The Lord wants to use His disciples as instruments of His compassion toward suffering and needy people? But, in order to be used of God, we must make ourselves available to Him, give whatever we have to Him, and give out whatever we have received from Him.
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Christ’s Instruments Of Compassion
Luke 9:10-17
One of the things I find truly astounding about God is that He is compassionate. Now, it doesn’t strike me as being particularly surprising that God is All-Powerful or Sovereign or All-Knowing. I would expect those things of a Creator God. But, what I do find astounding about God is that He is Compassionate! Think of it – He actually feels our pain! Now, I suppose that it really shouldn’t surprise me, because He made human beings in His image, and we have the ability to show compassion toward others. You know, if God were All-Mighty, All-Knowing, and Sovereign, but had no compassion, we would all be damned to hell. The reason any of us are saved today, is because we have a compassionate God. He feels our pain in His heart. The Lord looked down on the multiplied millions of ignorant, deceived, deluded human beings who were dead in sin, and headed for eternal destruction. And He did the unthinkable. He felt compassion for them! It was His compassion that caused Him to send Jesus Christ to become a man, live, suffer, die, and be raised from the dead to save lost sinners. Who are we to evoke compassion from such great a Being?! David said, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; what is man that You take thought of Him, and the son of Man that You care for him?” (Ps.8:3-4).
In our passage this morning, we are going to see our God’s great compassion for men in a fresh and wonderful way. Not only are we going to see the compassion of God, but we are going to see that He has called us, His disciples, to be instruments of His compassion in a world filled with misery and suffering. The title of this message today is “Christ’s Instruments Of Compassion.” Now, Luke doesn’t even mention the word compassion, but Matthew and Mark do. In Mark 6:34 it says, “When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and He began to teach them many things.”
There are three ways that Jesus demonstrated compassion in this passage.
1. He showed compassion on those who needed Divine truth. Verse 11 says, “He began speaking to them about the kingdom of God…” Jesus felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Sheep desperately need a shepherd to lead them, feed them, and protect them. So, Jesus took up the role of a Shepherd, and began to feed this multitude with Divine truth. He spoke to them about the Kingdom of God. Remember, that was the theme of Jesus’ preaching wherever He went. He proclaimed that He was the King, He had a kingdom, and He was permitting others to enter that kingdom if they would throw down their weapons of rebellion and unconditionally surrender to His sovereign rule. If they were admitted to the Kingdom, they would find forgiveness of sins, and everlasting life.
2. He showed compassion for those who needed Divine healing. Verse 11 goes on to say, “…and curing those who had need of healing.” Jesus not only showed compassion for those who had a spiritual need. He also showed compassion on those who had a physical need. And, remember who this multitude was made up of. In John 6 we discover that this crowd was very fickle. At first they followed Jesus because of the healings He was performing. Then, later they followed Him because He was able to multiply the loaves of bread and feed them. When Jesus used the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 to teach them that He was the Living bread that came down from heaven, and that they must eat of His flesh and drink of His blood, many of the disciples withdrew and weren’t walking with Him anymore. Jesus didn’t teach and heal only those He knew would repent and believe and worship Him. He taught and healed many people who would never repent and follow Him in truth.
3. He showed compassion for those who needed divine provision. This multitude had followed Jesus to a desolate and secluded place. They were near Bethsaida, on the Northeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. They were out on a hillside away from any village or people. The place must have been beautiful. It was most likely in the Spring. Mark tells us they sat down on green grass. They were in an area that was uninhabited, away from any town or village. In their excitement they hadn’t thought to bring food, and now they had been with Jesus for most of the day. The people were hungry, and Jesus’ heart went out to them.
Now, I want you to notice that Jesus enlisted His disciples as His instruments of compassion. He felt compassion for them because they were hungry and He wanted to meet their need. The disciples answer to the problem was for Jesus to send them away to a village nearby where they could buy find food and find some lodging. Jesus’ answer to the problem was for them to become His instruments of compassion and feed them.
This is a very important miracle. We know that because it is the only miracle Jesus performed which is recorded in all four gospel accounts. In this story we find a timeless truth – Jesus wants to use us as His instruments of compassion to meet the needs of others. In order for Him to be able to use us in this way, there are three things that we must do.
1. We Must Make Ourselves Available To Him
In Luke 9:10 it says, “Taking them with Him, He withdrew by Himself to a city called Bethsaida.” Now, that really doesn’t explain the situation thoroughly. In order to understand what’s going on here, we need to read from Mark 6:31-32, “And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) They went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves.” So, the situation is that Jesus’ disciples are tired and needed to rest. The crowds were so vast, and their needs were so great, that the disciples didn’t even have time to eat a meal. They had just gotten back from the missions trip Jesus had sent them on, and they were spent. They needed some R&R. Not only did Jesus have compassion on the multitudes, He had compassion on His disciples, and so took them off in a boat to a secluded part of the lake where they could get away from the crowds and rest a while. However, the people got wind of His plans, and set out on foot. So, by the time Jesus and His disciples had arrived at their secluded vacation spot, they got off the boat to meet thousands of people!
