Gleans from Monday Bible Study with Pastor (Dr) W.F Kumuyi.
DLBC Old Ajegunle
30th September 2019
Study 30 – CHRIST’S COMPASSION AND CONCERN FOR THE FAINTING AND FORGETFUL
Text – Mark 8:1-21; Job 23:12
The Lord Jesus Christ came to this world for a purpose: to call sinners out of their sins and those in the shadow of darkness to light to receive forgiveness, salvation, freedom and be prepared for Heaven. To accomplish this He preached the word of God unto them and taught them many things. They came to Him from different places and would spend a day, a night, three or more days so that He can impart the word of God unto them. “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat” (Mark 8:2). Can you think about yourself attending a Church retreat, conference or going to a camp, and just hearing the word of God for three days without food? Yet these people because they were so passionate to hear the word of God, there was no complaint, criticism nor murmuring from them. There are people today that complain about things like the weather, time, food, water and physical structure of the church. But these people came to the Lord in the wilderness and were so interested in the teaching of the Word that those inconveniences mattered not to them at all. I pray that the spirit of murmuring and complaining will get out of our lives in Jesus’ name. This great multitude sought and came to the Lord, and the faithful Saviour, Shepherd and Teacher taught them the way of life and salvation. The crowds didn’t demand for anything from the Lord; it was Christ Himself that took the initiative to provide food for them. I pray that you will allow the Lord Himself at the right time to do His will for you and your family in Jesus’ name. This is the right attitude we need to have, that in our lives and church, no murmuring. There are those who without expected convenience at the Retreat will go back; but Job said, “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12). That was the multitude’s attitude; they esteemed, exalted and honoured the words of Christ more than their necessary food. And Jesus had compassion on them, provided necessary food for them. He took care of their spiritual and physical wellbeing. If he were here today he would do the same. Tonight, you will not miss your blessing and teaching as you are open to receive the word of God in Jesus’ name. Many people forget what Christ had done in their lives in the past, from the chapter one of their salvation; praying, receiving and their experiences with the Lord, and when new problems come, they forget the promises and provisions of God. You will not be a forgetful hearer. As you hear, you will keep, meditate and hold on to what you have heard, and the word of God will do good in your life in Jesus’ name.
3 points:
Point 1. HIS COMPASSION FOR FAINTING SOULS
Mark 8:1-9; Matthew 9:36-38; Mark 6:34; Matthew 14:14; Mark 1:40-42; Micah 7:18-19; Deuteronomy 30:2-3,6; Luke 15:18-20; Mark 9:22-24; Psalms 148:8-9
“And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?” (Mark 8:4). They were in the wilderness and had forgotten the provision of God for the three million Israelites in the wilderness for forty years. You will not forget, all God did in the Bible days. He is able and willing to do same today for He has not changed. Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour is the same yesterday, today and forever and He will do something in your life today. “And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets” (Mark 8:6-8). Do you notice that Christ and His disciples had not eaten at this time, but His compassion made Him to care for the people more than Himself. Actually, He came to sacrifice everything He had and His very life for us, so that the people of the world can come to the Lord. Christ is thinking about you and will provide every need of your life, in Jesus’ name. He blessed the bread and fishes and gave to His disciples to give to the people. Here we have a problem with present day workers in the church who are selfish, unfaithful, and want to take care of their own needs first before serving the people. Others first, and God will supply the needs of your life. Be faithful; seek first the kingdom of God, and all other things will be added to your life. He cared not only for their physical needs, but He saved, healed and delivered them. There are additions and multiplications coming into your life, and the Lord will do it in Jesus’ name. “And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away” (Mark 8:9). Christ did a lot by His compassion; He took care of the needs of the body, soul and spirit. If all they had was the bread and fishes He provided for them, would that take them to Heaven? No! And if all that you have are just the mundane things of this world, the provisions for the body only, they are not enough to get you into Heaven; you need the provision for the soul as well otherwise you will be the most miserable. But thank God, you will have more than the needs of the body because His compassion fails not. “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). Whenever He saw the multitudes, He saw beyond their physical needs; they needed to be harvested from the field of sin, into the Kingdom of God. That was his compassion on them. Our compassion does not stop at dealing with the needs of the body, but we go beyond and meet the needs of the soul. “And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things” (Mark 6:34). When Jesus teaches you repentance, how to turn from darkness to the light, come out of the clutches of the devil and into the very hands of the Saviour and be saved, and how to get to Heaven when you die, that is compassion. Don’t limit His compassion to only food, but extend it to teaching the word of God. We have compassion in this Church to teach the totality of the word of God and the doctrines of Christ on repentance, hell, heaven, salvation, sanctification, good family life, parenting and raising godly children, living righteous lives; not just your physical needs. May we not miss the essence of Christ’s compassion. Prayer can do everything in our lives that money cannot do. Teaching the word of God builds your faith, for faith comes by hearing the Word of God, and that is compassion. The compassion of the Lord Jesus Christ has many branches, teaching, food, deliverance, forgiveness, healing the sick, (Matthew 14:14); so don’t limit His compassion to just one branch. ”And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed” (Mark 1:42). The need of this leper was not food but cleansing. Understand that the compassion of Christ is like a river with many streams flowing from it, and wherever or whatever are your needs, His stream of compassion will flow to you and the manifestation will be, immediately, tonight. When God forgives you and bundles all your sins and cast them into the sea of forgetfulness never to be remembered anymore; when Christ prayed and atoned for your sins on the Cross, and now you are free, your conscience, mind and heart freed, and you have the peace of God, that is compassion. Salvation is the result of the compassion of the Lord (Micah 7:19). Christ feeds the hungry, heals the sick, forgives the sinner, and gives salvation to the lost, all as a result of His compassion. ”That then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee” (Deuteronomy 30:3). Every yoke is broken, and every bondage taken away as a result of the compassion of Christ. ”And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live” (Deuteronomy 30:6). The compassion of the Lord sanctifies us as well. He knows that without holiness no man shall see the Lord. So He forgives our sins, heals our bodies, provides us bread, delivers us from captivity, breaks every yoke and all the fetters that bind us, sanctifies and circumcises our hearts. What you cannot do for yourself, to save, sanctify and make holy, He does that, and removes that Adamic nature and depravity of the heart out of compassion. I pray that the compassion of the Lord will not be limited in our lives and church, and we will have proper understanding of His word, in Jesus’ name. Backslider, your problems are not solved with food to satisfy your hunger but your returning back to the Lord to seek His compassion for your restoration and pardon, and like the prodigal son, a new life will come to you once again (Luke 15:18). The restoration, forgiveness of the backslider who had gone astray is out of compassion, “And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him” (Luke 15:20). If you are a backslider here tonight, the Lord loves you and He want to restore you. ”And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us” (Mark 9:22). The power that sets a lunatic free is the compassion of the Lord. It brings total deliverance that the devils and demons cannot touch you anymore. As you believe tonight in your life, for your family and all your ones, all things are possible to him that believes (Mark 9:23). Lord I believe! How many people will God have compassion on? “The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works” (Psalm 145:8-9). The compassion of the Lord is coming to you. I receive mine today