Living out compassion
Matthew 14:13-21
Good morning,
Happy Fathers Day! If you are able, please show your Father some love today.
Men, one of the most important jobs God has given you and me is to be a Father to your children.
Remember men that your heavenly Father has never let you down and He will never leave you or forsake you. So if your earthly father has not been what he needed to be, look to your heavenly Father to fill that void.
We are excited that next week, we are planning to reopen our church for services and excited to see what that will look like. As you know, I have been praying that we not go back to normal. I do not want normal, it is like going to 31 flavors and ordering vanilla. I want to try something new! I want the Lord to do something new in me and through me.
I want to be a part of something fresh and new not stale and old.
Amen.
We are glad that you have joined us. I trust you have come as a willing vessel the Lord can use and with an expectation that the Lord might speak to you. No matter how you are hearing this message, we are glad you’re here.
Prayer-
This time has been a challenge – Every one of us has a story to tell and a cross to bear. We need to share our experiences in the hope that it will encourage someone else to follow Jesus!
We have been through a lot and we are looking for some relief and some change.
How we approach change and how we look at change will determine what the outcome of our lives will look at the end of this.
If we just go back to normal and we again go to the same old way of life and church, we will not have learned anything from the wilderness experience.
I read an article awhile ago about the difference between whittling and carving- whittling is wasting time- passing time- something to do. Carving is making something with purpose and intent on a completed project. It is a thought out plan of what you want to see as the finished project.
This morning, have you learned any lessons?
Let me set up the text this morning- Jesus is no stranger to the feelings and things we go through in our life.
Jesus understands hatred, evil motives, disagreement, betrayal, two faced people, and hypocrisy.
He chose to experience them so that He could have compassion on us and help us when we go through those trials.
Jesus understands feeling burnout, low tolerance, quick tempers, frustration, wanting to give up, mind wondering in every direction except where it should.
Wanting normal even if normal was not all that good.
Disappointment- feeling like you cannot go on!
SO WHATEVER YOU ARE FEELING RIGHT NOW- JESUS HAS BEEN THERE.
Matthew 14/ The death of John the Baptist
Jesus losses his cousin John the Baptist who was beheaded while in prison-
He was in prison for preaching Jesus
He was beheaded because Herod got drunk and while drunk made a crazy promise to a girl that he had to keep to save face with his other guest at the party.
John’s death was a senseless killing and Jesus heart was broke.
The disciples buried John and told Jesus
Matthew 14:13-14 Read from Bible
Herod hated John was two reasons-
He had many followers and Herod was insecure and afraid of a rebellion.
Herod was a tyrant, John called him out about it and it cost John his life!
There is always a cost to telling the truth because there will always be those that do not want the truth told.
(13) “When Jesus heard what happened, he withdrew to a solitary place.”
Galilee was small and a difficult place to get alone, especially Jesus as His ministry was taking off and He had many followers.
Jesus knew that getting on the other side of the lake would bring him some alone time.
Jesus knew that before he could help men and women- He had to get alone with God the Father.
He was seeking rest for the body and strength for the soul. (Anyone know what I am talking about)
Let’s not move too fast-
If I would have been a ringside announcer, I would have had to say that circumstance has got this round but Jesus is now going privately to the Father for strength and encouragement. He is taking a step back so He can take a step forward.
He had to withdraw so that He could advance-
Solitary place with the Father brings healing!
Jesus withdrawing from the crowd allowed Him intimacy with God the Father.
It was not unusual for Jesus to find a place of solitude with the Father. Our D.S. Pastor Kerry is constantly reminding us that we need to find a place of prayer where we can get alone with God.
A place that not only you can pray but a place where you sense the presence of God.
Matthew 6:6
“But when you pray, go into your room (quiet place) and shut the door (privacy) and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Mark 1:35
“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”
Some of you late nighters would have a hard time.
John 15:4
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches.”
Abide in me and I in you- you have to get yourself on the same page with the Father.
He is the branch and we are the vines- we get our strength from Him. He is the source of everything we need.
Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God.”
Philippians 4:6
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
Acts 4:13
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.”
There is reward for spending time with Jesus- Jesus went to the Father and we go to Jesus.
(14) “When Jesus landed and saw the large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.”
Jesus had every right to send them away and say I am tired. But because of His compassion, He got out of the boat and began healing the needs that they had.
Far from being annoyed at them, he was moved with compassion for them.
Don’t let the devil lie to you and say that Jesus doesn’t care-
Don’t let me get into your head and cause chaos.
Strip you of your faith and your promises.
Cause you to look more at the circumstance than the savior.
Buy into the lie that He is too busy to hear your prayers-
He is only a bow of the heart away at all times.
