Transcript: Finding Peace in God's Compassionate Love and Restoration through Jeremiah 12:15-17

There is a true story. Of a young couple who lost their only child, a beautiful three-year-old daughter, as a result of a freak accident. Unable to justify this tragedy with their concept of a loving God, they went to their minister for help. Why, they asked. Why? It was God's will, the preacher told them. The couple just couldn't accept that the passing of their little daughter could somehow serve God's will. and they sought out another preacher friend. He quoted yards of scripture, trying to give them comfort, but his verses fell on deaf ears. Finally, the young couple turned to a frail, elderly woman in the church. Surely she could give them a reason for the child's death. But the old woman didn't utter a single word. Instead, she tenderly wrapped her arms around the heartbroken couple's shoulders and together they cried the hurt away. Sometimes, for some, when the misfortunes of life and the pain goes so deep, theological answers do not seem enough to bring comfort and ease to the deep pain one experiences. It seems that when answers aren't enough, our best demonstration of love, compassion, and reassurance is shown in a statement of silent caring, just as this elderly woman did, demonstrating in her heartwarming affection to the young couple in their time of heartbreaking grief. The dictionary tells us that the word compassion alludes to kindness and sympathy, but there is something deeper, something even more profoundly powerful in its meaning. Compassion is a sympathetic consciousness consciousness of others' distress together with the desire to alleviate it. It is a suffering with one another. It is painful sympathy, a sensation of sorrow excited by the distress or the misfortunes of another. The origin of the word compassion helps us to grasp the true breath, depth, and significance of the word. In Latin, compati means to suffer with. Compassion means someone else's heartbreak becomes your heartbreak Or another's suffering becomes your suffering True compassion changes the way we live all together The depth of this true compassion for another human being can only come when a believer in Jesus Christ Has grown to know his personal Savior's great mercy and his unrelenting, undying love in his blood sacrifice upon the cross. In the account of Luke 19, 41, the scripture tells us, as Jesus approached Jerusalem, he saw the city. He wept over it and said, If you, even you, had known on this day what would bring you peace, but now it is hidden from your eyes. The wonderful, incomparable compassion of Jesus Christ, our Savior, was shown in his weeping over the fact that the Jews of that day had rejected him as the Messiah, whom scripture had prophesied would come and save them from the judgment that was soon imminent to come upon them. The compassion of our Lord was demonstrated in the many miracles of deliverance and healing, and these were all the demonstrations that Scripture told about and would be the proof of when the long-awaited Messiah would appear. What love! What compassion! But instead of recognizing the King of Kings and the Prince of Peace, who would have given them eternal peace and everlasting salvation, they put him to death. Jesus' tears were over the fact that they missed the opportunity for true salvation which would only be found in him. He would have to pronounce them guilty. Dear listener, you and I too have despised the creator of the universe in the days of our unregenerate past and even of days of a new birth we have held the things of the world in high esteem over the most wonderful gift presented to us, and that is eternal life. And yet, in our loving Savior's incredible compassion, He died and poured out His precious blood to give us eternal life. What love! Psalms chapter 78, verse 37 declares, For their hearts were not right or sincere with them, and neither were they faithful and steadfast to his covenant. But he, full of merciful compassion, forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not. Yes, many a time he turned his anger away and did not stir up all of his wrath and indignation. The Almighty's inexpressible compassion on those who turn to him comes because his thoughts and ways are far superior to human thoughts and ways, which in fact are evil. God's plan for mankind is something people could never have dreamed of, even in a million years. Prophet Isaiah in the book of Isaiah 55, verses 6-8 declares, Seek the Lord while he may be found. Call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. You see, compassion is a key part of true spirituality for the believer in Jesus Christ. The definition of compassion in English is a feeling of deep sympathy or sorrow for another who is stricken with misfortune, accompanied by the strong desire to alleviate the suffering. True spirituality is defined as a mind or conscience that is under the influence of the Holy Spirit and its holy and pure principles. True spirituality is having one's affections refined and elevated above sensual objects and focused on God's laws and commands. In this next testimony, we see the awesome compassion of a mature man who had grown into a deep knowledge and understanding of his Savior who had shared the love of Jesus with others. The story goes like this. A young man named John saw some boys dressed in rags and invited them to Sunday school one day. One boy in the crowd said he would go with him, but he had no coat to wear. John gave him his coat and went in with him on that Sunday. It was years afterwards, a teacher of a Bible class told the story of the account of a nice, compassionate man giving his coat to a poor urchin boy. A man in his class stood up and said, I was that boy, and it was Dr. John G. Patton, one of the most famous missionaries of the ages, who gave me his coat. Dr. John Patton's sympathetic, tender-hearted compassion for this young boy made such an impact and was passed down through the years because it was born out of love for God first and then spilled out to those who came within his reach and path. As true believers in Jesus Christ, we should thank God that he is