Here's Pastor Alan Wright with today's blessing, a biblical faith-filled vision for your life. I bless the favor of God on your life. When you live according to the law, you get only what you can earn. But you, adopted child of God, are no longer under the law, Romans 6, 14. You are under the right hand of grace.
And as such, The best things in your life are and always will be unearned. unmerited, free. unexpected. better than you could acquire by human effort. It means, beloved, in Christ, you are fully qualified to share In the inheritance of the saints.
That's Colossians 1:12. Pastor, author, and Bible teacher Alan Wright.
Some days I just feel like I read the paper and I just want to say, have you ever felt this? And they're a deserted island we can go move to? You've had that feeling, haven't you? How Jesus feels about all these people that can be so frustrating and we can be so disgusted with them and have so much consternation? He had compassion.
Text Pastor Alan Wright, welcome to another message of good news that will help you see your life in a whole new light. I'm Daniel Britt. Excited for you to hear the teaching today in the series you'll see as presented at Renolda Church in North Carolina. Uh As we approach the end of our fiscal year here at Allen Wright Ministries, we welcome your prayers and financial support during this critical time. You can give online right now at pastorallen.org.
That's pastorallen.org or call 877-544-4860. 877-544-4860. Thanks for all the ways you partner with Allen Wright Ministries in sharing the gospel and the good news of Jesus. Speaking of which, now let's get started with today's teaching. Here is Pastor Alan Wright.
You ready for some good news? You know, you don't have to just walk around frustrated with people. Um culture and the crowds that are all going in the wrong directions. You can have your frustrations changed more to compassion. And this comes by seeing as Jesus sees.
We're in a new series, it's called You'll See. And it is all about Getting The perspective of Christ, because how you see something determines how you think about it. how you feel and how you act. And today I want to show you a beautiful text that reveals something not only about the heart of Jesus, but how he sees. people, how he sees people that aren't acting the way they're supposed to act, how he sees the crowds.
And It can change everything in your heart as well. It's in Matthew chapter 9. Matthew chapter 9. At verse 35, Matthew 9 verse 35. And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel.
of the kingdom in healing every disease and every affliction. And when he saw the crowds, He had compassion for them. Because they were harassed. and helpless. like sheep without a shepherd.
And he said to his disciples, The harvest is plentiful. but the labourers are few. Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest. to send out laborers into his harvest. There was a man who was affluent, he traveled the world, and in his travels he liked to often send some exotic gift back to his mother, who lived in a simple rural area of Uh of the uh United States.
And sometimes she didn't quite understand what was so fancy about these gifts he would send back. One time he sent her a parrot he had found in another country that had been trained with One of the most extensive vocabularies that any bird had ever learned. And I sent this very expensive parrot to his mother. I thought, well, maybe. you know, she lived by herself and the parrot, that'd be interesting to have in the house and all that.
And so a week or two after he'd sent the parrot, he called her up. He said, Mom, did you get the Did you get the bird that I sent you? And she said, yes. She said it was delicious. He said, What?
She said, Yeah, it was very delicious. And he said, Mom, you ate that bird? And she said, Well, yeah. He said, Mom. He said, that bird has been trained in an extensive.
English vocabulary Mom, that bird could talk. And she said, Well, he should have said something then. Yeah, brother. You know, sometimes you just get frustrated with people because they're just not doing what we feel like they ought to be able to do. They aren't acting the way they should act.
And today I want to challenge that thinking through the lens of Jesus. Because he didn't really look at the crowds of people who were. Who were acting lost and confused and. Um and doing wrong things and just sinning. He didn't really look on them as though Well, you ought to know better, you ought to be better, and just Jesus going around being frustrated with them.
Instead, Uh we learn from today's text that Jesus saw them And a very common image that would be very common to Middle Easterners of his day, he saw them as if they were sheep. that didn't have a shepherd. I've been to the Middle East. You can still see there'll be shepherds, young shepherds out with small flocks wandering around rural areas. One site you never see is sheep that aren't in a pen that are just wandering around by themselves.
Because sheep just cannot function by themselves. And we're going to learn a little bit more about that. But I I want to I want us to look through the eyes of Jesus.
So that Instead of just walking around being frustrated, We can have compassion. And compassion fuels our prayer life. And compassion fuels our ministry. And that's what people need. It's a frustrating world.
I looked at an online magazine because it had an article listing the 50 most annoying things that people do. There were 50 of them they wrote down. Things like. Humble bragging. You know, that's where somebody acts like they're being humble, but they're actually bragging.
I had to hire a housekeeper because my new house is just too big for me to handle by myself. Here's some of the others they list. Not returning your shopping cart. Yeah, might have done that one. Talking ad nauseum about how busy you are.
