The Compassion of Jesus
(No. 3438)
A SERMON PUBLISHED ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1914.
DELIVERED BY C. H. SPURGEON,
AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.
"He was moved with compassion." Matthew 9:36.
THIS is said of Christ Jesus several times in the New Testament. The
original word is a very remarkable one. It is not found in classic
Greek. It is not found in the Septuagint. The fact is, it was a word
coined by the Evangelists, themselves. They did not find one in the
whole Greek language that suited their purpose and, therefore, they had
to make one. It is expressive of the deepest emotion–a striving of the
heart–a yearning of the innermost nature with pity. As the
dictionaries tell us–Ex intimis visceribus misericordia commoveor. I
suppose that when our Savior looked upon certain sights, those who
watched Him closely perceived that His internal agitation was very
great, His emotions were very deep and then His face betrayed it–His
eyes gushed like fountains with tears and you saw that His big heart
was ready to burst with pity for the sorrow upon which His eyes were
gazing. He was moved with compassion. His whole Nature was agitated
with commiseration for the sufferers before Him.
Now, although this word is not used many times even by the Evangelists,
yet it may be taken as a clue to the Savior's whole life–and I intend
thus to apply it to Him. If you would sum up the whole Character of
Christ in reference to ourselves, it might be gathered into this one
sentence, "He was moved with compassion." Upon this one point we shall
try to insist, now, and may God grant that good practical results may
come of it. First, I shall lead your meditations to the great
transactions of our Savior's life. Secondly, to the special instances
in which this expression is used by the Evangelists. Thirdly, to the
forethought which He took on our behalf and, fourthly, to the personal
testimony which one's own recollections can furnish. Let us take a
rapid survey of–
I. THE GREAT LIFE OF CHRIST, just touching, as with a swallow's wing,
the evidence it bears from the beginning. Before ever the earth was
framed. Before the foundations of the everlasting hills were laid. When
as yet the stars had not begun their shining, it was known to God that
His creature, man, would sin–that the whole race would fall from its
pure original state in the first Adam, the Covenant Head as well as the
common parent of the entire human family, and that in consequence of
that one man's disobedience every soul born of his lineage would become
a sinner. Then, as the Creator knew that His creatures would rebel
against Him, He saw that it would become necessary, eventually, to
avenge His injured Law. Therefore, it was purposed, in the eternal
plan, before the stream of time had commenced its course, or ages had
began to accumulate their voluminous records, that there should be an
Interposer–One ordained to come and re-head the race, to be the Second
Adam, a federal Chief to restore the breach, and repair the mischief of
the first Adam–to be a Surety to answer for the sons of men on whom
God's love did light, that their sins should be laid upon Him–and that
He should save them with an everlasting salvation. No angel could
venture to intrude into those Divine counsels and decrees, or to offer
himself as the surety and sponsor for that New Covenant. Yet there was
One– and He none other than Jehovah's Self–of whom He said, Let all
the angels of God worship Him, the Son, the Well-Beloved of the Father,
of whom it is written in the Word, "When He prepared the heavens I was
there. When He set a compass upon the face of the depth, when He
established the clouds above, when He strengthened the fountains of the
deep" then, "I was by Him as One brought up with Him, and I was daily
His delight, rejoicing always before Him, rejoicing in the habitable
parts of the earth; and My delights were with the sons of men." He it
is of whom the Apostle John speaks as the Lord who was God, and was in
the beginning with God. Was He not moved with compassion when He
entered into a Covenant with His Father on our behalf, even on the
behalf of all His chosen–a Covenant in which He wasto be the Sufferer
and they the gainers–in which He was to bear the shame that He might
bring them into His own Glory?
Yes, verily, He was even then moved with compassion for His delights,
even then, were with the sons of men! Nor did His compassion peer forth
in the prospect of an emergency presently to diminish and disappear as
the rebellion took a more active form, and the ruin assumed more
palpable proportions. It was no transient feeling. He still continued
to pity men. He saw the fall of man. He marked the subtle serpent's
mortal sting. He watched the trail as the slime of the serpent passed
over the fair glades of Eden. He observed man in his evil progress,
adding sin to sin through generation after generation, fouling every
page of history until God's patience had been tried to the uttermost!
