What does compassion mean? Who demonstrates compassion, and how can we show it to others? We hear a great deal about the miracles of Jesus, but don’t always pause to contemplate why He did so many amazing things. The Savior truly loves and cares about all people (including us!). He provided healing during His earthly ministry because He had compassion. The same Jesus still lives with us and has compassion upon us, and He wants us to care for those around us.
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Compare another Sunday School lesson on Jesus feeding the 5000 from Matthew 14
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Download our free coloring page for the book of Mark
Download our free Jesus feeds 5000 coloring page
Object Lesson & Children’s Sermon
The aim of this message is to illustrate for children what it means to have and share compassion with others. Youngsters often have a natural inclination towards self-serving attitudes, but they can easily be prompted to care about those in need, as well. This lesson explains through simple example what compassion is, and also describes how Jesus demonstrated genuine compassion throughout His earthly ministry.
Bible Craft Examples
It’s important to help children understand and embrace what it means to have compassion. It often takes modeling and encouraging, but is essential to developing character and kindness. Students should first value and appreciate how much compassion Christ demonstrates towards us, and out of that appreciation, they should share that compassion with others. These two crafts aim to assist in efforts to understand compassion. A “blooming with compassion flower” offers an opportunity to consider ways to show others kindness. A “compassion kit” allows students to compile items that can be given to someone else our of concern and compassion.
Bible Verses/story to Reference:
30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. 35 And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. 36 Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.
When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. 54 And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him 55 and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
–Mark 6:30-44; 53-56