Unsanctified Compassion

When our compassion is not shaped by Christ, it will eventually stand in the way of Christ. Love that feels kind can still block the very growth, healing, and obedience God is working toward.

Speaker:	Cameron Mathers,
Series:	Hall of Mirrors
Date:	21st Jun, 2026
Download:	Unsanctified Compassion
Plays:	0
Views:	17
Sermon notes:	PDF Unsanctified Compassion WHEN LOVE GETS IN THE WAY Ungodly Compassion vs. God-Shaped Compassion Sermon Outline & Discussion Guide  |  Matthew 16:13–23  |  Father's Day Sermon Outline Big idea: When our compassion is not shaped by Christ, it will eventually stand in the way of Christ. Love that feels kind can still block the very growth, healing, and obedience God is working toward. Introduction: The Satnav Illustration Picture a satnav set to an “avoidance” mode — no left, no right, no motorways, no people — until it can no longer find any road at all. Love that avoids every cost, risk, or discomfort can do the same thing to a person’s life: it blocks the very path God is offering. Definition: ungodly compassion — love that protects people from the very thing that would make them stronger. Not because love is bad, but because it can be misdirected. Scripture: Matthew 16:13–23 Jesus asks the disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” and then, “But who do you say I am?” Peter answers, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” — and Jesus blesses him and names him the rock on which the church will be built. Jesus then tells the disciples he must go to Jerusalem, suffer, be killed, and on the third day be raised. Peter rebukes him: “Far be it from you, Lord. This shall never happen to you.” Jesus turns and says, “Get behind me, Satan. You are a hindrance to me. For you are not set on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Lesson 1 — The Question That Reveals the Heart If we don’t see Jesus clearly, we won’t love people wisely. Everything begins with “Who do you say I am?” — a question about identity, not just religion. How we see Jesus shapes how we see and love everyone else: Only a gentle teacher → we avoid hard truths Only a judge → we avoid compassion Only a comforter → we avoid sacrifice Only a rescuer → we avoid responsibility Ungodly compassion hides truth to spare feelings; God-shaped compassion speaks truth to heal futures. Jesus corrects Peter’s vision before he corrects Peter’s behavior — compassion always flows from who we believe Jesus is. Lesson 2 — Revelation Builds True Compassion Emotion may feel like love, but only truth knows how to love. Peter is practical and well-meaning — the same instinct that drew his sword in the garden also made him resist the cross. Peter was looking at the present; Jesus was looking at eternity. Emotion reacts; revelation responds. Emotion protects people from discomfort; revelation prepares people for growth. Illustration: a parent who ties a child’s shoe forever isn’t helping — they’re preventing strength. Ungodly compassion gives comfort; only God-shaped compassion gives healing. Lesson 3 — The Cross Tests Compassion Real compassion must embrace the cross, not avoid it. If compassion avoids the cross, it becomes opposition. Jesus reveals the road: following God involves real cost — loss, sacrifice, obedience that hurts. Peter means well, but “meaning well is not doing well.” “Get behind me, Satan” — Jesus isn’t calling Peter evil; he’s naming the role Peter has stepped into: an accuser pulling Jesus off God’s path. Where Misdirected Love Shows Up Today In personal relationships Protecting people from consequences Avoiding hard conversations Rescuing people God is trying to grow Prioritizing peace over truth In the church Avoiding hard truths and accountability Avoiding calling sin what it actually is Prioritizing attendance over transformation and discipleship Weak compassion produces weak people; God-shaped compassion produces a whole person. The “Get Behind Me” Moment Peter tried to protect Jesus from the cross; Jesus embraced the cross to save Peter. Jesus didn’t just die for us — he died instead of us. Parenting illustration: stopping a toddler from touching an electrical socket, or letting go of the bike seat so a child learns to ride — love sometimes means allowing discomfort, not preventing it. Reflection questions raised in the sermon: Where am I protecting someone from the growth God wants for them? Where am I resisting God’s path because it’s uncomfortable? Where has my compassion become a hindrance? Closing Charge Love people towards the cross, not away from it. Love people into obedience, not out of it. A child needs love and correction; an adult needs courageous truth — God gives both. He loves us too much to protect us from the cross; he sent his Son to carry it and calls us to follow

   

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Next

Last week we saw Cleopas and Mary go from hopeless not hope on the Emmaus Road. This week, they have dashed back to Jerusalem to the locked room where the disciples are hiding out, chattering fearfully among themselves. Confused, full of disbelief.
The account of what happened next is in Luke 24:36-53, and in John. So let’s read Luke 24…

1 Jesus turns panic into peace
They are in a locked room John 2:19 for fear of the Jews and Jesus suddenly appears.
They were startled frightening, talking amongst themselves about what has been happening.
Suddenly He is with them- having walked through the door. So they are scared. Is it a spirit or a ghost?

“Peace to you!”
Jesus presence brings forgiveness, joy, hope and peace.

People search for peace in so many ways – drugs, alcohol, casual sex, meditation, spiritualism. All of them ultimately disappoint and all are spiritually bankrupt. You end up with less peace and more panic and mess.
Jesus brings true peace.

Initially they are terrified – thinking it’s a ghost.
So in v39 Jesus tells them to look at his hands and feet, touch them. He has a physical body. He eats with them to show He is physical. Luke is knocking on the head the JWs teaching of a spiritual resurrection and the Gnostic that would soon be around in the 2nd century who thought Jesus was not made of flesh.
It’s a resurrection body that is a recreation like our bodies, but heavenly too – so he can walk through doors! Get your head round that!

