Learning to Desire Mercy

A lodestone is a naturally magnetized piece of the mineral magnetite. They are naturally occurring magnets, which can attract iron. The property of magnetism was first discovered in ancient times through lodestones. Pieces of lodestone, suspended so they could turn, were the first magnetic compasses, and their importance to early navigation is indicated by the name lodestone, which in Middle English means "course stone" or "leading stone", from the now-obsolete meaning of lode as "journey, way"

Among the several wonders of the loadstone, this is not the least, that it will not draw gold nor pearl, but, despising these, it draws the iron to it, one of the most inferior metals: thus Christ leaves the angels, those noble spirits, the gold and the pearl, and He comes to poor sinful man, and draws him into His embraces. - T. WATSON.

It is surprising to think about – a magnet is able to set the course of a ship but has no attraction to gold, silver, or pearls. What an interesting comparison to Christ. There is something about the Spirit of Christ in us that places a yearning for finding and rescuing those who are lost.

· Lost people matter to God, and so they must matter to us. — Keith Wright

· Some wish to live within the sound of a chapel bell; I wish to run a rescue mission within a yard of hell. — C.T. Studd

· The world is the field and the field is the world; and henceforth that country shall be my home where I can be most used in winning souls for Christ. — Count Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf

· Would that God would make hell so real to us that we cannot rest; heaven so real that we must have men there, Christ so real that our supreme motive and aim shall be to make the Man of Sorrows the Man of Joy by the conversion to him of many. — Hudson Taylor

· I cared not where or how I lived, or what hardships I went through, so that I could gain souls for Christ. While I was asleep, I dreamed of these things, and when I awoke, the first thing I thought of was this great work. - David Brainerd

What makes a church host a pumpkin patch, XA work a tailgate party, a family host a community group, a fire fighter take on the responsibility of a chaplain, or a teacher lead a student Bible study other than the hopes of reaching the lost?

The Lodestone for Jesus

Matthew’s call to serve Jesus also has something to say to each of His disciples. In the 9th chapter of Matthew we find out about the call of Matthew and the party that Matthew throws to celebrate. The Pharisees see what is going on and begin to gripe about it. Jesus responds to them and reveals to us His ‘lodestone’.

Matthew 9:12–13 NIV

12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

When Jesus said “go and learn” it was like the teacher tapping on the chalkboard or raising their hand (for elementary). The teacher is saying something – listen up!

This statement is important because He is tipping (Astros reference) His glove to let everyone know his campaign strategy. Jesus will fulfill the Law by reaching out to sinners. It is interesting that this is unusual to the Jewish religious leaders. They wanted to follow religious law to the extreme. Jesus would fulfill the Law and demonstrate grace and mercy to the world.

Being a follower of Jesus requires a willingness to extend a hand to those who are hurting.

So, What Does, “I Desire Mercy, not Sacrifice” Mean?

Clue #1 – The Person of Matthew

This statement by Jesus was made to the Pharisees but at a party given by Matthew.

By religious standards, Matthew was a poor selection to be a disciple.

Matthew exacted taxes for the Roman invaders. The system of taxation lent itself to corruption, and tax collectors were notoriously rich and fanatically hated. Not only did they fleece you; they worked for the hated oppressors the Romans, either directly or under a governed kingdom such as Herod ran. Matthew would have heard the teaching of Jesus in the Capernaum area. He would have seen the miracles of Jesus. He would have been wondering about this amazing man everyone was talking about. And then suddenly Jesus stood in front of him, and said, ‘Follow me’ (9). Matthew did just that. That is truly amazing—amazing that Jesus should bother about someone so universally despised and hated; amazing that Matthew should leave everything to follow this carpenter; amazing that Jesus had such authority that when he said to a businessman, ‘Follow me’, the man obeyed; and amazing the transformation in Matthew’s life that resulted. We give Matthew credit for the first written records about Jesus. Matthew would have been able to read and write and God used Him to record the story. He can do the same with your gifts and mine if get up and follow him.

Matthew’s conversion deserved a party. Matthew threw one, and Jesus was totally at home among a bunch of crooks who were Matthew’s friends and colleagues.

