Jesus was a man of compassion.
He was moved with compassion for the sick (Matthew 14:14; 20:34; Mark 1:41), and He healed them.
He was moved with compassion for the demonized (Mark 8:22), and He delivered them.
He was moved with compassion for a widow who had lost her son (Luke 7:13), and He raised that son from the dead.
Jesus told parables that demonstrated compassion through forgiveness (Matthew 18:27), helping others in need (Luke 10:33), and restoring those who have repented (Luke 15:20).
Twice, Jesus was moved with compassion for a hungry crowd which had been listening to Him preach. Both times, He asked for what food was available, and taking fish and bread in hand, he blessed it, broke it, and through a miracle of multiplication fed thousands with a single sack lunch. (Mathew 15 & Mark 6).
And twice, it is specifically noted in the gospels that Jesus' compassion was directed at the people who came to him because they were like sheep without a shepherd, weary and scattered, leaderless, directionless, and lost. One time, Jesus welcomed them to Himself and began to teach them and heal them (Matthew 15:32; cf. Luke 9:11). The other time, Jesus commented on the ripened harvest of souls and the need for workers in the field; then He proceeded to send the twelve out with the commission to preach the kingdom, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out demons (Matthew 9:36-10:8).
Jesus did not commission His church to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and house the homeless. Neither did He command us to eliminate poverty and rectify inequality. Jesus compassion was not directed at the social ills of society, but rather at the Spiritual needs of all people to be saved. Neither was it expressed through feeding programs and homeless shelters. Jesus' compassion resulted in preaching that called for conversion and power that resulted in miracles.
The ministry of the Word, accompanied by demonstrations and manifestations of supernatural power, is how the church truly fulfills its mission.
So let us also be men and women of compassion...declaring to the fallen people of Adam's race that Jesus saves!
