Today's Lesson
Compassion for Today's World
Text: Matthew 9:35-38
Introduction:
When Jesus used this illustration: Matthew 9:16-17
16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh
from the garment, and the rent is made worse. 17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break,
and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.
He was trying to tell his friends that he brought a totally new rules and values to the game. It was
the same game but with new rules. The law would be replaced by grace, condemnation would be replaced by the cross.
The world Jesus entered was not much different than our world in many ways.
Sin had a hold on much of world as it does today.
Jesus also brought a new means of reaching those that were not followers of God. He ushered
evangelism. He underlined a simple truth that could be seen through the ages - God coming to man. He disciples were
set out to share the gospel - God had come to man.
And he introduced something totally different - He reached people through compassion. God's Compassion
was clearly revealed in the OT but the Jews had forgotten to practice that which God practiced.
Jesus reached the unreachable because he reached out in compassion.
If we are to have an influence on our world, if we are to be affective in our evangelism, if we are to be
lighthouse in a dark world, then I believe we must have a large dose of compassion.
Today we are going to see in the Bible how compassion plays a key role in:
Law and Grace
Compassion and Compromise
Light and Darkness
I. Law and Grace
1 Timothy 1:8
But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully;
This tells me that law is good - But it also tells me that it can be misused.
Allow us to illustrate
One of the Ten Commandments is to keep the Sabbath holy. Pharisees were diligent in keeping the Sabbath.
Illustrate Matthew 12:10-14
And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal
on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into
a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole,
like as the other.
14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.
What was missing? Compassion!
The Law was tempered with Grace.
Allow us to share another:
Under the law a leper was unclean and therefore you were forbidden to touch him. If you did, then you were
considered unclean and need to make a sacrifice for your cleanliness.
Look at Mark 1:40-41
40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him,
If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will;
be thou clean.
The difference? Compassion. The law tempered the law of grace.
This is presented to you because it is possible to be right and still be wrong.
Evangelism is living the law - living right and taking grace to lepers of the world.
The law never healed a leper - grace did.
II. Compassion and Compromise
We cannot go one step farther with out throwing up a warning flag. There is a thin line between Compassion
and Compromise. Many a sincere Bible believing church has crossed the line.
Compassion is not compromise and compromise is not compassion.
How do you know the difference or where do you draw the line.
1. Motive and Attitude
John 12:3-6
