Each of the gospel accounts portray different dimensions of the Lord’s ministry. Through Mark’s narrative, the shortest and quickest moving gospel account, we see the unique rhythm of Jesus moving and flowing as an active compassionate servant of our Heavenly Father. He shows us through compassion—love applied—how to love God and love mankind through serving God and serving others.
In fact we see this in the very opening of Mark’s gospel through the immediate use of the power phrase, “Jesus, moved with compassion” (Mark 1:41). Yes, being moved with compassion expresses the paramount rhythm in which Jesus walked, taught and ministered. We see this phrase, “moved with compassion” three other times throughout the gospels: Mark 6:34; Matthew 9:36 and 14:14.
We also see and sense the undercurrent of how the Lord expresses compassion through His detailed teaching about God’s ways in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). We see Jesus showing us how to know and value God’s higher ways, see and understand God’s higher truths and live God’s higher life—through compassion and a sacrificial disposition.
It takes reading and meditating upon the topics found in the Sermon on the Mount through the lens of love and humility. As we do, we see how Jesus shows us how to see God and people—and live life—through the lens and heart of love, and move in the rhythm of God’s love, His compassion.
Jesus finally demonstrates this rhythm of compassion through His ultimate sacrifice—the self-sacrifice of His life. On the very Cross He became our “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:30). But in the midst of the crowd shouting, “crucify Him, crucify Him” He pours out the depth of His compassion, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34).
So, how can we walk in such love? Paul, the transformed once biggest persecutor of believers in Jesus, shows us the way. Through his teaching in Romans 12 he illustrates how we can live and walk in the rhythm expressing God’s love through compassion; by grace through faith living in a sacrificial lifestyle.
He makes his point succinctly as he encourages us to live, being “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). He illustrates how we do this; “according to the grace that is given to us” (Romans 12:6). It is ours for the asking—and believing. Thank you, Lord for grace!
Truly, God’s grace flowing through the active presence of the Holy Spirit provides the enabling, empowering ability to be a living sacrifice. It’s how we exert compassion, expressing the many dimensions of the love of God flowing in and through us. Yes, through God’s grace we can face situations where we can crucify our pride and in humility and love, forfeit self-serving and self-exalting attitudes and motivations and be a living sacrifice for God towards others.
Yes, such heartfelt compassion brings us beyond our fleshly tendencies and capacities. It stretches our capacity through our identity in Christ. Lord, we need Your grace! We pray for that grace and faith to walk in this higher rhythm of compassion and sacrifice!
REFLECTION
In what ways do you see being a living sacrifice to help you walk in God’s grace of compassion?
What fruit do you think you will realize through such adjustments?