Compassion

compassion courtesy photobucket.com

Enclosed in our Sunday church bulletin was a short letter of retirement from our Pastor Carl who has been recovering from a minor stroke and brain tumor.  He is a fighter, but after much prayer and consideration he realized that he may not be able to return to fill our pulpit once again.

Our guest Pastor Jerry has been our Guest Pastor and doing an excellent work.  By next Sunday the announcement is due to be made that he is our newly appointed permanent part-time pastor.

As is my custom, I took notes and present my gleaning from his sermon.  Pastor read from Mark 6:30-34.  The setting was Jesus meeting with his disciples who had just returned from their time of ministry and with joy they reported all that God had done.

        Many people were pressing upon them, and they had not had time to even eat or rest.    Jesus said, come away by yourselves to a secluded place and we will rest for awhile.  So they took a  boat and left - - but the people saw where they were going and followed them.

Mark 6:34  When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.

The people in the large crowd were probably a mixture of Jews and Gentiles.  Jesus had compassion on all of mankind.  He reached out and ministered to them even though his body was tired and hungry.

As there is today, even then there were major social issues; slavery, hunger, human rights, civil rights, women’s issues, sexual problems, health care, abuse of all kinds, religious persecution.   The church today addresses these needs or ignores them.

Some people say, “I am looking for a church that meets my needs.”  The truth is that the church cannot meet the needs of all people. 

Perhaps we need to settle down and realize that it is Jesus who meets the needs of his sheep.  He has compassion for them, and we also need to show compassion for others. 

Those outside the Jewish faith were people also wanting their needs met and were looking to Jesus.  Those outside the “church” also need Jesus!

Sheep need a shepherd!  Without a shepherd, sheep wander and get into trouble.  Jesus came to earth to fulfill God’s plan because we needed him.

Jesus continues to have compassion, and it is through his church that compassion must flow.    We are His Church – May compassion flow through me!

This post is Linked up today with Michelle’s Hear it on Sunday Use it on Monday