Embracing Mercy: A Golden Rule Day

 

Summary

In today's reflection, we explore the profound concept of mercy as taught by Jesus in the Beatitudes. Jesus, the greatest teacher, emphasized that our challenges are not insurmountable; rather, it is God's presence and love that are truly beyond measure. We are invited to embrace a "golden rule day," where mercy plays a central role. Mercy, as described in the scriptures, is not merely leniency or avoidance of discomfort. Instead, it is a steadfast love that seeks the good of others, even when it requires honesty and toughness. Mercy is not constrained or forced; it must be given freely, much like the gentle rain from heaven.

The Beatitudes reveal that God's kingdom is accessible to everyone, regardless of their circumstances. Mercy, in particular, is a quality that may not always appear to lead to a "good life" by worldly standards, but it is a vital aspect of life in God's kingdom. The story of "It's a Wonderful Life" serves as a metaphor for this truth, illustrating how those who show mercy, like George Bailey, ultimately receive mercy themselves.

To cultivate mercy, we must first receive it from God. The scriptures remind us that God's mercy is everlasting and renewed every morning. Psalm 23 assures us that goodness and mercy will follow us, while Lamentations 3:22-23 declares that God's steadfast love and mercy never cease. We are encouraged to let God's mercy flow into our lives, often through the kindness and support of others.

In closing, we are invited to embrace an ancient prayer, asking for God's mercy in our lives. By doing so, we become dispensers of mercy, spreading it like a gentle fragrance in the world. Let us make today a golden rule day, filled with mercy and love.

Key Takeaways:

1. Mercy vs. Leniency: Mercy is not the same as leniency. While leniency avoids discomfort, mercy seeks the good of others, even if it requires difficult conversations. Mercy is committed to the well-being of others and is willing to be honest and direct when necessary. [04:37]

2. Freely Given Mercy: True mercy cannot be forced or constrained. It must be given freely, much like the gentle rain from heaven. When we offer mercy with clenched fists, it loses its essence. To cultivate genuine mercy, we must first receive it from God. [06:14]

3. God's Everlasting Mercy: God's mercy is everlasting and renewed every morning. We never come to God to find His mercy depleted. His steadfast love and mercy endure forever, providing us with a fresh start each day. [08:05]

4. Mercy in Community: God's mercy often flows through the kindness and support of others. When we experience mercy from friends and loved ones, it is a reflection of God's love. We are encouraged to be dispensers of mercy, spreading it to those around us. [09:21]

5. Prayer for Mercy: Embracing an ancient prayer for mercy allows us to connect with God's grace. By seeking His mercy, we become vessels of compassion and love, making each day a golden rule day filled with mercy. [10:02]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:32] - Introduction to Mercy
- [00:45] - Explanation of Reading Notes
- [01:24] - Correction on God's Happiness
- [02:24] - The Beatitude of Mercy
- [03:34] - Mercy in "It's a Wonderful Life"
- [04:22] - Understanding Mercy
- [05:04] - Mercy and Honesty
- [06:00] - Freely Given Mercy
- [06:51] - Receiving God's Mercy
- [07:27] - God's Everlasting Mercy
- [08:45] - Mercy in Community
- [09:46] - Prayer for Mercy
- [11:20] - Conclusion and Invitation
- [12:00] - Community Engagement and Prayer Requests

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Embracing Mercy

Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 5:7 - "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."
2. Psalm 23:6 - "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
3. Lamentations 3:22-23 - "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

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Observation Questions:

1. How does the sermon describe the difference between mercy and leniency? What are the key characteristics of mercy according to the sermon? [04:37]

2. In the sermon, how is the story of "It's a Wonderful Life" used to illustrate the concept of mercy? What does this story suggest about the nature of mercy in God's kingdom? [03:34]

3. What does the sermon say about the nature of God's mercy and how it is renewed? How does this relate to the passages from Lamentations and Psalm 23? [08:05]

