I. If hospitality is the posture of Love then compassion is love in action

2 Hallmarks of Jesus’ ministry - Hospitality and Compassion

Compassion - from the root words for with and suffer: to suffer with

II. The cold sword of religion and the warm embrace of Jesus

Religion often uses the scriptures as a weapon to keep people out or beat people down

When religion sees a person struggling it concerns itself with judging the why. This is in contrast to the love of Christ which doesn’t ask why but simply embraces the broken.

Hebrews 4:14-16

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

III. Exercising compassion helps keep us from an individualized and personalized faith

Compassion turns our prayers into action - When we have the bread we need for today, we can become bread for others. “Give us this day our daily bread” becomes “Let me be your answer to prayer for bread by others.”

IV. Compassion and Spiritual Formation (Philippians 2:1-11)

V. Opportunities for compassion

Boxes of Hope, Bag Hunger

Mercy Response