Blessed Are the Merciful

Amen. You may be seated, kids. You are dismissed to your King's Kids classes.

And if I would invite you to open up to your Bibles to Matthew, chapter 5.

Matthew 5 · chapter mention

We've been making our way through the Beatitudes, the very beginning of Jesus' Kingdom Manifesto.

So, I'm going to read Matthew 5, 1 through 10.

Seeing the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and when He sat down, His disciples came to Him.

And He opened His mouth and taught them, saying,

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

And may God bless the hearing of His word.

One of the things that I've been trying to draw to your attention as we've been making our way through the Beatitudes

is the purposeful sequence to the Beatitudes.

It's not just thrown together.

It's purposeful.

And this fifth Beatitude that we're in, blessed are the merciful, represents a development in that sequence.

And so, the first Beatitude, blessed are the poor in spirit,

we're being told we need to declare spiritual bankruptcy before God.

Blessed are those who mourn.

Not only are we to declare spiritual bankruptcy,

but we are to have this godly grief over our sin against God.

Blessed are the meek.

When we see ourselves as God sees us, it is humbling.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.

Caleb, thank you so much for preaching last week on this.

This exceeding righteousness.

This inward righteousness.

This beautiful and refreshing righteousness.

Not only for our own souls, but beginning for the souls around us.

And now we come to the fifth Beatitude.

Blessed are the merciful.

And what Jesus is getting at is our posture of heart towards those in need around us.

So let me ask you a question.

What is your typical response when you encounter a person in need?

Maybe it's a material need for money, for transportation, food, clothing.

Or maybe it's an emotional need.

Someone is emotional, in emotional distress.

Maybe it's a relational need.

You encounter someone who is in a strained relationship with someone else.

What's your response?

Spiritual needs.

Is your typical response one of a tenderness of heart?

Or hardness of heart?

One that says, oh man.

I know I've been there.

Or more pharisaical.

Mmm.

Sorry, buddy.

John Stott, in his commentary on the Sermon on the Mount.

He defines mercy as compassion for people in need.

But if you're a fan of Boston, the band,

you know that compassion is more than a feeling.

No.

It's compassion in action towards people in need.

Mercy isn't just feeling bad for people in need.

It's doing something about it.

It's moving towards them.

So mercy is compassion in action for people in need.

And it requires a tenderness of heart.

It doesn't mean you look past people's sin or hardships

or what people have contributed to their own difficulty.

But it does mean tenderly trying to help them in their need.

Do you know what gets in the way

of us extending mercy to people in our lives that are in need?

Not the people in need.

It's us.

We've got a problem in our hearts.

If you regularly experience impatience with people in need,

frustration with people in need,

avoidance of people in need,

maybe you are disgusted by people in need.

Maybe there's an unwillingness in you to be inconvenienced

to help people in need.

Do you know what you need to hear?

Blessed are the merciful,

for they shall receive mercy.

I'm going to make a case this morning

that's aimed at your heart.

I'm not going to go into,

here are some practical steps

of how to help people in need without hurting them.

There's this very helpful kind of book.

It's called Helping Without Hurting.

It's how we mercifully and wisely meet people in their needs.

I'm not going after that this morning.

What Jesus' words is giving us an opportunity

is to tend to our hearts.

So here's what I'm going to argue.

I want to convince you of it.

The tender mercy of God tenderizes our hearts

towards those in need.

You need the mercy of God to be merciful to others.

I'm going to make this in four points.

First is this.

We're going to look at mercy personified,

mercy incarnate.

Then we're going to look at his mercy people,

mercy's pathway,

and then the mercy that's promised.

So let's dig in.

Mercy personified.

Steve opened to the service this morning

in Exodus 34, 6 and 7.

God reveals himself to Moses,

the Lord, the Lord, merciful and gracious.

The first thing God says about himself to Moses

is, hey, I'm merciful.

Now he's just and holy and righteous.

I mean, we're going to see in a little bit

he's the judge,

but he's full of mercy,

merciful and gracious.

It might make you wonder,

what's the difference between mercy and grace?

Both God's mercy and God's grace

are ways God expresses his love for people in need.

But as I was reading this week

and preparing for the sermon,

I came across this distinction

that I thought was helpful.

I think it will help you.

It's not necessarily airtight,

but you'll get the point.

God's grace is God's loving pardon

to people in their sin.

It forgives our sin.

It pours out God's wrath on Christ

for those who believe

and imputes Christ's righteousness

on those who believe.

It deals with pardon for our sin.

God's mercy is his loving relief

of people in the misery

of experiencing sin's effects.

Whether their own sin

or the sin of others

or being in a fallen world.

Mercy is God's compassion

in action towards those in need.

I want you to see it

in the person of Jesus.