And then, according as it was written in the volume of the Book that He
must appear–Jesus Christ came, Himself, into this stricken world! Came
how? O, be astonished, you angels, that you were witnesses of it, and
you men that you beheld it! The Infinite came down to earth in the form
of an Infant! He who spans the heavens and holds the ocean in the
hollow of His hand, condescended to hang upon a woman's breast–the
Eternal King became a little Child! Let Bethlehem tell that He had
compassion! There was no way of saving us but by stooping to us! To
bring earth up to Heaven, He must bring Heaven down to earth!
Therefore, in the Incarnation, He had compassion, for He took upon
Himself our infirmities and was made like unto ourselves. Matchless
pity, indeed, was this!
Then, while He tarried in the world, a Man among men, and we beheld His
Glory, the Glory as of the Only-Begotten of the Father, full of Grace
and Truth, He was constantly moved with compassion, for He felt all the
griefs of mankind in Himself. He took our sicknesses and carried our
sorrows. He proved Himself a true Brother, with quick, human
sensibilities. A tear brought a tear into His eyes, a cry made Him
pause to ask what help He could render. So generous was His soul that
He gave all He had for the help of those who had not. The fox had its
hole, and the bird its nest, but He had no dwelling place. Stripped
even of His garments, He hung upon the Cross to die. Never one so
indigent in death as He, without a friend, without even a tomb, except
such as a loan could find Him. He gave up all the comforts of life–He
gave His life, itself–He gave His very Self to prove that He was moved
with compassion! Most of all do we see how He was moved with compassion
in His terrible death. Oft and oft again have I told this story, yet
these lips shall be dumb before they cease to reiterate the old, old
tidings. God must punish sin, or else He would relinquish the
government of the universe. He could not let iniquity go unchastened
without compromising the purity of His administration. Therefore, the
Law must be honored, Justice must be vindicated, righteousness must be
upheld, crime must be expiated by suffering! Who, then, shall endure
the penance or make the reparation? Shall the dread sentence fall upon
all mankind? How far shall vengeance proceed before equity is
satisfied? After what manner shall the sword do homage to the scepter?
Must the elect of God be condemned for their sins? No! Jesus is moved
with compassion. He steps in, He takes upon Himself the uplifted lash
and His shoulders run with gore! He bares His bosom to the furbished
sword and it smites the Shepherd that the sheep may escape! "He looked,
and there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor;
therefore, His arm brought salvation." He trod the winepress alone, and
"bore, that we might never bear, His Father's righteous ire."
Are you asked what does the Crucifixion of a perfect Man upon a felon's
Cross, mean? You may reply, "He was moved with compassion." "He saved
others. Himself He could not save." He was so moved with compassion,
that compassion, as it were, did eat Him up! He could save nothing from
the general conflagration–He was utterly consumed with love and died
in the flame of ardent love towards the sons of men! And after He had
died and slept a little while in the grave, He rose again! He has gone
into His glory! He is living at the right hand of the Father! But this
is just as true of Him–"He is moved with compassion." Is proof needed?
Let faith pass within the veil and let your spirits, for a moment,
stand upon that sea of glass mingled with fire where the harpers stand
tuning their never ceasing melodies! What? Do you see there,
conspicuous in the very midst of Heaven, One who looks like a lamb that
has been slain, and still wears His priesthood? What is His occupation
there in Heaven? He has no bloody Sacrifice to offer, for He has
perfected forever those that were set apart! That work is done, but
what is He doing now? He is pleading for His people! He is their
perpetual Advocate, their continual Intercessor! He never rests until
they come to their rest! He never holds His peace for them, but pleads
the merit of His blood, and will do so till all whom the Father gave
Him shall be with Him where He is! Well, indeed, does our hymn express
it–
"Now, though He reigns exalted high,
His love is still as great! Well He remembers Calvary, Nor will His
saints forget."
His tender heart pities all the griefs of His dear people. There is not
a pang they have but the Head feels it, feels it for all the members!
Still does He look upon their imperfections and their infirmities, yet
not with anger, not with loss of patience, but with gentleness and
sympathy, "He is moved with compassion." Having thus briefly sketched
the life of Christ, I want you to turn to–
II. THOSE PASSAGES OF THE EVANGELISTS IN WHICH THEY TESTIFY THAT HE WAS
MOVED WITH COMPASSION.
