Compassionate Hope for the Hopeless

[0:00] You can be turning to Luke chapter 7.! Too deeply for mirth or song.

[0:35] As the burdens press and the cares distress. And the way grows weary and long. Oh yes, he cares.

[0:46] I know he cares. His heart is touched with my grief. When the days are weary. The long nights dreary. I know my Savior cares.

[1:00] To many, the God of this universe is an impersonal being. Cold hearted. Uninterested in what we feel or what we go through.

[1:15] Where is he in the everyday affairs of life? Where is he when life hurts? Sometimes life hurting so badly.

[1:28] That you could just shrivel up and die. Or like Job, curse the day of your birth. You wish you'd never born. I didn't plan this.

[1:41] But I'll ask. And it touches everyday life. Can you imagine what the parents in Texas are feeling right now? Where is God?

[1:53] Does Jesus care? And as I mentioned, I didn't plan this. This is our going through the book of Luke. And this is the next section.

[2:05] And praise God. I say that. Dreading preaching this. I'm sorry. It's good. It's great. God is so good.

[2:16] But we're going to see a lot of pain this morning. Does Jesus care? We will see that Jesus does care. He may not do what he does in this account.

[2:31] He may not do that for everyone. But he is for his people. Just the way that he's here for the widow of Nain.

[2:45] Let's turn to Luke chapter 7, if you haven't already. And look, starting in verse 11. Soon afterward, he went to a town called Nain.

[2:58] And his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man was being carried out, the only son of his mother.

[3:12] 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.

[3:24] Then he came up and touched the buyer. And the bearers stood still. And he said to the young man, I say to you, arise.

[3:36] And the young man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all. And they glorified God saying, a great prophet has arisen among us.

[3:52] And God has visited his people. And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea. And all the surrounding country.

[4:05] Let's pray together. Father, I thank you for your word. I thank you when it even touches the hard parts of life.

[4:16] I thank you that especially it does touch the hard parts of life. And as so many of us today will relate. Maybe not with a child.

[4:28] But will relate to the pain and the suffering that this widow goes through. I pray, Father, you keep us. So that we relate to who Jesus is.

[4:42] And see him for who he is. And rest in this one who is compassionate. I pray that you would be with me. Lord, help me to be able to speak.

[4:53] I pray that you would be with us. May we see Jesus here. In good ways. In glorifying ways. In strengthening ways. In encouraging ways.

[5:04] I pray that you would bless. In Jesus' name. Amen. What we will look at today probably took place fairly soon after the healing of the centurion's servant.

[5:20] It follows right after that account in the book of Luke. But we know that all of the gospel writers. None of them wrote in perfectly sequential order. They wrote according to a topic.

[5:32] They were displaying the life of Jesus. And so even though this is right after. It may not be exactly. But it was probably close to being right after. The centurion's servant was healed.

[5:46] Luke is continuing a pattern that he has already established in his gospel. And something he will continue out through the rest of his gospel. And that is that Luke often pairs together.

[5:59] Recalling his compassion or his work towards a man. And then next he does it towards a woman. We'll see this through the whole book of Luke.

[6:12] He ministers to a man. And then he ministers to a woman. Because Luke has this burden. That it's not just one group of people.

[6:25] Male Israelites. That Jesus has come to minister to. Luke is writing this to Gentiles. And so he wants the Gentiles to see. That it's not just Jews that God is writing to.

[6:39] It is to people. And so Luke has this pattern. He keeps it up. And we see it here. Another theme that we have seen in Luke.

[6:51] Is Jesus' compassion for the outcast. Last week he had compassion on the centurion's servant. Even on the centurion.

[7:03] This week it's compassion towards a widowed woman. Neither of them had much of any standing. In Israel.

[7:14] And so we continue to behold. Our beautiful savior. As we see Jesus. Displaying a compassionate heart. For the hopeless. So I want to go through the account.

[7:27] Tell it in a little bit of a different way. Than I usually do. Follow along. I'm trying to pack as much intel. As little a space. As I can. And so this is.

