Lord Have Mercy!
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Introduction
When the disciples asked Jesus when would be the sign of his coming, one of those signs was wars and rumors of wars.
This is something we are very familiar with in todays world.
We have seen tirants and dictators that don’t care about their people. And this is something that the world is unwilling to turn a blind eye.
When a dictators has absolute power, He can command horrible things and he has the power to carry it out.
Some people view God the same way. We know that God is all powerful and because of this omnipotence we expect him to work everything out for our good and to our satisfaction and liking.
people will ask “if God is so loving and good , why would he allow bad things to happen to good people?”
I can’t tell you how many time I have been asked this question. I think through the message today we can better understand God’s position and practice of his mercy and grace on his creation.
showed us the sovereignty of God through his foreknowledge.
God's sovereignty is his activity and power of make choices to produce his will in the midst of other's choices.
now makes it very clear that God is not absent from the choice. He is also making choices and is a vital player in the game of life.
God's sovereignty is Him making choices to produce his will in the midst of other's choices.
God's sovereignty is Him making choices to produce his will in the midst of other's choices.
The problem is not God’s sovereignty or goodness, but that he is orchestrating a world full of sinners that are making choices against his will and purpose. He then takes these bad choices we make every day and has to somehow turn them into good.
Is it God’s fault that a person who has abused their body for most of their life comes down with cancer?
Is it God’s fault that a drunk driver crosses the center line and hits a family head on?
Is it God’s fault that your parents got a divorce when you were a child?
Is it God’s fault that a young 12 girl would be sold
But just as evil is at work today God is working! The miracle is not God’s removal of all evil because that would require the removal you all of us. No, the miracle is that God is working through our mess and still makes a masterpiece. And God will have his masterpiece!
Any time you have an all powerful being that has a will, purpose, and plan; you either get with the program or you get moved out of the way.
Any time you have an all powerful being that has a will, purpose, and plan; you either get with the program or you get moved out of the way.
I watch people all the time fight with all mighty God trying to enforce their own will and they loose every single time. God will have what he desires and no one or nothing will stop Him. That can be a blessing or a curse depending on how you set yourself up.
Bible Lesson
1 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
Romans 9:1-
God’s sovereignty and will is not determined by the failure of others.
God’s sovereignty and will is not determined by the failure of others.
God works through our failures to bring about his will.
God works through our failures to bring about his will.
Chapter 9 is Israel in their Past Rejection
Chapter 10 is Israel in their Present Remnant
Chapter 11 is Israel in their Future Restoration
Rom 9:6-
6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”
God’s desire was for Israel to share their relationship with the world.
They rejected their on Messiah and are still in rejection today.
God is working from a higher perspective than we are.
God is working from a higher perspective than we are.
First example of nations of Issac and Ishmael.
Romans 9:8-
8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. 9 For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.”
Issac will become the blessed nation of Israel.
Ishmael was 13 when Issac was born. Many would argue that he is the first born of Abraham and through Ishmael’s line comes the prophet Mohamad.
Ishmael will become the Arab nations that opposes Israel his kinsmen.
Gen 16:10-
10 The angel of the Lord also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” 11 And the angel of the Lord said to her, “Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has listened to your affliction. 12 He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.”
Issac will become the blessed nation of Israel, which is through Jacob his son.
Rom 9:10-
10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— 12 she was told, “The older will serve the younger.”
God chose to bless Jacob and not Esau.
Esau was the older brother and worthy of the blessing.
Esau was loved by his father and Jacob wanted to give him the birthright blessing.
Jacob was a screamer and a lier.
He was a con-artist that stole the birthright from Esau.
God chose to show mercy to Jacob in spite of his character flaws.
God chose to show mercy to Jacob in
13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
This verse falls under bad interpretation if you don’t understand that God is not dealing with individuals but nations.
1 The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. 2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob
Malachi
2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob 3 but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” 4 If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the Lord of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.’ ”
3 but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” 4 If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the Lord of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.’ ”
3 but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” 4 If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the Lord of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.’ ” 5 Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!”
Mal 1:3
God’s sovereignty is governed by his character.
God’s sovereignty is governed by his character.
“Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely” Lord Acton 1887
14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
Rom 9:
The mercy of God is our biggest blessing.
The mercy of God is our biggest blessing.
The mercy of God is our biggest blessing.
The mercy of God is our biggest blessing.
Moses received the mercy of God as he sought after God.
God is merciful in the midst of our sin.
God is merciful in the midst of our sin.
28 But after they had rest they did evil again before you, and you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them. Yet when they turned and cried to you, you heard from heaven, and many times you delivered them according to your mercies.
Nehemiah
30 Many years you bore with them and warned them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they would not give ear. Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. 31 Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.
28 But after they had rest they did evil again before you, and you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them. Yet when they turned and cried to you, you heard from heaven, and many times you delivered them according to your mercies. 29 And you warned them in order to turn them back to your law. Yet they acted presumptuously and did not obey your commandments, but sinned against your rules, which if a person does them, he shall live by them, and they turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not obey. 30 Many years you bore with them and warned them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they would not give ear. Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. 31 Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
19 Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall!
God is slow to anger
Lam 3:22-
15 Afflicted and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am helpless.
The blessing is that our sovereign Lord is loving, kind, patient, gracious, and merciful to his subjects allowing us to trust his judgement and leading in our lives.
It’s God’s mercy that allows us to breath in and out every morning.
It’s God’s mercy that allows us to breath in and out every morning.
Ps
We are all worthy of death. God would be justified to kill us at any moment.
Lam
The mercy of God affords you an opportunity to receive his grace.
God’s mercy is a blessing not a luxury.
God’s mercy is a blessing not a luxury.
17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
Rom 9:
Pharaoh rejected God and therefore rejected his mercy.
Pharaoh hardened his heart in the first 5 plagues
God hardened his heart after that.
Mercy is a blessing from God not a luxury.
Romans 9:20-21
God is the potter we are the clay.
God is the potter we are the clay.
20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?
Rom 9:20-
We mistake God’s endurance and patience for his mercy and grace.
We mistake God’s endurance and patience for his mercy and grace.
22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—
Rom 9:
If God is extending you mercy it is opportunity to receive his grace.
If God is extending you mercy it is opportunity to receive his grace.
9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
2 peter 3:
Conclusion
God is making choices to bring about his will while we are making choices to bring about our will.
God is making choices to bring about his will while we are making choices to bring about our will.
God’s sovereignty is governed by his character of love, mercy, patience, kindness, and grace. Don’t mistake his character for forgiveness or weekness.
God’s sovereignty is governed by his character of love, mercy, patience, kindness, and grace. Don’t mistake his character for forgiveness or weekness.
Lord, as I recognize your mercy on me, I choose to live in your grace.
Lord, as I recognize your mercy on me, I choose to live in your grace.