You will find one case in Matthew 20:31–"Two blind men sat by the
wayside begging, and when they heard that Jesus passed by, they said,
"O Lord, You Son of David, have mercy on us." Jesus stood still, called
them, questioned them and they seem to have had full conviction that He
could and would restore their sight, so Jesus had compassion on them,
touched their eyes and immediately they received sight!
Yes, and what a lesson this is for any here present who have a like
conviction! Do you believe that Christ can heal you? Do you believe
that He is willing to heal you? Then let me assure you that a channel
of communication is opened between Him and you, for He is moved with
compassion towards you, and already I hear Him command you to come to
Him. He is ready to heal you now! The sad condition of a blind man
should always move pity in the breast of the humane, but a glance at
these two poor men–I do not know that there was anything strange or
uncommon about their appearance–touched the Savior's sensibility. And
when He heard them say that they believed He could heal them, He seemed
to perceive that they had inward sight–and to account it a pity that
they should not have outward sight too! So at once He put His fingers
on their eyes, and they received the power of seeing. O Soul, if you
believe "Christ can save you, and if you will now trust in Him to save
you, be of good cheer, you are saved! That faith of yours has saved
you. The very fact that you believe that Jesus is the Christ, and rely
upon Him, may stand as evidence to you that you are forgiven, that you
are saved! There is no let or bar to your full redemption! Go your way
and rejoice in your Lord! He has compassion on you.
The next case I shall cite is that of the leper, Mark 1:41. This poor
man was covered with a sad and foul disease when he said to Jesus,
"Lord, if You will, You can make me clean." He had full faith in
Christ's ability, but he had some doubts as to Christ's willingness.
Our Savior looked at him, and though He might very well have rebuked
him that he should doubt His willingness, He merely said, "I will, be
you clean," and straightway he was made whole of that loathsome plague!
If there is in this assembly one grievously defiled or openly disgraced
by sin, see the leprosy upon yourself and do you say, "I believe He
could save me if He would"? Have you some lingering doubt about the
Savior's willingness? Yet I beseech you breathe this prayer, "Lord, I
believe, I believe Your power. Help You my unbelief which lingers round
Your willingness." Then little as your faith is, it shall save you!
Jesus, full of compassion, will pity even your unbelief and accept what
is faith and forgive what is unbelief. That is a second instance.
The third I will give you is from Mark 5:19. It was the demoniac. There
met Christ a man so possessed with a devil as to be mad! And instead of
belief in Christ or asking for healing, this spirit within the man
compelled him to say, "Will You torment us before the time?"–and
rather to stand against Christ healing him than to ask for it. But
Christ was moved with compassion and He bade the evil spirit come out
of the evil man. Oh, I am so glad of this instance of His being moved
with compassion! I do not so much wonder that He has pity on those that
believe in Him, neither do I so much marvel that He has pity, even, on
weak faith–but here was a case in which there was no faith, no desire,
nor anything that could commend him to our Lord's sympathy! Is there no
such case among the crowds gathered together here? You do not know why
you have come into this assembly. You scarcely feel at home in this
place. Though you have led a very sad life, you do not want to be
converted–not you! You almost shun the thought! Yet it is written, "He
will have compassion on whom He will have compassion." Well, we have
known it in this house, and I hope we shall know it again and again
that the Lord has laid violent hands of love upon unprepared souls!
They have been struck down with repentance, renewed in heart and saved
from their sins! Saul of Tarsus had no thought that he would ever be an
Apostle of Christ, but the Lord stopped the persecutor and changed him
into a preacher–so that ever afterwards he propagated the faith which
once he destroyed! May the Lord have compassion on you tonight! Well
may we offer that prayer, for what will beyour fate if you die as you
are? What will be your eternal doom if you pass out of this world as
soon you must, without being sprinkled with the blood of Christ and
forgiven your iniquities? Jesus knows the terrors of the world to come!
He describes the torments of Hell. He sees your danger. He warns you.
He pities you–He sends His messengers to counsel you. He bids me say
to the very chief of sinners, "Come unto Me, and I will give you rest."
"Only return unto Me and confess your iniquity, and I will have mercy
upon you," says the Lord. May God grant that the compassion of Christ
may be seen in your case!