[7:37] Why I'm doing this. Just a little bit differently. Jesus has been ministering. In the area around Capernaum. The crowd following him.

[7:48] Has grown larger. And now a great crowd of people. Along with Jesus' disciples. Have begun to follow Jesus. As he makes his way. Southwest.

[8:00] Having traveled a day's journey. He's getting close. To the city of Nain. As they approach. A relatively familiar sight. Catches their attention.

[8:13] This great crowd of people. Is meeting up. With a funeral procession. Just coming out of the city gate. The funeral procession.

[8:24] Was led. By what was probably. A middle-aged woman. A middle-aged woman. A middle-aged woman. If a woman. Were leading this procession.

[8:36] It could mean. Only one thing. She was a widow. Funeral processions. Were led. By the head of the home.

[8:49] Oh. The woes of a woman. Who's lost her husband. Times would be tight. With the loss of the family breadwinner. She would have. Almost nothing.

[9:01] Many people felt for her. And there was. A significant group of people. Following her. As she led. The procession. For her only son.

[9:12] To be buried. The people with Jesus. Don't know that yet. All they see. Is a widow. Leading profession.

[9:24] Procession. But as that procession. Grew closer. It became easier. To understand. The laments. Of the people in it. They were not.

[9:35] The laments. They. That spoke. Of a husband. That had died. Rather. They were the desperate cries. That would go up. Not for a husband.

[9:47] But for a son. If a woman. Was leading a. Funeral possession. By herself. And the laments.

[9:58] Were of her. Only son. And that meant. This woman. Was in a situation. That was near. Hopeless. At this time. She would have.

[10:10] No one. Working to provide. For her. She could hold. No job. As a woman. Nor own land. She would have been.

[10:21] In a situation. Similar to that. Of Ruth. And Boaz. Naomi. Returned to Bethlehem. A broken woman. Without a husband. And without sons. And as she returns. She says. Do not call me.

[10:32] Naomi. Call me. Mara. For the almighty. Has dealt very. Bitterly. With me. And just like. Naomi and Ruth.

[10:43] This widow woman. Would now. Have to glean. After harvest. After other people. Have reaped. And depend. On what people. Would be willing. To give her.

[10:55] She may not. Even be able. To live. In the house. That her husband. Had provided. For her. Sure. The crowd. Grew.

[11:06] Silent. As the desperation. Sank in. Great. Crowded people. Meets. A substantial.

[11:16] Funeral possession. The great. Crowded people. Is silent. But the crowd. Notice. That Jesus. Has taken. Intense.

[11:26] Notice. Of her. You could tell. That the situation. Moved him. Luke. Says. That Jesus. Had. Compassion.

[11:37] On her. Jesus. Didn't. Just. Feel. Bad. He. Expressed. A love. That desired. To help.

[11:48] This hopeless. Woman. He speaks. To her. And says. Do not. Weep. Now. It's not.

[11:58] Wrong. To weep. At a funeral. It is. The appropriate. Response. Death. Is the last. Enemy. Death.

[12:08] Is that. Which we hate. Which we all. Fear. It is that. Which makes. Dying. Awful. Cruel. And it is. Right. To weep.

[12:20] Jesus's words. Would have been. Cruel. You don't go to a funeral. And say. Stop crying. They would have been. Cruel. If it were not.

[12:31] For the fact. That he. Was. Who he was. And if he. Didn't plan. To do. What he was.

[12:41] Planning. To do. Jesus. Met that woman. With compassion. In her heart. His heart. With a desire.

[12:51] To help her. Having commanded. Her not. To weep. He moved. Past her. To the stretcher. It is called. A buyer here. But that is. A stretcher.

[13:02] That would have been. Right behind her. There. On that stretcher. Lay her. Only. Son. Dead. Wrapped. And ready.

[13:13] For burial. In the next few minutes. Jesus lays his hand. On the stretcher. To stop it. Touching that stretcher.

