Mercy

When you understand the mercy of God your anxiety will decrease and your peace of mind will increase. Your stress will go down and your stability will go up. Your frustration in life will be diminished and your satisfaction in life will be increased.

What is Mercy?

We know what it’s not. It’s not getting even. It’s not being cruel. It’s not getting what we deserve.

Mercy - Undeserved Forgiveness & Unearned Kindness

When someone shows you kindness that you didn’t deserve, it’s mercy.

FACT: YOU NEED GOD’S MERCY EVERY SECOND OF YOUR LIFE

The Air you breathe … the water you drink … everything you need for life.

If it wasn’t for the mercy of God, you would never have been born.

God created you - just so he could show his love and mercy to you.

I want to do 2 things today.

1. WHEN DO I NEED GOD’S MERCY?

2. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I ACCEPT IT?

IOW what difference does it make? How will Mercy Change my life? How does my life get better because of mercy...

Jesus ministry was all about mercy. He showed mercy to everyone. There is no person that he did not show mercy to. Today we will look three stories of Jesus encountering people and relate it back to our lives.

Jesus does not want your life to be filled with being ashamed… being angry… or afraid. You have no idea of all the ways Jesus wants to show you mercy.

In his mercy, God came to earth in Jesus.

He lived a perfect life.

He taught us what God was really like.

He suffered and died on the cross to pay for our sins.

He rose on Easter to prove we could overcome death.

If you fully understood and felt the full implications of Gods Mercy, you would not live the way you are living. You would not struggle with feeling

Ashamed of all the things you have done wrong.

Angry for all the things you do not have.

Afraid for all the things that could happen in your future.

Jesus was all about mercy and he showed it to everyone.

Three Situations When We Need God’s Mercy

Let’s look at when we are ashamed...

1. I NEED GOD’S MERCY WHEN I’VE MESSED UP

We all mess up … you… me - everybody. None of us are anywhere close to perfect. None of us bat’s 1000%

I’ve never met anyone who claimed to be perfect, but just incase...

Romans 3:23 NLT

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

We have all sinned...

1 John 1:8 NLT

If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.

You are deceiving yourself if you think you are not messed up … some. Every9one around knows it… wife… kids… coworkers...

You are deceiving yourself if you think you are perfect or sinless.

Ecclesiastes 7:20 NLT

Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins.

Solomon, the wisest man on earth said everyone sins. No one gets it right all the time. We all mess up at one time or another.

James 3:2 NLT

Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.

We All Make Mistakes

Anyone disagree that we all make mistakes?

Anyone stumble because of your words? You say something and wish you could pull the words back into your mouth.

Stumble with Attitudes?

Stumble with your Actions?

Stumble with the wrong emotions?

We all get tripped up and fall into the same traps over an dover again. You do… I do. We all mess up...

How Does God React When You Mess Up?

The short answer is that He shows mercy. John 8:2-6 tells us a story of a humiliated woman.

talk though the characters in the story

John 8:2–6 NLT

but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger.

Notice a couple of things: Circle Caught … Trap

1. There were Two Traps were being laid here:

1. The embarrassed Woman was caught in a wrong relationship.

2. The Pharisees were trying to catch Jesus in a wrong reaction.

What are some things you get “caught up” in that you know are wrong?

Business Deal? Relationship? Secret Habit? Addiction?

It’s easy to get caught up in materialism… pleasing others… living a double life … competition with others.

2. No one stopped to consider WHY this woman had gotten caught up in a dishonest relationship.

What pain drove her to the behavior she was trapped in? Here is something we need to understand.

No Behavior is repeated unless it’s rewarded.

Insecure and starving for attention?

Trying to make her pain with sex? trying to feel loved?

Believed the cultural lie that sex shows your value

If you’re not wanted… you are worthless...

They were trying to trap Jesus and did not care about this woman or if they destroyed her life.

This woman was obviously caught in a wrong relationship.

Here’s what happened.

John 8:6–8 NLT

They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

No One Knows What Jesus Wrote in the Dirt

Ever thought about what he was writing in the dirt? No one really knows. I think he was writing the sins of the men in the crowd… their secrets…

arrogance… spouse abuse… cheating… tax evasion… porn… unforgiveness… bitterness...

Everyone has sins they don’t want people to know about… stuff you don’t want discovered.

Jesus Protected the Woman’s Dignity in Public

We need to always protect people’s dignity in public. You don’t have to agree with someone, but we should always treat them with dignity. Jesus accepted everyone… he didn’t approve of what they did but he accepted them.

So he finally stands up and says, OK… any of you who is without any sin, throw the first stone.

Look at what happened next...

John 8:9–11 NLT

When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

The older ones left first because the older you get the more you know you messed up… tired of pretending. No one more self righteous than a college student… they think they know because some professor told them and it will take a few years of real life for them to figure out that they are stupid and they have messed up too… so they were the last to leave.