As I turned over the Greek Concordance to find out where this word is
repeated again and again, I found one instance in Luke 7:13. It refers
to the widow at the gates of Nain. Her son was being carried out–her
only son. He was dead and she was desolate. The widow's only son was to
her, her sole stay–the succor as well as the solace of her old age. He
was dead and laid upon the bier, and when Jesus saw the disconsolate
mother, He was moved with compassion and He restored her son. Oh, is
there not refreshment here for you mothers that are weeping for your
boys? You that have ungodly sons, unconverted daughters, the Lord Jesus
sees your tears! You weep alone, sometimes, and when you are sitting
and enjoying the Word, you think, "Oh, that my Absalom were renewed!
Oh, that Ishmael might live before You." Jesus knows about it. He was
always tender to His own mother, and He will be so to you. And you that
are mourning over those that have been lately taken from you, Jesus
pities you. Jesus wept, He sympathizes with your tears. He will dry
them and give you consolation. "He was moved with compassion."
Still the occasions on which we find this expression most frequently
used in the Evangelists are when crowds of people were assembled. At
the sight of the great congregations that gathered to hear Him, our
Lord was often moved with compassion. Sometimes it was because they
were hungry and faint, and in the fullness of His sympathy, He
multiplied the loaves and fishes to feed them. At the same time He
showed His disciples that it is a good work to feed the poor. Jesus
would not have them so spiritually-minded as to forget that the poor
have flesh and blood that require susten-ance–and they need to eat and
to drink, to be housed and clothed–the Christian's charity must not
lie in words only, but in deeds! Our Lord was moved with compassion, it
is said, when He saw the number of sick people in the throng, for they
made a hospital of His preaching place. Wherever He paused or even
passed by, they laid the sick in the streets! He could not stand or
walk without the spectacle of their pallets to harrow His feelings. And
He healed their impotent folk, as if to show that the Christian does
well to minister to the sick–that the patient watcher by the bedside
may be serving the Lord and following His example, as well as the most
diligent teacher or the most earnest preacher of the glorious Gospel!
All means that can be used to mitigate human suffering are Christ-like,
and they ought to be carried out in His name, and carried to the utmost
perfection possible. Christ is the patron of the hospital–He is the
President of all places where men's bodies are cared for. But we are
also told that the multitude excited His compassion because they were
like sheep without a shepherd. So He taught them as a Guide that showed
the path by leading the way–and He looked after their welfare as a
Shepherd who regarded the health of their bodies as well as the good
estate of their souls! Surely, Brothers and Sisters, if you love Him,
and wish to be like He, you cannot look on this congregation without
pity. You cannot go out into the streets of London and stand in the
high roads among the surging masses for half an hour without saying,
"Where are these souls going? Which road are they travelling? Will they
all meet in Heaven?" What? You live in London, you move about in this
great metropolis and do you never have the heartache, never feel your
soul ready to burst with pity? Then shame on you! Ask yourself whether
you have the spirit of Christ at all! In this congregation, were we all
moved with pity as we should be, I should not have to complain, as I
sometimes must, that persons come in and out of here in need of someone
to speak with them, to condole, to console, or to commune with them in
their loneliness, and they find no helper! Time was when such a thing
never occurred, but, in conversing with enquirers lately, I have met
with several cases in which persons in a distressed state of mind have
said that they would have given anything for half an hour's
conversation with any Christian to whom they might have opened their
hearts. They came from the country, attended the Tabernacle, and no one
spoke to them! I am sorry it should be so. You used to watch for souls,
most of you. Very careful were you to speak to those whom you saw again
and again. I do pray you mend that matter. If you have a heart of
mercy, you should be looking out for opportunities to do good! Oh,
never let a poor wounded soul faint for want of the balm! You know the
balm. It has healed yourselves. Use it wherever the arrows of God have
smitten a soul.
Enough. I must leave this point. I have given you, I think, every case
in which it is said that Jesus was moved with compassion. Very briefly
let me notice–
III. SOME OF THE FORESIGHTS OF HIS COMPASSION.
The Lord has gone from us, but as He knew what would happen while He
was away, He has, with blessed forethought, provided for our needs.