[13:23] In itself. Would have been. An act of compassion. For Jesus. Because. If it wasn't. For who he was.

[13:35] And if it wasn't. For what he was about. To do. He was committing. Something that would cost him. A week. Of uncleanness.

[13:47] That's not something. The perfect son of God. Who is coming. To offer himself. Should be doing. But he was coming. To do what he planned.

[13:58] To do. And so he places. His hand. On that stretcher. And gets these people. To stop. Having stopped.

[14:08] The procession. Jesus goes. Jesus does. The most compassionate thing. For a widow. A widow. With no other male children. The most compassionate thing.

[14:20] That could be done. At that time. Standing there. In the midst of a great crowd. And before. A grieving mother.

[14:32] Jesus says. Young man. I say to you. Arise. Right there. Right there. In front of the people.

[14:42] Who are accompanying. Accompanying that funeral. Right there. In front of that great crowd. Of people. Jesus says. Arise. And that young man.

[14:54] Sits up. And starts to talk. I'm sure. The mother. Was speechless. And the tears.

[15:05] That were breaking forth. That she could not control. Tears of sorrow. That had overcome her. Tears that showed. That this was the worst. Day.

[15:16] Of her life. Became. Tears. Of joy. Joy. Because of who.

[15:27] Jesus. Is. And what he wanted to do. For this person. In one moment.

[15:38] This man. Who just. Suddenly. Showed up. She didn't call. And ask for him. She had no idea. That he was coming. From Capernaum.

[15:49] She had no idea. At all. Her life. Was consumed. Because. Probably. That very day. Earlier in the day. Or. During the night.

[16:00] Her only son. Had died. Nothing. Entered her mind. But. What am I going to do? I have no husband. I had no son. But.

[16:10] Out of the blue. The son of God. Appears. And says. Do not weep. And stops. The stretcher. And says.

[16:21] I say unto you. Arise. In one moment. This man. Who suddenly. Showed up. At her. City's gate.

[16:32] Had completely. Taken away. Her hopelessness. And as Jesus. Then. It says. Brings that young man.

[16:44] And gives him. To his mother. Mother. This widow. Must have known. That there was. No one in this world.

[16:56] Who would have. Or could have. Shown her. More compassion. In her. Hopelessness. Hopelessness.

[17:08] Than Jesus. Did. In that very moment. It. This woman's life. Was literally. Transformed. By this man's.

[17:20] Compassion. The woman. Was not the only one. Affected though. This crowd. Had witnessed.

[17:30] The whole thing. And there was a double. Reaction. At that point. Scripture says. Fear. Seized them all. And they glorified God.

[17:44] Those are the proper. Responses. To seeing God. And seeing his work. That's something. To just take a side note.

[17:54] That's something. That we should be. As God's people. Doing all the time. Because God. Is showing himself. To us. And he is showing us. His work.

[18:05] Therefore. Our response. Should be to fear him. Not. Fear him. Like. Oh God. Don't do that to me. But fear him. Like. There's no one like you. I stand.

[18:17] In awe. Before you. I desire. To serve you. And that should be. Our response. But not only that. To glorify him.

[18:28] To sing his praise. Personally. And as a group. We could. We could. We can. And should. Do this.

[18:39] Often. In our personal lives. We need to do it. Weekly. As we gather together. Have the same. Fear of God. Look at our God. Who is great in the heavens.

[18:50] Who does. Mighty works. We fear him. And we glorify him. And what those people noticed.

[19:01] That you and I may not have noticed. Some very interesting connections in this situation. To two situations in the Old Testament. First.

[19:14] Up to this point. In all of the world's history. Since the point. God created Adam. There have only been.

[19:26] Two other people. Who have been raised from the dead. Including this situation. All three of those instances.

[19:37] Have been men of God. Showing compassion. For women. Losing their only son. I find that amazing.

[19:52] The first was Elijah. Who raised the son. Of the widow. At Zarephath. And he said. So many of the same phrases. That Jesus. Spoke to this woman.