Unlike some church people in many parts of the world, Jesus was totally relaxed in the presence of ‘sinners’ and outsiders of every kind. They loved to be with him. He was so attractive, such good company.

Clue #2 – The Hypocritical Pharisees

The Pharisees were the religious elite of the Jewish culture. They represented high church and the rules of the OT plus a bunch more they made up.

The Pharisees were shocked by the fact that Jesus would hang out with Matthew and his friends. It was to the Pharisees that Jesus made the statement:

Matthew 9:12 NIV

12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.

Matthew 9:12–13 NIV

Jesus pointed out that they were perfect in following the rules, but their hearts didn’t care about mercy towards God’s people.

On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ v For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Jesus pointed out that they were perfect in following the rules, but their hearts didn’t care about mercy towards God’s people.

In the OT there is a story about a prophet who didn’t have the heart of God. His name was Jonah. You probably have heard the story about Jonah staying in the stomach of a whale for 3 days and nights. That was because he tried to get out of delivering a message to Ninevah that would have helped them through the mercy of God. Eventually he tells the city that God is displeased and that they need to repent. The city listens and does repent, but Jonah delivers the message and then sits outside the city to watch it get destroyed – a pretty good example of Law without mercy. The city doesn’t get destroyed and Jonah gets mad. The book of Jonah is the only book in the Bible that ends on a question from God, “Story of Jonah?

Jonah 4:10–11 NIV

10 But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

Jonah 4:10 NIV

10 But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight.

Basically, the Pharisees were just like Jonah, standing around complaining about Jesus hanging out with Matthew and his friends. One Bible scholar, Dr. Michael Green writes:

But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

Basically, the Pharisees were just like Jonah, standing around complaining about Jesus hanging out with Matthew and his friends. One Bible scholar, Dr. Michael Green writes:

The Pharisees choose to exclude themselves from the party. Here we see among the Pharisees a tendency, which will reappear more strongly as the story unfolds, to judge Jesus rather than revel in the mercy he offers, and to pride themselves on their own fancied goodness instead of recognizing his. The Pharisees could not tolerate the generosity of God to the paralysed man, to Matthew or to his crooked friends. Those who think they are healthy do not need a doctor: ironic words. There are, of course, not ‘healthy’ under God’s expert examination, but there are lots of people who think they are. Such people do not see their need of a doctor, although they harbour germs of the same fatal disease of sin which they condemn in its cruder forms in others. There is no room for the Pharisee spirit in the kingdom. The word means ‘separated ones’, proud that they stand out from the crowd and are good people. Such an attitude stinks in God’s nostrils. The kingdom is a one-class society—for sinners only.[1]

So, to understand what Jesus means, we have 2 clues so far…the person of Matthew and the character of the Pharisees.

Putting the Clues Together

1. Matthew was a rough choice to be a disciple, but Jesus did choose him

2. The Pharisees were good at following rules but were not merciful

3. Jesus directs the statement at the Pharisees

So, here is the picture that Matthew paints in his gospel. Matthew’s party is filled with people of questionable reputation, but Jesus is there. The Pharisee’s have a reputation of religious perfection, but they are hard hearted toward others. It is to the Pharisees that Jesus made the statement –

Matthew 9:12–13 NIV

Message Received!

#1 – Desire Mercy

The simple definition of mercy: “compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.”

“compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.”

The 1st part of the definition is what normally comes to mind but think about the 2nd part. What power do we have to punish or harm someone? We can probably think of many things because those things have happened to us. There is physical punishment, sure; but more often than not we punish others through words, actions, and apathy. Jesus said:

Luke 6:35–36 NIV

35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Luke 6:35

Find the Brokenhearted

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. [2]

Find the Brokenhearted

It becomes clear that Jesus is about finding the marginalized. Remember that our first message on following Jesus pointed out that disciples need to follow Jesus where He goes, and He goes to the marginalized.

I listen to Ravi Zacharias quite a bit. His specialty is apologetics, so a lot of his videos are from colleges where he is defending the Christian faith. It is not his favorite platform. I recently heard him say that his preference is to speak to the brokenhearted. The brokenhearted are the people that need to hear about a merciful Savior.

