Study 4: Compassion for the Lost

Pray

Lift up your city, town or village to the Lord. Ask him to increase your love for the lost.

Review

Take ten minutes to review how you got on with the actions you commited to in the previous few studies. Think about the following questions:

• Have I been doing what I committed to doing?
• How is it going?
• What is bringing me joy in the process?

Read

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd

Matthew 9: 36 (NLT)

Reflect

• What does this verse tell me about Jesus?
• What does this verse tell me about myself?

Jesus desire to reach the lost arose from his love for them, not from the desire to build his own kingdom. Reaching the lost is for their benefit, not to grow our congregations.

Working with others is always hard. It is easier to criticize than it is to understand people. Broken people often behave in ways which make them hard to love, and yet every individual is created in the image of God.

Practice: Having Compassion

• Loving people for who they are, even if they seem unlovable
• Allowing our heart to be broken for the lost

Action

Reflecting on the practice and the questions below write down at least one thing you will do (or stop doing) this week

• How can you meet people you wouldn’t normally associate with?
• What does genuine compassion look like?
• What would it take for our hearts to be really broken for your town or nation?

Share

If you are doing this in a group share your action statements and pray for each other. If you are doing this on your own we strongly recomend you share with at least one other person