Dear HBIC Family,

I have been thinking a lot about God’s compassion lately. God’s compassion is more than a characteristic; it also reveals God’s actual character. Compassion is more than what God does; being compassionate is who God is. Isaiah said that God rises to show compassion. Jeremiah lamented at tragedy and loss, and then praised God’s great love that keeps us from being consumed and God’s compassion that never fails. David cried out for God’s mercy and asked for forgiveness because of God’s compassion. 

Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of God. The gospels tell Jesus’ story, and there, in Jesus, we continue to see God’s compassion in action. Jesus had compassion on helpless and harassed crowds. Jesus had compassion on the blind and the burdened. Jesus’ compassion led to Him to heal the sick, feed the hungry, and make the lame walk and the mute speak. Even in his death, it was the compassion of Jesus that conquered that enemy forever.

God’s compassion moves God to act on our behalf. We see this in the Scriptures, and we see this in our lives. It is God’s compassion that meets us at our lowest of lows. It is God’s compassion that brings us out of darkness and into the light. It is God’s compassion that moves us from despair and destruction to hope and healing. 

This week as we continue our Good News for the Lost sermon series through the book of Luke, we see Jesus’ compassion that compels him to raise up the dead son of a widow from Nain. This is the first of three times that Jesus brings the dead to life. While death is yet to be ultimately defeated forever, even now, we can praise our God, for his compassion raises dead to life!!!

As you prepare for this week’s service, I would like to invite you to read and meditate on Luke 7:11-17. As you reflect, I would like to ask you to focus on the following questions:

• How do you define compassion?
• How have you experienced God’s compassion?
• How has God called you to show compassion?
• Where do you sense the need for God’s compassion to be present in our world?
• To whom is God calling you to show compassion?
• How is God’s compassion moving you to praise this week?

I love that even before the cross, Jesus moved to strike severe blows at death itself. Though this boy, Jairus’ daughter, and Lazarus, would all again one day die – in raising them up, Jesus showed that death is a defeatable enemy. In so doing, Jesus showed us that our pain, grief, and loss is real – but it is also passing, temporary, and not the final word. I love that our God raises the dead to life!! Praise the Lord. 

While it’s easy to look around and see all the ways death and destruction may be winning, we must hold on to hope. While all of us are dally reminded or touched by the pain of loved ones who have passed on, we remember and look forward to being with them again. Sisters and brothers, we do not grieve without hope; and even before Jesus comes, we live today – God still raises the dead to life. 

God bless you all!

Love in Christ,

Pastor Hank (Luke 7:13)