The Mreciful

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied

The first four beatitudes dealt with our relationship to Christ, now we are transitioning to our relationship with others

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy

It is important to recognize that this isn’t a salvific formula

It’s not “because you are merciful, you will receive mercy”

Instead it tells us that being merciful is the one of the truest signs of a person that has recieved mercy

To believe being mercy will confer mercy upon ourselves would be a direct opposition to the doctrine of justification by faith in Christ

As we’ve walked through the beatitudes this far, we have noticed how they sort of build on each other.

They advance through a maturing process that almost requires one to have acquired the previous characteristic in order to posses the current

Mercy is no different

Real mercy comes not from a desire to be a good person, but from a recognition of the mercy we have recieved

Instead heartfelt, authentic mercy comes from a recognition of our spiritual poverty

When we see our helpless, sinful state, we recognize our only hope is mercy

The biggest hindrance to our ability to show mercy is an ego that makes us thing we do not need mercy

When we see ourselves as needing mercy, it’s much easier to see others as also needing mercy

“To be merciful is to have compassion on others, for they are sinners too

John Stott

When we do not convey mercy on others, are doing two things

First, we are thinking ourselves too holy

Second, we are holding others to a standard we are unable to live up to

The parable of the unforgiving servant, shows drives this home:

Matthew 18:23–35 “23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.

Matthew 18:31–35 “31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.””

The best image of mercy

Luke 10:29–37 “29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”

One of the things we see in the story of the Good Samaritan shows us what mercy is to be

“But to be merciful is more than that, for the man now not merely endures wrongs, but he confers benefits.” - Spurgeon

While one aspect of mercy is to similar to forgiveness, in a deeper aspect it is compassion upon someone in need

When we see the poor, we show mercy by giving

When we see the lonely, we show mercy by visiting

Much like Jesus said:

Matthew 25:35–36 “35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’”

To be merciful is to look on the hurting with compassion

To strive to lift them up, and fill their needs

It is easy to see mercy in light of the poor, but it is not only the poor that need mercy

The wealthy need mercy too, as do the powerful

our true need for mercy is the need for Christ to be merciful to us

One’s wealth, social status or political power has nothing to do with their spiritual need

A the end of the day, we can and should strive to meet peoples physical needs, but we are not here to merely feed the poor or befriend the lonely.

We are here to show people to the cross

Spurgeon summs it up greatly when he says:

Now, a Christian thinks far harder things of sin than a worldly person does. He judges sin by a much sterner rule than other men do, but he always thinks kindly of the sinner. If he could, he would lay down his life to reclaim the sinner, as his Master did before him. He does not say, “Stand by yourself; do not come near to me, for I am holier than you,” but he considers it to be his chief concern on earth to cry to sinners, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1: 29). So the merciful Christian is not one who shuts anybody out; he is not one who thinks anyone beneath his notice; he would be glad if he could bring to Jesus the most fallen and the most depraved.

To be merciful and compassionate toward those in need, is an earmark of kingdom living

When we live in the kingdom ruled by a God who is as merciful as ours is, we must also act in mercy