Jesus did not condemn her nor did he condone her, He changed her

He doesn’t lecture her, he forgives her and says don’t do this anymore. He did not say it was ok… to cheat on her husband… to mess with another woman’s husband… to do whatever… He changed her life by forgiving her and challenging her to stop sinning.

GODS’S MERCY FORGIVES AND FREES YOU FROM GUILT

He forgives you and he frees you.

Isaiah 61:1 NLT

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.

Forgiveness

He takes care of your past… gets rid of guilt, shame and regret.

This is important because so many people get stuck in the past… Jesus forgives the past and he also sets you free from the past.

Freedom

the power to break free from whatever imprisons you.

What’s Holding You Captive?

regret… You just can’t forgive yourself for that thing that you did in the past

resentment… people hurt you and you just can’t let it go. You won’t let anyone else get close enough to hurt you again.

shame…

envy … How come my husband isn’t like her husband? (she may be thinking the same thing) How come my kids aren’t like.... prison of envy

worry … you worry about everything… all the time.. and you are sick and tired.

addictions…secret sins… habits...

What’s Jesus say about all of this?

Look at this...

John 12:47–48 NLT

I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken.

If Jesus says he did not come to judge the world, we don’t need to be trying to judge the world either. We need to point people to Jesus who loves them and came to save them.

Listen, one day there will be a judgement day

… for those who rejected God’s Mercy and died without Christ as Savior. The only people who will be judged are people without Christ.

James 2:13 TEV

For God will not show mercy when he judges the person who has not been merciful; but mercy triumphs over judgement.

Basically, we don’t get what we deserve. We get mercy. Jesus wants us to show mercy and he will give us mercy.

It doesn’t matter what you are afraid of or ashamed of… here is how God reacts.

Psalm 86:5 GW

You, O Lord, are good and forgiving, full of mercy toward everyone who calls out to you.

When we call on the Lord, he shows us mercy. If you come to him with your failures.... you hurts… your habits… He will help you. Why?

Hebrews 4:15–16 CEV

Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin! So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.

When you come to God and say… I’ve messed up… He is not a stern judge, He is sympathetic. Understanding this will change your whole view of God. You don’t need to run from him, you need to run to him.

We need mercy when we mess up… and are ashamed.

We also need mercy when we get angry. Anger isa a waring light that we are frustrated. When we don’t get our needs met we tend to be frustrated and angry.

2. I NEED GOD’S MERCY WHEN I DON’T HAVE WHAT I NEED

Fact - none of us have everything we need in life.

We are all finite, incomplete, broken people with weaknesses.

You don’t have all the talents ...

We all have things we lack in life.

God made it this way so we would depend on Him and each other. He gave us different gifts and abilities so we would have to depend on each other.

GOD WANTS YOU TO DEPEND ON HIM AND EACH OTHER

He wants you to trust him daily. In USA, we value independence and being able to do great things. Dependance is another word for trust. We have to trust God and others in life.

When you don’t trust God, and you rely on yourself for what you need - you will always come up short! Lacking and wanting what you don’t have...

That causes frustration, anger and resentment.

John tells the story of a disappointed man.

John 5:2–5 NLT

Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years.

Comments as read

We don’t like to admit it, but we all have disabilities

No one has all of the abilities to meet all of their needs.

This Man was waiting for a miracle to meet his needs

He’s been waiting 38 years. He’s been lying by tis pool missing out on life. Imagine all that he has missed out on… no wonder he is angry and disappointed.

Let me ask you

What Have You Been Waiting On?

What have you been waiting on for 38 years??? Maybe you are disappointed in your marriage… your finances… your children. Maybe you thought you would be further along at this point in your life. It just hasn’t turned out the way you wanted.

What does Jesus do with your disappointments?

Jesus Responds to Your Disappointments with Mercy

John 5:6 NLT

When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”

Why would Jesus ask him what seems obvious? Some people don’t want to get well because it means changing. Change is scary and uncomfortable.

Do you want to get healthy? with God? in relationships? Life?

I have seen so many people over the years who are stuck in unhealthy relationships, but can’t change. You change you and it will change your relationship. When you change it forces change in the other person.

Anger - believe it or not, people focus anger at others to keep from dealing with their own issues.

Addictions - We blame others and make rationalizations for our behavior so we don’t have to change...

This guy did…

John 5:7 NLT

“I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”

1. He has missed out on so much

… he feels cheated in life…

2. He Blames other people.

He is blaming others for his misfortune and unhappiness.

Who are you blaming for your unhappiness?

3. He resented those who succeeded.

Someone always gets in ahead of me…

Have you ever felt that way? Most of us have...

John 5:8–9 NLT

Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath,

What seemed impossible was Possible when He trusted Jesus.

