Scripture: Mt 5:7

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

5 Messages on Mt 5:3-12 (The Beatitudes)

1. Shine for Jesus in Challenging Times and Changing Circumstances

We know who we are in Christ
We know that we are blessed in all circumstances
We know His ways and expectations as His children and as citizens of His kingdom

2. We acknowledge we are poor in spirit and in need of God's grace and mercy

3. We mourn over our sins that grieve God and are in need of His comfort

4. We recognize our nothingness without God and we submit to His sovereign rule to become humble and meek.

5. We crave for righteousness and for the things of God because nothing else can truly satisfy our longings except Him (cf. Mt 6:33)

6. We are merciful because God was and still IS merciful to us (cf. 1 Jn 4:19)

We show mercy not to get mercy from God as a reward.

We are merciful because God has been merciful to us.

We show mercy to others out of gratitude to God - as a reflection of what He has done for us.

I. What is Mercy?

A blessing that is an act of divine favour or compassion
Kind or forgiving treatment of someone who could be treated harshly
Kindness shown toward someone whom you have the right or power to punish
Kindness or help given to people who are in a very bad or desperate situation

II. Who Expects Us to Be Merciful?

1. God - the Merciful One

The One who withholds a just punishment and shows compassion to the miserable.

The LORD your God will restore your fortunes. He will have mercy on you. (Dt 30:3)

Praise be to the LORD, for he has heard my cry for mercy. (Ps 28:6)

2. Jesus - our Lord, King, Master, Saviour

A. He demonstrated mercy on the cross

Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing (Lk 23:34)

B. He showed mercy by healing the demoniac

Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you. (Mk 5:19)

C. He taught on the importance of mercy

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. (Mt 6:12)

Jesus instructs the Pharisees, "Go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. (Mt 9:13)

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices - mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law - justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former." (Mt 23:23)

III. Why Must We Be Merciful?

1. We are Children of God

Mercy is something our Father and Saviour displays
Being merciful is one of our characteristics
Our salvation is an act of God's mercy

He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. (Titus 3:5)

In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. (1 Pt 1:3)

You who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy. (Ro 11:30)

2. We are a Blessed People

Blessed (happy and joyful) are the merciful

We are happy and joyful because we have received second chances and help from God, and hence, we can give second chances and help to others too.
We are empowered and enabled to show mercy.

3. We are Wise and Grateful Builders

We follow His manifesto for living
We put His word into practice - hearers and doers of His Word
We build our house on the solid rock not on shifting sand
We appreciate His love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness which we don’t deserve.

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. (Ja 3:17)

IV. Who Should We Be Merciful To?

1. Our Offender / Enemy

We show compassion and forgiveness to an offender who deserves only justice
We show mercy because we need mercy

2. The poor, needy and miserable

We show kindness to those in need and have compassion for the miserable

V. How Should We Be Merciful?

1. By Forgiving the Offender

Matt 18:21-35 – Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

2. By Doing Acts of Love, Kindness and Compassion

Luke 10:25-37 – Parable of the Good Samaritan
John 8:1-11 – Story of the Woman caught in Adultery

Conclusion

“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians: who acknowledged Jesus with their lips, walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”

- Brennan Manning - American author, former RC priest, and public speaker

John MacArthur defines mercy as follows:

Mercy is meeting people’s needs. It is not simply feeling compassion but showing compassion, not only sympathizing but giving a helping hand. Mercy is giving food to the hungry, comfort to the bereaved, love to the rejected, forgiveness to the offender, companionship to the lonely. It is therefore one of the loveliest and noblest of all virtues.

(MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1985). Matthew (p. 190). Chicago: Moody Press.)

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Mic 6:8)

Read Matthew 25:31-46

Application

Jesus said, “GO and DO likewise.”

This is the heart and desire of the Father for us today.

BE merciful.

Be Merciful