Nov. 23, 2025

What if the people hardest to love are the ones who need it most? JD Poeverlein encourages us to "Show Compassion."

 JD's sermon begins at 18:51 min into the video. The music "The Power of Your Love", "Hymn of Heaven", "His Mercy Is More", and "My Tribute" are licensed under CCLI Copyright #2723035 and Streaming Media #22024223 licenses. 

JD Poeverlein opened Romans 12:9-21 with a confession: "I'm not a very empathetic or compassionate person." He shared how his kids know this all too well—when they stub a toe, he's more likely to ask if the table's okay than comfort them. But one verse grabbed him during his quiet time: "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn" (Romans 12:15). That's the heart of empathy, he said, even though the word never appears in Scripture. Paul's letter to Rome—written during a rare peaceful season—gave the church a roadmap for treating each other and the world with compassion before division could creep in.

1. Show Compassion to Our Family

JD explained that biblical compassion is massive—the Hebrew and Greek words encompass mercy, forgiveness, love, honor, and empathy all rolled into one. When Paul wrote "Love must be sincere… be devoted to one another… honor one another above yourselves" (Romans 12:9-10), he was calling the church to unity. But JD admitted the people closest to us are often the hardest to show compassion to. He told a painful story from age 18: his brother Weston's plans fell through, and instead of comforting him, JD kicked him out of a movie night with friends. It escalated to a fistfight. "I was an 18-year-old Christian man going to school to be a pastor, and I treated my brother as poorly as anyone has ever treated anyone else." That guilt still haunts him. He challenged us: when a fellow believer stumbles or disagrees, do we pile on with "shame on them," or do we remember we're all imperfect humans saved by grace?

2. Show Compassion to Everyone Else

Paul's instructions shift in verse 14: "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse." JD reminded us that the Roman church lived in a hedonistic, idol-worshiping empire—yet they were called to be in the world, not separate from it. "Do not repay anyone evil for evil… overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:17, 21). He shared the story of Aaron Barg, a baby born with Trisomy 13—deaf, blind, severely brain-damaged. Dozens of anesthesiologists refused to help with a life-saving surgery until one held Aaron for an hour. The doctor said yes because Aaron became "a human being with a name who responded to touch and love," not just a statistic. Aaron lived 18 years and touched 600 lives. JD's point hit hard: the world outside these walls needs Jesus just as much as we once did. We can't write people off as statistics.

3. Show Compassion Through Action

Compassion isn't just feeling—it's doing. Jesus healed the sick, fed the hungry, raised the dead. JD said we may not have those gifts, but we can meet people where they are. He praised Pastor Lance and Pastor Dave for eating lunch with "the worst people" in town—that's what Jesus did with tax collectors. He also urged us to show mercy: reserve judgment, especially in a world where everyone's flaws go viral. Then he circled back to Stephen, the 11-year-old at the children's home. After a 30-minute restraint, JD learned Stephen's mom had failed another drug test and given up her parental rights. "Why doesn't she want me?" Stephen sobbed. JD held him and said, "I don't know. But I love you." They watched the movie together that night. "He was a constant reminder that I don't know what's going on behind someone's anger."

JD closed by reading Colossians 3:12-14: "Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience… Forgive as the Lord forgave you." His message left us thinking about the week ahead—who needs us to sit with them, to ask if they're okay, to see them as human beings loved by God.