When you look at the Gospels,

your Gospels are just so full

of your merciful King's heart

towards those in need.

It's just packed with it.

So I picked four passages

in which people actually ask Jesus for mercy.

I just want you to see how he responds.

In Matthew chapter 10,

Matthew 10 · chapter mention

there are these two blind guys

and they cry out to Jesus,

have mercy on us, son of David.

Son of David is the title of the king.

I mean, Jesus is Joseph's son,

but he's David's greater son,

the king.

What does Jesus do?

He goes into their house,

he asks them some questions,

and then he opens their eyes.

What's the need?

They can't see.

What's the mercy?

He causes them to see.

Mercy.

The next example I want you to see

is in Matthew 15.

Jesus is now not in Israel,

he's in Tyre and Sidon,

which is Gentile territory,

and he walks into a woman's house

and she's a Canaanite woman.

And in verse 22,

she says,

Have mercy on me,

O Lord, son of David.

She acknowledges him

as the son of David.

And then she says,

My daughter is severely oppressed

by a demon.

The need?

Her daughter is being oppressed

by a demon.

Jesus hears it.

And what does Jesus do?

He heals the daughter

of the demon.

Do you know why?

Because he's full of mercy.

In Matthew 17,

there's a guy,

he comes up to Jesus,

Lord, have mercy on my son,

for he has seizures

and he suffers terribly,

for often he falls in the fire

and often into the water.

Jesus' disciples couldn't do anything,

so Jesus did something about it.

He cries out for mercy.

The need is his son.

This demon is just oppressing him.

And what does Jesus do?

He heals him.

Matthew 20,

two more dudes,

blind guys,

outside of Jericho.

Lord, have mercy on us,

son of David.

You picking up on the theme?

This king,

and what does Jesus do?

He sees the need,

he has pity,

he gives them sight.

Do you know what this means?

I mean,

we haven't even talked about

the woman

who has 12 years of bleeding

who comes up behind Jesus,

touches him,

and she's healed.

Mercy!

We even even talk about

Jesus showing up

at a wedding.

His mom says,

hey,

we're short on wine.

Jesus!

And in his mercy,

he makes water into wine.

How about that?

Our Jesus,

the son of David,

is full of mercy.

Again,

and again,

and again,

people in need

come to him,

and they cry out for mercy,

and he gives it to them.

He's tender.

He welcomes the needy.

He moves towards the needy.

There's his ministry,

and then there's his cross.

Theologians talk about the cross

as the place where justice

and mercy meet.

God's just wrath

met by God's mercy,

giving salvation

to all who believe.

You know,

it's at the cross

of Jesus Christ

that he addresses

and relieves

our greatest need

as human beings

on the planet

to be relieved

from sin's penalty

and power

and one day

sin's very presence.

So we see this

merciful king

being tender

in his mercy,

in his ministry,

two people,

and then on the cross,

and then there's

the throne.

Jesus died.

He was buried.

He was raised,

and he ascended

into heaven

where he's at the

right hand of God

seated on the throne,

and we learn

from Hebrews,

he,

Jesus,

is our merciful

high priest

who can identify

and sympathize

with us

in every way,

and he's like,

come to the throne

of grace,

come to the throne

of mercy

in your need.

Come find mercy.

So,

brothers and sisters,

when you hear

these words,

blessed

are the merciful,

people,

they're coming

from the lips

of mercy

incarnate,

the king

who's full

of mercy,

compassion

and action

towards those

in need,

and his ministry

on earth,

on his cross,

and on his throne.

is he begrudging

in his mercy?

No.

He's tender,

eager to show mercy.

Does that not

tenderize your heart?

That,

that he would be

that way to you

and your need?

Does that not just,

I don't deserve that.

Is anyone

in the room

in need?

Material need?

Emotional need?

Relational need?

Spiritual need?

Take your cue.

Son of David,

have mercy

on me.

He's not going

to begrudge you mercy.

mercy.

Jesus is mercy

personified,

mercy incarnate,

and we,

his people,

are a mercy people.

So we move

from mercy personified

to mercy people.

Blessed are

the merciful.

And let me just

remind you of

how Jesus

frames the Beatitudes.

In 5.3,

he says this,

blessed are

the poor in spirit.

Then comes the promise,

for theirs

is the kingdom

of heaven.

Now,

if you declare

spiritual poverty

to Jesus,

he brings you

into the kingdom.

And then in verse 10,

blessed are those

who are persecuted

for righteousness' sake,

for theirs

is the kingdom

of heaven.

You suffer for Jesus,

it's just evidence

that you're in the kingdom.

kingdom.

So,

the first

and the last

of the Beatitudes,

this character profile

of a citizen

of the kingdom,

it's now kingdom.

It's being brought

into his kingdom

now.

