Over the last two weeks we have looked at God's amazing and unconditional love for us, and his grace that saves us, enables us to live, and to extend love and grace to others.
1 John 4, Eph 2:8-10
We love because he first loved us. We have salvation through the grace of God, not by anything we have done, but through what God has already done and planned to do long ago.
Today we will look at God's mercy
I think of a the song from a few years ago, "Everyone needs a Saviour, a love that's never failing, let mercy fall on me."
We all need mercy. God's mercy is always available. As we live, we know that we will make mistakes, when we meet God, it is his mercy, extended through Christ, that brings us into relationship, and forgives all our sins as far as the east is from the west.
There are a couple of different words that are translated as mercy. They are translated in a similar way but are quite different words. However they do have interchangeable meaning and can be translated as either compassion or mercy.
Generally the word for mercy means - mercy, kindness, loving kindness. This is God's mercy. It is kind, comes from the heart of a loving God and is expressed in kindness and compassion.
1. God's mercy is always available
Jeremiah understood about God's great mercy even in the midst of disaster and calamity. He had been a prophet to Judah and was now in great distress. When he began as prophet Judah had a good king but terrible kings followed and Judah was taken, Jerusalem was destroyed and people taken into captivity.
Lamentations records his lament for his people and his beloved city. In chapter 3 however we read the following and possibly somewhat familiar verses:
Lamentations 3:19-27 NLT
The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. [20] I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. [21] Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: [22] The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. [23] Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. [24] I say to myself, "The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!" [25] The LORD is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. [26] So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the LORD. [27] And it is good for people to submit at an early age to the yoke of his discipline:
Jeremiah was in a state of bitter suffering but was able to draw on his remembrance of who God is, even in the midst of total disaster. He was deliberate in remembering the mercy of God and God's steadfast love and mercy regardless of the situation. His mercy is new each and every day. It is always available. The psalmist and the prophet Micah spoke of God's mercy, available when needed.
Psalm 41:4 NLT
"O LORD," I prayed, "have mercy on me. Heal me, for I have sinned against you."
Micah 7:18 NIV
Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
God has: Forgiven, born our sins, taken away our sins and instead brings mercy and grace.
Hebrews 4:15-16 NIV
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are---yet he did not sin. [16] Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
We can come to God, come with confidence because Jesus has made a way, and approach him because he and we can receive mercy from God in our time of need.
Have you sought God's mercy for your life?
Do you come boldly into his presence knowing that mercy is available to you regardless of you history or present situation?
How can we become like Jeremiah and be deliberate in trusting in God's goodness and mercy?
2. We are to show mercy to others
Matt 5:7
Blessed are the merciful....
(Main use of the word translated as mercy is to have mercy on, or to receive mercy from).
Jesus says that we will receive mercy when we are merciful. God blesses those who are merciful in their attitude. Mercy does not mean soppy. Merciful means having compassion and showing kindness to others even when they don't deserve it. We didn't deserve mercy but because of God's grace we have received mercy.
The story of the unforgiving servant is an example of Mercy given by the master, but not fully understood by the servant, so having received mercy, he was unable to pass it on. The words used are compassion and mercy. The master says "I showed compassion, why didn't you show mercy?"
Matthew 18:23-33 NIV
“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. [24] As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. [25] Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. [26] “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' [27] The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. [28] “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. [29] “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.' [30] “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. [31] When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. [32] “Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. [33] Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?'
God expects us to show mercy to others in the same way that he has shown mercy to us.
James 3:17-18 NIV
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. [18] Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
Full of Mercy and good fruit.
Jude 1:20-23 NIV
But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, [21] keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. [22] Be merciful to those who doubt; [23] save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear---hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
God's mercy to us requires us to extend mercy to others but it is mercy that recognises sin and deals with it in an appropriate manner.
How can you extend and show mercy to others?
Who is God asking you to extend mercy to?
Conclusion
God's mercy is available each and every day regardless of the situation. Sometimes we have to be deliberate in reminding ourselves that God's mercy is available and new each day and we can boldly come to him to receive mercy. Having received mercy from God we are to extend it to others
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