[20:04] He even. Took that boy. By the hand. And led him. To his mother. And said. The same words. That Jesus said. And then we have.

[20:15] Elisha. Who raised the son. Of the Shunammite woman. Now she wasn't a widow. Her husband was very old. And she.

[20:26] Wasn't going to have children. But God. But God. Allowed her to have a child. As Elijah. Prayed for her. And at one point. As I think. An early teenager.

[20:36] I'm guessing at his age. He has this. Brain pain. He's taken back. And he dies. And the Shunammite woman. Sends for Elisha.

[20:48] Of course. You can read the whole story. In 2nd Kings 4. But in the process of time. He comes. And it is this. Shunammite woman. Who is the second.

[20:59] Her son. Who is the second person. To be raised. From the dead. Shunammite woman. And something. They would have known. That most of us. Wouldn't have even thought about.

[21:10] Unless we had done. Done some digging. And that was. That Shunamm. The city of Shunamm. Was literally. On the same mountain. As Nain.

[21:23] Nain on the south. North side. Shunamm on the south side. Only a couple of miles away. So calling Jesus. A great prophet.

[21:34] Shows that these people. Made the connection. Between what Jesus had done. And the work. Of Elijah. Elijah and Elisha. Great prophets.

[21:47] Raising. Only sons. Of widows. Who are without hope. Bringing those. Only sons. Back. To these people.

[21:58] And so they were just. Beside themselves. This is. A great. Prophet. Jesus. Is doing. What Elijah.

[22:08] And Elisha. Has done. There is. A great. Prophet. Like. Elijah. And Elisha. In our midst. And their response.

[22:19] Was. God. God. Is visiting. His people. Now. I commend them. I commend them.

[22:30] I'm nobody. I'm not saying this is. Pontificating. But I commend them. They saw. They saw connections. And they looked at Jesus. And said. He's a great prophet. But Luke. Make sure.

[22:40] That we know. That there's. Differences. To this story. The biggest difference. Is. The difference. Between what Jesus.

[22:51] Did. And what those great prophets. Of old. Did. That the people. Didn't seem to notice. Elijah. Prayed. Earnestly. For a good amount of time.

[23:02] For that child. Laid himself. On the child. Several times. Praying. In earnest. That God. Would raise this child. God. Heard his prayer.

[23:12] And answered. Elisha. Did the same thing. Praying in earnest. He was far away. When he heard the news. Praying. As he came. The child. Laying on. The bed. That Elijah.

[23:23] Usually slept on. His only. His own staff. Being sent ahead. To lay on. The child's face. But he was praying. That whole time. Gets there. Prays also. For him. And lays himself.

[23:36] On the child. The same way. And God. Hears his prayer. Jesus. Does not. Lay himself. On this child.

[23:47] He does not. Pray. He does not. Beg. He commands. Only. One.

[23:58] Being. Gets to command. A dead person. To be alive. Jesus is God. They called him a great prophet.

[24:14] But he was gone. But he was a special. He was a prophet. Deuteronomy chapter 18.

[24:25] Verses 15 to 18. This is Moses speaking. The Lord your God will raise up for you. A prophet like me. From among you. What do you mean a prophet like me? A prophet who will intercede.

[24:35] A prophet who will be a mediator. From among your brothers. It is to him you shall listen. Just as you desired of the Lord. Your God at Horeb.

[24:47] On the day of the assembly. When you said. Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God. Or see this great fire anymore. Lest I die. And the Lord said to me. They are right in what they have spoken.

[24:58] I will raise up for them a prophet like you. From among their brethren. And I will put my words in his mouth. And he shall speak to them all that I have commanded him. Him.

[25:09] The people. Who were watching. Saw good things. Said great things. But they just. Missed the point. Jesus is not just a great prophet.

[25:22] He is the great prophet. He is the son of God. And the scripture passage. Ends by saying news of what Jesus. Had done spread out.

