THE BLESSED MERCIFUL
PSALM 103
MUCH OF JESUS’ TEACHING IN THE BEATITUDES EITHER COMES DIRECTLY FROM, OR IS CLOSELY RELATED TO THE OLD TESTAMENT. SUCH IS THE CASE WITH THE BEATITUDE WE ARE STUDYING TODAY CONCERNING THE MERCIFUL.
MERCY IS SOMETHING THAT IS IN SHORT SUPPLY IN OUR WORLD TODAY, AND I WOULD DARE SAY IN THE CHURCH. MERCY AND FORGIVENESS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE SHOWERED ON US, BUT DON’T ASK US TO DO THE SAME FOR SOMEONE ELSE. IT’S NOT IN OUR NATURE. WE WOULD BE RIGHT IN SAYING THAT BECAUSE MERCY IS NOT A NATURAL CHARACTERISTIC.
IN MY RESEARCH I READ ABOUT A LADY WHO HAD HER PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN. UPON EXAMINING THE PROOF SHE COMPLAINED TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER. HE SAID “WHAT’S WRONG?” “WRONG? WHY THIS PICTURE DOESN’T DO ME JUSTICE.” TO WHICH HE LOOKED AT HER AND SAID, “MA’AM YOU DON’T NEED JUSTICE, YOU NEED MERCY.”
DURING JESUS’ TIME MERCY WAS SEEN AS A WEAKNESS AND NOT A VIRTUE. A ROMAN PHILOSOPHER ONCE CALLED MERCY “A DISEASE OF THE SOUL.” MERCY WAS SEEN BY THEM AS A SIGN THAT YOU DIDN’T HAVE WHAT IT TOOK TO BE A MAN IN SOCIETY. ALL WEAKNESS WAS DESPISED IN ROMAN SOCIETY SO MERCY WAS A RARE COMMODITY BACK THEN.
THIS THOUGHT WAS PROVEN FALSE THROUGH THE LIFE OF JESUS, AND ALSO THROUGH ISRAEL’S HISTORY. IN ANCIENT ISRAEL, WITHIN THE TEMPLE, THE “MERCY-SEAT” WAS THE LID OF THE ARK OF THE COVENANT, A SYMBOL OF GOD’S PRESENCE AND PARDON. THE BLOOD OF THE TEMPLE SACRIFICE WAS SPRINKLED ONTO THE MERCY SEAT, SECURING ATONEMENT FOR SIN.
DO YOU SEE THE ORDER OF THINGS HERE. THE BLOOD OF THE SACRIFICE WAS NEEDED FOR MERCY TO BE EXTENDED. BUT THE SAME IS TRUE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
THE CROSS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT IS WHERE WE NOW FIND MERCY THROUGH THE BLOOD OF THE PERFECT SACRIFICE, JESUS CHRIST. BLOOD WAS NECESSARY IN BOTH.
TOZER SAID “IT WAS THE MERCY OF GOD THAT GAVE US THE CROSS, NOT THE CROSS THAT GAVE US MERCY.” THE SYMBOL OF OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH IS THE CROSS, NOT THE SCALES OF JUSTICE.
THERE ARE VARIOUS IDEAS OF WHAT MERCY IS TODAY, SOME WITH A GRAIN OF TRUTH BUT MOSTLY THEY ARE MISCONCEPTIONS. TODAY I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU A GOOD BIBLICAL DEFINITION OF “MERCY” AS WELL AS FOUR DIFFERENT “FLOWS” WHICH COULD EXIST IN OUR LIVES, IF WE ARE WALKING CLOSELY TO THE LORD.
POINT ONE: WHAT IS MERCY?
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT DEFINING MERCY ONE INEXCAPABLE FACT IS THAT MERCY DWELLS IN THE REALM OF THE GUILTY. IT IS THE GUILTY WHO THROW THEMSELVES AT THE MERCY OF THE COURT. IN THE PARABLE OF THE UNMERCIFUL SERVANT FOUND IN MATTHEW 18 IT WAS THE ONE OWEING WHO ASKED FOR MERCY AND WAS DECLINED.
THE WORD JESUS USES IN MATTHEW 5 FOR MERCY IS “ELEOS”. THE HEBREW WORD “CHESED” AND IT MEANS TO “GET INSIDE SOMEONE’S SKIN.” IT IS TO LOOK AT WHERE THEY VIEW LIFE AND FEEL WHAT THEY ARE EXPERIENCING, TO MOVE IN AND ACT ON BEHALF OF THE ONE WHO IS HURTING.
ELOES HAS TWO BASIC ASPECTS, AND ONE MOTIVATION.
