Touches of Compassion on Tons of Needs, Part 3

Today on Insight for Living, from Chuck Swindoll. We live in polarized times, meaning controversial issues seem to be typecast in two extremes.

It's them and us, conservative and liberal, left and right. But some issues defy polarity, like the issues that Jesus addressed, such as responding to suffering with compassion and generosity. Today on Insight for Living, we deliberately set aside our differences to see how Jesus selflessly expressed His compassion to the marginalized, to the hungry, and to those who suffered. Teaching from Matthew chapter 15, Chuck titled his message, Touches of Compassion on Tons of Needs. Compassion doesn't end just because a prayer is answered.

Look at this response. The crowd was amazed because he healed them all. They were amazed those who hadn't been able to speak were talking.

Can you imagine how much they talked? And the one who had been carried in is now dancing. The one who had not been able to walk is now walking around. Look, look, look. And the one who had not been able to see is now able to see. It was one great scene.

Enter into that scene. It was magnificent. And the best part is the crowning part of compassion. They praised the God of Israel. He felt deeply for these people. He suffered with them. He entered into their feelings.

Why? Well, they've been here with me for three days and they have nothing left to eat. I don't want to send them away hungry or they will faint along the way.

Notice what he says. He simply points out their need for food. He doesn't say to any of the 12, what are you going to do about it? Though they take it that way. And in good disciple fashion they respond, where would we get enough food here in the wilderness for such a huge crowd?

Well, what do you think? You've just seen him heal thousands of people. And he simply says they're hungry.

I don't want to send them home hungry. This is their moment to go, Lord, with you nothing is impossible. Lord, you can do all things. You've done it before. Do it again. We're here to usher. We'll pass out the food. You make it happen.

We'll applaud what you have done because you and you alone are the great I am. But they don't do that. Remember Mark 6 verse 52? They had not gained any insight from the loaves, the incident of the loaves.

Why? The verse states, because their heart was hardened. Oh, heart, heart. That's what breaks when you have compassion. But when it's hard, there isn't compassion. That's when judgment replaces mercy. And there's none of that with Jesus.

In fact, when they respond like that, which is a question, Jesus answers them with another question. How much bread do you have? This is deja vu all over again, huh? Remember back when he fed the others?

What do you have? Well, we've got five loaves and a couple of little fish. So he says to them again, how much bread do you have? See, he's mentoring. We're going through this again.

I want you men to learn from this. They replied, seven loaves and a few small fish. Period. So he doesn't respond in any other way than have the people sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish and thank God for them.

Not a great moment. He's got a little tiny handful of food. He's got all these people sitting down. And he thanks God for this little tiny bit of food. Because he sees what it's to become.

He always does. And we read that he took the seven loaves and the fish, thank God, and broke them into pieces. And then he gave them to the disciples. And then it started and they passed the baskets around. And they all ate as much as they wanted. The disciples picked up seven large baskets of leftover food. There were four thousand men who were fed that day in addition to the women and the children. And then Jesus sent the people home.

Don't just close the chapter. Imagine going home. When they left, they had been blind, lame, crippled, unable to speak, to hear. They left with these huge needs and they come home dancing and laughing and their bellies are full of food. And they, no doubt, told their story.

And he leaves without any fanfare. Not even a word from the disciples. Which I admit when I finally let this speak to me as it really is saying it troubled me. I'm greatly troubled now. You know, part of the reason is I see myself and you as well in their lives. For that reason, I have four lingering lessons that I think we can remember if we ponder on them long enough.

Here's the first. There is no need too great for God to hear. Some of you have been living with a need that is plaguing you, draining your energy, causing you to worry, stealing your sleep, taking away your peace, and because it is huge to you, you thought I've got myself in this mess.

I'm gonna have to get myself out. There is no need too great for God. Didn't matter if there'd been 50,000. Numbers don't shock God when he's meeting needs. No matter how huge your need may be, don't hesitate. In fact, I would urge you to cry out repeatedly and passionately and come boldly before the throne of grace. Remember, ask, seek, knock.

Make a habit of doing that. Don't hesitate because the need is great. There's no need too great for God to hear.

Here's the second. There's no reason for us ever to forget when he does hear us. No reason for us ever to forget those times he heard us and met needs.

Thanksgiving rolls around every year and when we are able to get a number of our family members around our table, our meal isn't complete without the best part of all. And that sitting together, catching up on each other's lives, and hearing the stories of God's interventions. Invariably there are tears, some time of just passion for the need that's been met or mentioned. Other times there are tears of joy. Sometimes it's just plain nostalgia.

As I look at the faces of those closest to me and I realize God's hand in each one of their lives. And then Cynthia and I are able to share something preferably more recent than a long time ago and invariably that's the best part of our meal and often lasts longer than the meal itself. Isn't it amazing?

Spent two days preparing Thanksgiving meal and it's all gone. But then the good part is you get to sit around and belch and remember not only how good the pie was or how great the turkey tasted, but how magnificent God is. Majesty.

We worship his majesty. He alone could be doing these things and there's no reason ever to forget. But you will if you get cynical. I'm leading to that point.

Here's the third. There's no limit to what God can provide. No limit. Not one of us has had the maximum that God can provide. Philippians 4 19 my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches and glory. My God, your needs, his riches. Mix it all together and you've got the makings of praise to him. No limit to what God can provide. You've not eaten all the food God wants to give you. You've not seen yet the best that God could do.

Besides his son and providing him for us, those great things in our lives are numerous. Now here's my concern. It's the fourth. There is no danger more subtle than familiarity.

This was the disciples number one problem. By now things have become business as usual. It was a perfunctory. Here we go again. Oh my look at the crowd.