4. According to the sermon, how does mercy manifest in community, and what role do others play in experiencing God's mercy? [09:21]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. What might it mean for someone to be "blessed" because they are merciful, as stated in Matthew 5:7? How does this blessing manifest in their lives? [02:54]

2. How does the sermon suggest that mercy should be given freely, and what are the implications of this for personal relationships and community interactions? [06:14]

3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that receiving mercy from God is essential before we can extend it to others? How does this align with the biblical passages discussed? [06:51]

4. How does the sermon connect the concept of mercy with the idea of a "golden rule day"? What practical steps can individuals take to make each day a "golden rule day"? [00:32]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you were shown mercy by someone. How did it impact your relationship with that person, and how can you extend similar mercy to others in your life? [09:21]

2. The sermon emphasizes that mercy is not leniency. Can you think of a situation where you need to be honest and direct with someone for their good? How can you approach this conversation with mercy? [04:37]

3. How can you incorporate the ancient prayer for mercy into your daily routine? What changes might you expect to see in your interactions with others as a result? [10:02]

4. Consider the idea that God's mercies are new every morning. How can this perspective help you approach each day with a fresh start, especially after a challenging day? [08:05]

5. The sermon mentions that mercy should be like a gentle rain, freely given. How can you practice giving mercy freely in your workplace or community this week? [06:14]

6. Think about a person in your life who might need to experience God's mercy through you. What specific actions can you take to be a vessel of mercy for them? [09:21]

7. How can you make today a "golden rule day" filled with mercy and love? Identify one specific action you can take to embody this concept in your interactions today. [00:32]

Devotional

Day 1: Mercy Seeks the Good of Others
Mercy is not simply about being lenient or avoiding discomfort; it is about seeking the true good of others, even when it requires difficult conversations or actions. True mercy is committed to the well-being of others and is willing to be honest and direct when necessary. This kind of mercy is not passive but active, requiring courage and a deep love for others. It is a reflection of God's own mercy towards us, which is both compassionate and truthful. [04:37]

"Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor." (Proverbs 21:21, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a situation where you need to have a difficult conversation with someone for their well-being. How can you approach this conversation with both honesty and love today?


Day 2: The Freedom of Freely Given Mercy
True mercy cannot be forced or constrained; it must be given freely, much like the gentle rain from heaven. When mercy is offered with clenched fists, it loses its essence and becomes something else entirely. To cultivate genuine mercy, one must first receive it from God, allowing His love and grace to transform the heart. This transformation enables us to extend mercy to others without reservation or expectation, reflecting the boundless mercy we have received. [06:14]

"Freely you have received; freely give." (Matthew 10:8b, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a time when you felt compelled to show mercy but held back. What would it look like to offer mercy freely in that situation today?


Day 3: God's Everlasting and Renewed Mercy
God's mercy is everlasting and renewed every morning. We never come to God to find His mercy depleted; His steadfast love and mercy endure forever, providing us with a fresh start each day. This assurance allows us to live with hope and confidence, knowing that no matter our past, God's mercy is always available to us. It is a reminder of His unchanging nature and His desire for us to experience His love continually. [08:05]

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23, ESV)

Reflection: How can you remind yourself of God's renewed mercy each morning? What practice can you start today to acknowledge His mercy daily?


Day 4: Mercy in Community
God's mercy often flows through the kindness and support of others. When we experience mercy from friends and loved ones, it is a reflection of God's love. We are encouraged to be dispensers of mercy, spreading it to those around us. This communal aspect of mercy highlights the importance of relationships and the role we play in each other's spiritual journeys. By being vessels of God's mercy, we contribute to a community that reflects His kingdom on earth. [09:21]

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2, ESV)

Reflection: Identify someone in your community who is in need of support. How can you be a vessel of God's mercy to them today?


Day 5: Prayer as a Pathway to Mercy
Embracing an ancient prayer for mercy allows us to connect with God's grace. By seeking His mercy, we become vessels of compassion and love, making each day a golden rule day filled with mercy. Prayer is a powerful tool that aligns our hearts with God's, enabling us to receive His mercy and extend it to others. It is through prayer that we find the strength and guidance to live out the mercy we have been shown. [10:02]

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16, ESV)

Reflection: Spend time in prayer today, asking God to fill you with His mercy. How can this prayer shape your interactions with others throughout the day?