Don’t you suspect that Jesus’ disciples may have been a bit frustrated and irritated with the people? I think so. I think it comes out in how they talked to the Lord. In verse 12 they said to Jesus, “Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and get something to eat; for here we are in a desolate place.” There are a couple of things about their dialogue with Jesus we need to take note of. First of all, they are commanding Jesus! Their brashness comes across here. Of course, it was not their place to order the Lord to do anything, but that’s exactly what we find them doing. Secondly, I think I detect a note of irritation in what they said – “send the crowd away!” “Lord, get them out of here. This is supposed to be our little vacation. We need some rest. Lord, send them away so we can rest and enjoy ourselves.” But the Lord was asking them to give up their desires and plans in order to accomplish His desires and plans – showing compassion for others.
Have you ever felt like the disciples? Have you ever wanted some time to yourself, just a little R&R, but the Lord is calling you to deny yourself and serve others? Maybe it was someone in your family who needed your help, or a person in your church who was sick and needed a meal or a visit in the hospital. You had just settled back in your recliner with a treat and a good book and were planning on staying there for the rest of the afternoon. Oh, it’s very easy to be frustrated and irritable in times like that, isn’t it? Of course, the problem is that we are thinking solely of ourselves, and the Lord is thinking of others! Further, the Lord wants to use us to be His instruments of compassion in meeting the needs of others. But in order for Him to be able to use us, we must make ourselves available to Him. Basically, that means we must be willing for Him to interrupt our desires or plans in order to accomplish His desires and plans. How are you doing in that area? How available are you to the Lord? Are you only available to Him when it is convenient for you? Are you only available to the Lord when you don’t have anything better to do? When the Lord taps you on the shoulder and tells you to show compassion for someone who is hurting, do you whine and moan and feel sorry for yourself? You know it’s times like that that show us how selfish we are, isn’t it? It is times like that which reveal how self-centered we are. We need to tell ourselves, “It’s not all about me!” Really, life is all about serving God. And if this is what my God wants me to do right now, then that is the best thing I can be doing. So, let’s get up and get going!
2. We Must Give Whatever We Have To Him
When Jesus told them that they must give the multitude something to eat, they were flabbergasted. They responded, “Lord, that’s impossible. We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people” (Lk. 9:13).
We know from John’s gospel, that Andrew had found a lad who had five loaves and two fish, but that was all. That’s all the food they could find in that entire crowd. Now, five loaves and two fish sound like a lot of food, doesn’t it? I mean, we picture two forty pound salmons and five large, full loaves of bread. However, that’s not what this boy had. This was his lunch, that his mama had made to tide him over until dinner. The loaves were barley cakes. They were small little biscuits, kind of like crackers. The fish would have been small fish, salted and pickled, about the size of sardines. This was more like a snack, than a big meal. This was barely enough food to curb the hunger of a little boy, let alone the appetite of a vast crowd of people!
Now, notice the size of the crowd. Luke tells us there were about 5,000 men. Matthew tells us that there were 5,000 men, apart from women and children. Now, let’s do some quick math. Let’s say there were as many women as men. All of a sudden, our 5,000 has grown to 10,000. Now, let’s say there are two children for each couple. That brings our total to 20,000. Folks, there could easily have been 20,000 people on that Galilean shore that day! According to Mark, Jesus asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go look!” Jesus wanted them to take stock of their resources. The Lord wanted them to count up what they had to work with, so that they could see the situation was humanly impossible.
When the disciples took stock of the situation, they concluded it was impossible. They could only come up with five loaves and two fish, and that could only feed one person, not 20,000. Further, even if they went out and spent everything they had in their coffers, that would have been 200 day’s wages, which still would not have been enough to satisfy so many people.
You know, the Lord will often command us to do the impossible. St. Augustine once said, “Lord, command what You will, and give what You command.” What a great prayer. We recognize that it is the Lord’s right to command whatever He wants, even if it is humanly impossible. And, you know what, the Lord commands people to do the impossible all the time. He commands lost sinners to repent and believe the gospel. However, the Bible teaches us that sinners in their lost and fallen condition can’t do that! They are dead in trespasses and sins. The Lord commands sinners to come to Him. However, it is also true that “no one can come to Jesus unless the Father draws him.” The Lord commands us to conquer our sins, subdue our lusts, love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, rejoice in suffering, discipline our children with consistency, firmness, and love, lay down our lives for our wives, and be bold witnesses to all the lost people around us. We look at His commands and say, “Lord, I’m sorry, but that’s impossible!” And, of course, it is. But that doesn’t matter in the least to the Lord. He can take impossible situations, and make them possible through His power and grace.
So, what was it that the Lord required of them in this situation? He required that they go and gather up all the food they could find and give it to Him. And, that’s exactly what they did. They took all the food they could find, five loaves and two fish, and they gave it to Jesus. It was a pitiful amount compared to the great need. But that was all the Lord asked them to do.