[25:33] Through the whole land. Jesus has raised a person. From the dead. Just like Elijah. And Elisha. And we are going to see this. Play into.

[25:44] A situation. Not very far. Very quickly. In the scripture. That Jesus is going to refer to this. As John the Baptist. Sends a question.

[25:57] Even another situation. So that is the gist of what went on. What are the things that we. Need to make sure that we see here. A couple that we've only already mentioned.

[26:10] But I'll add some verses to them. One. Jesus has compassion. Towards men. And women. Jew. And Gentile.

[26:23] He doesn't look at you. And evaluate. Your gender. He does not look at you. And evaluate. Your ethnicity. He does not look at you.

[26:35] And evaluate. Your family of origin. Your immediate family of origin. He looks at you. As a person. Now.

[26:47] Luke here. Has already talked about men and women. Luke. Being a good person. To make sure. Everyone understands. Will later clarify. That includes children.

[26:59] God doesn't say. When you get old enough. I'll talk to you. He admits children also. God. Doesn't serve.

[27:10] Just a. Certain kind of person. Romans 10. 13. For everyone. Who calls on the name of the Lord. Will be saved. God. So we want.

[27:21] Want to remember. He has compassion towards. Men. Women. And children. Two. A big theme. In the book. Of Luke. Is. Outcasts. And here.

[27:32] We've seen. Just in these. Few short verses. Two situations. Where Jesus has had. Compassion. On outcasts. We've seen.

[27:43] That he had compassion. On a Gentile. Centurion. Here. We see. He has. Compassion. On a woman.

[27:55] Now. I know. That in this day and age. We. Could possibly get in trouble. With the world. For saying that. But in that day and age. Women had no standing. It's the Bible.

[28:07] And the Bible's teaching. That changed that. It is. God's intent. That. Before God. God. Male.

[28:18] Nor female. Slave. Nor free. All have access to him. Equally. But Jesus had compassion. On the outcasts. In 1 Corinthians 1.

[28:29] 26 to 31. For consider your calling brothers. Not many of you were wise. According to the world's standards. Not many of you were powerful.

[28:39] Not many of you were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish. In the world. To shame the wise. God chose what is weak. In the world. To shame the strong. God chose what is low.

[28:51] And despised in the world. Even things that are not. To bring to nothing. Things that are. So that no human being. Might boast. In the presence of God.

[29:04] I'll skip reading the rest. For. He uses the lowly. Luke has been careful. To show how Jesus interacted with the lowly.

[29:17] I'm so glad. That he. Has not limited himself. To those. Who are of the status. Of prince and princess. And above. I'm glad.

[29:29] He's not limited himself. To those who have a doctorate degree. And above. None of these things are wrong. I'm glad. He's not limited. To any. Form or shape.

[29:41] Of qualification. He's compassionate. Seems to be. Especially compassionate. To the outcasts. And to the lowly. And third.

[29:54] Thing. That we've already said. That I want to remind people. Is Luke is saying. That God has visited his people. It's not just a great prophet. But the great prophet. The son of God. Jesus.

[30:08] Now the other thing. I want us to see from this. Is we should fear. And glorify God. When we see more. Of who Jesus is. And what he's done. I want to spend. Just a minute. Talking about.

[30:18] How he has. Done. And is. Things that we need to see. I want us to see. First of all. That Jesus is eager.

[30:29] To show compassion. There were a lot of things. That could have kept Jesus. From doing what he did. He had a great crowd of people.

[30:42] Associating with a widow. Was not good. For the upwardly mobile. In that day. Jesus had no problem with that. He was eager to show.

[30:53] Compassion. He did not ask. The woman. If she wanted her son. To be raised from the dead. That the woman did not send. Jesus came.

[31:04] With this laser like focus. And as he. Sees this widow. In need. His. His. Heart fixed upon that widow. And there was nothing.

[31:17] That was going to stop him. Not the. The stigma of associating. With a widow. Not with. Not the. The stigma. Or uncleanness. Of touching. A bear.

