Miracles? Yes, we all want to see them. After all, if Christianity is real, and we can believe the accounts of the lives of Jesus and His Disciples in the Bible, then we should all be experiencing His miraculous power in our lives.
It is interesting to see how Jesus performed miracles as we read the Scriptures, and the circumstances surrounding these miracles. Let’s take a look at a few. Mark records that:
Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “You are willing, You can make me clean.”
Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. Mark 1:40-42
There were many lepers during the time of Jesus. What prompted Jesus to heal this one?
“Then Jesus moved with compassion. . .”
Matthew records that once:
Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. Matthew 14:14
Again we see this word compassion, which in the Greek is the word splanchnizomai, which literally means: to be moved as to one’s bowels, hence to be moved with compassion, have compassion (for the bowels were thought to be the seat of love and pity), and to feel compassion for, have pity on, have one’s heart go out to someone.
We find this word again in Luke 7:13:
Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “man, I say to you, .” So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He took him to his mother. Luke 7:11-15
There are more times when Jesus was moved “with compassion” and reached out to rectify the situation. Compassion seems always to lead to miracles.
We see another use of this word in a situation where Jesus’ authority was being challenged. It is a familiar story that bears reading:
And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”
So he answered and said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”
And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”
But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’
So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”
And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Luke 10:25-37 (NKJV)
What is the key for us to be able to “love our neighbor as ourselves” according to Jesus?
The Levite and priest passed this wounded man by. They were in a hurry to get up to the Temple in Jerusalem so that they could perform their priestly functions and “worship God”. The reality is that if they touch this man’s blood, they would have to endure a multi-day ceremonial cleansing. Their duties at the Temple were just too important for that.
However the Samaritan, considered to be at the bottom of Hebrew society, as they were not “pure blooded” Jews, felt compassion, and this moved him to stop, and care for the wounded man.
As we look around us, what prompts us to step outside our comfort zone and reach out to those in need? Sometimes it is simply knowing that it is the right thing to do. After all, love is more an act of will rather than an emotion. But more often than not, it is when our heart is moved with compassion for that person and their problems that we stop, and get involved.
You have probably heard it said that
“Availability is your greatest asset for effective ministry.”
That is true, but availability is often dependant on this key element, compassion.
A dear friend of mine recently said before his congregation:
“Compassion is your greatest asset when it comes to ministry.”
Pastor Buddy Tipton
He’s right. Compassion is the driving force for miraculous changes in our world. When we are moved by compassion, then God begins to move through us in force, and that person’s world is changed.
When we do it enough, and compassion becomes one of our noticeable qualities, then many in our world will take notice, and be drawn to the source of love for one another.
Lord, fill us with your compassion for the lost, the needy, the sick, and downtrodden. Use us to make a difference in their lives. Let our compassion flow, as your’s flows through us, to change our world, and bring many who are lost into your family. Amen
A great man is always willing to be little.
Posted by: new jordans | November 03, 2010 at 02:06 AM
Your comments might be better directed toward Pope Benedict,who graciously received Pres.Obama at the Vatican recently.
Posted by: new jordans | November 04, 2010 at 10:39 PM
Please give my best wishes to your family.
Posted by: cheap jordans | January 27, 2011 at 06:23 PM