In this sermon, Pastor Allen Victor dives deeply into the message of Matthew 9:35-38, where we see Jesus moved by compassion for the people He encounters. As Jesus journeyed through cities and villages, He was actively teaching in synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing countless illnesses and diseases. His ministry was fueled by compassion—a compassionate response that went beyond mere sympathy and engaged Him in the needs of others, seeing them as lost sheep without a shepherd. Compassion, as seen in the 1828 Noah Webster’s definition, is “a suffering with another, a painful sympathy,” which describes the type of connection that Jesus felt for the weary and scattered crowd before Him. This compassion wasn’t just a feeling; it was an active, intentional, and compelling force that drove Jesus to minister directly to people’s lives. He didn’t stop at observing their hardships; He was compelled to act.

The sermon highlights the five essential components of compassion that Jesus modeled. First, compassion means going. Jesus didn’t sit in one place and expect people to come to Him; He went to the cities and villages where they lived, ministering to them right where they were. He calls His disciples in Matthew 28:18-19 to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.” This theme of “going” isn’t limited to distant missions; it applies to daily encounters, whether in places like sports arenas, nightclubs, malls, or prisons, where people often congregate. Jesus knew the importance of being physically present, understanding that people might never come to Him on their own. Like Jesus, we are challenged to go wherever people are in need.

Second, seeing is an essential part of compassion. When Jesus saw the multitudes, He perceived their true condition: they were “weary and scattered,” like sheep in need of a shepherd. The sermon illustrated this point by recalling images from the Ethiopian famine in the 1980s. People were moved to action once they truly saw the suffering. Likewise, we’re called to see beyond appearances and recognize the deeper struggles that people face—those battling depression, broken relationships, or spiritual emptiness. Events like a church’s “Trunk or Treat” outreach provide an opportunity to see people as they truly are, looking with spiritual eyes to observe the hurts hidden beneath the surface.

Third, compassion means being moved. Jesus was moved to the very core of His being, feeling compelled to do something about the needs He saw. In Matthew 9:36, the term “moved with compassion” suggests a visceral, involuntary reaction to suffering. Jesus didn’t just think or talk about compassion; He experienced it so deeply that it led Him to act. For us, compassion should be more than a surface response. Like Jesus in John 4:4, who “needed to go through Samaria,” true compassion pushes us out of our comfort zones and compels us to engage with those in need.

The fourth component of compassion is praying. When Jesus saw the multitude, He told His disciples that “the harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” He instructed them to “pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38). Prayer is the act of bringing people’s needs before God, knowing that He alone has the power to bring lasting change. The sermon emphasized that while we might not be able to fix every broken marriage or heal every hurting person, we know the One who can. Jesus, as seen in Luke 4:18, came to “heal the brokenhearted” and “set at liberty those who are oppressed.” Through prayer, we can partner with Him to bring hope and healing to a hurting world.

Finally, compassion means answering the call to do something. Jesus called His twelve disciples to Him in Matthew 10:1 and gave them authority over unclean spirits, empowering them to heal and bring freedom. He sent them out, expecting them to carry the message of compassion into the world actively. Like Ezekiel, who was willing to “sit where the captives sat,” we are called to step into people’s lives, bringing the light and hope of Christ. Answering the call means we’re willing to go, to see, to be moved, to pray, and ultimately to act on behalf of others.

This sermon from Calvary Chapel West Jacksonville reminds us that compassion, as exemplified by Jesus, is an essential part of our faith. It isn’t just a feeling; it is an active, intentional choice that involves going to people, seeing their needs, being moved to action, praying earnestly, and ultimately answering the call to share the love of Christ.

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