Blessed Are the Merciful
Blessed Are the Merciful
Matthew 5:7
We live in a society that is becoming increasingly merciless. This lack of mercy is not just something far away where cruel terrorists are bombing unsuspecting people in sidewalk cafes. It is a problem that can be seen right here on our doorstep.
A little before 6 p.m. on June 23 of last year, LaShanda Calloway went into a convenience store right here in Wichita. She got involved in an altercation with another woman in the store. The other woman stabbed her in the abdomen. Video surveillance of the incident shows that no less than 5 shoppers actually stepped over her body while she lay bleeding in the aisle. One person stopped briefly to take a picture with a cell phone. None of them tried to help or comfort this woman. LaShanda died from her injuries. The absence of mercy in this incident is appalling.
In contrast, Jesus said that those who really belong to His kingdom are marked by mercy. As we continue looking at the beatitudes, we come today to Matthew 5:7. Here Jesus gives us another quality which distinguishes those who belong to Him. It is the quality of mercy.
I want to remind you again that the beatitudes are not a how to on salvation. It is not Jesus’ intent to lay out goals that must be attained to gain God’s favor or to secure a spot in heaven. The beatitudes are not prescriptions for being saved. They are descriptions of those who are saved. The fifth beatitude reminds us that those who really belong to Jesus are those who are merciful.
The Importance of Mercy
1) To be merciful is to be like God.
a. Luke 6:36 “Be merciful as your Father is merciful.”
b. 2 Cor. 1:3 God is described as the Father of mercy.
2) Jesus said mercy marks true believers not religious ritual.
a. Matt. 9:10-13 Mercy, not sacrifice reveals godliness.
b. Matt. 23:23-24 Mercy, not religious formalism reveals
godliness.
APP: Now, Jesus is not saying that sacrifices or tithing are meaningless actions. But he is saying that those actions do not of themselves define the life that pleases God. If a person does not have a heart of mercy, they cannot make up for it by performing religious duties.
You’ve heard of missing the forest for the trees right? The Pharisees were hung up on the trees. You might say they were so focused on the minutia of religious duties they even looked at each individual leaf. But Jesus said they had neglected the “forest” issues like mercy. Basically Jesus is saying that you are kidding yourself to consider yourself spiritual because you read your Bible every day and tithe while you neglect to love people and help them when they are in need.
Mercy in Real Life
What exactly does it mean to be merciful? If we look closely at the lexical definitions we could define mercy as showing kindness or concern for someone in serious need, especially when they don’t deserve it or there is no obligation.
The easiest thing to do to help us understand mercy is to look at mercy in action. What does mercy look like in real life? How is it expressed?
Jesus told two stories that illustrate clearly the essence of mercy.
Mercy is forgiving people even when they don’t deserve it. (Matt. 18:21-33).
Mercy is helping people even when they are your enemy (Luke 10:30-37).
Both of these stories were told by Jesus to help us understand what mercy looks like in action.
1) Mercy is moved with compassion for the hurting.
a. The lord of that slave felt compassion for him.
b. The Samaritan felt compassion for the wounded man.
2) The compassion of mercy is expressed in action.
a. The lord forgave the slave his enormous debt.
b. The Samaritan bound up the wounds of the man and helped
him find the care needed.
3) Mercy is highlighted by the undeserved nature of its help.
a. The slave did not deserve to be forgiven his huge debt.
b. The hurt man did not deserve help from one he viewed as an
enemy and an inferior.
ILL: Several years ago Princeton Seminary did an experiment. Several seminary students were asked to walk across campus to a certain building and do an impromptu talk into a tape recorder. Some of the students were asked to speak on the Good Samaritan. Others were asked to speak about career concerns. Those conducting the experiment hired an actor. As the seminary students walked by, the actor would groan and slump to the ground.
60% of those seminarians walked right by. Some who were planning their talk on the good Samaritan literally stepped over the body. There was no appreciable difference between those talking about their careers and those talking about the good Samaritan.
APP: Why do you think true Christians are merciful? Why do they forgive others? Why do they assist others who are helpless and in need? The answer lies in what we have already seen building up to this fifth beatitude.
- The poor in spirit realize their spiritual bankruptcy before God.
- This realization of spiritual poverty causes them to mourn over their sin.
- The fact that they have come to terms with their own spiritual poverty and sin causes them to be humble and meek.
- Their need causes them to hunger and thirst to be right with God and to live right before God.
You see, true Christians have a deep realization of their need for mercy and they understand the magnitude of the mercy God has shown to them. They have no pretense of being better than everyone else. They have no delusions of being able to help themselves into God’s favor. So, in turn, they are willing to be merciful to others. God’s mercy to them has melted their hearts into a river of mercy.
The Merciful Shall Receive Mercy
When Jesus says that the merciful shall receive mercy, He is not saying that a person earns the mercy of God by being merciful. Rather, He is saying that the merciful are those who give evidence of a saving work of God in their own hearts. Mercy is not the currency they use to purchase salvation. Mercy is the evidence that they have been saved.
The flip side of Jesus’ statement is seen in James 2:13. James says that judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy. In other words, the one who shows no mercy gives evidence that he or she has never experienced the mercy of God in Christ. On judgment day, they will not receive mercy. They will receive justice.
What is your mercy quotient today? Do you forgive others or do you hold grudges against them? Do you help others who are in distress or do you ignore them?
Blessed are the merciful. They give evidence of a true work of grace in their hearts.