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A Recap from Sunday’s Sermon

Preaching Text: Matthew 9:35-38

Christ's compassion stirs our hearts to action.

Due to our constant exposure to the needs of the world through news, social media, and the personal challenges of our lives, we are often left with "compassion fatigue."  Many of us may have stories of when we have served someone who asked us for help and we left feeling taken advantage of.  In the midst of the complexity of compassion, we must look to God to reshape our heart and give us wisdom in addressing real needs.  In Matthew 9, Jesus looks out at the crowd and sees their true condition.  Jesus saw that they were "harassed and helpless" which literally means "torn and thrown down."   Jesus felt a deep "gut-level" compassion for them.  Oftentimes in our current sense of security, we don’t have this kind of gut-level compassion for those we see in need. But our worldly securities are fickle. Each of us is one lost job, illness, or family tragedy away from this kind of helplessness.  And in the moments when we feel most helpless and lost, Jesus feels most deeply for us and reaches out to us.  In God’s greatness, he is occupied with the lowly.  
 

Taking It Home: 
Jesus' compassion for us is what stirs our hearts to action for others. This week, ask God to open your eyes to those who are vulnerable or hurting in your life. Pick one way you can extend compassion with open hands (share a gift, act of service, or a word of encouragement) and wise plans (e.g. Toxic Charity is a book that gives practical wisdom on methods of compassion that truly empower people).