Luke 7 Lesson

COMPASSION

Compassion is defined as:

• “Sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.”(Source:Google Dictionary)

When we see somebody suffering, the “Christian thing to do” is to show them compassion, not judgment.  

BIBLE VERSES ABOUT COMPASSION

There are many verses in the Bible about compassion. 

For today’s study, we have highlighted the following four:

1. “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” - Ephesians 4:32,
2. “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 6:34,
3. “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” - Colossians 3:12,
4. “When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.” - Mathew 14:14.

BIBLE VERSES ABOUT JUDGMENT

The Bible encourages us all to have compassion, and notto judge others.

Consider the following four verses:

1. “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” - Mathew 7:1-5,
2. “Judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.” - James 2:13,
3. “Each one of us will give an account of himself to God.   Therefore let us not judge one another anymore.” - Romans 14:12-13,
4. “But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.’ So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. – Romans 14:10-12.

THE STORY OF THE WOMAN AND THE ALABASTER VIAL

• “And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.” – Luke 7:37-38.

In the story of the woman and the alabaster vial, we have two opposite reactions. 

On the one hand, we have the Pharisee who was judgmental and said to himself:

• “If this man were a prophet, He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.” – Luke 7:39.

And on the other hand, we have Jesus who showed the woman compassion and said:

• “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet.  You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume.For this reason, I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.”  Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” –Luke 7:44-48.

EVERYONE IS SUFFERING IN SOME WAY

Everyone is suffering from something.  

Suffering is a part of life.  

At any given time, some of us may be suffering more than others, but we are all suffering.  

God uses adversity for three reasons:

1. To discipline us,
2. To teach us,
3. To shape us into the people that He created us to be.  

Perhaps if we stopped to think about this more often, we would do a better job of showing compassion to others.  

When the woman with the alabaster vile approached Jesus, He did not think about all the bad things that this woman had done. 

Instead, He had compassion and showed her mercy.  

How much better the world would be if everybody did the same!

When we look for the good in people, we lift them up and help them become better.

When we judge people, we have the opposite effect.

CONCLUSION

As Christians, we are supposed to have compassion for those that we meet.  

Jesus had compassion for others, and He commands us to do the same. 

When we show compassion to somebody, we are following in the footsteps of Jesus, who taught us to be kind to one another and to love our neighbor.

Conversely, when we judge somebody, we offer no help whatsoever. 

When we offer somebody judgment instead of mercy, we are doing the exact opposite of what Jesus wants us to be doing.  

We will end today’s lesson with the following Bible verse commonly referred to as The Golden Rule. 

These words were spoken by Jesus, who reminds us that we are commanded to treat others the way that we want to be treated ourselves. 

• “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.” –Luke 6:31.