Discipleship Training: Week 10 by Heather Compton

Today I want to talk about compassion!

 We see throughout the gospels that Jesus was moved by compassion. Compassion in the 1828 dictionary says it is a mixed passion, compounded of love and sorrow. This emotion MOVED Jesus as He moved through the villages and towns. 

 Turn in your Bible to Matthew 9:35-38

 We see in verse 36 that He was moved with compassion when He saw the crowds. The passion translation says He was deeply moved with compassion (this was something He felt deep within HIM). It wasn’t just a feeling it was something He couldn’t ignore. The Amplified classic version said he saw them as harassed, distressed, dejected, and helpless. This sounds like people we come in contact with each day. If I have an altar call for people who are feeling one of the above emotions, the altar is full and that is among church people. How much more are the people of the world feeling this way? This scripture ends with Jesus saying that the harvest is great but the workers are few. This was written long ago but it is a clear description of the situation we are in today. So many people are lost and we are so busy with the task at hand, or with our own situations we fail to reach out and help them. 

 Pray this with me (out loud):   Jesus, help me to be moved with compassion for those who I come in contact with. Help me to see people with the lens you see them. Help my compassion grow and let it move me into action. I pray that boldness would come on me like never before and I would be a vital part of the last day’s harvest. Here are my hands and my heart, use me! In Jesus name, AMEN!

 Turn with me to Mark 8:1-10

 In this scripture, Jesus was moved with compassion for the people and their need to eat.  We see that the only food available was few loaves of bread and couple pieces of fish. Jesus took what they had, prayed over it and saw the increase.  The compassion He had led to a miracle manifesting in their midst. The miracle involved a little boy’s obedience to give what he had. Are you living life in a way to be used by GOD? Are you willing to give when He says give? Side note: I love what my pastor once said about this scripture, the food the boy had wasn’t near enough to meet the end. It was just a small amount compared to the need. However, the boys little in His hands became much!  Never look at the seed you have and think it is too small and your little doesn’t matter. Your little in HIS hands becomes big!   Hallelujah!!

 Internal Reflection: Are you a compassionate person? Y/N  What are some things or areas of your life you need to work on in order to walk in the compassion He walked in? Use a separate sheet of paper for this

 Also, Take some time and find other instances where compassion is listed in the Bible (if you are new to the Bible, you can use the reference in the back, search compassion and there will be a list of all scriptures where the word is found).  List the scripture references and what you take away from the passages on a separate sheet of paper.

 Key Verse: Matthew 9:37-38 Message Translation   (Take time to memorize if you haven’t already)

“What a huge harvest!” He said to his disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!”