My mother and father-in-law were country music singers before there was country music. With guitar in hand and harmony in their heart, they traveled the hills of Owen County singing at revivals and Sunday dinners on the grounds. One of my favorites was a little ditty that went like this:

Your roses may have thorns, but don't forget,
Your thorns may have some roses too.
The Lord of great compassion loves you yet,
And He will never fail to see you through.

It is the Lord of great compassion that I would like us to consider today. To have compassion is to suffer with another, with a desire to help. It is to feel with your heart and the will to act upon these feelings. In our story today, Jesus is filled with compassion. Let's take a look.

I. THE NEED FOR COMPASSION

As Jesus travels the hi…