Not everyone on earth gets healed the way we want. Some receive healing in heaven and their is no sickness or disease in heaven. This earth is not heaven. We live in imperfection… Many godly people live in chronic pain.

God could rid our world of all evil, but he would take away our freedom to choose in the process. We are selfish, mean and hurt each other. God could end all of this, but He wants us to choose to love and follow him voluntarily. He doesn’t want puppets.

We live in imperfection and that’s why we need God and his mercy.

God’s Mercy Makes the Impossible Possible!

He can do the things we cannot do. He has the power, the resources… He makes the impossible possible.

Luke 18:27 NLT

He replied, “What is impossible for people is possible with God.”

What’s the Impossible Problem You are Facing Right Now?

You’ve been lying by the pool for 38 years… you just know it’s impossible… it’s not going to happen.

Listen, if you open your heart and give your life to Jesus you will NOT lead a problem free life. But you will be able to make it through...

The reason he doesn’t just take it all away is that God is more interested in your character that your comfort. Comfort will occur in heaven. Character building is occuring right now. God wants us to make good decisions… as your pastor I want to help you make good decisions.

He makes this promise...

2 Peter 1:3 The Living Bible

For as you know him better, he will give you, through his great power, everything you need for living a truly good life: he even shares his own glory and his own goodness with us!

He gives you and me everything we need to live a godly life. HS, Ways around temptation, each other… He gives us everything we need for living a godly life.

When we don’t have what we need, we give ourselves to the Mercy of Jesus and he makes the impossible possible.

Let’s look at a third way real quick. This is a problem all of us have. It is the problem of fear. Everybody has secret fears. You have secret fears. And you don’t want anybody else to know about them. My fears are perfectly reasonable, logical and rational. Your fears are dumb. That’s always what we feel. We always try to talk our spouse out of their fears because we don’t have them. But our fears are perfectly normal, make a lot of sense and you ought to be fearful about this too.

There’s one fear that’s universal among everybody men and women, all ages. And it is the fear of death. So write this third thing down. When I’m afraid:

3. I NEED GOD’S MERCY WHEN I’M FACING DEATH

Death is inevitable.

Someone said, None of us are getting out of here alive...

Death is inevitable, but unpredictable. I’ve seen where children died and elderly die. But physical death is not the end. You don’t have to be afraid of dying if you have faith in the Lord.

God Made You to Last Forever

He wants you and I to be part of his family.

He tells us a story of a dying man in Luke 23

Luke 23:39–41 NLT

One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!” But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.”

Look at these guys on the cross with Jesus.

One says don’t you realize the seriousness of what you have done? You are about to meet God and here you are making fun of His son?

The reason so many people ignore God and live unholy lifestyles is they think Death is the end.

It’s not!!! It’s the beginning of eternity.

There is life after death and one day we will all stand face to face with God and give an account of our lives. Maybe you don’t believe this, but you are betting your eternity on it. I’m betting that Jesus was NOT a liar when he said he was going to prepare a place… when he said we would be judged...

What are you betting your life on?

We don’t get a do over or a mulligan...

Death is not the end and we might ignore god now, but we will still stand before him.

This guy says we are guilty but Jesus hadn’t done anything wrong. He didn’t say he did less than us… he said Jesus had not done anything wrong.

Have you ever met anyone you could say that about? NO.

Heaven is perfect and we are not. We cannot get to heaven on our own. That thief on the cross realized that and said

Luke 23:42–43 NLT

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

That’s last minute mercy. The thief is implying in his request that he can’t do anything to make it into heaven in his own and is dependent on Jesus.

He had made a mess of his life and had nothing to offer. He was powerless.

He says remember me… That’s the shortest salvation prayer ever, but that’s all that was needed.

Some folks think you need to use certain words to be saved… you don’t. This guy asked Jesus to remember him… no religious words… Just remember me!

It’s not the words that matter, its your heart attitude. This guy knew Jesus was famous for dong miracles, but he didn’t ask Jesus for a miracle. He recognized his deeper need to have his sin forgiven… to be saved from his sin. This guy waited to the last minute, bt there si no reason for you to wait. You don’t always get that last minute chance.

God’s Mercy Will Save Me for Eternity

Luke 23:43 NLT

And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Four things about Salvation

Salvation is Immediate

It’s today… not soul sleep.

Salvation is certain

Jesus said you will...

Salvation is through a relationship

This guy didn’t have a chance to follow any rules… he met Jesus.

Salvation is a place in Heaven forever

Jesus wants us to have a relationship with Him and live with him forever.

John 11:25 NLT

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.

Because of Jesus there is life after death.

Acts 2:21 NLT

But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

That’s what you have to do.. call on Hi for help and forgiveness and salvation.

Isaiah 30:18 TEV

And yet the Lord is waiting to be merciful to you. He is ready to take pity on you because he always does what is right. Happy are those who put their trust in the Lord.