[31:28] A stretcher. Not the. Possibility. Of failure. Of commanding him. To rise. And it not happening. Of course. He's the son of God. He wouldn't have. Faced that. But nothing.

[31:39] Kept this. Our Lord. From showing compassion. To this woman. He simply. Saw the hopelessness. Of the woman. Spoke words.

[31:49] Of comfort. To the woman. Stopped the stretcher. Commanded the boy. To be raised. And it happened. His compassion. Was based on.

[32:01] Who he was. Not who she. Or the boy were. And I am so thankful. That when it comes. To building his church. When it comes.

[32:11] To calling people. To come to him. It is. His compassion. Is not based on. Who we are. But who he is. Think back.

[32:24] Through your life. Would Jesus. If you know Christ. Would Jesus. Have chosen you. You know. What you struggle with.

[32:35] You know. How you fail. You know. How you're not. What you wanted to be. Maybe. Would Jesus. Have chosen you. Well. He did. If you know Christ.

[32:47] And it wasn't. Because of who you are. It's because of who he is. And so he has. A spirit. Of compassion.

[32:58] To people. Now. It wasn't just. To this widow. His compassion. We see his compassion. All over the place. Jesus.

[33:08] At one point. In his ministry. Towards the end. Of his ministry. Outside of Jerusalem. Looks at a city. Full of people. The great majority. Of which.

[33:19] Would never turn to him. And he weeps. Oh. Jerusalem. Jerusalem. You who kill the prophets. And stone those. That come to you. Oh.

[33:30] How I wished. I could gather you. To myself. As a hen. Gathers her tricks. And you would not. This heart. Of compassion. Going out. To even people.

[33:41] Who would not. Come to him. This is our Lord. God. Does he have the same. Spirit of compassion. Towards us.

[33:52] After all. It's been. Two thousand years. He is. Certainly. Willing.

[34:02] To show compassion. Towards us. We know that. Because of promises. We know that. Because it's based on. Who he is. And not who we are. Christian.

[34:13] You can be certain. That whatever happens. In your life. Jesus. Has a heart. Of compassion. Towards you. Person. If you're here. You don't know Christ. You can be sure. That Christ.

[34:24] Has compassion. Towards you. And your need of him. He is not willing. That any should perish. But wanting. All to come. To repentance. Jesus has.

[34:34] This heart. Of compassion. But to tie it. To what. Goes on. In our lives.

[34:45] Unfortunately. There are things. That happen. I say. Unfortunately. Only from our perspective. Unfortunately. Things happen. That we wish. Never would happen. And this widow.

[34:57] At name. Is a perfect example. Of it. I don't think. This woman. Trusted Christ. Before this point. I hope. That she did. After. But let's say.

[35:08] For the point. Of example. That she. Was. One. Who had already. Put her faith. In Christ. Was looking. For the one. Who would come. For the sake. Of example.

[35:18] Let's say that. Just like. What happened. With Lazarus. Remember.

[35:28] Mary and Martha's. Response. When Jesus came. Lord. If you've been here. This wouldn't have happened. Will Jesus. So compassion. To me. What if I don't.

[35:40] See God's. Compassion. And for a time. This woman. Didn't. And there are. Many of us. In this group.

[35:51] Who've had. Things happen. That's very. Easy to say. I don't see. God's compassion. At all. What do you do.

[36:04] In those kinds. Of situations. Is. God. Is. Is Jesus. Just like he is. Towards this window. I haven't seen him. Running to me.

[36:15] I haven't seen him. Undoing all the. Terrible things. Of my life. Is he still. Compassionate. To me. Some truths.

[36:26] To hang on to. Job. Did not feel. God's compassion. For a season. What.

[36:37] Would it have been like. To be Job. All. Of your worst. Nightmares. Coming true. In a matter. Of a few days. God.

[36:49] Have you forgotten me. Did I do something wrong. And we know. Because it's stated. Plainly.