1. MERCY RESTRAINS THE JUST ACTIONS DUE TO THE GUILTY.
C.S. LEWIS STATED: I WOULD SOONER PRAY FOR GOD’S MERCY THAN FOR HIS JUSTICE ON MY FRIENDS, MY ENEMIES, AND MYSELF”.
LAMENTATIONS 3:22: BECAUSE OF THE LORD’S GREAT LOVE WE ARE NOT CONSUMED, FOR HIS COMPASSIONS NEVER FAIL.
2. MERCY RELIEVES THE GUILTY AND REBELLIOUS IN THEIR MISERABLE STATE.
WE NEED TO DO SOME BUSINESS WITH GOD TODAY, FOR MANY OF US ARE CARRING A LOAD OF MISERY THAT THERE IS NO NEED FOR US TO CARRY.
WE ARE CALLED BY GOD TO EXTEND MERCY TO OTHERS AND IN SOME CASES THAT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. THE LESSON OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN WAS FOUND IN Vv. 36-37:
LUKE 10:36-37:
“WHICH OF THESE THREE DO YOU THINK WAS A NEIGHBOR TO THE MAN WHO FELL INTO THE HANDS OF ROBBERS?” 37 THE EXPERT IN THE LAW REPLIED, “THE ONE WHO HAD MERCY ON HIM.” JESUS TOLD HIM, “GO AND DO LIKEWISE.”
BUT THE LONGER WE HOLD ONTO IT THE MORE IT CONSUMES US. IF YOU HAVE AN INFECTION IN YOUR BODY AND DO NOT TREAT IT, IT GROWS. ULTIMATELY IT CONSUMES YOUR WHOLE BODY AND YOU DIE IN SPIRIT.
“ELEOS” HAS AS IT’S ROOT MEANING “TO WASH OVER”. IN JESUS CULTURE IT WAS USED IN THE CONTEXT OF “WHITEWASHING” A WALL, “WIPING” OUT AN IMPURITY, OR “CANCELING” A DEBT. YOU SEE MERCY IS LOVE IN ACTION. IT GOES BEYOND SYMPATHY TO EMPATHY.
MERCY IS LITERALLY JUMPING INTO SOMEONE’S SKIN AND KNOWING WHAT THEY ARE FEELING, TO THE POINT WHERE YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO TO HELP THEM IN THEIR MISERY. WHY, BECAUSE YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THAT PERSON TO RELATE THEIR MISERY TO YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE.
MERCY IS SHOWN IN JESUS CHRIST.
1 JOHN 4:9-11:
THIS IS HOW GOD SHOWED HIS LOVE AMONG US: HE SENT HIS ONE AND ONLY SON INTO THE WORLD THAT WE MIGHT LIVE THROUGH HIM. 10 THIS IS LOVE: NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD, BUT THAT HE LOVED US AND SENT HIS SON AS AN ATONING SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS. 11 DEAR FRIENDS, SINCE GOD SO LOVED US, WE ALSO OUGHT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
THIS IS THE MOTIVATION FOR MERCY. MERCY IS LOVE IN ACTION. WE ARE SAVED FROM GOD, BY GOD. IT IS THE LOVE THAT GOD SHOWED IN SAVING US FROM A JUST PUNISHMENT AND LIFTING US OUT OF SINS MISERY, AND COMPELLING US TO SHOW GOD’S MERCY TO THOSE WE MEET.
MERCY IS CLOSELY RELATED TO GRACE, BUT IT IS NOT GRACE. GRACE IS WHAT SAVES YOU, MERCY IS THE PRELUDE TO GRACE, AND SUSTAINS YOU AFTER SALVATION. MERCY OFFERS RELIEF FROM MISERY AND GRACE OFFERS PARDON FROM THE SIN THAT CAUSES MISERY.
FINALLY MERCY IS AN ATTRIBUTE OF GOD, AN INFINITE AND INEXHAUSTIBLE ENERGY WITHIN HIS DIVINE NATURE THAT DISPOSES GOD TO ACTIVELY SHOW COMPASSION TOWARDS HIS UNDESERVING CREATURES.
WE DESERVE TO BE LEFT IN THE MISERY OF OUR REBELLIOUS WAYS. THE MISERY WE FACE IS PART OF OUR FOOLISH CHOICES. BUT THANKS BE TO GOD, HIS MERCY, RESTRAINS JUDGMENT AND RELIEVES MISERY.
EPHESIANS 2:4:
BUT BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US, GOD, WHO IS RICH IN MERCY, 5 MADE US ALIVE WITH CHRIST EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD IN TRANSGRESSIONS—IT IS BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED.