compassionate towards us. The whole Bible is about a book of compassion From the opening book of Genesis until the final conclusion of Revelation, we are able to see an awesome God who designed a world just for us, only to have us sin against him. Yet, he doesn't stop there, but rather he pursues us and brings all who believe in Jesus into right fellowship with God through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. One of my favorite scriptures in the Bible speaking of the great love and compassion of our Heavenly Father it found in Isaiah chapter 30 verse 18 It says, Yet the Lord still waits for you to come to Him, so He can show you His love. He will conquer you to bless you, just as He said. For the Lord is faithful to His promises. Blessed are those who wait for Him to help them. This is true compassion, precious church. Jesus is the one who knew no sin, that he became sin for us and died on the cross so that we could have eternal life with God. Praise the almighty and loving, compassionate God from whom all blessings flow. Praise God for his great love and compassion and patience with mere creatures of clay. There is a testimony of compassion. Of a well-to-do businessman, he gave a fine car to his brother. One day, when the brother went to the place he'd parked the car, he saw a ragged boy looking over the car, and with great interest. Instead of saying, get away from that car, kid, he smiled at the youngster. The boy was first to speak. Is that your car, mister? Yes, it is, was the reply What did it cost, was the next question Nothing, said the man The boy looked at him curiously and said You don't look like the kind of guy who would steal a car The owner laughed and said No, it was a present from my brother The boy seemed incredulous Do you mean that he gave it to you as a present? and it didn't cost you anything? That's right. Then the boy said the most surprising thing of all, I sure do wish I could be such a brother as yours. One might have expected him to say, how I wish I could have just a brother like yours. The man asked him what he meant, and he explained, I'll tell you, my youngest brother had polio, and he can't walk to see all the shops in town and enjoy the toys at least by seeing them in the windows. How I wish I had a car like this to take him around to see all the sights. Our father died and we don't get presents this Christmas but at least I can walk along the streets and enjoy the shop windows. My brother can't even do this. That's why I'd like to be a brother just like yours. This young boy's deep compassion for his little invalid brother was a selfless kind of love, thinking of nothing for himself, but only for another's encouragement and happiness. We must ask ourselves what aroused Jesus' compassion? What impassioned our Savior and stirred him to display his love through tears for the precious masterpiece whom he had conceived in his eternal plan before the world began? Let me tell you Jesus was moved by the spiritual suffering of the people due to sin In Romans 5, verse 12, Apostle Paul gives us this answer. Therefore sin came into the world through one man, and death is a result of sin. So death spread to all men, no one being able to stop it or escape its power, because all men sinned. You see, people's sin had caused separation from God or spiritual death. Thus Jesus described them as sheep having no shepherd. In Matthew 9, verse 36, in the Amplified Version, the Word tells us, When he saw the throngs, he was moved with pity and sympathy for them. They were bewildered, harassed, distressed, dejected, and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. The NIV version puts it this way. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. we need to really understand the depth of the scripture in order to see and know personally the great love and sympathetic consciousness of our Lord's internal distress towards his creation this goes hand in hand and is coupled together with a desire to alleviate the anguish of the blind lame and sick when he walked on the earth and again we see the bottom line is to our Lord's concern and pity Jesus was moved by the spiritual suffering of the people due to sin. Reiterating, he was concerned to see the ignorant and careless and helpless who were going to perish because they lacked understanding and remained ignorant in the church due to sinful preferences in their lives. Precious church, it was pity or compassion to the miserable souls of men and women that brought Jesus Christ from heaven to earth and from there to the cross. Oh may God, in his eternal mercy, open the eyes that people may truly see the love of God by their eyes of faith. The misery of peoples of the earth is the object of God's mercy and the miseries of self-destroying souls are the greatest miseries that they will be held accountable for because of their vile, evil actions, which will take them forever and ever into the lake of fire. In Matthew chapter 11, verse 28, Jesus says, Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laid, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. My yoke is easy and my burden is light. You see, Jesus gives the call for us to come to him and find our rest in his inconceivable and immeasurable compassion and love. He tells us that our yoke and burdens are due to sins that we so many times in ignorance and yet for some who willingly embrace and carry around. Our Heavenly Father tells us in the word of God that he is slow to anger. I hope you can see the love and compassion of the Almighty Creator towards creatures of clay whom he in his very own image and likeness. Isaacs declares The Lord, the compassionate and gracious God Slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness Maintaining love to a thousand And forgiving the witness and rebellion of sin And yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished Nahum, chapter 1, verse 3 Says The Lord is slow to anger and great in power. The Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and the clouds are the dust of His feet. Praise God for His wonderful patience towards all men and women. Can you see the correlation between the abounding love of God and the