[37:00] To begin with. And it's stated. Plainly. At the end. That God. Indeed. Cared. For Job. And he had. Compassion. On Job. All.

[37:14] Through. The dark waters. Of Job's life. God. Was compassionate. Limiting. Supervising. His trials. Granting.

[37:25] Him. Grace. To make it through. Now. He doesn't. Always. Do this. But for Job. He saw. Some. Some. Of God's.

[37:35] Compassion. After. He saw. More. Children. He saw. Himself. Restored. Including. His lands. And riches. But he didn't. He would struggle.

[37:47] He didn't lose. Ten children. And go. Doesn't matter. I got ten more. Job. Will always. Be known. As a man. Who lost. Ten children. Until the day. He died.

[37:58] He may have had. Twenty children. But he was a man. Who lost ten. But God. Was compassionate. And he didn't. See. Some of God's.

[38:09] Compassion. Through his trials. And what God did. At the end. Was not explain it. But show him.

[38:22] Show Job. Himself. If you don't see. God's compassion. In the midst. Of a situation. God. Will show you.

[38:34] Himself. He's powerful. He knows. What he's doing. He's able. To control the world. He's got a plan.

[38:46] And so. I'll remind you. When you're. In a situation. Where your heart. Is breaking. Or you're discouraged. Or you just don't understand. What's going on. Remember his truths.

[38:56] Remember his promises. The Lord is with us. Hebrews. 13. 5. I will never. Leave you. Or forsake you. Isaiah. 41. 10.

[39:07] Fear not. For I am with you. Be not. Dismayed. For I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will make you. Understand everything.

[39:18] I will take away. All your problems. Those are not. In those verses. Fear not. For I am with you. Be not. Dismayed. For I am your God.

[39:28] I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you. With my righteous. Right hand. Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd.

[39:40] I shall not want. We do go through the valley of the shadow of death. Yet. His rod and his staff comfort us. He is with us. Isaiah 43.

[39:51] 1 through 3. But now thus says the Lord. He who created you. O Jacob. He who formed you. All Israel. Fear not. For I have redeemed you.

[40:02] I have called you by name. You are mine. When you pass through the waters. I will be with you. And through the fires. They shall not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire.

[40:14] You shall not be burned. And the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord. Your God. The Holy One of Israel. Your Savior. Does Jesus have compassion.

[40:29] When life is awful. Oh yes he does. Oh yes he does. Does Jesus care. I know he cares. Ephesians 2.

[40:41] 4 and 5. Speak about how Jesus. Has already. Been compassionate to those. Who trust him. But God being rich in mercy. Because of the great love.

[40:52] With which he loved us. Even when we were dead. In our trespasses. Made us alive together. With Christ. By grace you have been saved. You were in that.

[41:04] On that buyer. And God had some. Such compassion on you. He said to you. Live. Live.

[41:15] And you did. He has already. Shown compassion. On you. He will show you compassion. In the future.

[41:26] In so many ways. But I. I liked this selection of verses. Because. It speaks of all. Compassion. Not only to us. But to people around us. 1 Corinthians. 4.

[41:36] 13 to 18. But we do not want you. To be uninformed. Brethren. About those who are asleep. That you may not grieve. As others do. Who have no hope.

[41:46] For since we believe. That Jesus died. And rose again. Even so. Through Jesus. God will bring. With him. Those who have fallen asleep. For this.

[41:58] We declare to you. By a word from the Lord. That we. Who are alive. Who are left. Until the coming of the Lord. Will not precede. Those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself.

[42:08] Will descend from heaven. With a cry of command. And with the voice of the archangel. And the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ. Shall rise first. Then we who are alive.

[42:19] Who are left. Will be caught up together. With them in the clouds. To meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we always be with the Lord. Therefore. Encourage one another. With these words.

[42:30] So he has already been compassionate to us. He is compassionate to us now. He will be compassionate to us. In the future. But it will not just be that last day.