NO ONE CAN CLAIM THE MERCY OF GOD BY WORKS WE HAVE DONE. IT IS HIS GIFT TO US. BECAUSE GOD IS MERCIFUL, HE EXTENDS HIS GRACE TO US.
NOW THAT WE HAVE DEFINED MERCY LET US CONSIDER SOME OF THE DIFFERENT FLOWS OF MERCY:
POINT TWO: THE DOWNWARD FLOW OF MERCY: MERCY OFFERED
ONE THING WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT MERCY IS THAT IT IS AVAILABLE FROM GOD TO WHOMEVER ASKS FOR IT. SINCE NOONE IS DESERVING OF IT, IT ALSO MEANS THAT GOD IS OPEN TO LAVISH HIS MERCY ON US ALL.
MATTHEW 5:45: HE CAUSES HIS SUN TO RISE ON THE EVIL AND THE GOOD, AND SENDS RAIN ON THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE UNRIGHTEOUS.
GOD WANTS TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE HURTING BE THEY CHRISTIAN OR NOT. IT MAY BE THROUGH THE MERCY THAT IS SHOWN THEM ON BEHALF OF GOD THAT LEADS THEM TO CHRIST.
MISERY INVADES BOTH CHRISTIAN AND NON-CHRISTIAN CIRCLES, AND IT’S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO BE GOD’S HAND OF MERCY TO OTHERS.
1. SOME PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING PHYSICAL MISERY. THEY MAY BE FIGHTING DISEASE OR SICKNESS OF SOME KIND.
2. SOME PEOPLE MAY BE FIGHTING EMOTIONAL MISERY. THEY HAVE FEARS AND INSECURITIES AND EMOTHIONAL WOUNDS FROM THE PAST.
3. SOME PEOPLE LIVE WITH THE MISERY OF REGRET OVER PAST MISTAKES.
4. SOME PEOPLE LIVE WITH SPIRITUAL MISERY, NOT ACCEPTING THE FORGIVENESS JESUS HAS IN MIND FOR YOU, BY NOT SHOWING MERCY TO THE PERSON HE WANTS YOU TO.
GOD’S MERCY IS A DOWNWARD FLOWING MERCY THAT IS OPEN TO ALL.
I CAN REMEMBER ONE DAY PLAYING SOCCER AND IT STARTED TO RAIN. WE INSTINCTIVELY RAN FOR COVER, UNTIL ONE OF US STARTING RUNNING DOWN THE FIELD WITH THE BALL. SOON MORE OF US WERE RUNNING IN THE RAIN. WE LAUGHED, AND PLAYED. WE TOSSED OUR HEADS TO ONE SIDE AND THE RAIN FLEW OFF OUR HAIR LIKE WATER OFF A WET DOG. IT WAS INVIGORATING AND REFRESHING.
THAT’S WHAT GOD’S MERCY IS LIKE FOR US. THE UNEXPECTED REFRESHING THAT COMES FROM THE DOWNPOURING OF GOD’S MERCY AND HIS UNRESTRAINED KINDNESS THAT WASHES OVER OUR BODIES, AND LEAVES US THANKFUL TO BE A PART OF IT.
POINT THREE: THE INWARD FLOW OF MERCY: MERCY RECEIVED
WHEN SOMEONE ASKS FOR MERCY THEY ARE ASKING FOR RELIEF OF THE MISERY THEY ARE IN.
IN SENIOR BASEBALL THEY HAVE A 10 RUN “MERCY” RULE. IT STATES THAT IF A TEAM IS WINNING BY MORE THAN 10 RUNS, BEFORE THE FIFTH INNING, THAT AFTER THE FIFTH INNING, MERCY FOR THE LOSING TEAM IS GRANTED AND THE GAME IS STOPPED AT THAT POINT WITHOUT FURTHER EMBARASSMENT. I WISH THEY HAD THAT RULE IN THE NHL WHEN MONTREAL PLAYED AGAINST COLUMBUS LAST YEAR.
WHEN WE BECOME AWARE OF OUR OWN SINFULLNESS, AND HOW FAR FROM THE LORD WE ARE, IT SHOULD LEAVE US IN A STATE OF MISERY, AND CRYING OUT FOR RELIEF.
THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW CHRIST AS SAVIOR MAY EXPERIENCE HIS MERCY, BUT ONLY ON A TEMPORAL LEVEL. MISERY WILL BE UPON THEM AGAIN SOON, POSSIBLY FOR ETERNITY.
BUT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ACCEPTED CHRIST AND GOD’S GRACE AND FORGIVENESS, MISERY BECOMES A TEMPORARY SETBACK.