Well, He knew that we should never be able to preserve the Truth of God
pure by tradition. That is a stream that always muddies and defiles
everything. So, in tender forethought, He has given us the consolidated
testimony, the unchangeable Truths of God in His own Book, for He was
moved with compassion. He knew the priests would not preach the Gospel.
He knew that no order of men could be trusted to hold fast sound
Doctrine from generation to generation, He knew there would be
hirelings that dare not be faithful to their conscience lest they
should lose their pay–while there would be others who love to tickle
men's ears and flatter their vanity rather than to tell plainly and
distinctly the whole counsel of God. Therefore, He has put it here, so
that if you live where there is no preacher of the Gospel, you have the
old Book to go to. He is moved with compassion for you. For where a man
cannot go, the Book can go, and where in silence no voice is heard, the
still clear voice of this blessed Book can reach the heart. Because He
knew the people would require this sacred teaching and could not have
it, otherwise, He was moved with compassion towards us all and gave us
the blessed Book of Inspired God-breathed Scripture!
But then, since He knew that some would not read the Bible, and others
might read and not understand it, He has sent His ministers forth to do
the work of Evangelists. He raises up men, themselves saved from great
sin, trophies of redeeming Grace, who feel a sympathy with their fellow
men who are reveling in sin, reckless of their danger. These servants
of His, the Lord enables to preach His Truth, some with more, some with
less ability than others. Still, there are, thank God, throughout this
happy realm and in other favored lands, men everywhere, who, because
sinners will not come to Christ of themselves, go after them and
persuade them, plead with them and entreat them to believe and turn to
the Lord. This comes of Christ's tender gentleness. He was moved with
compassion and, therefore, He sent His servants to call sinners to
repentance.
But since the minister, though He may call as he may, will not bring
souls to Christ of himself, the Lord Jesus, moved with compassion, has
sent His Spirit The Holy Spirit is here. We have not to say–
"Come Holy Spirit, heavenly dove." He is here! He dwells in His Church
and He moves over the congregation and He touches men's hearts, and He
subtly inclines them to believe in Christ. Oh, this is great mercy when
a Prince spreads a feast and gives an invitation! That is all you can
expect him to do. But if he keeps a host of footmen and says, "Go and
fetch them, one by one, till they do come," that is more gracious,
still! But if He goes Himself and with sacred violence compels them to
come in–oh, this is more than we could have thought He would have
done–but He is moved with compassion and He does that! Furthermore,
Brothers and Sisters, the Lord Jesus knew that after we were saved from
the damning power of sin, we would always be full of needs and,
therefore, He was moved with compassion, and He sets up the Throne of
Grace, the Mercy Seat, to which we may always come, and from which we
may always obtain Divine Grace to help in time of need. Helped by His
Spirit, we can bring what petitions we will, and they shall be heard!
And then, since He knew we could not pray as we ought, He was moved
with compassion when He sent the Holy Spirit to help our infirmities,
to teach us how to pray! Now I do not know a single infirmity that I
have or that you have, my Christian Brothers and Sisters, but what
Christ Jesus has been moved with compassion about it and has provided
for it! He has not left one single weak point of which we have to say,
"There I shall fail, because He will not help there." But He has looked
us over and over from head to foot, and said, "You will have an
infirmity there–I will provide for it. You will have a weakness
there–I will provide for it." And oh, how His promises meet every case
Did you ever get into a corner where there was not a promise in the
corner, too? Had you ever to pass through a river but there was a
promise about His being in the river with you? Were you ever on the
sick bed without a promise like this, "I will make your bed in your
sickness"? In the midst of pestilence have you not found a promise
that, "He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings shall
you trust"? The Lord's great compassion has met the needs of all His
servants to the end! If our children should ever need as much patience
to be exercised towards them as Christ needs to exercise towards us, I
am sure there would be none of us able to bear the house. They have
their infirmities and they full often vex and grieve us, it may be, but
oh, we ought to have much compassion for the infirmities of our
children–yes, and of our Brothers and Sisters, and neighbors–for what
compassion has the Lord had with us? I do believe none but God could
bear with such unruly children as we ourselves are. He sees our faults,
you know, when we do not see them, and He knows what those faults are
more thoroughly than we do. Yet, still, He never smites in anger. He
cuts us not off, but He still continues to show us abounding mercies!
