Introduction
In this past week’s message, we continued to see how God prepared Moses to serve His people as both a leader and redeemer. One of the major takeaways from that message was this: service to others grows out of truly seeing them and understanding their situation. In other words, compassion is essential for anyone who desires to serve. Moses demonstrated this quality—but perhaps the greatest example is found in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. In this post, we’ll explore that theme as it appears in His ministry.
Before we dive in, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on what we mean by compassion. When we think of compassion, words like sympathy and empathy likely come to mind. But what exactly is the difference?
Sympathy and empathy both involve feelings. Sympathy connects us to the plight of others by allowing us to imagine what they are going through. It is imaginative in nature—we can understand or picture someone else’s suffering. Empathy, on the other hand, is more intense. Rather than imagining, we actually feel what someone else is feeling. It may be to a lesser degree, but we still share in their experience emotionally.
So how does this relate to compassion and Jesus?
I would argue that compassion goes one step further. It takes the emotional response—whether imagined or shared—and moves us to action. Compassion doesn’t just feel; it does something to relieve the situation. And in the life of Jesus, we see this repeatedly.
Let’s look at a few examples.
Healing of the Sick
In Matthew 14:13–14, we read:
When Jesus heard it, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself. But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities. And when Jesus went out, He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.
Here, Jesus has just heard about the beheading of John the Baptist. Naturally, He withdraws to a solitary place. But the crowds follow Him. And though He might have sought solitude for Himself, Jesus notices the people—and more importantly, He sees their need. There are many sick among them.
And what does He do? He heals them.
Why? Matthew tells us clearly: because He was moved with compassion. Jesus didn’t just notice their suffering; He acted to relieve it. One could also argue that the feeding of the multitude, which follows shortly after, is similarly rooted in His compassion.
Shepherdless Sheep
Another example comes from Mark 6:34:
And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.
This is a parallel account to the one in Matthew, yet it adds a slightly different dimension. Here, Jesus not only notices the crowd but also recognizes their deeper need: they are like sheep without a shepherd. In other words, they are aimless, lacking direction and guidance.
What does He do? He teaches them.
Again, we see compassion leading to action. His teaching, coming directly from God, would certainly provide the direction this wandering people desperately needed. It is an act of mercy.
Conclusion
These are just two examples that illustrate the principle that compassion enables service. While the passages in Matthew and Mark are powerful, the most profound example of this principle is found in the Gospel itself.
It was the love and compassion of God for a lost world that led Him to act. How? By sending Jesus to relieve the suffering of sin and separation. The ultimate act of compassion was the sacrifice of Christ on behalf of those in need of redemption.
In the end, just as God equipped Moses to serve and redeem, He calls us to do the same. The compassion we have received should move us to see, to notice, and—above all—to act.