BETTER BLESSING: BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL
Pastor Josh Weisbrod – February 21, 2021
SUMMARY: God delights to show mercy. Mercy gives grace and forgiveness instead of punishment.
God calls us to be merciful.
KEY SCRIPTURE: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Matthew 5:7 (Matthew 5:2-12 – The Beatitudes)
BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL, FOR THEY SHALL RECEIVE MERCY
There is no mercy in cancel culture. Social Media makes it feel good to be enraged. There is deep disparity of justice in the world and there is a deep cry for justice, but it is through the mercy of God, that the justice of God will be realized.
1. God is merciful
· Mercy is one of God’s essential qualities (Exodus 34:5-6; Deuteronomy 4:31)
· Mercy is God’s delight (Micah 7:18)
· He is the Father of Mercies (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
· God is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4-7)
· God is merciful and gracious (Psalm 103:8)
2. What is the difference between mercy and grace?
· Mercy is the act of withholding punishment
· Grace is the act of giving unmerited favor
· Mercy gives grace and forgiveness instead of punishment
How do we show mercy?
1. Help those in need
· ‘Love your neighbor’ is rooted in the Old Testament. (Luke 6:32-36; Leviticus 19:9-10, 23:22; Zechariah 7:9-10)
· To be like Jesus is to have mercy on and care for the needy—the poor, unwanted, foreigners, the outcast. Care for those in need, hurting, hungry, less fortunate
· Mercy is love in action!
· Jesus says, “They will know you love me by how you love each other.”
When we deny others the love of Christ, we deny Christ. (Matthew 25:31-46)
2. Help those caught in sin
· Jesus spent time with the highest and lowest in society. He healed, restored, and raised them, but His main goal was to free them from sin. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. Luke 19:10
· Scripture encourages us to help those caught in sin. (Galatians 6:1-2)
· We must have mercy on all kinds of people: those who are addicts, depressed, anxious, hurting; those who look different from us—rich/poor, north/south
· We are called to look at the sinner with love and mercy, not with hate. We also are sinners saved by grace through God’s mercy.
3. Forgive others
· We are called to forgive others. (Colossians 3:13)
· We deserved judgment but received none because of His love. God’s love is the ultimate justice because he removes judgment and makes everything right and pure through Him.
· Look at how God forgives. He blots our sins out and remembers them no more. (Isaiah 43:25) How can we be unmerciful to others and demand punishment when our punishment was taken upon the cross by Jesus?
Does my heart believe my mouth when I say I follow Christ, and do my hands and feet even know what I am talking about?
Discussion Questions
1. Is mercy a character trait that the world admires? How do you know? Is it a character trait you admire or not? Why or why not? Remember: Mercy gives grace and forgiveness instead of punishment.
2. Share about an experience when you either experienced or witnessed mercy being expressed, or share an experience when you were able to extend mercy to someone else or to yourself.
3. What do you think Pastor Josh meant when he said, “If you want to see miracles, walk in mercy.”
4. Would you want to receive the level of mercy you have currently been giving to others? Why or why not?
5. In your life currently, to whom is God asking you to extend forgiveness or mercy? What is one step or action you can take this week to begin to extend that forgiveness or mercy?
Full Podcast Episode: https://banner.church/podcast/2021/3/4/better-blessing-22821/