Nobody likes that. Looking at your phone while talking to someone in person. Parking too close to the line in a parking lot, going to the express checkout lane with more than 10 items. Not letting people get off an elevator before you attempt to get on.
Now here's one that I definitely have never, never done. And that is not wiping down the exercise equipment that you use at the gym. And been to the gym.
So I haven't done that. That one, that's one that I haven't. that I haven't done. Um You know, you could give your own list of frustrating things. I think it was top of mind.
is trying to pay for something at a store And the person who is attending at the cash register is talking on the phone to their friend. I'm the customer here. Uh It was interesting reading the online list of the 50 most annoying things that uh they didn't list the bigger things that you might think be there like terrorism, racism, hatred, crime, and abuse. The bottom line, these are the things that frustrate us the most.
Some days I just feel like I read the paper and I just want to say, have you ever felt this? And there are deserted island we can go move to? You've had that feeling, haven't you? How Jesus feels about all these people that can be so frustrating and we can be so disgusted with them and have so much consternation? He had compassion.
He had compassion. I want to be clear about a couple of things as we launch into this uh Invitation into Jesus' heart of compassion. And the first thing I want to say is: most of you understand this. I have a thoroughly biblical worldview. And That means that I carry a biblical view of human sexuality and marriage.
I have a biblically based view. of the gift of life. That causes me to have strong feelings about the sanctity of life and the rights of an unborn child. I abhor racism. I I carry a biblical worldview.
So please understand that this is not an expression today. of somehow saying that Error is okay. That's not all what we're going to be saying today. And it's not to say that people aren't responsible for their sin. Um we are responsible for our sin.
Despite the picture that we're going to see today of just how much we're like sheep. I also want to say that the words that I have today about fostering compassion are not an invitation for us to be deceived or to become codependent, meaning that we feel like we exist simply to care for others. You don't exist simply to take care of dysfunctional people. And there is a place for tough love.
So keep that sort of under the backdrop of this as we think about the compassionate ministry of Jesus. The text says that Jesus went teaching. and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing. Teaching Proclaiming or preaching and healing, teaching and preaching and healing. And this is not the only place where this is mentioned.
The extent of Jesus' ministry is that in his teaching, he wants people. To be educated into the truth. Because the truth sets us free. But he proclaimed a message of good news. the young gele on the good news of the kingdom.
That the kingdom of God was at hand. And that's the proclamation, or that's what we preach: is that God has done for us in Jesus something extraordinary. In which He has paid for our sins and inaugurated the kingdom of God's reign on earth, which one day will be consummated when He returns, but has already begun. And that he, everywhere he went, was healing people in their soul and in their body. This is what he was doing.
And When he saw the crowds, he had compassion. The word compassion in English is not nearly strong enough to represent the word that is here in Greek. The word, this verb for being moved with compassion is a verb splung nidzumai. That is founded on the root splankna. Which is the Greek word for the entrails or the inmost.
Being, it is in the vernacular, it's your guts. And sometimes we'll even say that like I feel it down deep in my gut. And so when Jesus is moved with compassion, what he is moved with is something that is visceral, something that is deep within him. It's not just a passing pity. It's something that grips the entirety of his being.
Henry Now, in his book Compassion, said compassion is such a deep, central, and powerful emotion in Jesus that it can only be described as movement. of the womb of God. When Jesus was moved to compassion now and writes, the source of all life trembled. The ground of all love burst open and the abyss of God's immense, inexhaustible tenderness revealed itself. That begins to come close to what Jesus experienced.
Mm. Not only here, but many other instances, you'll see if you. Have an eye for it. Read the New Testament Gospels and see how often Jesus is moved with compassion. Like in Mark chapter 6.
Similarly, at verse 34, similar to our text, when he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them. And in Luke chapter 7 at verse 12, We read as he drew near to the gate of the town, Behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. And when the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, Do not weep. And then he resuscitated the man. In Matthew 14, when he went ashore, Matthew 14, 14, he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Matthew 20 verse 32. Jesus stopped and called them, What do you want me to do for you? He asked. Lord, they answered, we want our sight. And Jesus had compassion, splong nidzemai on them, and touched their eyes.
And immediately they received their sight and followed him. Mark chapter 8, verse 1. In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and he said to him, I have compassion on the crowd. Because they've been with me for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them hungry to their homes, they'll faint on the way.
That's why I fed them. John 11 is the story of Jesus coming. Who will raise Lazarus from the dead. But when he sees Lazarus' sisters and the crowd weeping, this is what happens in John 11, 33. When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.
And he said, Where have you laid him? And they said, Lord, come and see. And Jesus wept. He was literally trembling with compassionate emotion, even though he knew he was going to resuscitate Lazarus from the grave. He was moved to heal not just for his own glory, or the validation that the kingdom of God had come.