[42:44] Ephesians 2. 6 and 7. We spent some time. In that passage on Wednesday night. This past week. We will see that Jesus will be compassionate to us. For all of eternity.

[42:54] Ephesians 2. 6 and 7. And raised him up. With him. Let's talk about the person that God works in. Raised him up with him. And seated us with him.

[43:05] In the heavenly places. In Christ Jesus. So that in the coming ages. He might show. The immeasurable riches of his grace.

[43:16] In kindness. In Christ Jesus. We talked about how. For all eternity. Jesus is going to be lavishing on.

[43:28] His people. His goodness. His kindness. His compassion. All that we go through now. And I know. I know. There are things in your life.

[43:39] That hurt now. And say. I don't know how. I can even say. I will even not remember this. But. By the promise of God. For all eternity. You will know.

[43:51] The compassion. And grace. And kindness. Of the Lord. He is waiting. That we might be.

[44:01] That he might be. Compassionate towards you. If you don't know Christ. Second Peter 3.9. Says the Lord is. Not slow to fulfill his promise.

[44:12] Talking about coming back. That blessed hope that we have. We don't know when it's going to happen. We're looking forward to the day it happens. But we don't know.

[44:23] And we wonder. When will it be? Will it be soon? Is the slow. Is the Lord slow. Concerning his promise? No. He's patient. Who is he patient towards?

[44:35] Those who don't know him. But is patient towards you. Not wishing that any should perish. Because that all should reach repentance. Jesus is a compassionate God.

[44:49] He is eager to show compassion. He's died on the cross. That he might show compassion. And he offers that.

[45:00] And he waits. And he's not come back yet. And he will. He's waiting. And it might be. For you.

[45:11] Who don't know Christ. To turn. And to see his compassion. Waiting for you. But he won't wait forever. He will not wait forever.

[45:22] Acts 17. 30 to 31. The times of ignorance God overlooked. But now he commands all people everywhere to repent. Because he has fixed the day.

[45:34] On which he will judge the world in righteousness. By a man whom he has appointed. And of this he has given assurance to all. It will happen.

[45:46] He has given assurance to all. By raising Christ from the dead. Because Jesus has risen from the dead. There is coming a day of judgment.

[45:58] He is patient now. He is compassionate now. If you don't know Christ as Savior. That compassion is for you. But there is coming a day. A day he is appointed.

[46:08] And it will surely happen. Because Christ is risen from the dead. And there will be judgment. If you do not receive that compassion. If you do not trust in the work of Christ.

[46:20] For the sin that we are guilty of in ourselves. Then you will face that judgment. And you will know. An eternity.

[46:31] Of not seeing God's compassion. There will be no compassion in hell. Like the rich man. Who begged Lazarus. For drops of water on his tongue.

[46:44] And Abraham answered back and says. No. No. You are there. We are here. No one will cross. Compassion. Stops.

[46:58] After the judgment. Now. For individuals. It stops at death. There will be no second chance. God won't raise everybody and say.

[47:08] Yeah. I will give you this one last chance. No. You decide now. Who you will trust in. Our God.

[47:21] Is a God of compassion. He showed it to this widow woman. And we. Like I say. May well never see. Sons and daughters raised.

[47:34] But God is compassionate. He has been. He will be. He will be for all eternity. To those who trust Christ as Savior. Let's pray.

[47:45] Thank you. Thank you. Father. For. This. Beautiful picture of Christ. Thank you. That. It points to the fact.

[47:55] The work he has done. He is willing. To provide for us. We can be those people. And will be those people. As we trust. In him.

[48:06] That when the shout. Goes forward. We will rise. Lord. We. Look forward to that day. We thank you for your patience.

[48:17] We thank you. That you have been patient. That more might come to know you. I pray that today. Those who don't know you here. Would not waste that time. There's a day. Judge. Of judgment fix.

[48:27] Pray that they would not. Waste that time. But come to you. And see and know. Your compassion. And pray your blessing. In Jesus name. Amen.