Oh, what a Guardian Savior is the Lord Jesus Christ to us, and how we
ought to bless His name at all times, and how His praise should be
continually in our mouth. One thought strikes me that I must put in
here–He knew that we should be very forgetful–and He was moved with
compassion with our forgetfulness when He instituted the blessed
Supper, and we can sit around the Table and break bread, and pour forth
the wine in remembrance of Him. Surely this is another instance of how
He is moved with compassion–not with indignation towards our
weaknesses! And now let me close with–
IV. PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF THE COMPASSION OF CHRIST.
I shall only recall my own experience in order to stir up your pure
minds, by way of remembrance, my Brothers and Sisters. I do well
remember when I was under conviction of sinand smarted bitterly under
the rod of God–that when I was most heavy and depressed, there would
sometimes come something like hope across my spirit. I knew what it was
to say, "My soul chooses strangling rather than life," yet when I was
at the lowest ebb and most ready to despair, though I could not quite
lay hold of Christ, I used to get a touch of the promise, now and then,
till I half hoped that, after all, I might prove to be God's prisoner
and He might yet set me free! I do remember well, when my sins
compassed me about like bees, and I thought it was all over with me,
and I must be destroyed by them, it was at that moment when Jesus
revealed Himself to me. Had He waited a little longer, I had died of
despair, but that was no desire of His! On swift wings of love He came
and manifested His dear wounded Self to my heart. I looked to Him and
was lightened, and my peace flowed like a river! I rejoiced in Him!
Yes, He was moved with compassion. He would not let the pangs of
conviction be too severe–neither would He allow them to be protracted
so long for the spirit of man to fail before Him. It is not His
practice to break a leaf that is driven by the tempest. "He will not
quench the smoking flax." Yes, and I remember since I first saw Him and
began to love Him, many sharp and severe troubles, dark and heavy
trials, yet have I noted this, that they have never reached that pitch
of severity which I was unable to bear. When all gates seemed closed,
there has still been with the trial, a way of escape, and I have noted
again that in deeper depressions of spirits through which I have
passed, and horrible despondencies that have crushed me down, I have
had some gleams of love, and hope, and faith at that last moment, for
He was moved with compassion! If He withdrew His face, it was only till
my heart broke for Him, and then He showed me the light of His
Countenance again. If He laid the rod upon me, yet when my soul cried
under His chastening, He could not bear it, but He put back the rod and
He said, "My child, I will comfort you." Oh, the comforts that He gives
on a sick bed! Oh, the consolations of Christ when you are very low! If
there is anything dainty to the taste in the Word of God, you get it
then! If there are any hearts of mercy, you hear them sounding for you
then. When you are in the saddest plight, Christ comes to your aid with
the sweetest manifestations, for He is moved with compassion!
How frequently have I noticed, and I tell it to His praise, for though
it shows my weakness, it proves His compassion, that sometimes, after
preaching the Gospel, I have been so filled with self-reproach that I
could hardly sleep through the night because I had not preached as I
desired. I have sat down and cried over some sermons, as though I knew
that I had missed the mark and lost the opportunity. Not once nor
twice, but many a time has it happened, that within a few days someone
has come to tell me that he or she found the Lord through that very
sermon, the shortcoming of which I had deplored! Glory be to Jesus–it
was His gentleness that did it! He did not want His servant to be too
much bowed down with a sense of infirmity, and so He had compassion on
him and comforted him! Have not you noticed, some of you, that after
doing your best to serve the Lord, when somebody has sneered at you, or
you have met with such a rebuff as made you half-inclined to give up
the work, an unexpected success has been given you, so that you have
not played the Jonah and ran away to Tarshish, but kept to your work?
Ah, how many times in your life, if you could read it all, you would
have to stop and write between the lines, "He was moved with
compassion." Many and many a time, when no other compassion could help,
when all the sympathy of friends would be unavailing, He has been moved
with compassion towards us, has said to us, "Be of good cheer,"
banished our fears with the magic of His voice and filled our souls to
overflowing with gratitude! When we have been misrepresented, maligned
and slandered, we have found in the sympathy of Christ our richest
support, till we could sing with rapture the verse I cannot help
quoting, now, though I have often quoted it before–
"If on my face for Your dear name, Shame and reproach shall be, I'll
hail reproach and welcome shame, Since You remember me."
