27th Mar 26 | 16:08
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02 Acts 14 08-20 THE MINISTRY AT LYSTRA 45 Acts 14 15-17 Carrying the compassion of Jesus
📖 Acts 14:08-20
45 – Fri, 05 Dec 2025 – *Carrying the compassion of Jesus*- _Acts 14:08-20_ – THE MINISTRY AT LYSTRA – _Matthew 09:36-38_
_Acts 14:15-17 and saying, "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, (16) who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. (17) *Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.*"_
As evil continues, let us remember that it is not because God ignores sin, but because His mercy gives man time to repent. As disciples, we imitate this mercy, showing patience and forgiveness even when judgment feels justified.
_Exodus 34:6-7 And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, (7) keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation."_
He does not clear the guilty, but He pardons those who repent before Him. The mercy of God does not give man the license to continue in sin. _Romans 2:4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?_
This is God’s warning for all of us. _Hebrews 10:26-31 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. (28) Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. (29) Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? (30) For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE." (31) It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God._
When people turn from their evil ways, the Lord relents from His anger. _Jonah 3:10 Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it._ / _I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to *cleanse us from all unrighteousness*._
Here are other passages on the character of God. _Micah 7:18-19 Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy. (19) He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea._ / _Psalms 145:8-9 The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy. (9) The LORD is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works._
Paul shows us how, through the blood of Jesus, the Lord God is providing a way for man, who is rebelling against Him, to return to Him and be saved from His wrath. _Romans 5:6-9 For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (7) For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. (8) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (9) Much more then, *having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him*._
Knowing the character and nature of God, we, as the church, are expected to reach out in love to those who continue in their evil and wicked ways. We are called to be perfect in Christ. _Matthew 5:44-45 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, (45) *that you may be sons of your Father in heaven*; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust._ / _Matthew 5:48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect._
Our hearts must be filled with the same love of Jesus who came to seek and save the lost. _Luke 19:10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."_ / _Luke 5:32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."_
This is the compassion of Jesus that we carry in our hearts as His labourers. _Matthew 9:36-38 But when He saw the multitudes, *He was moved with compassion for them*, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. (37) Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. (38) Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."_