Ten Most Wanted

“THE COMPASSIONATE MAN”

In Psalms 78, the psalmist reveals many times how God reached out to Israel.
God called them to be His people. What a special privilege 1-7.
But they became stubborn, rebellious and forgot His works 8-11.
Then God did miracles in Egypt and opened the Red sea 12-16.
And yet they sinned more, tempted God and spoke against Him 17-19.
Yet God gave them water to drink, bread and meat in the Wilderness 20-28.
But, they lusted and God’s wrath fell on them 29-31.
After many years they repented and we find these words in Psalms 78.

Psalms 78:38 But he (God), being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

I – THE EXPLANATIN OF COMPASSION
The Hebrew word for compassion means to be merciful.
And when you study the Greek word for mercy you find it means to be actively compassionate.
Compassion means to relieve one who is suffering.
It means to be moved with pity and to extend help or aid.
Mercy means to show compassion with forgiveness.
Mercy and compassion is like the bones in your forearm, the radius and ulna. It is like the tibia and fibula in your lower leg. To separate them would bring a partial deformity to your body.
So we shall use these words interchangeably for though they are different they are very similar.


Compassion is an aspect of love that moves you to extend even sacrificially, help and aid to a person though they may not deserve it.


As grace is that part of God’s love that moves him to forgive the sinner. Compassion is that aspect of love that causes God to be provide for and protect a person though an unsaved person or a rebel.
And mercy is God’s offer of forgiveness when day after day after day.

Compassion or mercy is different from love. Compassion is an aspect of God’s love that causes Him to help the wretched.

Now who are the wretched?
Paul is talking about the battle of sin in his body in Romans 7. He then declares in Romans 7:24. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Then he says in verse 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Paul calls himself wretched. Why? A wretched man is a miserable, heartbroken, dejected because of sin.
Now Paul knew the power of sin the one who could deliver him from sin. But many folks don’t and that person is truly wretched.

The only other time the word wretched is used in the Bible is in Revelation 3:17. God calls the church of Laodicea, which is the Church Age today, wretched, poor, blind and naked. Why? Because they have forgotten the doctrine of sin. The Laodicean church doesn’t preach against sin or expose it any longer. They think, “I’m OK just like I am.” And God says, you are wretched.

The wretched man may have fallen on hard times:
1) It may be his own fault because he has broken God’s law.
2) …or it may be because of circumstances beyond his control.
But compassion is showing mercy to that person rather than saying, “Well, you should take better care of yourself and walking away.”

-Understand this: God’s mercy is undeserved. God’s mercy is Him withholding punishment on his creation every time the sun rises.
-Every day, every human being in this world is shown God’s mercy.
-God’s mercy will keep us out of hell but it won’t get us to heaven.

2,000 years ago Jesus paid for man’s salvation by His work of Calvary. That is grace.
Every day now for over 1900 years God has extended His mercy to man by not sending his final judgment. That is compassion.

Jesus showed mercy to those who lived in circumstances beyond their control. He healed the blind, the lepers, the lame and raised the dead.

What did the blind man do to deserve healing? Nothing!
What did the widow of Nain do to deserve her son raised to life? Nothing!
These healing came out of compassion within the heart of Christ for these folks, not because they deserved it.
He did not heal them because they merited favor with Him.
He healed them because of a tender, compassion and kind heart that can only come from understanding this nature of God.

Compassion is a kindness which is seeing needs in others lives as opportunities to demonstrate my love for Christ.

II – THE EXAMPLES OF COMPASSION
The Good Samaritan -
In Luke 10 a lawyer came to Jesus tempting Him. He said, “Lord what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
The Lord said, “What have you read in the law?”
The Lawyer’s answer is awesome. He said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.”
Now folks no where in the Old Testament is that written like that. This man had studied the Scriptures and figured out this is what a person should actually do to have eternal life.
Jesus answered the man then in verse 28. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
Stop! Jesus knew the selfish flesh would bring every man short of loving the Lord that much. Now the lawyer is confused.
29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
The priest represented religion. A person who only has religion can’t forgive. They are self centered. They think only of self. Why?
Because they have never experienced or understood God’s mercy and compassion to them.
32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
The Levite represents the law. As wonderful as the law of God was, the law can’t pay for man’s sinful deeds. The law demands righteousness.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
Now listen, the lawyer asking the question was Jewish. They hated the Samaritans.
Yet it was the Samaritan that truly showed God’s love and compassion. He went the extra mile. He spent his own hard earned money. He would even come back to check on the man and take care of his bill.
There was something strangely different about the priest, the Levite and the Samaritan. The Samaritan showed the heart of Christ and the life of a Christian.
Jesus now turns to the lawyer and says:
36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
37 And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Let me say this, unless you have experienced God’s compassion, you will have an impossible time showing this attribute of God.

