Embracing Mercy: A Call to Christian Love

Devotional

Day 1: Embodying Mercy in Christian Love

Understanding and practicing mercy is a cornerstone of Christian love. As followers of Christ, we are called to let our light shine before others, glorifying God through our acts of mercy. This is not just a call to action, but a call to a way of life that reflects the love and mercy of Jesus. ([1:15])

Micah 6:8 - "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."
Reflection: Reflect on your interactions this week. Where can you show more mercy in your daily life?

Day 2: Cultivating Mercy through Gratitude

The scarcity of mercy in our world may be a symptom of a lack of thankfulness. As believers, we are called to show mercy to our family members, sinners, and the lost, emphasizing the need for gratitude in these relationships. This is a call to cultivate a heart of thankfulness, which in turn breeds mercy. ([15:30])

Colossians 3:15 - "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."
Reflection: How can you cultivate a spirit of thankfulness in your life, and how might this lead to more acts of mercy?

Day 3: Being Ambassadors of God's Mercy

As ambassadors of God, we are commanded to show grace and mercy to a lost and dying world. If we become stumbling blocks to others coming to Christ through our selfish and merciless actions, we bear a heavy responsibility. ([25:45])

2 Corinthians 5:20 - "We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God."
Reflection: Reflect on your actions and words. Are they drawing people closer to Christ or pushing them away?

Day 4: Extending Mercy in Truth

When we extend mercy, it should be based on the truth of God's word, just as Jesus extended mercy to us. God has a process and a path for us to follow, which is defined by mercy and truth. ([35:20])

Psalm 85:10 - "Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other."
Reflection: How can you ensure that your acts of mercy are grounded in the truth of God's word?

Day 5: Mercy as a Foundational Element of Love

Mercy is a foundational element of love. We are urged to show mercy to those who are impoverished, sick, outcasts, sinners, and adulterers, just as Jesus did. This reflects the character of God and brings great reward. ([45:10])

James 2:13 - "For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment."
Reflection: Who in your life is in need of mercy? How can you extend God's mercy to them today?

Sermon Summary

The sermon series "Have Mercy" delves into the concept of mercy in the Christian faith, particularly in relation to Jesus Christ's love and mercy towards people. The pastor emphasizes that understanding and practicing mercy is foundational to Christian love and that the lack of mercy is a significant problem in the world today. He shares personal stories about his son's experience with theft and his own encounters with situations where he could have acted out of pride and vengeance but chose mercy instead.

The pastor reflects on the scarcity of mercy in the world, both on a global scale and within personal lives, families, and churches. He suggests that the lack of mercy may stem from a lack of thankfulness. He encourages husbands, wives, and children to show more mercy to their family members, emphasizing the need for gratitude in these relationships. He also highlights the importance of showing mercy to sinners and the lost, as believers are called to reach out to them.

The pastor addresses the destructive power of our words, comments, and agendas. He expresses concern about how our actions can turn people away from God, preventing them from experiencing His grace and mercy. The pastor emphasizes that as ambassadors of God, we are commanded to show grace and mercy to a lost and dying world. He warns that if we become stumbling blocks to others coming to Christ through our selfish and merciless actions, the blood of those individuals will be on our hands.

The pastor emphasizes the importance of showing mercy to others based on the truth of God's word. He highlights Jesus' statement that he desires mercy over sacrifices, emphasizing that God has called the church to give people what they need, not what they deserve. The pastor explains that God has a process and a path for us to follow, which is defined by mercy and truth. He emphasizes that when we extend mercy, it should be based on the truth of God's word, just as Jesus extended mercy to us.

The pastor concludes by emphasizing the importance of showing mercy to others, just as Jesus has shown mercy to us. He refers to 1 Corinthians 13, which describes the various aspects of love, and highlights the need to include mercy as a foundational element of love. The pastor urges the congregation to show mercy to those who are impoverished, sick, outcasts, sinners, and adulterers, just as Jesus did.

Key Takeaways

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Sermon Clips

"Mercy is a powerful characteristic of the one true God by giving people what they need and not what they deserve." (#!!46:16!!#)

"I believe that God is calling you and I to extend the same mercies every day with a newness of heart with forgiveness in our heart as Jesus Christ does... it's not just one that's for everybody and it continues day after day hour after hour minute after minute and I think it's high time that we as Christians begin to learn how to extend Mercy to lost people in this world." (#!!52:20!!#)

"How many people have we turned away from God? We're as ambassadors that he has sent and he has commanded us to show Grace to show Mercy to a lost and dying world... I can tell you what Ezekiel 33 says, the blood of that person's going to be on our hands." #!!01:02:12!!#

"God's command for us to love others must be traveled on the pathway that's paved with mercy and within the guardrails of Truth." #!!49:59!!#

"Mercy is very important to Jesus because he knows that if we aren't merciful we will never ever be able to be that extension between a lost and dying world and his son Jesus Christ... we are called to be merciful because he is merciful." #!!01:06:20!!#

"When we extend Mercy we are not only pleasing God but in the process of extending Mercy we become more like his son Jesus Christ." #!!43:09!!#

"I need you to show Mercy to people who are poverished just like I did, I need you to show Mercy to the sick and the invalids and the one with Leprosy and the outcast and the drunkards and the Sinners and the adulterers show Mercy to them just like I did just as in kind as your father is merciful." (#!!37:06!!#)

"We must love mercifully and God's plan for you and me to show Mercy will always stem from the merciful love that he displayed upon calvary's cross aren't you thankful today that he gave you what you needed and not what you deserved." #!!54:04!!#

"Mercy is showing compassion and love even when others don't deserve it... Grace carries with it the idea of bestowing a gift upon someone... because we have mercy in our hearts it thrust us to show Grace to someone and therefore we fulfill the calling to love others." #!!55:57!!#

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