We’ve all heard the saying, “He’s got guts,” and it usually means a person has strong feelings that override his fears. In our passage today, Jesus displays His guts, but in a different way. In Matthew 15:32, when Jesus is once again thronged by a great crowd of deformed and disabled people, He declares to His disciples, “I have compassion on the crowd,” and the Greek word used for “have compassion” is literally “to be moved in the intestines.” What does Jesus mean, then? He means He feels a visceral sensation of pity toward these hurting people, and He feels it right where you and I feel this swell of compassion—in our guts. Jesus—God the Son in permanent human form—has guts, and He feels in His body an ache toward the brokenness experienced by His beloved creatures! In other words, Jesus doesn’t merely know He should feel bad for suffering people; He feels a gut-wrenching emotional response toward these beloved sufferers! What does that mean for you, friend? It means the God-man who made you and made your redemption possible by giving His life on the cross feels gut-wrenching compassion toward you when He sees you suffering! King Jesus is not stoic or unmoved! His heart is pulsing with compassion, and He feels it in His resurrected body as He intercedes for you in the presence of His Father! Let the gut-wrenching compassion of your incarnate Savior draw you to Him today!
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Mike