The 10,000 Talents
In Matthew 18:21-35 the Lord Jesus moves to the importance of forgiveness. You see, it is one thing to show kindness and generosity to someone who has done you know wrong.
But it is quite different to show forgiveness to someone who has stolen from you and been dishonest.
The Lord tells the parable of a king who had a servant that he trusted with his wealth to invest his money and make him more money.
In time IRS audited the man. The books were opened. He had to give account of his life’s work.
We discover that this man who acted so pious and righteous was actually a thief.
This man had misused and wasted the time, talents and treasures the king had given him.
This man owed the king 10,000 talents. If it was silver talents, the value owed the king at today’s market value would be a little more than $16,000,000. If was gold talents the value would be $141,600,000.
The king was going to sell the man’s wife and children into slavery till all was paid. The man fell down and begged for forgiveness.
The king had compassion the Bible says and forgave the man all that he had. Did the man understand that forgiveness?
Sadly, No! While walking down the street one day, he met an associate that owed him 100 pence or around $20.00. He said, “Man I really need that money. Can you pay me?” The man said, “I don’t have it right now, could you give me a few days to get it together.
“No,” he shouted and grabbed the man by the neck and demanded payment and then threw him in jail.
When the king heard what happened, the king had the man arrested. He reasoned with the man and said, “Why didn’t you treat your friend the way I treated you?” In anger the king had the man turned over to his tormentors.
Then Jesus said in verse 35. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Fanny Crosby – In the life of the Crosby family; the family could have grown up bitter but they learned forgiveness and compassion.
When Fanny was 6 weeks old she had an eye infection that greatly troubled John Crosby and his wife.
They took her to a doctor who prescribed the wrong salve for her eyes and Fanny went blind. Instead of them becoming bitter, Fanny focused on Christ.
She memorized large portions of Scripture. She memorized 20 books of the Bible by the age of 21. She wrote many poems. When at age 32 she became a Christian she began writing hymns like “Rescue the Perishing” and “Blessed Assurance Jesus is mine.”

King David and King Saul - King Saul delighted in the Shepherd boy, David, especially after he killed Goliath and gave freedom to Israel.
But one day King Saul heard the people singing, “Saul has killed his thousands and David has killed his ten thousands” and jealous flooded Saul’s soul.
He tried to kill David many times. He had David attacked while in his own bed. He through a Javelin at Him three times trying to pen him against the wall.
He tracked David down like a dog with an army of 3000 and when David had the opportunity to take Saul’s life, David had compassion on him.

III – THE CALL OF COMPASSION
God wants his children to show that same mercy:
Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Psalms 18: 25 With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt show thyself upright;
Psalms 42: 4 I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.
James 1:27 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.

Who needs our compassion?
1 – Family and friends
Pro 11: 29 He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.
So often those closest to us we hurt the most. We get so preoccupied with work, hobbies, activities that our mates and children know us as being rude and angry while others see us as good folks.
Compassion needs to be first demonstrated at home. Show kindness. Show forgiveness. Ask forgiveness. Demonstrate pity and don’t expect everybody to be just like you.

2 – Members of the Body of Christ
Galatians 6: 10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
The reason we have master-men is for this reason. And I want to say, “Thank you to so many men who come and pray and serve and so many women who come and cook.
Revelation 12: 10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
We need to encourage each other because Satan is the accuser of the Brethren. He will accuse you to me and me to you. He will accuse you to God and God to use.
He’ll tell you God isn’t fair. He’ll sow doubt in your heart. He’ll make you think that this person or that person is against you. That is his job.
Have compassion, show kindness, love, and mercy.

3 – Our enemies and those who offend us
Romans 12: 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
If you are alive, you will have enemies in life. The only man I heard of that didn’t have any enemies was 102 years old. The reporter ask him, Why he had no enemies and he said, “Because I outlived them all.”
Jesus showed compassion to his enemies. Even those that hanged Him on the cross, He cried, “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.”
To those who would treat you wrong, be like Christ and treat them right.
4 – The poor among us
Proverbs 19: 17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
God’s pockets are bigger than yours and his hands are larger. When you give a dollar or a thousand to one in need, God will pay you back and God always pays with interest.

But, to give to those who offend us or to give to the poor we must become like the Commiphora-myrrha tree.
It is a bitter tasting tree. When the bark of a myrrh tree is bruised or cut, it oozes myrrh as a fluid from resin ducts inside the bark.
It slowly hardens into globules called “tears.”
Thee globules are then taken and mixed with other ingredients to make
1) Fragrant perfumes (Psalms 45:8).
2) Priestly anointing oils (Exodus 30;23-25).
3) Medicines for healing (Mark 15:23)
Application: Man is by nature a bitter person. If he would learn to take the hurts and bruises of life and mix them with Christ’s love we could give people the sweet perfumes of our Lord. We could give them words of healing. We could give them words of comfort.

IV – THE CLEANSING OF COMPASSION
Lamentations 3:22-23 – God’s mercies are new every morning.
22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
The wise man will learn and practice compassion. Why?
Proverbs 11:17 says, “The merciful man doeth good t his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.”
It will bring both short term and long term effects.
Psa 6:2 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.
1) They burn with fire.
Psalms 102: 3 For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.
2) They dry up. The capillaries shrink back limiting the flow of blood and nousishment. This weakens the bones and limits them from producing life-giving red blood cells.
It then dries up the lubrication in the joints.
Stress literally strangles our bones.
Proverbs 17: 22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

3) They rot. Bitterness robs the body of calcium and make the bones weak an soft.
It will affect one’s adrenaline system, stripping bones of calcium.
Pro 12: 4 A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

4) They age prematurely - Psalms 32:1-3 – Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
Failure to seek forgiveness as well as failure to forgive will make one old before their time.
I believe we have ittle compassion because we hae little grace. More to Follow
A large sum of money was given to Rowland Hill to dispense to a poor pastor. Thinking that the amount was too much to send all at once, Hill forwarded just a portion along with a note that said simply, “More to follow.” In a few days the man received another envelope containing the same amount and with the same message, “More to follow.” At regular intervals, there came a third, and a fourth. In fact, they continued, along with those cheering words, until the entire sum had been received.
C. H. Spurgeon used this story to illustrate that the good things we receive from God always come with the same prospect of more to follow. He said:
“When God forgives our sins, there’s more forgiveness to follow. He justifies us in the righteousness of Christ, but there’s more to follow. He adopts us into His family, but there’s more to follow. He prepares us for heaven, but there’s more to follow. He gives us grace, but there’s more to follow. He helps us to old age, but there’s still more to follow.”
Spurgeon concluded, “Even when we arrive in the world to come, there will still be more to follow.”
Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.
Costly grace...is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble, it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him.