No, those are true. But the picture in the New Testament Is that Jesus taught and preached and healed Because he felt so for the people. Compassion will move you. in a way that Your good intentions never will. And why was he so moved?
He was moved when he, at verse 36 of Matthew 9, when he saw the crowds.
So it was something about the way he saw them. See, when you see Someone In a whole new light. And you understand something about their plight. It changes all of your feelings. I was uh I was in a men's room not uh long ago and I was just washing my hands.
And a man came up approaching sort of from the back, and he just got a little bit too much in my personal space. There were two sinks in this particular thing, and he got a little too close to me. And just for a moment, just a fleeting moment, I just was a little irritated. I was like, Well, why didn't he just go on over to that sink? Why is he, what's he in the come over here, try to bump me out of this sink or what, you know?
And I mean I wasn't upset. I was just like, well, irritated a little bit. Until I paused and I looked more closely and looked around, and he had a cane. He had a sick, and he was. I realized uh he was blind.
Was I irritated anymore? Of course not. He sort of stepped up and he said, Is there a soap dispenser over on the right? I said, yeah, just a step or two to your right. How else can I help you?
Irritation turned to compassion. Just like that.
Sometimes You might be expecting more of someone. And maybe they should get their act together more, but if you could see with the eyes of Jesus, I think you'd see something deeper underneath it. A ministry we celebrate with Larry Revis Ministries every December here, a Luke 14 banquet. that is a lavish celebration and Christmas meal. Oh four.
Some of the disenfranchised in our community, homeless people, the different shelters. We send buses and vans, and people bring them in from the missions and the shelters and feed the homeless on nice china, silverware. Um and and glasses, not paper goods, and we don't scrimp, it's a wonderful feast and um It's a delightful thing. It's from the earliest time that I thought it was appropriate. I like to bring my kids to come and serve.
I remember when Bennett was little, and the first time that he came. To serve with me, and we were washing our hands before going in to serve, and there was one of our guests that was there. He was disheveled, he didn't smell very good, and he was over the sink, and he was putting water on his hair, and he was in front of the mirror, and he was trying to get his hair to look good. And he looked back at us. He said, If I knew I was coming to something so nice, I would have tried to get a bath before I came.
Maybe there's somebody that just The reason that they don't try any harder than they do as they Hadn't seen a point in it yet. I just Wonder what it would be like to see everybody through the eyes of Jesus. There's a story behind Lives of people. What Jesus said is that I see them as if they are sheep who don't have a shepherd. It's a very, very prominent image because everybody Knew that you never see sheep that don't have a shepherd, and if you do, it's a bad situation for the sheep.
Alan Wright. Today's good news message, it's titled How to Have Compassion for Sinners. It's in our series, You'll See, and we've got Pastor Alan back to join us in the studio with our parting good news thought for the day in just a moment. As we close out the year, thank you to everyone who listens, prays, and gives. If you'd like to support the ministry before the fiscal year end, we'd be grateful for your partnership at pastorallen.org.
And to celebrate what God is doing, here's Pastor Alan with another story of a changed life because of your giving and supporting Allen Wright Ministries. Daniel, here's a note from someone that listens to our broadcast at 3.30 in the morning. Wow. Oregon. Wow.
in Oregon and said, been listening and being spiritually fed by Pastor Alan's stories, his love of scripture, sense of humor, and his often profound wisdom and heartfelt passion. Just wanted to help out with a donation after these several years. Thanks so much for the blessings at 3.30 a.m. in Oregon. Wow.
Well, God bless him and every single one who is a partner with us. Is helping to reach people at who knows what hour all over the nation. Thanks for considering the way you can support right now. When you give online at pastorallen.org, that's pastorallen.org. Or feel free to call us at 877-544-4545.
4860. Back here now in the studio sharing Pastor Alan's parting good news thought for the day. And this one's about compassion. And compassion for those who aren't like us, compassion to those maybe who we're frustrated with. Yeah, people, I think, that follow God want to have compassion.
want to be a people of uh who can feel with others and can have mercy in their hearts. And yet, sometimes we just struggle with it. We can become embittered, and we feel as though people just ought to, you know, buck up and pull themselves and get on the right path. And so, Jesus, when he looked at the crowds of the sinners, What he saw were people that were harassed and helpless. Uh under a spiritual battle.
And they were like sheep. It was a very common image. Everybody saw: if a sheep didn't have a shepherd, that sheep's in trouble. And that's the way Jesus saw people.
So instead of trying to. work harder to have a better attitude towards people. Ask Jesus to help you see them as He does. He's the shepherd and He sees the sheep as in need. If they don't have a shepherd, then they're going to act in very strange ways.
Jesus, how do you see? The quote centers. He'll show you. Today's good news message is a listener-supported production of Alan Wright Ministries.
