COV LIFE BLOG

Mark 6:53-56 – Don’t Miss the Compassion and Power of Jesus

One of the greatest qualities in the life of Jesus was his willingness to enter into the human situation and to be deeply moved by tender compassion that compelled him to help and to heal. Jesus was never detached from, nor indifferent to human sorrow and suffering. People were never a nuisance to Jesus but an opportunity to serve.
 
William Barclay wrote, “If there was one thing the ancient world needed it was compassion, pity and mercy.” There was no concern for the sick and feeble, no provision for the aged and no feeling for the mentally and emotion-ally disturbed. Christ, however, in his appearance brought love, affection and care to a world of apathy and complacency.
 
Compassion was an outstanding feature in the life of Jesus. He is spoken of several times as being moved with compassion. Actually, he is our perfect example of compassion. Let us notice:
 
He lived it. On various occasions he alleviated the suffering and pain of others. At Jericho he had compassion on two blind men sitting by the wayside, and touched their eyes, and immediately their eyes received sight (Matt. 20:30-34). Seeing a great multitude near the Sea of Galilee, Jesus was moved with compassion and healed their sick (Matt. 14:14).
 
When Jesus came nigh to the gate of the city Nain, He beheld the coffin which contained the body of the only son of a widow. When the Lord saw her he had compassion on her sorrow and said, “Weep not. And he came and touched her bier. . . . And he said, young man, I say unto thee, Arise” (Lk. 7:11-14). Seeing the hunger of the multitude Jesus said to his disciple, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and they have nothing to eat, and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in their way” (Matt. 15:32).
 
The loneliness of being lepers moved Jesus to touch them and heal them (Mk. 1:41). On going through the cities and preaching and teaching in the synagogues, Jesus was moved with compassion when he saw the multitudes as sheep without a shepherd (Matt. 9:35-36). Is he any less compassionate today when he observes our bewilderment in so-called Christendom?
 
Most of us often think that God is love and that the Christian’s life is love, but we would do well to remember that without Jesus’ entrance into the world, the feeling of compassion would have not been exemplified for us to fully learn. “The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger and of great mercy” (Psa. 145:8). It is comforting to know that Jesus is touched with the feeling of our infirmities (Heb. 4:15). We sing the beautiful hymn:
 
O yes, He cares, I know He cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the longs nights dreary,
I know my Saviour cares.

Weldon Warnock

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SCRIPTURES FOR THIS SUNDAY
Read Mark 6:53-56. Do you reflect often on the tender compassion of Jesus and his all-sufficient ability to provide? How often do you consider how you might reflect that compassion to the hurting around you?

SONG FOR THIS WEEK
Come Ye Sinners by Keith and Kristyn Getty