Blessed are the merciful

Title: Be these attitudes pt5

Text: Matthew 5:7; Romans 15:7

D.T Showing mercy is an act of worship.

Introduction:

Vine Street Baptist Church in Jefferson Heights Alabama

Vivian Smith (the children's director) dreaded this day. It’s never good for children's church when St. Patrick's day falls on a Sunday.

Coltan Parker (relentlessly pinches kids on St. Patrick's Day)

Rachel Parker washes Coltans green shirt the day before St. Patrick's day

Storm Knocks out power

Elder Matthew Rollins said a Tornado was sported in neighboring Cherokee County

Ethel Beaver confirmed this by claiming the storm made her knee hurt.

The storm prevented Coltan Parker's green shirt from drying.

The kids relentless pinched Coltan Parker

Colton Parker learned a very important lesson on that day. Blessed are the merciful; for they shall be shown mercy.

In Jesus sermon on the mount we are reminded those who are merciful are happy, fortunate, and blessed

We like talking about mercy in churches today, it gives people all shorts of warm fuzzy feelings, it’s positive, it’s reassuring. (We should enjoy mercy)

However we really only want to talk about one way in particular

We like talking about receiving mercy, not showing mercy

Satan tempts us with a version scripture that is more heavily redacted then a CIA file from the 1960’s

This version wants to redact the part where we are required to show mercy. However we can’t let this happen, we must be disciplined and intentional about showing mercy. The bible gives us no shortage of reasons why we must be merciful if we truly want to be shown mercy.

God showed us mercy first Philippians 2:5-8 tells us this (READ)

Philippians 2:5–8 ESV

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

The whole life and ministry of Jesus was a display of being merciful on the part of Jesus. Christ willingly emptied himself of some of his divine qualities to be made in the likeness of a man. Christ willingly humbled himself to the point of being a servant. Christ willingly made himself obedient to the cross by dying on that very cross. Jesus is the epitome of being merciful and showing mercy in his life. In the beginning of this passage in Philippians Paul tells his audience “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. We are merciful because Christ first showed us mercy. We are called to likewise show mercy because part of following Jesus is having the same mindset as Jesus. And Jesus was merciful.

Remember God didn’t HAVE to show us mercy. Once man fell into sin he would have been in the right to leave us to our own devices, to leave us in our sins. God did not HAVE to offer salvation to anyone. However because he offers mercy to EVERYONE through the death and sacrifice of Christ Jesus. One only needs to call upon the name of Jesus to be saved and shown mercy.

Jesus also had reservations about making himself obedient to the cross. Remember in Gethsemane Jesus prayed and asked the father “Father if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” despite the fact Jesus wanted this cup taken from him, he was still obedient to the cross. Why? Because he is merciful.

Folks, we are in no position to withhold mercy.

Acknowledgment of grace Another reason why showing mercy is important to the Lord is this. It acknowledges our own grace. Mark Moore in his commentary on the life of Christ says “The reason a Christian can show mercy is that (s)he understands how much mercy (s)he has received.” Moore also goes on to say “when we treat others unmercifully it betrays the fact that we have not experienced or appreciated the mercy God has shown us.” In other words, one of the reasons we display that we have a true understanding of the salvation we so desperately need is shown in how we display mercy to others. Failing to display mercy could be a tell-tell sign that a person really never understood Jesus, nor were they really saved to begin with. In 1st John 2:19 it says

1 John 2:19 ESV

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

the reason some will go from us, and the reason they never really belonged to us will be because of their unwillingness to show mercy.

Showing mercy is an act of worship: Romans 15:7 tells us

Romans 15:7 ESV

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

Basically the way in which we are merciful to one another brings praise to God. Which means showing mercy is an act of Worship. Many things may come to mind when you think of Worship (singing, praying, fasting, communion) however make no mistake, showing mercy is among all these things. Showing mercy is an act of worship. Therefore remember “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Christian? How do you show mercy? How do you display mercy in your lives today? Close with comparison with the opening story.