Compassion

One major part of the Gospel message is spreading the Good News to others. This is the great commission and is essential for the propagation of the Gospel.  Another part of the Gospel message (which is less emphasized) is going through the training process by being led and taught by the Holy Spirit so that we are equipped with all the tools that we need to be warriors of the Gospel.

The work of the ministry is two-fold in nature:

1. Sharing the gospel of Christ with those who are not Christians, and

2. Ministering to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Therefore, in one way or another, EVERY BELIEVER needs to be involved in helping to reach the lost, or in helping to minister to the needs of their brothers and sisters in Christ.

This is the type of training that takes time, sacrifice, and makes us into the men and women that God can use to build His Kingdom.

Ephesians 4:7-16 (NKJV)

⁷ But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. ⁸ Therefore He says:

“When He ascended on high,

He led captivity captive,

And gave gifts to men.”

⁹ (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

¹¹ And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴ that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵ but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Encouraging the body of Christ to step up and minister to others has always been a difficult undertaking for pastors over the years.  It is far easier to have a pastor do all the work necessary for Church growth and care for the flock, while we sit back and let these opportunities for ministry that are before us pass us by.  Opportunities like praying for and laying hands on the sick for healing, bringing encouragement to single mothers, praying and offering encouragement to hurting marriages, or even just being a listening ear to someone who needs to be validated by us -- sharing the hope that lies within us.  It is far too easy to fill our lives with many other things which take priority over the needs of others rather than investing into the Kingdom life for ourselves and for others.

But this is where the love of Jesus comes in. When we put our efforts into the Kingdom, we grow in the power and love of Jesus as we surrender to the will and working of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
Is it really up to the pastors to do all the ministering in the church? or should we as lay-people become equipped to serve? that is the real question here.  We have been given everything we need for righteousness and a Godly life, all that we need to do is act upon it. Sadly, many have forgotten that the power of the gospel of Christ is not in the person presenting it but in the message itself. 

2 Peter 1:2-4 (NKJV)

² Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, ³ as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, ⁴ by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Stepping out and ministering to others is risky business. We are all flawed and we will make mistakes. But that is the beauty of being in a Church setting -- we are all learners, and as learners we need to have the freedom to make mistakes and be humbly and lovingly corrected.  Being in a Church is like being in a family with other brothers and sisters who are at different levels of maturity who can mentor us and lead us to become mature in our ministry.

Matthew 9:36 (NKJV)

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.

Perhaps the most important thing we can do to prepare ourselves to do the Lord’s work of reaching the lost and of strengthening our brothers and sisters in Christ is to ask the Holy Spirit to begin to DEVELOP A HEART OF GENUINE COMPASSION in us.

Over and over again, the Scriptures speak of the COMPASSION of Jesus – toward those who were sick, those who had nothing to eat, those who wept over the loss of a loved one, and especially toward those who were lost in sin.

Colossians 3:12-13 (NKJV)

¹² Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; ¹³ bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

There are THREE WAYS we can develop a genuine heart of compassion:

First, Jesus said it best when He told His disciples: John 4:35 – “LIFT UP YOUR EYES AND LOOK AT THE FIELDS...”

To develop a genuine heart of compassion we must get our attention off of ourselves and truly lift up our eyes and look intently on the fields all around us.  Ask the Holy Spirit to give you eyes to see what He wants you to see.  When we do, we will begin to see ourselves surrounded by many hurting souls being tormented and dying in sin.

We will also see those within the body of Christ -- those who are lonely, hurting, or struggling with sin in their lives and are slowly dying from a lack of proper care.  We must force ourselves to look into the faces of men and women and realize we are looking into the faces of people destined for a life of torment unless we do something.  Sometimes all we can do is pray, but at least we are responding out of compassion.

Second, we can develop a genuine heart of compassion by learning to APPRECIATE THE VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE.

The value of human life can be seen in many ways.

By its very nature and origin. God created man in His own image, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (Genesis 1:27; 2:7).

By the duration of its existence: We are destined to live forever, and will either go away to eternal life or to eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46).

And by the cost of its redemption. We have not been redeemed by perishable things such as silver and gold, but by the precious blood of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Jesus was willing to give His life to redeem the world. This means He even laid down His life for those we think are unworthy of that sacrifice.  The sanctity of human life is precious, and it is a gift of God.  

Third, we can develop a genuine heart of compassion when we UNDERSTAND THAT THE FATE AWAITING THE LOST IS VERY REAL.

John 3:18 – Jesus said, “He who believes in Him (the Son of God) is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”  

1 John 5:12 – the Apostle John wrote: “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son does not have life.”

Hell is not some imaginary place, nor is it some place where the lost will experience only discomfort and displeasure.

The Scripture tells us of “weeping,” “wailing” and “gnashing of teeth” in a place described as “outer darkness.”  Eternal and unimaginably horrible.  Matthew 13:41-42; Luke 13:27-28

Jesus deserves the lives of those who He died for. He paid for them and He loves them.  Unless we ask God to begin a work in our hearts to develop a heart of compassion for the lost, we will never truly know the heart of Jesus.  

Websters 1828 Dictionary defines compassion this way:

"A suffering with another; painful sympathy; a sensation of sorrow excited by the distress or misfortunes of another; pity; commiseration. Compassion is a mixed passion, compounded of love and sorrow; at least some portion of love generally attends the pain or regret, or is excited by it."

May you know the fullness of Christ in your life as you experience His great compassion for you today as you grow in Him.  And may you also grow in God's love and compassion for others as many opportunities are presented to you.  May you take these opportunities to make an impact by extending God's Kingdom to others.

Stephen Barnett 

God is good all the time―all the time God is good.

The Lord Is Gracious and Compassionate

(Words and Music by:  Graham Ord)

The Lord is gracious and compassionate

Slow to anger and rich in love

The Lord is gracious and compassionate

Slow to anger and rich in love

And the Lord is good to all

He has compassion in all that He has made

As far as the east is from the west

That’s how far He has removed
our transgressions from us

(repeat)

Praise the Lord, oh my soul

Praise the Lord

Praise the Lord, oh my soul

Praise the Lord

Copyright © 1998 Vineyard Songs (UK/Eire). All rights reserved. International copyright secured.
The lyrics and music above are copyrighted by the respective artist and is demonstrated here for educational purposes only.