Dear Christian Friends:

A pastor who serves in New York City recently emphasized that it is most important for Christians to express compassion and care for others. He observed that people everywhere have great personal needs because of sin. They experience physical, emotional, and spiritual pain. They need that one thing which only Jesus can give, the forgiveness of sin.

Compassion and care, these are the gifts Jesus has for everyone. Our text, which is the Gospel Lesson for this Sunday, clearly shows this. He who is compassionate and caring enables us to be compassionate and caring toward others. In this way Jesus meets the deepest needs of human beings.

We note here in our text that Jesus had compassion for His disciples, the twelve, here called "apostles", the ones sent, who had returned from a tiring missionary journey recorded earlier in this chapter.

1. The apostles "reported to Jesus all they had done and taught," our text tells us. It also tells us that people were coming and going so much so that they did not even have time to eat. (v. 31) So Jesus had compassion on the disciples and said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." Jesus was now very popular because of the many miracles he had been doing, so the people were bothering Him and His disciples unnecessary.

2. "So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place." (v. 32) However the multitudes on shore saw them leave and took note of the direction their boat was headed and hurried around the lake on shore and got to the solitary place even before Jesus and his disciples.

B. (Jesus has compassion on the crowd.)

1. Now you would think that Jesus would be upset and a bit angry at the people because they spoiled his plan for some rest and recreation. I'm sure that if I had been in Jesus' place that day I would have been really upset and annoyed with the crowds incessant bothering. But, surprise. What do we read? Listen to this! "When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd." (v. 34)

2. Wow! What a guy! What a precious Savior and Lord He is! Jesus empathized with the people. He observed their frantic faces and searching behavior, and he was moved by what they were feeling. They needed someone to sympathize with them, guide them, encourage them, and protect them in the midst of the confusion, hurts and challenges of life. The shepherds God had placed over them were unfaithful, wolves in sheep's clothing.

As Jesus had great, unbelievable compassion for these people long ago so he has compassion for us today. We, too, like these people long ago, give Jesus cause to be upset and angry with us by our boorish behavior and our incessant sinning, and our never ending needs and demands. But Jesus does not consider his own needs and his disappointments with us. He sees only our frantic faces, our broken hearts, our sighs and tears in the midst of the confusion, hurts, and challenges of life, and He feels with us. (Heb. 4:15)

Transition: Jesus not only is compassionate, He also is moved by His compassion to caring action. A High School student said this about his classmates, " I feel sorry for them because they use drugs." But he did nothing to help them stop it. He sometimes even joined them in smoking marijuana. He was not like Jesus. When Jesus felt compassion for the people He also did something about it!

II. Caring action

A. Jesus compassion for the crowds surrounding him led him to act on their behalf.

1. His compassion led Him to care for their spiritual needs, their sin problems, so, our text tells us, "Jesus began teaching them many things." (v. 34b)

He, no doubt said to them as He had said before to His disciples and others: "The time has come. The kingdom of God is near Repent and believe the good news." (Mark 1:15) He probably spoke of Himself as the Good Shepherd who had come to lay down his life for the sheep, so that they might be people of his flock and the sheep of His fold. He probably also told them that He had come that they might have life and have it abundantly, (John 10) and that in the future he would provide them with faithful shepherds.

2. Jesus' compassion also led him to care for the people's physical needs. He miraculously fed more than 5,000 people with the 5 loaves of bread and two small fishes as the verses following our text relate. With compassion he healed their sick ones. (Luke 9:11)

Yes, indeed, Jesus compassion for the people led him to care and take action.

B. Jesus' wonderful compassion still moves him to action today.

1. Through the Word and the Sacraments Jesus is still acting on our behalf. The Word assures us that He died for all, giving himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Eph. 5: 2) He gave Himself into death as the offering and satisfaction for our sins, earning for us eternal life. As He cared for these people by the seashore, He still cares for us today. He continues to provide us with churches, pastors, teachers and missionaries, although we are unworthy and are often unappreciative.

2. Jesus also cares for our physical needs. He gives us our daily bread although we may forget to pray for it or thank him for it. He cares for us through the congregations' fellowship. He had his apostle, St. Paul instruct the churches: "Be kind and compassionate to one another forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Be imitators of God, therefore as dearly loved children, and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us." (Eph 4:32-5:2)

C. (Jesus' compassion moves us to caring action.) Jesus compassionate care not only provides for our own needs, but it also enables us and motivates us to care and give aid to others.

1. We are to love and care for our family and friends and fellow believers in the church.

2. We are even to love and care for those outside the community of faith even enemies. Jesus says, "Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be the children of your father which is in heaven for He makes his sun to shine on the good and on the evil; He sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Mt. 5:44)

President Lincoln was one of the most Christ-like presidents that our nation has ever had. Once he dropped a few kind words about the Confederate South during the Civil War. A woman who heard him was upset about his remarks and angrily asked him how he could speak kindly of his enemies when he should rather destroy them. Lincoln replied, "What Madam do I not destroy them I make them my friends?"

3. It is a simple and wonderful truth: we are compassionate and caring because Jesus is compassionate and cares for us physically as well as spiritually, although we do not deserve it. He enables us to give attention to the people, listen to them, sympathize with them and respond in caring ways. He enables us to share the Good News of the kingdom, to counsel and encourage people with the same counsel and encouragement of Jesus Christ that has been lavished on us.

4. A young bank clerk was caught embezzeling money. His supervisor sent him upstairs to see the president of the bank. With a heavy heart he climbed up the stairs, fearing that he would be prosecuted and sent to prison or at the very least fired. He knocked on the door and was surprised to hear a rather cheerful voice calling him to come in. He sat down and apologized profusely to the president. The president said to him, "We will forget what you have done if you repay the embezzled amount, and promise not to do it ever again." The young man relieved promised and thanked him over and over. The president then said to him, "I can sympathize with you because where you are sitting where I once sat. What you have done, I once did and I was given a second chance."

Conclusion: Thanks be to God for providing all people with his compassion and care in Christ Jesus. God gives His compassion and care through us - we who richly and daily receive the manifold blessings of His grace. God is good!

Amen