2 CORINTHIANS 4:17-18:
FOR OUR LIGHT AND MOMENTARY TROUBLES ARE ACHIEVING FOR US AN ETERNAL GLORY THAT FAR OUTWEIGHS THEM ALL. 18 SO WE FIX OUR EYES NOT ON WHAT IS SEEN, BUT ON WHAT IS UNSEEN, SINCE WHAT IS SEEN IS TEMPORARY, BUT WHAT IS UNSEEN IS ETERNAL.
HOW I LOVE THAT GREAT HYMN OF THE FAITH WHICH STATES:
“O THE LOVE THAT DREW SALVATION’S PLAN
O THE GRACE THAT BROUGHT IT DOWN TO MAN
O THE MIGHTY GULF THAT GOD SPAN AT CALVARY
MERCY THERE WAS GREAT AND GRACE WAS FREE
PARDON THERE WAS MULTIPLIES TO ME
THERE MY BURDENED SOUL FOUND LIBERTY AT CALVARY”
OH HEAR THAT GREAT TRUTH TODAY FRIEND, WHEN GOD’S MERCY AND GRACE ARE GIVEN, WE ARE LIBERATED FROM SINS CLUTCHES. IT NO LONGER HAS SOVEREIGNTY OVER US.
POINT THREE: THE OUTWARD FLOW OF MERCY, MERCY EXTENDED
THE MERCIFUL ARE NOT ONLY THOSE WHO RECIEVE MERCY, BUT ARE THOSE WHO HAVE LEARNED TO PASS IT ON TO OTHERS. FOUR MARKS OF THE MERCIFUL ARE:
1. MERCIFUL PEOPLE HELP HURTING PEOPLE. EVERYONE HURTS IN SOME WAY AT SOME TIME. MERCY MAY COME IN THE FORM OF A HANDSHAKE, A HUG, JUST YOUR PHYSICAL PRESENCE, FIXING A PILLOW FOR SOMEONE IN HOSPITAL. MERCIFUL PEOPLE HELP THOSE WHO ARE HURTING WITH NO EXPECTATION OF THANK YOU OR APPRECIATION.
2. MERCIFUL PEOPLE ARE PATIENT WITH THOSE WHO STRUGGLE.
GALATIANS 6:1-2:
BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IF SOMEONE IS CAUGHT IN A SIN, YOU WHO LIVE BY THE SPIRIT SHOULD RESTORE THAT PERSON GENTLY. BUT WATCH YOURSELVES, OR YOU ALSO MAY BE TEMPTED. 2 CARRY EACH OTHER’S BURDENS, AND IN THIS WAY YOU WILL FULFILL THE LAW OF CHRIST
THE WRITER OF HEBREWS TELLS US THAT THERE IS A SIN THAT CAN SO EASILY ENTANGLE US, AND HE TELLS THE GALATIAN PEOPLE HERE TO HELP BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE, BUT ALWAYS TO REMEMBER THAT IT COULD BE US IN THE SAME SITUATION.
3. MERCIFUL PEOPLE ARE KIND TO THEIR ENEMIES. MERCYFUL PEOPLE WILL REPAY EVIL WITH GOOD, SO THAT GOD WILL RECEIVE THE GLORY.
4. MERCIFUL PEOPLE ARE FORGIVING PEOPLE.
COLOSSIANS 3:13: BEAR WITH EACH OTHER AND FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER IF ANY OF YOU HAS A GRIEVANCE AGAINST SOMEONE. FORGIVE AS THE LORD FORGAVE YOU.
SOMETIMES WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT OURSELVES IN THE MIRROR AND REMIND OURSELVES THAT WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THE MERCY GOD EXTENDED TO US. TAKE TIME TO THINK OF WHERE WE WOULD BE IF GOD HAD NOT BEEN GRACIOUS TO US. WHEN WE REALIZE HOW GRACIOUS GOD HAS BEEN TO US WE SHOULD WANT TO EXTEND THAT SAME MERCY TO OTHERS.
POINT FOUR: THE RECIPROCAL FLOW OF MERCY MERCY REWARDED
MERCY THAT IS OFFERED AND GIVEN WILL ALWAYS COME BACK TO THE PERSON OFFERING. THIS IS NOT WHY WE OFFER IT, BUT THERE WILL BE A REWARD.
LUKE 6:38: GIVE, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU. A GOOD MEASURE, PRESSED DOWN, SHAKEN TOGETHER AND RUNNING OVER, WILL BE POURED INTO YOUR LAP. FOR WITH THE MEASURE YOU USE, IT WILL BE MEASURED TO YOU.”
