We are rapidly approaching one of the greatest days on the Christian calendar, Resurrection Sunday. It’s a day when we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior, marking the enemy’s defeat. No longer does the enemy have control over people with his enforced slavery. We were once captives but are now free by the victory of Jesus made available to us through His resurrection. It is a time to celebrate our victory in Him, but we should also reflect on the enormity of His sacrifice.
Jesus came to earth leaving all of the splendor and glories of heaven. He was willing to come and lay His life down even for a people that would brutally mock Him, abuse Him, and even forget about Him in future generations. What would move someone to give so much to a people that may appreciate it so very little? The answer lies in three words often used to express our Savior’s motivation. He was “moved with compassion.” The word compassion is defined as “to have sympathy or pity,” but is also defined as “to have the bowels yearn.” In modern vernacular it is the same to say, “to feel it in your core” or “to be moved from the guts.” When Jesus came, everything from His very core was eager to sacrifice for us, not because we were so wonderful, but because He yearned to give us a chance, an opportunity to be free from the enemy’s captivity.
We see another illustration of compassion at work in a parable about debt found in Matthew 18. In the story Jesus told, a large debt was being collected from a master. When his servant fell down and asked for forgiveness, the master granted it because “he was moved with compassion for the servant.” Yet that same servant went to collect a small debt from another. When this servant was approached with the same plea from the one owing him, he would not forgive. When the master found out about the servant’s lack of compassion and forgiveness, he had the servant bound and turned over to torment. The difference between the master and servant was not in their ability or opportunity. The difference was in their willingness to move with compassion and forgive another.
This Resurrection Season, let’s take a moment to reflect on how eager our Savior was to leave His heavenly position to demonstrate the Father’s willingness to forgive us. He was moved from His very core on our behalf even though we wouldn’t always remember the depth of His sacrifice. It is a good time to share with others the compassion He shared with us. If He is willing to give His all to make forgiveness available for every one of our wrongdoings, shouldn’t we be willing to forgive one another? There is nothing that has been done to us that could be accurately compared to what He endured. During this special time let’s endeavor to take a moment to thank Him for having compassion on us and then stir up compassion for one another and FORGIVE. It is the only way to avoid torment.
Be blessed and have a very special Resurrection Season.
Pastor Jerry and Trudy