Loving The Lost â A New Compassion For The Lost
Loving The Lost – A New Compassion For The Lost Psalm 116:5 The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. polusplanchnos — a compound word emphasizing the extreme nature of His compassion. The first part of the word (polu) is an adjective meaning “many, or numerous.” In English it comes across as poly in such words as polygamy (many wives), polyester (a complex ester) and polygraph (an instrument for recording many physiological variables simultaneously). In other words, poly emphasizes the abundant nature of something. It is the idea of “many.” Now, the word to which polu is connected, is the Greek word splanchnos. This is a word for the inner viscera (the intestines, or “guts”). It actually comes from the word “splen” — the spleen. When we say “I had a gut reaction” or I had butterflies in my stomach,” we are expressing the idea of this word. Figuratively, it refers to the seat of emotions or inward affection. It is compassion that comes from the deepest resources of a person’s inner being. Therefore, the word polysplanchnos encompasses many inner responses of feeling and compassion. It refers to abundant compassion — or, as it’s translated in the NAS text, “full of compassion.” You see, the Lord is not just compassionate, he is abundantly compassionate! He is full of inner feelings for His people as they go through the trials of life. Our God is not aloof and unconcerned. He is extremely compassionate and merciful.
Colossians 3:12 (NIV) Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Like God we should be FULL of compassion… A new compassion for the lost will be a FULL compassion for the lost Not a little bit or even half full… but a greater measure of compassion than we’ve had before. A measure that fills us up and can’t help but spill over to a world in need of God’s love and forgiveness. A FULLNESS OF COMPASSION that causes us to…
1. Look Where Others Are Not Luke 19:1-5 19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today."
Matt 9:36 6 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matt 14:14 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Matt 15:32 2 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way."
2. Feel What Others Will Not Heb 4:15 (ASV) 15 For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as (we are, yet) without sin. Mark 1:40-41 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Mark 1:41, even though the majority of Greek manuscripts clearly state that Jesus responded to the leper's appeal for help by "being filled with compassion" (splangchnistheis). However, a few manuscripts, including the important Codex Bezae, located in the Cambridge University Library, read that Jesus was filled not with compassion but with anger (orgistheis).
3. Act When Others Do Not The evidence is clear: In the New Testament the verb splangchnizomai ("to have compassion") appears exclusively in the synoptic gospels, and it is used exclusively to refer to God's response (in his Messiah) to human suffering or, in the parables, to describe the way people who represent God respond to human need. ...Mark, Matthew, and Luke consistently use the word to refer to the heart of the gospel: God's response to human suffering... "Compassion" is thus God's response (in Jesus) to the
hungry multitudes and to the human need that they represent. - A word study on compassion in the New Testament by Thomas Merton
WORLDVIEW - TIBET, DARKNESS AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD PAGE 7. Story of 17 year old W. E. Simpson who went to Tibet as a single missionary and worked tirelessly for 14 years riding on horseback through Tibet’s rugged, forbidding mountains. He was killed by bandits in 1932 at only 31 years old. 1 John 3:17 (NET) But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person?
Rom 10:14-15 (NASU) How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Rom 15:19-21 (NASU) …from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man's foundation; 21 but as it is written, "THEY WHO HAD NO NEWS OF HIM SHALL SEE, AND THEY WHO HAVE NOT HEARD SHALL UNDERSTAND."
Colossians 3:12 (NIV) Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Like God we should be FULL of compassion… A new compassion for the lost will be a FULL compassion for the lost Not a little bit or even half full… but a greater measure of compassion than we’ve had before. A measure that fills us up and can’t help but spill over to a world in need of God’s love and forgiveness. A FULLNESS OF COMPASSION that causes us to…
1. Look Where Others Are Not Luke 19:1-5 19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today."
Matt 9:36 6 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matt 14:14 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Matt 15:32 2 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way."
2. Feel What Others Will Not Heb 4:15 (ASV) 15 For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as (we are, yet) without sin. Mark 1:40-41 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Mark 1:41, even though the majority of Greek manuscripts clearly state that Jesus responded to the leper's appeal for help by "being filled with compassion" (splangchnistheis). However, a few manuscripts, including the important Codex Bezae, located in the Cambridge University Library, read that Jesus was filled not with compassion but with anger (orgistheis).
3. Act When Others Do Not The evidence is clear: In the New Testament the verb splangchnizomai ("to have compassion") appears exclusively in the synoptic gospels, and it is used exclusively to refer to God's response (in his Messiah) to human suffering or, in the parables, to describe the way people who represent God respond to human need. ...Mark, Matthew, and Luke consistently use the word to refer to the heart of the gospel: God's response to human suffering... "Compassion" is thus God's response (in Jesus) to the
hungry multitudes and to the human need that they represent. - A word study on compassion in the New Testament by Thomas Merton
WORLDVIEW - TIBET, DARKNESS AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD PAGE 7. Story of 17 year old W. E. Simpson who went to Tibet as a single missionary and worked tirelessly for 14 years riding on horseback through Tibet’s rugged, forbidding mountains. He was killed by bandits in 1932 at only 31 years old. 1 John 3:17 (NET) But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person?
Rom 10:14-15 (NASU) How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Rom 15:19-21 (NASU) …from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man's foundation; 21 but as it is written, "THEY WHO HAD NO NEWS OF HIM SHALL SEE, AND THEY WHO HAVE NOT HEARD SHALL UNDERSTAND."