The compassion of the Master making up for all the abuses of His
enemies! And, believe me, there is nothing sweeter to a forlorn and
broken spirit than the fact that Jesus has compassion. Are any of you
sad and lonely? Have any of you been cruelly wronged? Have you lost the
goodwill of some you esteemed? Do you seem as if you had the cold
shoulder even from good people? Do not say, in the anguish of your
spirit, "I am lost," and give up. He has compassion on you! No, poor
fallen woman, seek not the dark river and the cold stream–He has
compassion! He who looks down with the bright eyes of yonder stars and
watches you is your Friend! He yet can help you! Though you have gone
so far from the path of virtue, throw not yourself away in blank
despair, for He has compassion! And you, broken down in health and
broken down in fortune, scarcely with shoes for your feet, you are
welcome in the House of God, welcome as the most honored guest in the
assembly of the saints! Let not the weighty grief that hangs over your
soul tempt you to think that hopelessness and darkness have settled
your fate and foreclosed your doom! Though your sin may have beggared
you, Christ can enrich you with better riches. He has compassion! "Ah,"
you say, "they will pass me on the stairs. They will give me a broad
pathway and if they see me in the street they will not speak to
me–even His disciples will not." Be it so, but better than His
disciples, more tender by far, is Jesus! Is there a man here whom to
associate with were a scandal from which the pure and pious would
shrink? The holy, harmless, undefiled One will not disdain even
him–for this man receives sinners–He is a friend of publicans and
sinners! He is never happier than when He is relieving and retrieving
the forlorn, the abject and the outcast! He despises not any that
confess their sins and seek His mercy. No pride nestles in His dear
heart, no sarcastic word rolls off His gracious tongue, no bitter
expression falls from His blessed lips. He still receives the guilty.
Pray to Him now! Now let the silent prayer go up, "My Savior, have pity
upon me! Be moved with compassion towards me, for if misery is any
qualification for mercy, I am a fit object for Your compassion. Oh,
save me for Your mercy's sake!" Amen.
EXPOSITION BY C. H. SPURGEON: MATTHEW9:27-38.
Verses 27, 28. And when Jesus departed from there, two blind men
followed Him, crying and saying, Son of David,have mercy on us. And
when He was come into the house.I suppose the house at Capernaum, where
he was known to stay.
28. The blind men came to Him.Forced their way in. They must be
attended to. Hunger breaks through stone walls, they say, and an
earnest heart will follow after what it seeks.
28, 29. And Jesus said unto them, Believe you that I am able to do
this? They said unto Him, Yes, Lord. Then He touched their eyes,
saying, According to your faith, be it unto you. That is, "If you do
not believe, you shall not see, but if there is faith in you, behold,
you shall have sight."
30-32. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus at once charged them,
saying, See that no man knows it But they, when they were departed,
spread abroad His fame in all that country. As they went out, behold,
they brought to Him a dumb man posessed with a devil.Here we have had
the dead, those that were bleeding to death, the blind and the dumb,
and the possessed of a devil.
33. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spoke. And the multitudes
marveled, saying, it was never so seen in Israel No, but Jesus does
wonders! Something off the common, and altogether out of the ordinary
way, His work of Grace must be!
34. But the Pharisees said, He casts out devils through the Prince of
the devils. There is always somebody or other who has got an ugly word
to put in. It matters not how much God may bless the Gospel, there is
no stopping the sneers and objections–but the mercy is that it does
not matter much. Our Lord was not hurt and the work went on,
notwithstanding all the quibbling of the Pharisees.
35. And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their
synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and healing every
sickness and every disease among the people. That was the answer to the
Pharisees. Christian activity and fervent devotion to the cause of God
is the best answer that can be given to quibblers of any sort or every
sort! In your work hold on, my Brother, and those who quibble at you,
now, may come to honor you one of these days.
36-37. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for
them because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having
no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, The harvest truly is
plenteous, but the laborers are few.We are all loiterers, but where are
the laborers? Where are they with the sharp sickle that can cut down
the wheat and, with a ready hand, can bind it and, with a strong
shoulder, carry it? Alas, in this great city the harvest is truly
plenteous, but the laborers are few!
38. Pray you, therefore, the Lord of the Harvest, that He will send
forth laborers into His harvest.