Quotes

"place Jesus of Nazareth the greatest teacher who ever lives said your problems are not what's insurmountable in your world what's insurmountable is God and his presence and his love so you get to make this a golden rule day and we're going to talk about how Mercy fits into that I actually have to start with two little side notes one of them is at times it may look like I'm kind of reading what I'm going through today and that will be because I'm kind of reading what I'm going through today usually what happens is I spend a lot of time thinking and reflecting and kind of figuring out what I want to say get all loaded up and then just say it but this particular uh teaching I had recorded and then when it got to Tim and the team the camera that I was using faded in and out I thought maybe it was just my face that was looking weird but they said it was not usable and I had throw my notes away um so they gave me a transcript of it and I'll probably have to do some reading on this and if you're watching I thought I would explain that the second side note is a bit of a correction in a recent look at one of The Parables I talked about this book The Pursuit of Happiness God's way it's by a quite brilliant Swiss Catholic theology he died a few years ago but his name is survey pinkes and um I was reading in the book about how he said that uh we need to think about God in a new way that God is not mean he's not distant he's not severe we have to rethink our picture of him and then he has this sentence for our God does not love unhappiness and I thought that was so beautiful I loved it so much that I underlined it and I actually read it twice only instead of reading it our God doesn't love unhappiness I read Our God doesn't love happiness which is the opposite of what I meant to say and will'll give you a terrible picture of God and then I'll be accountable for that someday after I die so that just felt too important not to correct actually uh somebody who's a part of our little Community The Fellowship of the wi of hand to become new Jim Taylor let me know about that Jim is a brilliant guy himself he's a philosopher he's a professor at a Chris liards institution so super smart guy could have made me feel really bad about it but he actually wrote a quite gentle and merciful note about it because he's just that kind of guy so I am grateful for that smart people are not always merciful people and that actually brings us to the beatitude that we're going to talk about today where Jesus says blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain Mercy now we've been learning the Beatitudes are not statements of entrance requirements things you have to do to engineer your way into the kingdom or God's good grace they actually the announcement that God's kingdom is now available to be anybody and you might have thought that you were real far away from it in a condition that the world says is not blessed you're mourning or you have poverty of spirit but it's available to you now a few of them are a little different um Mercy is a is good quality I think um however it is true that often people who exhibit Mercy don't look like they have the good life there's an old old movie It's a Wonderful Life and in that movie Mr Potter is the guy that runs the bank and has the money and has the power and George Bailey's dad runs this little two bit Penny any savings and loan gives money to people that may not be able to pay it back does doesn't foreclosed on them if they miss a payment and so he's always kind of struggling to make ends meet um that movie is a little picture of what life in the kingdom is like that actually the merciful shall obtain mercy so let's talk about Mercy For a Moment Mercy is sometimes translated uh in the Old Testament steadfast love and um uh the idea of it is that it's a really good quality um I will say this about it it's sometimes misunderstood it's not the same thing as leniency it's not soft leniency seeks to avoid unpleasantness Mercy seeks to avoid or reject Vengeance Mercy is quite willing to be tough and to speak directly when that's in the good of the other Mercy is committed to the good of the other leniency is is committed to not having to go through pain so when mercy has to say something difficult well first church that I was ever at there was a woman who was convinced that she would God admed to be a singer and that she was designed to be the next Sandy Patty and she sang with way too much confidence um you may know Sandy Patty brilliant singer I don't know how many dub Awards and sold millions of Records I ended up in the last couple years going to uh being involved in this church Crossings High people at Crossings back in Oklahoma City and Sandy and her husband Dawn actually ended up being quite involved there one time at his service that I was preaching I got to stand next to Sandy Patty and sing with Sandy Patty and what Mercy would say to this woman in my church way back years ago in the words of an old vice presidential election would be uh I know Sandy Patty Sandy Patty is friend of mine Senator you are know Sandy Patty Mercy is willing to be quite honest uh to serve another person because Mercy always seeks to