~Compassion For God's People~

Read - Luke 7:11-16

Now imagine this huge crowd following Jesus into this town. There is probably lots of talking going on. I bet there is children laughing and running in and out of the people around them.

When Jesus arrives at the city gate He sees a widow and not far from her he sees people carrying her dead son. She had already lost her husband and now she has lost her only son. Her heart is torn. She clearly has gone through a lot. Imagine being like this woman, losing your husband or wife, and then not long later losing your only child.

What would your heart be feeling?

Would you be mad?

Would you be confused?

I know it’s awful to think about it but this real. This woman was probably feeling these emotions. I bet she probably doubted if God even loved her, because her son and her husband have both been taken away from her.

Instantly Jesus’ heart went out to this woman. He went to up her and said “Don’t cry.”

Here I like picture Jesus walking up to the woman and looking at her straight in the eyes and giving her this loving and compassionate smile while saying don’t cry.

After saying this to the woman Jesus walks over to the coffin and touches it!!!

The touching of the coffin was uncalled for. It was very uncleanly for someone to touch the coffin of a dead person. By Jesus touching the coffin He risked being made “unclean”. Obviously that didn’t matter Jesus.

The story is not even over and Jesus has drawn people to watch what is going on.

1.He goes the widow and says ‘don’t cry’. Who says that to someone who has lost both their husband and their son?
2.He goes and touches the coffin of a dead person.

No one asked for help from Jesus, but Jesus saw the problem and acted upon it, because He loved them.
Now as He is touching the coffin He says “Young man, I say to you get up!”
As soon as Jesus said those words, the young man sat up and began to talk. Then Jesus handed Him over to his mother.

Now this would be number 3. Jesus raises someone from the dead.

Now I imagine the crowds heads turned and are wondering what just happened.

Don’t you see when Jesus said “Young man, I say to you get up!” He was giving an order. That order completely destroyed and defeated death.

This story is incredible. You really get a feel of Jesus’ heart for the people.

Why does it seem so hard sometimes for us to reach out to these people?


God has been teaching a lot lately about outreach. I know sometimes when we think of the word outreach we think of gathering together people and doing some sort of organization to reach out to a certain crowd of people. Yes this is outreach…..but I believe that outreach should be way of life not something that we do as we gather together to organize something. You see, Jesus constantly reached out to the people and showed real love and compassion for them.

Why are we so afraid to show love and compassion?

One thing God has lain on my heart in last year or so is love. He has been teaching me what love really is. He has been teaching me about real agape love.

Agape is unconditional love. He has been teaching to agape people who don’t agape me.
Love is one of those things that we think we know what it is all about but it’s probably something we don’t look into enough.

We constantly need to be asking God to show us how to love, teach us what love is and what does love look like. These are all simple questions but important questions. I believe as we reflect on questions such as these we build a stronger relationship with Jesus and then He will us a heart to reach out, just as Jesus did. But we must not be afraid.

2 Corinthians 1: 3-4

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.