What is the Church? "An Extension of the Compassion of Christ"

Dear Friends in Christ Jesus,

            If you got sick in LaCrosse, Wisconsin you could go either to St. Francis or Lutheran Hospital. When I was a child, I ended up at Immanuel Hospital which has now merged with St. Joseph’s hospital. Nurses were trained at Bethesda Hospital in St. Paul. In Rochester you could go to St. Mary’s or Methodist hospitals.   During a flood I was fed meals late at night sand bagging on a dike.   The Salvation Army was there providing the food and hot drinks. Is there a pattern here?    Christianity has had an impact on society.   From the hearts of Christians hospitals, clinic and medical missions have developed. The Christian Church realizes that we have a responsibility to care for the whole person. In his ministry Jesus had a task in training the disciples to keep a balance but minister to body and soul. What is the Church?-An extension of the Compassion of Christ. 

What is your impression of seeing this picture?   Here is a blind child playing a stringed instrument. What are your first thoughts? Compassion? Pity? Was your first thought what did he do to deserve such a life?   That is what Jesus had to deal with his twelve disciples. Here they come upon a man who was born blind. Rather than having compassion or even pity on the person, the disciples get into a discussion with Jesus, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" I have wondered if the blind man was hearing this whole discussion.   Could you imagine his thoughts as the disciples wondered what his parents must have done, and other disciples figuring as the thought was in those days that as a child in the womb he must have sinned?   As we look at situations in this world it does call for compassion, not judgment.

            As we follow this full story you will find out something unique. Many times faith healers say the problem why some people are not healed is because they lack faith. Jesus does the most unusual.   This blind man does not believe in Jesus at this point, but Jesus is still willing to get involved in his life.   Later Jesus meets this man and they have this conversation: "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" 36 "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him." This is very important because Jesus is teaching his disciples to reach out to people who do not believe.   Compassion is to go outside the church and outside the circle of disciples.

But in this world there is another problem. There are those who misuse and abuse the compassion of Christ and his church.  When Jesus would heal the 10 Lepers we find only one returned and gave thanks. This gives us insight that at times when we do acts of kindness to people they might be just takers and use people like those 9 Lepers used Jesus. After Jesus fed the 5,000 many came after him, because all they wanted were more free meals. Even though people misused Jesus and his ministry, he did not allow that to change his heart for those in need. 

            As we reflect on the troubles in this world, we first have to face our own hearts and how we can become judgmental and uncaring. We also need the reminder that our love needs to reach out beyond the walls of this facility and the members of the congregation. As we do, we should not be surprised if we are treated the same way Jesus was. There will be people who misuse and abuse our kindness and charity either in the church and the school.    They may take advantage of the pastors or teachers times and the good hearts of the people. When that happens we might experience resentment and anger and want to refuse to do good to others.   Just because there are such people in the world Jesus does not want us to stop reaching out. He will want to work on our hearts as he would on his disciples. 

In our text we find Jesus answering the disciples that this problem was not a result of some specific sin, but God was going to get the glory. We find Jesus reached out and did this miraculous healing. This was just one of many incidents.   As you read about the ministry of Jesus, you learn more and more about his heart: (Mat 14:14 NIV) When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. (Mat 15:32 NIV) Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way." (Mat 20:34 NIV) Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.   The crippled, the blind, the hearing impaired, the poor, the hungry we find them all coming to Jesus.   He healed and helped them.   He also taught about the Good Samaritan who set the example for the priests and Levites on what it means to love your neighbor.   So he healed this man born blind. 

Jesus was never content simply to help the body. Jesus knew all those he ministered to had a soul also.   He used the miracles to bring attention to who he was and the message of salvation he came to bring. Listen to what Jesus told people after he had done miracles. (John 10:38 NIV) Even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father." (John 14:11 NIV) Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. Why did John record this miracle: (John 20:30-31 NIV) Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. {31} But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.  If Jesus came only as a food shelf organizer, a physician for the body, then why was it necessary for him to die.  He had work to get done.   As he told the disciples, he came to do what his Father had sent him to do. He came to preach repentance and forgiveness and be the sacrifice for sins.   He came to bring the victory over sin, death and the devil.

Today there is confusion in our society about the role of the church and the mission. At a Lutheran camp the campers had to take a stand on this statement: “I believe that a world without hunger is more important than a world without Christianity.” The majority of the campers agreed, only few disagreed. A professor at our Seminary was talking to students from another seminary.   They had been debating in the other seminary what the difference was between and a Lutheran Pastor and a social worker. The students couldn’t figure out any difference.  

That is what has been happening to those who believe that Jesus’ whole ministry was simply a social Gospel.   Let me explain: The Social Gospel is the teaching that the church's responsibility is to transform society (including the economic, political, and social structures of society) through mass or group action.  What is strange they try to make changes not by preaching the Gospel of salvation and turning hearts rather they try to make the world better only through laws and force.  Jesus perhaps should have ended this story with having his disciples march on Rome to have the Caesar or march in Jerusalem to Pilate’ Palace and lobby for handicapped ramps and seeing eye dogs.   Maybe he should have lobbied to change the taxation policy and its corruptness.      He rather changed the heart of a tax collector. Christian may work in the government, but always remembering that laws do not change hearts, only the gospel can do that. What a sad story it would be, what a tragedy if someone had a full stomach but still went to hell.   What a tragedy it would be if someone had a coat, what good would it do in hell? 

Where hearts have been changed charitable works will happen. Doing Christian charitable work is different than the social gospel.  This flows from the heart and cares for the whole person.  Acts of charity or helping those in need is a Christian responsibility which groups of Christians in congregations and synods can organize and carry out.  Such charitable work will flow from the proclamation of the gospel of forgiveness and will not get in the way of the proclamation.

            Rev. Dan Koelpin, administrator of WELS Board for World Missions states, "Humanitarian assistance is a great handmaid to the work that World Missions does,"… "We don't want it to detract from our primary work of gospel outreach, but often it creates goodwill that enables us to spread the gospel." In our synod we have organizations such as: Central Africa Medical Mission, Committee on Relief, Humanitarian Aid Committee, and WELS Kingdom Workers. I would have you think of the relief that has been sent to New Orleans, to tornado ravaged cities such as St. Peter, MN.   In other words some people won’t care to hear what we have to say until they know we care for them.