do good and here's the key with Mercy it has to be given freely if you're old enough back when you were in high school you had to read Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice and there are those wonderful lines and if the quality of Mercy is not strain it falleth like the gentle rain from Heaven and the word strain there the IDE is constrained it's not artificial it's not forced U the nature of Mercy is such that if you give it with gritted teeth and clenched fist kind of doesn't count Mercy has to come freely from within so how do I do that when my teeth are clenched well uh there's one place to go for mercy and that is to God and what I want to do is to read a few passages of scripture and then invite you right now to uh receive Mercy from him maybe the most uh repeated prayer because it's so short in the history of Christ Christianity maybe in the history of religious practice in the Greek language of the New Testament it's just two words cuate Elan Lord have mercy and that's what God does so now very first Bible passage I memorized I was a little kid Solon hard Make a Joyful Noise to the Lord All Ye Lands and then it ends for his Mercy is Everlasting his truth endures for all generations psalm 23 those wonderful words the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want and it ends surely goodness and mercy will follow me they're not just around Mercy's coming for you the quality of Mercy is not strained God Delights to give Mercy or Lamentations 3: 22 the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases his Mercy never comes to an end you never come to God and them say you know I sinned and have God say oh I'm sorry out a mercy today it's just been so much sin of the world I wasn't prepared for this wish you have been here an hour ago no never comes to an end his mercies are new every morning now you think about that every morning I bring fresh in there used to be a thing called the newspaper and uh newspapers would be new Every Morning yesterday's newspaper was worthless that was a sin them for what was Obsolete and irrelevant God doesn't start the day with yesterday's Mercy his mercies are new Every Morning never runs out what was your morning like this morning Psalm 136 is this remarkable song Israel loved the saying and it would just be a series of statements give thanks to the Lord for he is good and then the people would all say his Mercy endures forever give thanks to the god of gods and then the people would all say his Mercy endures for and this goes on 26 times to just drum into people's minds this truth his Mercy endures forever so today allow God's mercy to flow into your life right now maybe it will come through people a couple nights ago I had three friends who said they wanted to talk with me online so I went online and then the whole point of it was just for them to say we love you want to pray for you we want to help you what do you need how can we pray and their offers of help and love and prayer were so deep and so unconstrained I I I got all choked up I felt like an idiot Lord have mercy and lunch with a friend a couple days ago he's been through literal fires he has been deeply deeply scarred that was one of his sayings all through once Lord have mercy so I'll leave you with with this Ancient Ancient prayer if you're not driving a car right now you might want to close your eyes Lord King and father essence of the godhead have mercy on me Lord F of light and creator of all things have mercy on me Lord you who have sealed us in your image have mercy on me Christ true God and true man have mercy on me Christ Rising son thou whom are all things have mercy on me Lord lifegiving Spirit have mercy on Me Breath of the Father and Son in whom are all things have mercy on me Lord forgiver of sin Giver of Grace we beseech you a abandon us not because of our sins consoler of The Sorrowing Soul have mercy on me quality of Mercy is not strain you can be a little dispenser you can be a little atomizer of Mercy just like those little perfume bottles you just spray them and it just sprays out make it a golden Ru day Lord have mercy if you like hearing John talk about The Sermon on the Mount we've got a whole whole series on that so go ahead and subscribe to make sure you don't miss any future episodes in that series you can also go back and catch up on any episodes that you may have missed now if you're interested in the email or the text alert that goes along with each episode you can let us know at becom new.com ssubscribe and we'll make sure that you get those if you want to help us spread the word about become new the best way to do it is just to watch like and comment each video that we put out so we would love to hear your thoughts you want to chime in in the comments that would help us and we'd love to engage with you there lastly if you've got a prayer request there's a group of us who meet each week day to pray for viewers just like yourself you can send us your prayer request to the number 855 888 0444 and we would love to pray for you we'll catch you next time" [00:21:40]

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Transcript
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