The Merciful
Matthew 5:1-12 (NIV) Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to Him, 2 and He began to teach them. He said: 3 “Blessed [fortunate, happy] are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 5:7 (NIV) Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown [receive] mercy.
Micah 6:8 (NKJV) He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
1. Mercy is forgiveness shown toward someone when it is within our power to
punish or harm them.
Grace is when we get what we DON’T deserve.
—and—
Mercy is when we don’t get what we DO deserve.
John 8:3-11 (NLT) As He was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. 4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” 6 They were trying to trap Him into saying something they could use against Him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with His finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so He stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then He stooped down again and wrote in the dust. 9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”
Ephesians 2:1-5 (NLT) Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. 3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. 4 But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
Micah 7:18, There is no God like You. You forgive those who are guilty of sins…because You delight in mercy.
Luke 6:36 (NIV) Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
“If we have been fortunate enough to experience God’s mercy, then it demands us to show mercy in return.”
How many times has Jesus bailed me out?
2. Mercy is having compassion for someone who is in deep need.
Colossians 3:8-12 (KJV) But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 and have put on the new man… 12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Compassion flowed from Jesus to…
-help the multitude (Mt. 14:14)
-heal the sick (Mt. 20:34)
-provide food to the hungry (Mt. 15:32)
-raise the dead (Lk. 7:13)
-deliver the demon-possessed (Mk. 9:22)
-teach those who were like sheep without a shepherd (Mk. 6:34)
Luke 10:36-37 (NIV) “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
“It was not enough to preach the gospel to the poor…that preaching had to be complemented by taking care of the physical needs of the poor. It was true that they needed Christ, but they also needed blankets and boots and food for their bellies. You cannot warm the hearts of people with God’s love if they have an empty stomach and cold feet.” —William Booth
-2,739,191 active volunteers/soldiers in 130 countries.
-They run 2,735 community development programs
-495 hostels for the homeless
-214 residential addiction programs
-232 children’s homes
-160 homes for the elderly
-43 mother and baby homes
-114 refugee centers
-661 daycare centers
-77 disaster rehabilitation schemes
-59 hospitals
-services to the armed forces and prison
1 John 3:17 (NKJV) But whoever has this world’s goods [adequate resources], and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
Matthew 5:7 (NIV) Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown [receive] mercy.
Luke 6:37-38 (NLT) “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”