My friends, that is what the Lord is asking you to do today. He is asking you to take whatever you have and give it to Him. Consecrate and devote what you have to the Master, for His use. So, what do you have? You’ve got 24 hours in a day. Have you consecrated your time to Him? Have you told the Lord, “I realize I am your slave, and this is not really my time. It’s yours, to do with what You will. I surrender you my time, and ask that You would show me how You want me to use Your time.” If we really did that, we might find that we waste a whole lot less time on self-entertainment, and a whole lot more time on compassionately serving others!
Well, what else do you have? You’ve got some money and possessions, right? Well, take all of that to the Lord and consecrate it to Him. It’s not yours anyway, right? Your home, car, clothes, food, bank accounts, investments, are all His. He has simply enlisted you to be the manager of His money and possessions. Have you ever truly devoted all of your money to Him, and asked Him to direct you as to how He wants you to use it. If we really did that, we might find that we would waste a whole lot less money on frivolous things on ourselves, and would be spending a whole lot more money on others and getting the gospel to lost and perishing sinners!
What about your abilities and gifts? Has He gifted you musically? Has He gifted you with the ability to teach the Bible? Has He given you the ability to provide leadership or in financial management, or to use technology? Whatever you can do, whatever you are good at, take those things to the Lord and ask Him to show you how you can use those abilities for His glory. For example, if you are a gifted musician, ask the Lord how you can use that ability to bless God’s people, and reach lost people with the gospel.
So, not only must we make ourselves available to the Lord, but we must give whatever we have to the Lord.
3. We Must Give Out Whatever We Receive From Him
Notice verses 14-16, “He said to His disciples, “Have them sit down to eat in groups of about fifty each.” They did so, and had them all sit down. Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the people.”
They gave whatever they had to Him. But then, they gave out to others whatever they received from Him. Notice verse 16. It says that Jesus kept giving them to the disciples to set before the people. He took five biscuits and two sardines, and broke them up and started giving the food to the disciples. But, here’s the kicker. He just kept giving out more and more. After they had given away everything He had given to them, they had to come back and get more. Jesus didn’t create a huge pile of bread and fish. No, He required that they keep coming back to get more from His hands. In doing so, Jesus was making His disciples continually dependent on Him. And isn’t that like the Lord?!
In reality, the only thing we can give out to others is what He has already given to us, right? Really, the only thing I can give to you each Sunday, is what I have received from Jesus during the week. The apostle Paul knew that. He said in 1 Cor. 11:23, “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you.” If the Lord doesn’t give me anything from His Word, I won’t have a thing to give you on Sunday morning. That’s why I desperately need you to be praying for me during the week! You won’t have any godly counsel to give to hurting people, unless the Lord first gives His wisdom to you. You won’t be able to provide healing for others, unless the Lord grants you gifts of healing to give to them.
If you want to be used of the Lord here on Sunday mornings, then you need to be seeking the Lord during the week, and asking Him to give you something that you can distribute to His people, just like the disciples did. Are you in prayer during the week, pouring over the Word, asking Jesus to use you as His instrument of compassion in the lives of others? When you go to your Missional Community, do you pray and ask God to give you something so that you can bless others? Folks, we have nothing of ourselves to give others. The only things of eternal value that we can impart to others are those things that Jesus first gives us. So, this teaches us that we need to be constantly going back to the Lord in prayer that He might fill us up with His blessings, so that we can distribute them to others.
Conclusion
Now, let’s notice how the story ends. Verse 17 says, “And they all ate and were satisfied; and the broken pieces which they had left over were picked up, twelve baskets full.”
The word “satisfied” is a Greek word that can also be translated as “to eat one’s fill, to be glutted, or gorged.” This vast multitude of people didn’t just have a little snack. They ate, and ate, and ate, until they couldn’t eat another bite. And don’t you know that this was the best tasting bread and fish they had ever eaten in their lives! This was bread and fish that came directly from the creative hand of Christ. It was not tainted in any way with sin. It didn’t come from a fallen, sin-cursed world. It came directly from God’s holy hands.
Then, notice the results. The disciples picked up twelve baskets full of leftovers! They started out with five biscuits and two sardines, a small portion of one basket. They ended up with 12 full baskets! Each one of those disciples came back lugging a full basket. They had been busy serving the people, but the Lord hadn’t forgot to provide for them. Each one had a full basket of fish and chips to enjoy! Friends, when we give up our rights to rest and relax, and instead willingly serve others with the Lord’s compassion, He will always be faithful to provide for us what we need! Haven’t you found that to be true! We can never outgive God. Even in our giving, we will find that we are the receivers.
So, how does the story end? The disciples put into His hands all that they had. He took it, blessed it, broke it, and gave it back. And now that pitiful supply was made sufficient to feed thousands! Jesus miraculously provided. Jesus took that which was inadequate, and insufficient, and made it adequate and sufficient for the needs of the masses. Without His blessing, the disciples would not have been able to feed the people. Jesus said, “apart from Me, you can do nothing.” This story teaches that sobering truth. But it is also true, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
This week, focus on 3 simple truths:
1. Make yourself available to the Lord.
2. Give whatever you have to the Lord.
3. Give out whatever you have received from the Lord.
Let’s pray.
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