time and patience He gives each one to choose to come to Him and forsake the sinful lifestyles and practices in order to enjoy His peace and eternal happiness? And yet, our previous scripture tells us that those who refuse will receive His wrath and punishment forever and ever. Following our scripture showing the love and compassion of God's great gift to the earth, who is none other than His Son, Jesus Christ. Hebrews 2.17 declares, Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in all things, so that he might become merciful and faithful high priest in all things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. In Luke chapter 7 verse 13 we see the awesome depth of Jesus' love towards Mary after her brother Lazarus had died When the Lord saw her he felt compassion for her and said Do not weep Mary You see our precious Savior does not change He is the same yesterday today and forever Following our scriptures showing the compassion and the love of our matchless Lord Jesus Christ. And Jesus called his disciples to him and said, I feel compassion for the people because they have remained with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way. Matthew 15 verse 32 Like a shepherd he will tend his flock. In his arms he will gather the lambs and carry them in his bosom. He will gently lead the nursing ewes. Isaiah chapter 40 verse 11 A bruised reed he will not break, and dimly burning stick he will not extinguish. He will faithfully bring forth justice. Isaiah chapter 42 verse 3 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and in his great mercy he redeemed them, and carried them all the days of old. Isaiah chapter 63 verse 9 When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, Lord, if you are willing, can you make me clean? Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. I am willing, he said, be clean. And immediately he was cured of his leprosy. Matthew chapter 8, verses 1 through 3 When evening came, they brought to him many who were demon-possessed, and he cast out the spirits with the word and healed all those who were ill. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet. He himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases. Matthew chapter 8, verses 16 and 17 Jesus went through the crowds and the villages, teaching and healing every disease and sickness. And when he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. And he said to his disciples, The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out the workers into his harvest field. Matthew chapter 9 verse 36 And when he went ashore, he saw a large crowd and felt compassion for them and healed their sick. Matthew chapter 14 verse 14 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost. What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, Does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountain and go search for the one that is straying? If it turns out that he finds it, truly I will say to you, he rejoices over it more than over a ninety-nine which have not gone astray. Matthew chapter 18, verses 11 through 13. And when Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us. And the crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us. Jesus stopped and called them. What do you want me to do for you, he asked. Lord, they answered, we want our sight. Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes, and immediately they received their sight and followed him. Matthew chapter 20, verses 29 through 34. Can I tell you, dear listener, that the mercy of God is displayed here throughout these scriptures that you have been listening to? You see, the mercy of God is defined as he who manifests pity and compassion towards a person who is in distress. This aspect of God's love that causes him to help the miserable, just as grace is the aspect of his love that moves him to forgive the guilty. And those who are miserable may be either so because of breaking God's law or because of circumstances beyond their control. Our loving God shows mercy upon those who have broken his law, although such mercy is selective and demonstrates that it is not deserved. Demonstrating this in scripture, we read of Paul's words to his spiritual son Timothy in 1 Timothy 1, verses 13-14, which declares, Verse 16 declares, Jesus Christ might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Oh, the love of God, dear listener, who could fathom except by the Spirit of God. And yet, even that is limited in our understanding of his great compassion that overflows unto the undeserving vessels of clay. God also shows his generous mercy by actively helping those who are miserable due to circumstances beyond their control. We see such a scenario in Mark 9.18 when Jesus healed the frantic parent's son who was overcome with a deafened young spirit. Starting in Mark chapter 9 verse 20, the scripture declares, So they brought the boy to him, and when the spirit saw him, at once it completely convulsed the boy and fell to the ground and kept rolling about, foaming at the mouth. Verse 25, But when Jesus noticed that the crowd of people came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, you dumb and deaf spirit, I charge you to come out of him and never to go in him again. And after giving a hoarse, clamoring, fear-stricken shriek of anguish and convulsing him terribly, it came out. And the boy lay pale and motionless like a corpse, so that many of them said, he is dead. but Jesus took a strong grip on his hand and began lifting him up and he stood. Also, we see this aspect of mercy in the life of our dear Savior when he healed the blind man and woman of the issue of blood and so many other accounts of mercy. Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 9 verses 14 through 18 declares, Oh, what then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all. For he says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. It does not therefore depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. For the scripture says to Pharaoh, I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you, and that my name may be proclaimed in the earth. Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. But we see here that God shows mercy by actively helping those who are miserable due to circumstances beyond their control. These acts of healing grew out of Christ's godly virtues of compassion and mercy. In the book of Matthew chapter 5 verse 7 the word proclaims, Blessed are the merciful. Matthew chapter 23 verse 37. Jesus, in a heart-rending shout, cried out, saying, O Jerusalem Jerusalem who killed the prophets and stones those who are sent to earth How oft I wanted to gather your children together the way the hen gathers her chicks under her wings and you are unwilling The metaphor which our Lord uses here is a very beautiful one. When the mother hen sees a beast of prey coming, she makes a noise to assemble her chicks, so that she may cover them with her wings from the impending danger. We see from this account of Scripture, it is evident that there have been persons whom Jesus wished to save, and whom he bled and died to save, who nevertheless perished, because they would not come to him and accept his free gift of eternal life, which is found only in God's own Son. In the book of John, chapter 5, verse 39 through 40, Jesus spoke to the Pharisees of his day, who opposed him every step of the way, saying, You search and investigate and pour over the scriptures diligently, because you suppose and trust that you have eternal life through them. And these very scriptures testify about me, and yet you are not willing, but refuse to come to me so that you might have life. Following are other scriptures, declaring the great compassion and love of our Savior. 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. Mark 6, verse 34 Jesus answered, I told you that I am he. So if you seek me, let these go their way to fulfill the words which he spoke. Of those whom you have given me, I lost not one. John chapter 18 verses 8 through 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8, verse 9 and liability to the assaults of temptation, but one who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning. Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace, the throne of God's unmerited favor to us sinners, that we may receive mercy for our failures and find grace to help in good time for every need, appropriate help and well-timed help coming just when we need it. Hebrews chapter 4, verses 14 through 16. We need to understand, dear listener, these wonderful kindnesses spoken by our dear Savior Jesus Christ grew out of his godly virtues and compassion and mercy. Because God is merciful, he expects his children to be merciful. Apostle Paul instructs us in Colossians chapter 3 saying, Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. There is a wonderful testimony of one demonstrating this godly virtue of Christ's compassion, and it is told in this way. A plainly dressed woman was noticed picking up something on a poor slum street where ragged, barefooted little children were accustomed to play. The policeman on the beat noticed the woman's actions and watched her very suspiciously. Several times he saw her stoop, pick something up, and hide it away in her apron. Finally, he went up to her, and with a gruff voice he demanded, What are you carrying off in your apron? The timid woman did not answer at first Whereupon the policeman, thinking she must have found something valuable Threatened her with arrest if she did not show him what she had in her apron The woman opened her apron and revealed a handful of broken glass What do you want with that stuff? asked the policeman The woman replied I just thought if I would pick it up so the glass would not hurt the children's feet. Being a compassionate people is demonstrated by this dear woman who cared enough about somebody else's children and carried out the command from her dear Father in heaven. In Galatians chapter 6 verse 2 gives us this command saying, carry each other's burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion, the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1, verses 3 and 4 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ forgave you. Ephesians chapter 4, verse 32. Rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn. Romans 12, verse 15. Each of youthful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. 1 Peter chapter 4, verse 10. This is what the Lord Almighty said. Administer true justice, show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widows or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor, and do not plot evil against each other. Zechariah 7, verses 9-10 Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ and any comfort from His love, If any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in the Spirit and of one mind. Philippians chapter 2, verses 1 through 2. Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 1 Peter 3.8 This is a very profound scripture for us to end on, dear listener. Apostle Peter gives all professing Christians the exhortation in the way they should act and treat one another. If we're listening to these scriptures and testimony throughout this message today, you will notice that the sincere believers are to mirror the very one who died for them on the cross at Calvary over 2,000 years ago. Peter advises all Christians to be of one mind, to be in agreement in the belief of the same faith and doctrine of Jesus Christ. He admonishes all believers to be responsible in keeping of their faith as well. Many Christians at that time were in a suffering condition. And Peter charges them to have compassion for one another, to love one another as brethren who belong to God, to pity those who were in distress, and to be courteous to all. This Christian behavior of kindness and compassion is called exampling the new creature in Christ. This is Christ's way, and this is what pleases God the Father because it is mirroring the example of compassion and love of His precious Son, whom He loves very much. O Father, help us as Your children to grow in the maturity of Christ's virtues of compassion and love, knowing that as sincere, obedient believers in Jesus Christ, we bring you glory in the world around us and please you very much help us dear Lord Jesus to be obedient to the very end Amen .