Sermon on the Mountainside Heart of Mercy

Sermon on the Mountainside

Heart of Mercy

Jesus understood the scars of pain yet was not callused

He said Father forgive them for they know not what they do

Our hearts too must become tender not callused

We must never forget the mercy we have received and how easy

It is for us to make one little mistake that can cost great suffering and death

Jesus tells a story of a man who forgot what he had done

And the gift of mercy he received

Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."  Matthew 18:33-35

Is it in your heart to give people another chance?

Can you get past the pain to see a soul redeemed?

We don’t have mercy so a person can go back to their sinful ways

But we do show pity, sorrow for others in hope that they will see more

Than judgment, but mercy in a way that releases them to get their life right  

Heart of Mercy

What is mercy?

When I was hit by a pickup truck,

 I realized like never before how

one little mistake can end your life.

One wrong choice can cause pain

and suffering for the rest of your life.

The wages of sin is death.

We might say we do not deserve it.

But the cost of our actions can do great harm.

What if you made what seemed like a little

mistake, but it took the life of someone else.

How do you live with yourself?

I realized that sin of any size is painful.

I have given a definition to “Mercy” as

given the ability to make things right.

If God grants mercy, it is not

that we get a get out of jail card.

But another opportunity to

get it right or make it right.

That is what mercy does for us.

Jesus says in Matthew 5:7…

Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

Jesus is putting us on the other side of mercy.

Not the side of receiving, but giving mercy.

So what is it Jesus is asking of us?

To have mercy we must have compassion,

pity, and loving kindness because

this is the definition of mercy.

Pity displays sorrow.

It is hard to show pity

unless you have received pity.

The person who realizes the cost of a

mistake can cause suffering and death…

That person who understands they are a

sinner and has received God’s mercy,

God's pity is more likely to show pity and mercy.

So for us to see mercy, like Jesus’

request, we must always keep in mind

our own suffering and mistakes.

It is easier to show mercy when you believe

the other person does not deserve the fate.

But can we show mercy when we

believe they are getting what they deserve?

  

Jesus in rebuking the Pharisees said…

But you have neglected the more important

matters of the law — justice, mercy and faithfulness.

Matthew 23:23

Jesus was saying the law consist

of justice, mercy and faithfulness.

This is amazing…

 The Law is good not because

it deals in justice, but with

justice is mercy and faithfulness.

After justice is understood, the question

needs to be what role should mercy play.

The law is given to help us

know what faithfulness is.

Faithfulness brings together what

is right or just and mercy or pity.

James says it this way…

Speak and act as those who are going

to be judged by the law that gives freedom,

because judgment without mercy will be

shown to anyone who has not been merciful.

Mercy triumphs over judgment!

James 2:12-13

James also tells us Wisdom is full of mercy…

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is

… full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 

Peacemakers who sow in peace

raise a harvest of righteousness.

James 3:17-18

It is wonderful to know.

But go and learn what this means:

 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.'

For I have not come to call the

righteous, but sinners."

Matthew 9:13

It is nice to know God desires mercy.

But in context of Hosea 6

that Jesus is quoting…

 God has just said He killed the people of

Ephraim and Judah because their love was…

“…like the early dew that disappears.”

Hosea 6:4

Jesus says…

 Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

But the opposite is true if we do not show

loving kindness, pity, and compassion…

 We are not showing mercy

and we will not receive mercy.

We must be careful that the wrongs

of others does not harden our heart.

Bitterness, anger, can fill the heart in a way

that makes it impossible for us to be merciful.

We must never forget the mercy we

have received and how easy it is

for us to make one little mistake that

can cost great suffering and death.

Jesus tells a story of a man who forgot what

he had done and the gift of mercy he received…

Shouldn't you have had mercy on your

fellow servant just as I had on you?'

In anger his master turned him over

to the jailers to be tortured,

until he should pay back all he owed.

"This is how my heavenly Father will treat

each of you unless you forgive

your brother from your heart." 

Matthew 18:33-35

Is it in your heart to give people another chance?

Can you get past the pain to see a soul redeemed?

We don’t have mercy so a person

can go back to their sinful ways.

But we do show pity, sorrow for others in

hope that they will see more that judgment

but mercy in a way that releases

them to get their life right.   

Scripture Reading

Matthew 5:7 NIV

7 Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.