courteous. Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, but
contrariwise blessing; knowing that you are thereunto called, that you should inherit a
blessing” (I Peter 3:8-9).
The apostle Paul speaking to the Colossian church, says “put on therefore, as the
elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind,
meekness, longsuffering. Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any
man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do you. And
above all these things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfection. And let the
peace of God rule in your hearts, so the which also you are called in one body, and
be you thankful” (Colossians 3:12-15).
When you do as Jesus said and pray for those who hurt you, you are showing
compassion on them. Since “it is the goodness of God that leads to repentance”, we
have to show God’s goodness by the love of God which is in our hearts (Romans 5:
5). One’s intense inner feelings should always lead to outward compassionate acts of
mercy and kindness.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: October 10, 2008
Compassion describes one aspect of God’s covenantal relationship with His people.
One of the Hebrew words translated “compassion” is derived from a root word
meaning “womb”, thus comparing God’s love with maternal love (Isaiah 49:15) “can a
woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of
her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget you”.
David understands God’s compassion, and in his prayer he says “teach me Your way,
O Lord Yahweh, I will walk in Your truth, unite my heart to fear Your name. I will praise
You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name for evermore. For
great is Your mercy toward me, and You have delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent me have sought
after my soul, and have not set You before them. But You, O Lord, are a God full of
compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. O turn to
me, and have mercy upon me, give Your strength to Your servant, and save the son
of Your handmaid. Show me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it,
and be ashamed; because You, Lord Yahweh, have helped me, and comforted me”
(Psalms 86:11-17).
Compassion is a quality of showing kindness or favor, of being gracious, or of having
pity or mercy. God is described as being like a compassionate Father to those who
revere Him (Psalms 103:13) “like as a father pities his children, so the Lord Yahweh
pities them that fear (reverence) Him”.
God wants His people to do the same in the book of Zechariah, it says “thus speaks
the Lord Yahweh of hosts saying, execute true judgment, and show mercy and
compassions every man to his brother. And oppress not the widow, nor the
fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his
brother in you heart” (Zechariah 7:9-10).
God’s compassion, however, goes beyond simply feeling the emotion; it was always
demonstrated by definite acts that testified to His covenant with Israel. In spite of
Israel’s rebellions, God still had compassion on His people (Lamentations 3:22-23) “it
is of the Lord Yahweh’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions
fail not. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness”.
God shows compassion toward those who have broken His law (Daniel 9:9); and (I
Timothy 1:12-16) which Paul says “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled
me, for that He counted me, faithful, putting me into the ministry. Who was before a
blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious; but I obtained mercy, because I did it
ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith
and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all
acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am
chief. However for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might
show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them, which should hereafter believe on
Him to life everlasting”; although such mercy is selective, demonstrating that it is not
deserved (Roman 9:14-18). God’s mercy on the lost extends beyond punishment that
is withheld (Ephesians 2:4-6).
God also shows mercy by actively helping those who are miserable due to
circumstances beyond their control. We see this aspect of mercy especially in the life
of our Lord Jesus. He healed blind men and lepers. These acts of healing grow out
of His attitude of compassion and mercy. Because God is merciful, He expects His
children to be merciful, the B attitudes (Matthew 5:7) and then James 1:27 which says
“pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless
and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world”.
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, exactly reflected the Father’s compassion in His
dealings with a fallen humanity. Jesus healed diseases and infirmities, cast out spirits
(Acts 10:38) says “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with
power; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil,
for God was with Him”.
Jesus empowered others, and sent them out to do likewise, His twelve disciples
(Matthew 10:1) “and when He had called to Him, His twelve disciples, He gave them
power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness
and all manner of disease”, then the seventy others (Luke 10:1,17) “after these things
the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before His face into
every city, and place, where He Himself would come. And the seventy returned again
with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject to us through Your name”. Then He
gave the great commission to us (Matthew 28:28-20; and Mark 16:15-16).
Jesus fed hungry people and, in response to a mother’s grief, raised her only son
from the dead. Following Jesus’ example, Christians are to show compassion in
dealing with others. Jesus set forth the example in the parables of the Good
Samaritan, who had compassion on the wounded traveler (Luke 10:33), and the
Prodigal son, whose father had compassion on him when he returned home (Luke 15:
20).
God does not want any to perish, but that all would come to the knowledge of the
truth; we should have the same compassion for the lost. We are the body of Christ
and just like the early church “turned the world upside”; we must take every
opportunity to tell others the good news that Jesus’ died for the sins of the whole
world.
We are supposed to snatch people out of hell fire, Jude says “keep yourselves in the
love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And of
some have compassion, making a difference. And others save with fear, pulling them
out of the fire, hating even, the garment spotted by the flesh” verses 21-23.
Ezekiel was warned “Son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel,
therefore hear the word at My mouth, and give them warning from Me. When I say to
the wicked, you shall surely die; and you give him not warning, nor speak to warn the
wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, the same wicked man shall die in his
iniquity, but his blood will I require at your hand. Yet if you warn the wicked, and he
turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity, but
you have delivered your soul. Again, when a righteous man does turn from his
righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall
die, because you have not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his
righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered, but his blood will I require
at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not,
and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned, also you have
delivered your soul” (Ezekiel 3:17-21).
Some say that is Old Testament, but God is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Ephesians 5:11 warns us “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but
rather reprove them”. Galatians 6:1-2 says “brethren, if a man be overtaken in a
fault, you which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness;
considering yourself, less you also be tempered. Bear with one another’s burdens,
and so fulfill the law of Christ”.
Peter says “finally, be you all of one mind, having compassion one of another; love as
brethren, be humble, be courteous. Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, but
contrariwise blessing; knowing that you are thereunto called, that you should inherit a
blessing” (I Peter 3:8-9).
The apostle Paul speaking to the Colossian church, says “put on therefore, as the
elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind,
meekness, longsuffering. Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any
man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do you. And
above all these things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfection. And let the
peace of God rule in your hearts, so the which also you are called in one body, and
be you thankful” (Colossians 3:12-15).
When you do as Jesus said and pray for those who hurt you, you are showing
compassion on them. Since “it is the goodness of God that leads to repentance”, we
have to show God’s goodness by the love of God which is in our hearts (Romans 5:
5). One’s intense inner feelings should always lead to outward compassionate acts of
mercy and kindness.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: October 10, 2008