Jesus did not come to call the righteous (used ironically—those, like these Pharisees, who thought they were righteous) to repentance, for the self-righteous do not recognize their sinfulness. But these sinners saw their need. This was Jesus’ audience. Jesus, the Great Physician, healed people of physical illnesses, but he knew that all people are spiritually sick and in need of salvation. Luke recorded Jesus’ words about his mission as, “For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost” ( nrsv).

Find those Who are Perishing

We already looked at some quotes from famous men and women who made it their life’s work to rescue people that are perishing. C. T. Studd’s statement, “Some wish to live within the sound of a chapel bell; I wish to run a rescue mission within a yard of hell” has always had a big impact on me.

Can we saw that we have the same passion? Jesus said that the doctor’s office is not filled with people who feel great – it is filled with the sick and those who are potentially perishing. Can we truly say that we desire mercy, not sacrifice?

#2 – Don’t Get Caught up in Mechanical Religion

Just like last week when we saw that Jesus was quoting from the OT, in our discipleship lesson this week Jesus is again quoting from the OT

Hosea 6:6 NIV

6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

Jesus told them to go back and study again the words of God spoken through the prophet Hosea, I desire mercy and not sacrifice (). Hosea’s words were not a blanket condemnation of the sacrificial system of the Jewish nation at the time; rather, God was condemning a thoughtless, mechanical approach to sacrifice. A religious ritual helps when carried out with an attitude of love for God. If a person’s heart is far from God, ritual will become empty mockery. God did not want the Israelites’ rituals; he wanted their hearts… God wants a heart attitude that includes a right relationship with him and with others, an attitude that reaches out to those in physical and spiritual need.

1 Samuel 15:22–23 NIV

22 But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”

But Samuel replied:

Psalm 51:16–17 NIV

16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices

as much as in obeying the Lord?

A Disciple’s Heart MUST Desire Mercy

To obey is better than sacrifice,

and to heed is better than the fat of rams.

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;

you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart

you, God, will not despise.

A Disciple’s Heart MUST Desire Mercy

Perhaps the greater proof of Matthew’s conversion wasn’t his willingness to follow Jesus but his immediate invitation to others to also meet the Lord. The people each of us tries to reach with the gospel usually have limits and boundaries. Most often, these limits are self-imposed. Like the Pharisees, we may conclude that a person’s reputation or past behavior cuts him or her off from even the opportunity to meet Christ. If so, we are wrong. People still need to hear. The gospel gets compromised more often by our failure to express it than by our failure to express it in the “right context.” Is your approach to non-Christians more like Matthew’s or like the Pharisees’? Invite someone outside your “world” into your home or church.[3]

It has been said that grace is getting what we do not deserve and mercy is not getting what we do deserve. Because we are sinners, we deserve to face the full force of the law—hell, separation from God, spiritual death for eternity. But God chose instead to be merciful to man, to give him the opportunity to be saved. Such is the case in the following account.

Quite a few years ago, Governor Neff of the State of Texas received an invitation to speak at one of the penitentiaries in that state. He spoke to the assembled prisoners, and afterward said that he would be around for a while to listen to anything any of the convicts might wish to tell him. He would take as much time as they wanted, and anything they would tell him would be kept in confidence.

The convicts began to come, one at a time. One after another told him a story of how they had been unjustly sentenced, were innocent, and wished to get out. Finally one man came through who said to him, “Governor Neff, I do not want to take much of your time. I only want to say that I really did what they convicted me of. But I have been here a number of years. I believe I have paid my debt to society, and that, if I were to be released, I would be able to live an upright life and show myself worthy of your mercy.”

This was the man whom Governor Neff pardoned.

This man was guilty; he deserved to be punished. But he acknowledged his crime, humbled himself, and asked forgiveness of the governor. That is exactly what sinful man must do with the Almighty God. He knows our sin. We deserve His wrath and punishment. But if we will confess our sin, humble ourselves, and ask for forgiveness, God will be merciful and offer us salvation!

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” ().[4]

[1] Green, M. (2001). The message of Matthew: the kingdom of heaven (pp. 123–124). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

[2] The New International Version. (2011). (). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

[3] Barton, B. B. (1996). Matthew (pp. 180–182). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

[4] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. (2003). Practical Illustrations: 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon (pp. 107–108). Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.

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