Matthew 9:35-38; Mark 6:34

Introduction:

1. Today we see that, though Jesus truly was bold, forthright, and unafraid of sparking controversy, even those actions flowed from genuine compassion for all parties.

2. As “little Christs,” compassion is the reason we boldly minister (1 Timothy 1:3-5).

Discussion:

I. The Nature of the Crowds in View

A. Considering the size of the crowd, there were likely all manner of people in it.

B. These sheep were lost and facing spiritual death (Jeremiah 23:1-2; 50:6-7; Zechariah 10:1-3).

C. Secondarily, many faced a host of physical maladies (Matthew 14:14; Mark 1:40-42).

II. The Attitude of the Religious Elite

A. Several instances demonstrate the hard-heartedness of the religious leaders.

1. They hated His ministering to sinners (Matthew 9:9-13; Mark 2:14-17; Luke 15:2-7).

2. They sought to condemn Him for healing on the Sabbath (Mark 3:1-6).

3. They arrogantly looked down their noses at their peers (Luke 18:9-14).

4. They bullied the blind man Jesus healed and his family (John 9:1-34).

5. They attempted murder to hide Lazarus’ resurrection (John 11:47-54; 12:9-11).

B. In Jesus’ words, they actively impeded God’s mercy on the helpless (Matthew 23:13).

III. The Compassion of Christ

A. The OT prophets frequently used the sheep with no shepherd to describe Israel’s tragic fall (1 Kings 22:13-18; Isaiah 56:9-11; Jeremiah 50:6-7; Ezekiel 34:1-10).

B. Yet, they anticipated a Shepherd who would gather the lost sheep and save them from destruction (Isaiah 40:9-11; Jeremiah 23:1-3; Ezekiel 34:11-31;37:24-28; Micah 5:1-4).

C. Jesus came as God’s compassionate Shepherd and gave His life to salvage His lost sheep (John 10:1-4, 11-16; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 2:21-25; Revelation 7:16-17).

D. His parable of the lost sheep defines His attitude towards the wayward (Luke 15:1-7), and it explains why Jesus looked with compassion on the sin-sick of this world.

Conclusion:

1. This attitude of compassion on the afflicted is part of the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5ff).

2. To enjoy His grace and mercy, we must live it out this attitude of compassion with our sin-sick neighbors day-by-day (Matthew 18:21-35; 25:31-46; James 2:14-26).

Further Food for Thought

1. Do you ever struggle to extend the compassion of Christ to the lost sheep around you?

2. Have you ever fallen into the trap of the Pharisee in Luke 18 feeling morally superior?

3. How do you recommend we all conquer this very common human flaw?

4. How important is it to remember that we are not greater than our Master? (John 13:2-17)