Jesus’ first words to the troubled disciples are Peace to you. Then he asked “Why are you so troubled?” Literally why are you so stirred up?
Ever been like that? panicked, emotions stirred, stomach churning?

Jesus reassures them
1) Touch me
2) Eat with me

Circumstances are like mattresses. If you are under them , you suffocate. If you can get on top, you can rest. We get a choice – focus on teh circumstances, or focus on Jesus.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face and the things of earth will go strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace.

If you are prone to panic, if when you are asked How are you? Your answer is “alright under the circumstances”
Allow Jesus to bring peace.

We need to hear God – His presence takes away panic
Heacham shepherdess. Sheep panic, heads down, often die. Fox hunt. Not warned. Sheep started to panic – shepherdess whispered in tehir ear and panic gone. Why? Sheep need to hear the voice of the Shephrerd

Phil 4:7 tells us “the peace of God that transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Draw near to God and the devil will flee.

Worship and allow his presence to be manifest.

2) He turns confusion into clarity v44-48
The next thing Jesus does is remind them of all that he had taught them. Luke 9:45 tells us they didn’t understand him before the cross fully.
So Jesus explained His teaching and how the OT all points to Him – the triumphant bits, the suffering servant bits, the bits that show us our need of Grace. It’s all about Jesus.

As he does so, confusion become clarity!
Have you ever been confused?
Someone was wondering around with a t-shirt with a large K on it. He was asked what’s the K for? I’m confused. But confused isn’t spelt with a K. Well that’s how confused I am!

If you are confused about life – Jesus loves to bring clarity.

Very popular Scripture – Jeremiah 29:11-14
People often quote the first verse For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Which is so helpful. But we need to read on!
Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.

The key to know God’s plan, knowing clarity where there was once confusion is 3 fold!
1) Call on God in prayer – calling has a desperation, a tenacity, a telling God what’s what about it
2) Listen – as God listens to you, listen to Him. Allow him to speak through his word, His Spirit and trusted friends
3) Seek God – that takes time and soaking in His presence.

If you are living in confusion – seek God and gain clarity

3) Jesus turns pointlessness into purpose v47-48
The disciples had gone inward focussed, in a locked room, full or fear and doubt.
Jesus turns their pointlessness into a purpose. He explains to them the message they have to proclaim

– The death and resurrection of Jesus
– Repentance and forgiveness
– Going to all the nations with the message

Got a great quotes from William Booth who started the SA (who in the ppt slide has an awesome hipster beard!)
We believe in the old-fashioned salvation. We have not developed and improved into Universalism, Unitarianism, or Nothingarianism, or any other form of infidelity, and we don't expect to. Ours is just the same salvation taught in the Bible, proclaimed by prophets and apostles, preached by Luther and Wesley and Whitfield, sealed by the blood of martyrs – the very same salvation which was purchased by the sufferings and agony and Blood of the Son of God.

Relational Mission, our family of churches has this amazing emphasis of everyone a witness!
We are all turned from purposeless to purpose. We all have the great commission. You may be what I call a connector – someone who is great at making friends and inviting them to stuff. You may be an apologist – someone good at answering questions. You may be a servant – you love to help people. You may be a power person – passionate about going out on the streets, prophecying over people and healing the sick, or you may be a reaper, someone who is good at sharing the gospel and inviting response. Whichever you are, you are part of the team here, hopefully part of a life group on a mission. Don’t write yourself off – we all get to play.

Another William Booth quote You cannot say you are not ordained. You were ordained when you signed Articles of War, under the blessed Flag. If not, I ordain every man, woman and child here present that has received the new life. I ordain you now. I cannot get at you to lay my hands upon you. I ordain you with the breath of my mouth. I tell you what your true business in the world is, and in the name of the living God I authorise you to go and do it. Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature!
All across our nation it seems like the Spirit is reminding the church of the great commission – I’m hearing of fruitfulness all over
Newmarket stories!
J.J. Bouncer story
REading

We have an amazing gospel to draw people in, that will see churches planted in the region and in Northern Europe.
750 million people live in Europe, and it is estimated that less than 4% of Europeans attend church regularly with less than 2% being evangelical Christians. As such Europe can be seen as the least evangelised continent in the world. More than 250,000 villages, towns and cities in Europe do not have a single evangelical church.
We currently serve churches and plants in Germany, Finland and Holland with ministry and will be looking to send short-term teams to serve and church planters out to towns and cities all over Northern Europe to plant vibrant New Testament Churches.
I’d love to see a congregation planted into Fakenham first! But we need power for that as there have been a couple of failures already. Thomas Edison on the thousands of lightbulb proptype failures said this “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

4) He turns powerlessness into powerfulness v49
Look, Jesus says “I am sending the promise of the Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
They felt powerless – they had felt powerless when Jesus told them to feed the five thousand with a few loaves and fishes. The job is impossible – God wants us to take responsibility for the mission and we feel powerless, because it is too big and too impossible. But then he gives us power!

They needed to wait for Jesus to ascend to heaven so that He could send the Spirit instead. And when He comes he comes in power. Power to be witness.
We will pray into that in a moment

5) Jesus turns worry into worship v50-53
They all go out from the fish BBQ with Jesus and He ascends to heaven, where He is ever praying for us. Their response is worship.
They returned to the city with great joy and were continually joining together for worship in the Temple

No more fear, only faith
No more confusion, only clarity
No more pointlessness, only purpose
Before they were hiding and fearful, now openly praising in the Temple
Before there was sorrow and perplexity, now praising and blessing
Before there was doubt, now they are filled with faith and hope

So let’s apply this…

Come to Jesus
Receive a fresh infilling of the power of the Spirit