Compassion of Christ

By: Keith O'Neal - Director

Matthew 9:36...But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd

In Matthew 9:35-38 we get an up close and personal look at the compassion of Christ.  He had already responded to a desperate father’s plea for help for his daughter, He healed a woman with internal bleeding, and healed two blind men and one who was deaf as a result of demon possession.  If that was not enough Jesus had to deal with a bunch of religious leaders who absolutely refused to acknowledge Christ as the Messiah let alone acknowledge the awesome miracles He was performing.
 
The fact is our Savior oozed with compassion towards people in need.  He wept at Lazarus death and expressed such compassion towards those who were hungry in Matthew 15:30.   The examples are endless and Christ’s compassion for people is very well documented.
 
The compassion mentioned in Matthew 9:35-36 means "To be moved as to one's inwards, to be moved with compassion, to yearn with compassion.  Jesus didn’t just feel bad, deep inside His gut He was moved with compassion.

His compassion was born out of His love for us.  No matter where He went crowds gathered and he always responded to the tired and the troubled with compassion.  Christ taught us that we should have compassion towards all people just as He did. 

It is important for all Bible believing Christians to check our compassion meters from time to time.  Have you become insensitive to the needs of people?  Are you no longer fazed by people who are homeless and hungry and in need of help?  Are you able to walk by hurting people and look the other way with no intent to help or encourage?  These are just a few of many important questions that will allow you to gage your compassion meter. 

Jonah looked at Nineveh in Jonah Chapter 4 and hoped it would be destroyed while Jesus looked at Jerusalem in Luke 19:41 and wept because it had destroyed itself. 

As Christians we must continually ask God to help us to love people, all people, no matter where they are or what they have done.  We must NEVER ignore the needs of people in our community.  God help us to respond to a lost and hurting world with the same love and compassion as our Savior.