0890 Be Rich - Rich in Mercy

GIFT ON THE TREE

We put our gifts under the tree, God put His gift on the tree.

We need to care for most gifts, God’s gift cares for us.

God did not give us salvation, He gave us a savior! (Luke 2:11)

Our need was salvation, so God sent us a savior.

Information - Educator. Technology - Scientist. Money - Economist. Pleasure - Entertainer

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7

God is rich in mercy.

Renews it every day. Finds pleasure. Blind man cried for it.

“Jesus Christ is the face of God’s mercy.” Pope Francis

“God’s mercy is so great that you may sooner drain the sea of its water, or deprive the sun of its light, or make space too narrow, than diminish the great mercy of God” Charles Spurgeon

God is not merciful out of pity but out of great love. (John 3:16)

1. Mercy MAKES ME ALIVE!

Sin made me dead, religion put a suit on a corpse but Christ brings resurrection.

Salvation is not prison break, its new birth. (John 3:3)

Jesus died as a sinner so that we will live as sons. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Jesus did not feel like a sinner on the cross, but He still died as one!

You’re a not a felon, you are a son. You’re not an orphan, you are a child of God (John 14:18; 1 John 3:1)

Felons are limited in employment, housing, education and voting (35 states ban on parole, 12 states ban felons)

You are done with jail but jail is not done with you.

Sam Walton? Employee or son?

2. Mercy RAISED ME UP!

His life was planned. Birth. Location. Escape from Egypt. 333 prophecies. 150 - 6 hours. (John 10:18)

Flogging was not necessary for forgiveness but it was needed for healing.

Sheep were not tortured.

Jesus healed because it’s who He is. (Exodus 15:26) Jesus healed to manifest the kingdom. (Luke 11:20) Jesus healed out of compassion. (Matthew 14:14) Faith is not what you feel but where you look. (John 3:14-15)

Jesus was wounded so that I will be whole.

“When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possesed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, THAT it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.” Matthew 8:16-17

3. Mercy MADE US SIT IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES!

Jesus did not die a quick death so you can live a an abundant life (John 10:10)

Backstabbing. Humiliation. Crown of thorns. Nakedness. Hellish experience

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on the tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the praise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:13-14

Curse makes life a living hell.

Jesus endured living hell so that you can be seated in the heavenly places.

That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace toward us…