Luke 10:25-37, COMPASSION vs. indifference (2)

Let us continue our study of the compassion of Jesus.

iv)      Matthew 20:29-34: Here is the story of blind Bartimaeus and another blind man.  They cried out for Jesus to have mercy.  This event comes near the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry; He is on the way to Jerusalem for the last time.  By now it is well known: this Man is full of compassion.  Thus, the blind men would not be quiet as the crowd thought they should, but cried all the more.  Jesus’ response (healing their blind eyes) is moved by His compassion for them.  We ought not allow the crowd, which often has no compassion, to direct our response to people’s request.

v)   Mark 1:40-42: Early in Jesus’ ministry He showed that His compassion led to a willingness to heal people’s hurts.  Compassion is not just an act; it is an attitude.

vi)            Luke 7:11-15: Here, again, was a person with a deep need.  A widow who now has lost her only son.  It’s not just that she needed the son to care for her in life.  What Jesus saw was the grief in this weeping woman.  His compassion moved Him to raise her son from the dead.

b)    From our brief look at compassion in the life of Christ, we can answer, “when is compassion needed?”

i)      1 John 3:17: when someone has a NEED and when we have the resources to HELP.  Whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?  In my life it seems there is seldom a situation that I see someone in need and do not have something to offer.

ii)   Heb. 4:16: But in Christ we have the One whose resources are unlimited.  There is always mercy and grace available.  In the Old Testament we see the same in Ps. 121:2: My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

c)    There are many good reasons for us to be compassionate.

i)      Compare Eph. 2:4 (God, who is rich in mercy) with Luke 6:36 (Be merciful just as your Father also is merciful).  To be compassionate is to be godly.

ii)   Being compassionate is obedience to the overall command to love.  All of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous (1 Pt. 3:8).  Meditate on those commands.  They all go together and relate to compassion.  In the parable of the Good Samaritan Jesus illustrated compassion and then said, Go and do likewise (Lk. 10:36-37).