THIS SCRIPTURE TELLS US THAT WHAT WE OFFER TO OTHERS, WILL IN FACT BE RETURNED TO US WHEN WE NEED IT. IT MAY BE FROM THE PEOPLE WE ARE HELPING, BUT IT MAY COME FROM SOMEONE WHO SAW WHAT WAS DONE. IT MAY EVEN COME FROM SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T LIKE YOU. REMEMBER MERCY IS A GOD GIVEN ATTRIBUTE, NOT ONE THAT WE NATURALLY HAVE.
CONCLUSION:
WHY SHOULD YOU AND I SHOW MERCY TODAY? WE MAY THINK THE ANSWER LIES IN THE FACT THAT GOD SHOWED HIS MERCY TO US, WHICH IS TRUE. I BELIEVE THOUGH THAT THE FINAL THOUGHT ON THIS SUBJECT LIES IN THE LIBERATING QUALITY OF MERCY, NOT FOR THE PERSON IT IS SHOWED TO, BUT FOR THE ONE SHOWING IT.
REMEMBER ONE OF THE QUALITIES OF MERCY IS THAT MERCY RELIEVES THE GUILTY AND REBELLIOUS IN THEIR MISERABLE STATE.
ROBERT SCHULLER TELLS THE STORY OF BERNICE SCHUG. HE MET SCHUG WHEN SHE NEEDED WORK AND THEY HIRED HER AS A HOUSEKEEPER. SHE WAS A LOVELY WOMAN SHOWERING THE SCHULLER’S WITH LOVE AND POPPY-SEED ROLLS. BUT HE SAYS THAT NO ONE KNEW OF HER HIDDEN HURT. ONE DAY SHE CAME TO SCHULLER AND SAID, “BOB, I WAS READING THE BULLETIN AND NOTICED THAT YOU ARE HAVING A GUEST SPEAKER NEXT SUNDAY WHO WAS A KAMIKAZE PILOT.” SCHULLER NODDED TELLING BERNICE THAT THIS PARTICULAR PILOT HAD A TREMENDOUS STORY ABOUT FINDING JESUS. “THAT MAY BE TRUE, BUT MY BOY WAS KILLED IN WWII BY A KAMIKAZE PILOT AND I DON’T THINK I COULD HANDLE IT.” SCHULLER UNDERSTOOD AND TOLD HER HE DIDN’T THINK IT WOULD HURT IF SHE MISSED ONE SUNDAY. SCHULLER WRITES “THE NEXT WEEK THE JAPANESE POLIT SHARED HIS STORY. HIS LOVE AND GRATITUDE FOR JESUS SHONE IN HIS BLACK EYES. YOU COULD FEEL THE LOVE AND RELEASE HE HAD FOUND. PEOPLE WERE MOVED BY HIS TESTIMONY. AND WHEN THE SERVICE WAS OVER I WALKED WITH HIM DOWN THE AISLE TO THE REAR OF THE CHURCH. SUDDENLY AS WE APPROACHED THE LAST PEW, AN OLDER WOMAN STEPPED OUT DIRECTLY IN OUR PATH. SHE STOOD IN FRONT OF THE KAMIKAZE PILOT AND BLOCKED HIS EXIT. SHE LOOKED HIM SQUARE IN THE EYE AND SAID “MY SON WAS KILLED BY A KAMIKAZE.” IT WAS BERNICE. WE ALL HELD OUR BREATH AS SHE CONTINUED,” I HAVE SEEN HOW GOD HAS FORGIVEN YOU OF YOUR SINS, AND NOW, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS, I’VE ALLOWED HIM TO FORGIVE MINE. WILL YOU FORGIVE MY HATRED FOR YOUR PEOPLE?” WITH TEARS IN HIS EYES THE YOUNG PILOT REPLIED “WILL YOU FORGIVE ME FOR WHAT MY PEOPLE DID TO YOU?” SHE THREW HER ARMS AROUND THIS LITTLE JAPANESE MAN AND THEY STOOD THERE CRYING AND HOLDING EACH OTHER SAYING “BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL FOR THEY SHALL RECEIVE MERCY.”
PERHAPS YOU’RE IN THE SAME PLACE AS BERNICE TODAY. YOU’VE BEEN HOLDING AN UNMERCIFUL SPIRIT TOWARDS SOMEONE OR SOMETHING TODAY. DON’T YOU THINK IT’S TIME TO LET GO OF THE LOAD YOU’RE CARRYING. ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOU FOR NOT EXTENDING MERCY AND EXTEND IT TODAY. IT WILL FREE YOU FROM MISERY AND GUILT THAT SHOULD NOT BE BURDENING YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE.
