Untitled Sermon

1. Intro

a. In recent weeks, one thing that can be said of the people of America is they crave justice.

i. We have witnessed a very unfortunate event unfold before our eyes and it has been extremely heated on both sides.

1. It is by far one of the most polarizing situations we have faced as a nation.

ii. Each party has their own story to tell, and because of the power of broadcast, it has been turned into a political scene that I’m afraid won’t be going away any time soon.

iii. No matter what side of the argument your opinion takes you one thing can be said for sure, America craves justice.

1. Simply look at what we fill our T.V. line up with. Shows like Judge Joe Brown, or my personal favorite, Judge Judy.

a. We sit and watch the judge hear the stories and make a ruling regarding the evidence presented.

b. We are fascinated with the idea of someone getting what they deserve.

b. While that last line may seem harsh, stop and think a moment. If you are wronged in some way by someone don’t you desire justice to be done?

i. My immediate reaction is Yes! Absolutely! It’s in our nature. It’s a God-given sense that we all share.

ii. God-given you say? We are created in His image. We carry within us His attributes and His characteristics. One of those characteristics deals directly with justice. We often refer to God as a just God.

1. Psalm 89:14 reads 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.

2. He is the author of morality and righteousness. He is the absolute truth that all are seeking for.

3. He gave us the sense of right and wrong. He wrote that senses within our hearts.

4. Justice is not about revenge or getting back at someone. It is a system that holds people responsible for their actions.

a. True justice requires an uncompromisable standard and an incorruptible judge.

i. Without the standard one could make up his or her own rules releasing them of the consequences their actions deserve

ii. If the judge moves away from the written standard then justice is defined only by his reasoning or agenda.

iii. Bottom line: I think it’s safe to say that we want justice to prevail. We desire to see the law upheld. We desire to see those who break the law brought to justice and held responsible for their crimes.

c. Why spend time speaking of this tonight? In order for us to fully appreciate the next beatitude that Jesus presents, we need to have a good understanding of justice.

i. He is going to present teaching that deals with our need for justice and keeping it in proper perspective.

ii. Matt 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.

iii. Whoa wait a minute! Mercy?

1. Mercy is extended when someone who has the power to judge chooses forgiveness instead.

2. Mercy defined is the discretionary power of a judge to pardon someone or to mitigate punishment,

a. The acting “judge” has the ability to either condemn or pardon the accused.

b. Mercy is NOT the abolishment of justice. Rather it is granting pardon instead of condemnation.

i. Due process has taken place. The verdict given still stands. Otherwise, there would be no need for mercy. The punishment is waved and the guilty party is released of the sentencing.

d. Tonight, we are going to look at the attitude of merciful. We are going to dissect what is required for one to show mercy, and we are going to remind ourselves of the mercy that has been extended our way. By doing so, I believe we will better understand the importance of displaying mercy rather than casting judgment.

i. Tonight, is not designed to abolish the legal system in our nation or downplay the commands of God. The legal system is there to protect and uphold the law. God’s commands exist to keep us from a life of sin.

ii. Spiritually, it is important we understand this attitude. If we’re not careful, we may forget that a great deal of mercy has been extended our way. We too need to extend mercy towards others.

2. Becoming Aware

a. Before we can look at the ingredients of mercy we need to establish it’s importance. That importance is established when we realize that we all are in need of mercy.

i. Judging others or seeking justice comes as a natural reaction of the flesh in life’s everyday arena.

1. When we rub shoulders with people you can bet that the inevitable is going to happen: Someone is going to rub you the wrong way.

a. Sometimes this is intentional, sometimes not.

2. This happens in every arena of life.

a. Politically, socially, relationally, and yes, even religiously.

ii. In other situations, we cast judgment without ever truly knowing the individual.

1. We witness or hear about a persons actions and base our judgment off the limited information we have acquired.

2. One of the most dangerous things we can do is presume or make assumptions regarding another individual.

a. We play it out in our minds not knowing all there is to know. We create the drama before even one word is spoke. We set ourselves up for failure.

b. Mercy is a difficult attitude for us to grasp because our flesh makes it difficult.

i. Our flesh desires justice. It craves to see the w