Embracing Mercy: A Call to Christian Love
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:
- Understanding and practicing mercy is foundational to our Christian love. Jesus calls us to have mercy and let our light shine before others, glorifying God through our good works. ([1:15])
- The lack of mercy in the world may stem from a lack of thankfulness. As believers, we are called to show more mercy to our family members, sinners, and the lost, emphasizing the need for gratitude in these relationships. ([15:30])
- 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, the blood of those individuals will be on our hands. ([25:45])
- 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])
- 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])
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Luke 6:31-36: "Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 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. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
2. Ephesians 4:31-32: "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
3. 1 Corinthians 13: "If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
Observation Questions:
1. What does Luke 6:31-36 say about how we should treat others, including our enemies?
2. In Ephesians 4:31-32, what are we instructed to get rid of and what are we encouraged to be towards one another?
3. What does 1 Corinthians 13 say about the importance of love and its characteristics?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Luke 6:31-36 challenge our natural inclinations towards those who wrong us? What does it mean to be merciful as our Father is merciful?
2. How does Ephesians 4:31-32 relate to the concept of mercy? How does forgiving each other reflect God's forgiveness towards us?
3. How does 1 Corinthians 13 define love? How does this definition of love relate to the concept of mercy?
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you found it difficult to show mercy. How could you have responded differently in light of Luke 6:31-36?
2. Identify a relationship where bitterness or anger is present. What is one step you can take this week to replace these feelings with kindness and compassion, as instructed in Ephesians 4:31-32?
3. How does 1 Corinthians 13's description of love challenge your current understanding and practice of love? Identify one characteristic of love from this passage that you can intentionally practice this week.
4. Think of someone who you find difficult to show mercy to. How can you apply the principles of mercy and love from these passages in your interactions with them?
5. Reflect on your words and actions in the past week. Were there instances where they could have been stumbling blocks for others? How can you ensure your words and actions reflect God's mercy and love moving forward?
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?
Quotes
"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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