God cares- (repeat) Jesus has compassion on His people.
Even a smart phone has to be charged to be of any good.
If we have learned anything from this quarantine that it is we need some time with Jesus- too many issues in our life to be trying to do this on our own.
Slow you down so that you can refocus- just like that GPS when you make a bad turn and it tells you quickly- Recalculating! My old Garman recalculates so I can get back on track and get on the road I need to be on.
We can get a little rebellious- Amen? We don’t like the Lord getting us turned back around especially when we like the way we are going!
Illustration
I have a 10 year old Westie - West Highland Terrier- (Cesar dog from commercial) One of the best dogs I have had-
My mother called him “Mr. Attitude” because he does things when he wants-
There is a reason that you will see a Westie win Best show in Westminster Dog Show- because they are great and beautiful dogs.
But you will never see a Westie in a Dog and Pony show on America’s got Talent- Because they don’t listen- you need that dog to over there and jump here and sit here-it would be like – “What you talking about Willis” I ain’t going over there.
Maybe next time - if you tell me to go over there- I am going over here- because I am my own dog.
We don’t like the Lord recalculating us-
Let’s pick this up verse 15-21 Read from Bible
When we take what we have and give it to God, that is when the miracle can begin-
This is a remote place Jesus- send them away so that they can get some food
“They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
They thought it funny that Jesus would want them to feed all those people.
He was looking to use them in a miracle- they were looking what they did not have, but Jesus was reminding them of what they did have- a savior that can do all things.
We forget how big our God is!
“We only have 5 loaves of bread and two fish.” Little is much in the hands of the Lord
Sit down on the grass- a sign of posture of reclining at a banquet. He gave thanks!
He blessed what they did have to achieve what they needed. (repeat)
When Jesus looks to heaven- you know the Father is ready to respond.
He took what was available- He blessed it.
He broke it and He gave it-
5000 men were feed- + women and children.
Jesus compassion should be contagious.
After Jesus spent time with the Father- not enough… became more than enough!
Those that were hungry are not hungry any longer…in fact they are full and satisfied.
We look at things in the realm of addition and subtraction, but we should be looking at things in the realm of multiplication, that’s where hope is found, it’s found in multiplication.
Jesus is making disciples so that more people would be reaching the lost and having the compassion for people like Jesus had. Multiplication!
Jesus ascended to the Father so the Father would send the Holy Spirit of God to bring strength and guidance and boldness to His believers so they would reach a dying world. Multiplication!
Jesus wanted to feed the five thousand + women and children- important! He made a fact statement- You give them something to eat!
Take what you have and ask God to bless it!
All we have is 5 loaves of bread and two fish- but when God blesses- little is much and not enough becomes enough and I can’t do it becomes I can do it through Christ who gives me strength! Multiplication!
Let me bring this home- The life of a believer is modeled by Christ and believers life should be one of submission and discipline. (Freely)
We cannot be a follower of Jesus if we are not doing what Christ told us.
Christ loved so we are to love.
Christ told us to not judge even though by their fruit we would know them.
Christ was compassionate- we are to be compassionate.
Believers are saved by Grace- no one can boast.
Good works don’t save us but good works will follow a believer who loves Jesus.
Saved by grace through faith- Ephesians 2;8
That saving faith brings transformation! Jesus should be changing you-
We do not want to give up control- surrender to Jesus and you cannot help but have compassion for the people that He has compassion for!
We are a new creation-old things are passing away and new things are beginning.
Close-
“There is no need for them to go away; give them something to eat.”
I think I hear Jesus saying don’t wait for someone else to do it-
You do it
Don’t pretend you don’t see the need- little is much if Jesus is in it.
Don’t delay because you are not qualified- if he can use a donkey, he can use you and I
Compassion is seeing, getting involved, and doing something.
He can multiply our tiny gifts, talents, food, wisdom and make us more like Jesus-
Henry Ward Beecher
Compassion will cure more sins than condemnation.
George Washington Carver
How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.
Illustration-
Steven Covey tells of a ride on a subway with a family that was so unruly- mother had just died at the hospital and the man was exhausted and not knowing what to say to his kids. We do not know what people are facing when it appears they are needing some grace and compassion.
Prayer- Father, Jesus is all about compassion. Even those that in the world’s eyes didn’t deserve it. We realize that we don’t deserve it either but you reached out to us and showed us your love. You reached out with your resources, even when they were in someone else’s pocket to help us. Today Father, may we have the love and compassion of Christ to make a difference in this world. This world needs to see Jesus. This world needs to be shown love and kindness. It will be how we reach a world so badly hurting. My words of kindness might make the difference of life and death to someone this week. My love of Jesus shown to someone might bring them to a saving relationship with Jesus.
