Tell Me the Story of Jesus, Part 2

Tell Me the Story of Jesus, Part 2

The story of Jesus is THE STORY OF HIS COMPASSION.   Compassion means “a feeling of sorrow or pity for the sufferings of another; sympathy” (American College Dictionary).

Compassion is required of Christians.  It was found in the lives of Hebrew Christians, who “had compassion on those in prison …” (Hebrews 10:34).   Paul wrote that Christians should “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts …’ (Colossians 3:12)

That spirit of compassion Christians must develop is exemplified in Jesus.  In numerous places in the history of his earthly sojourn he is depicted as being compassionate.  Jesus “had compassion for” the crowds, because they were harassed and helpless, Matthew 9:36; “had compassion” on a great crowd and healed their sick, 14:14; said “I have compassion on the crowd because they … have nothing to eat”, 15:32; he “had compassion on” the grieving widow whose only son had died; he raised him from the dead, Luke 7:11-15.  In his teaching he often used parables, and in two – the parable of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:33, and the prodigal son, Luke 15:20, the central character is specifically compassionate.observe the distress of others.  Someone may object, “I can’t correct all the sad situations in the world”, and that is true; and fortunately, that is not required of us.  We just need to be sensitive to the situations we observe, and be prepared to do what we can.  As Jesus was, we must be “kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).

The story of Jesus is THE STORY OF HIS INCARNATION. Incarnation is “assumption of human form or nature, as by a divine being: the incarnation of God in Christ” (American College Dictionary).  John 1:1 has it, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”.  Drop down to verse fourteen and read, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth”.  So, God became man. 

Did you ever wonder how Jesus could live thirty-three years, and never sin one time?  Perplexed by the awareness of my sins, I figured that he, having come from heaven, remembered what it was like there, and thus was able to rise above earthly temptation by thinking about that.  But, no; that is not the explanation of Jesus’ sinlessness. 

He “in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).  Tempted as we are.  When we are tempted, we have a choice to make; so Jesus, tempted as we are, had to choose.  He never made the wrong choice!  How did he do it?   Any explanation of his sinlessness which involves his deity, is a wrong explanation.  The Bible teaches that Christ “suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.  He committed no sin … “(I Peter 2:21, 22).  If Jesus did not sin because he was God, he was no example for man, who is not God.

How then did he live without sin?  He was tempted (Matthew 4:1-11), but he did not yield, because he was not tempted more than he could bear.  What is written in I Corinthians 10:13 explains Jesus’ sinlessness and our guilt, because we are not tempted more than we can bear, either. “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.  God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape that you may be able to endure it.”  Jesus was sinless because he did not have to yield to temptation, and he did not yield. Man is sinful because he did not have to yield to temptation, but he yielded.

Pat Farish