Good night. Will they never stop coming? And then one miracle after another after another after another multiplied by hundreds by thousands. But there is this jaded condition that settles in and can do so in all our lives. I can't speak for you but I will tell you just about every time I walk in this building I suck in my breath. Not literally but deep within as I see the beauty of this building and your faces and the songs that we sing and the hymns and the music that comes from these instruments and this magnificent choir or choirs plural.

Here we go. What age choir do you want? What instrument would you like to hear?

And all played in my opinion the next thing to flawlessly. Easy to get accustomed to it. To be concerned about what time the service ends rather than the magnificence of this place to worship. We bring friends from the third world who represent us in our insight for living ministry.

They often sit down here toward the front and I'll often embrace them and greet them and they've already begun to cry. They've never seen or heard anything like this in the little hamlet where they serve or the rugged country where they eke out a living or people around them. There's not an ounce of jaded cynicism in one of them. I came across in a magnificent book titled Dangerous Calling the words of of a Paul David Tripp. Tripp writes he said it rather matter-of-factly probably not understanding the significance of what he was saying but I couldn't get his words out of my head. He was the head of a national ministry we were in a meeting talking about ministry partnerships. I was sharing my experience about what was happening in the church around the world and he said I don't think anything excites me anymore.

It wasn't my place to respond to what he said but I immediately thought you'd better be excited. You're leading a ministry and if you can't get your excitement back maybe you shouldn't be doing what you're doing. He had lost his excitement and he was left with a duty to do the business of ministry and repetitive day after day joyless obligation.

What a sad and dangerous place to be. Perhaps it begins in seminary, writes Paul Tripp, the up-close examination of every element of the faith. Perhaps there is a moment when the glory of God just doesn't seem all that glorious anymore. Perhaps living in the middle of a theological community begins to dull my excitement and numb my amazement.

That's written so well. Perhaps the Bible gets reduced to little more than a theological manual to be executed and responded to. Perhaps even God himself becomes more divine being to study and theologically understand than the Lord of glory that he is. Princeton professor and theologian B.B. Warfield wrote this to his students.

It dates October 4, 1911. Warfield's words, we are frequently told indeed that the great danger of the theological student lies precisely in his constant contact with divine things. They may come to seem common to him because they are customary. As the average man breathes the air and basks in the sunshine without ever a thought that it is God in his goodness who makes his son to rise on him, though he is evil, and sends rain to him, though he is unjust, so you may come to handle even the furniture of the sanctuary with never a thought above the gross earthly material of which it is made. The words which tell you of God's terrible majesty or of his glorious goodness may come to be mere words to you.

Hebrew and Greek words with etymologies and inflections and connections and sentences. This is your great danger, writes Warfield, to us. This is your great danger, but it is your great danger only because it is your great privilege. Think of what your privilege is when your greatest danger is that the great things of your faith may become common to you. Oh, so true. The very atmosphere of your life is these things.

You breathe them in at every pore. They surround you, encompass you, press in upon you from every side. It is all in danger of becoming common to you. God forgive you. You are in danger of becoming weary of God. What is the danger? asks Tripp. It is that familiarity with the things of God will cause you to lose your awe of God.

That's it. May it never happen to us here. May I never lose the enthusiasm for God or love for you or his work. That's why I'm at it at this age. I just can't seem to find the right time to stop.

Honestly, honestly, I can't. But that's the fear I have for all of us. Familiarity. Just processing life. Just another meal to eat. Another Thanksgiving to serve. Another day.

Another church service. Please do not lose your awe of God. He's all we have.

He's the only one we have when we've reached death's door. Between here and there, stay enthusiastic. As I say to Cynthia all the time, that's why I get up at 3 30. I just can't sleep.

I have the chance to do what I'm doing and I love it. And I grieve that some of you have never met the Savior. You're trying to live your life looking good and giving up your sins and trying to be the best you can and you can't.

You can't. If you've never heard anything before, hear this. That cross, that cross is the reason for it all. He paid it all. All to him we owe. That crimson stain that sin left, he's washed it white as snow. Trust in Christ.

Turn to him. You will find yourself on the edge of your seat as the Spirit of God ignites your soul with some of the very best things we can know on this earth. That is the joy of our being together as a church, as God's people. Help us all our Father to realize the privilege of hearing the preaching word, the joy of singing the great hymns that have accompanied the faith down through the years, the unique opportunity of feeling a warm body next to ours, an arm around our shoulders, a smile of encouragement, the delight in the things of Christ. Forgive us Lord for processing anything in life. Now that you have redeemed us, may we see it all as a privileged opportunity and give it our very, very best till the last breath leaves our lungs.

Deal with those who've never met your son, Father. Give them no rest till they find that rest in you at the cross where your son paid it all out of compassion and love and sacrifice. In the name of Jesus, we pray.

Everyone sing. Amen. You're listening to the conclusion of a three-day message from Chuck Swindoll titled, Touches of Compassion on Tons of Needs. The grace and mercy of Jesus shines brightly in Matthew chapter 15. And in many respects, these virtues are the cornerstone of this daily program. Insight for Living is a beacon of compassion and grace to millions around the world and now for more than 42 years.

And to see what resources we have available for today's topic, please visit us online at insightworld.org. Among the dozens of books Chuck has written, there's one that heralds this message a little louder than the rest. It's his classic book called The Grace Awakening. Thousands of readers point to this book as the turning point in their spiritual walk. As they truly understood, and many for the very first time, the depth and reality of God's compassion and grace. And if you're prepared to shed the legalism that was first imposed by the Pharisees in Matthew's Gospel, then we highly recommend this book from Chuck. In The Grace Awakening, he clearly describes what it means to embrace our freedom and liberty in Christ. To purchase a copy of The Grace Awakening, go to insight.org slash offer or call us.

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