Throughout the accounts of Jesus’ earthly ministry we see the phrase “moved with compassion”.

In Matthew 14:14 we read that when Jesus saw the multitudes He “was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick” (KJV). Love moved Him to action.

In some translations the phrase “moved with compassion” is translated as “moved with pity and sympathy”. Those translations lose some of the original meaning. Pity and sympathy are feelings one feels toward another in a sad or difficult situation. In the case of pity and sympathy, you may be moved in your feelings, but they won’t move you into action. Compassion is when you are moved by love to do something about that person or persons’ situation. Jesus didn’t just feel sorry for people, He was moved to help them out of their situation.

Before we see the miracles of Jesus, we first see Him being moved with compassion.

Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. (KJV)

He was moved with compassion and it led to the miracle where he fed the four thousand with just seven loaves of bread. This compassion, this love, preceded His miracles.

And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened. So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him. (KJV)

And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.

In Mark 5 we see Jesus deliver the mad man from the demonic oppression of a legion of demons. And Jesus said to the man, “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee” (KJV).

And one of my favorite accounts is found in Luke chapter 7. The miracle is definitly exciting, but I like to also picture the tender love of Jesus toward this widow woman.

Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow… And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. (Luke 7:12-15, KJV)

Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:8). He still is moved with compassion today. We are now His hands and His feet in this earth (1 Cor 12:27). Let compassion move you.

And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name… they shalll lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover… And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. (Mark 16:17, 18, 20; KJV)

Just last Saturday myself and two other members of our ministry team allowed ourselves to be moved with compassion. We held a Bible study at 8 o’clock in the morning in a local prison. The ladies were blessed by the message. Broken hearts were healed. And three ladies were instantly healed of physical problems with obvious and complete changes in their physical conditions. This isn’t theory. This is love in action.