These

mercy people,

blessed are the merciful,

these are people

who have been brought

into the kingdom.

kingdom.

These are people

who have already

experienced

the mercy of God.

They've already been

delivered from the

domain of darkness

and by God's grace

and mercy

transferred into

the kingdom

of the beloved son.

Every Christian

is to be characterized

by all eight

of these Beatitudes.

It's who we are

now that we've been

made new,

given new hearts,

given new desires,

given a new purpose.

Our Father

who art in heaven

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done.

May we show mercy.

This people,

this merciful people,

this blessed people,

they've already

been shown mercy.

Listen to how Peter

says in 1 Peter

1 Peter 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2.

And mind you,

he's writing to

church of Gentiles

and Jews.

He says,

but you are a chosen race,

a royal priesthood,

a holy nation,

a people for his own

possession,

that you may proclaim

the excellencies

of him who called you

out of darkness

into his marvelous light.

Once you were not

a people,

but now you are

God's people.

Once you had

not received mercy,

but now you have

received mercy.

Do you know why

we are to be merciful?

Because we've been

received mercy.

We've been

mercied.

Brothers,

sister,

God has

mercifully

helped you

with your

greatest need

of all

to be reconciled

to him,

to be rescued

from your sin.

And because

we are a people

of God's mercy,

we are to show

mercy

to others

because of God's

tender mercy

towards us,

us in need,

and we're still needy,

so we are to

be tender

towards others

in need.

Now I can imagine

someone in the room

saying,

time out.

Whoa,

time out,

Salvati!

We're all busy people.

There will always

be people in need.

Is showing mercy

really that important?

Would you turn

in your Bible

to Matthew

Matthew 25 · chapter mention

chapter 25?

It's one of my

favorite sounds

in the world

right there.

In Matthew

25,

31,

Jesus is talking

about what happens

when he comes

back.

Listen to what

he says,

and then be

listening

for the

concrete

data point

of his

judgment

at the

end

of time.

When the

Son of Man

comes in

his glory

and all

the angels

with him,

then he will

sit on his

glorious throne.

Before him

will be gathered

all the

nations,

and he will

separate

people one

from another

as shepherd

separates the

sheep from

the goats.

That's talking

about the

judgment.

And he

will place

the sheep

on his

right,

but the

goats on

the left.

So all of

humanity

separated at

this point

in time,

at the throne

by Jesus.

Then the

king will say

to those on

his right,

come,

you are

blessed by

my father,

blessed by

my father.

Inherit the

kingdom prepared

for you from

the foundation

of the world.

Lord.

And then it

gets personal.

For I was

hungry and

you gave me

food.

I was thirsty

and you

gave me

drink.

I was a

stranger and

you welcomed

me.

I was naked

and you

clothed me.

I was sick

and you

visited me.

I was in

prison and

you came

to me.

Then the

righteous will

answer him

saying,

whoa,

Lord,

when did we

see you hungry

and feed you

or thirsty

and give you

drink?

And when did

we see you

a stranger

and welcome

you or naked

and clothe

you?

And when

did we see

you sick

or in

prison and

visit you?

And then the

king will

answer them,

the king of

mercy.

Truly I

say to you,

as you did

it to one

of these

least,

one of the

least of

these my

brothers,

these sheep

on my

right,

one of the

least,

one of the

most needy

and vulnerable

as you did

to them,

you did to

me.

Is it

important?

It shows

up at the

judgment.

whether you

show mercy

or not

is the

stuff,

the evidence

that demonstrates

you've been

transferred from

the kingdom of

darkness into

the kingdom of

the beloved

son.

There's no

arguing it.

It's

undeniable

proof of

conversion.

In

Matthew

7,

this is at

the end of

the sermon

on the

mount.

In verse

21,

Jesus

says something

similar.

Not everyone

who says to

me,

Lord,

Lord,

will enter

the kingdom

of heaven,

but the

one who

does the

will of

my

father,

who is

in heaven.

On that

day,

what we

just read,

on that

day,

many will

say to

me,

Lord,

Lord,

did we

not prophesy

in your

name,

and cast

out demons

in your

name,

and do

many mighty

works in

your name,

and then I

will declare

to them,

I never

knew you,

depart from

me,

you workers

of lawlessness.

You know

what?

You know

what Jesus

is looking

for?

Mercy,

not sacrifice.

Mercy,

not big

shows of

spirituality.

He's looking

for mercy.

You showing

mercy to

people in

need,

just as he

showed you

mercy in

your need.

Blessed are

the merciful.

He has

shown us

mercy.

The tender

mercy of

God is

to tenderize

our hearts

to those

in need.

It is

proof positive

you're in the

kingdom,

and if it's

not there,

the question

is,

are you in

the kingdom?

I don't know

about you,

but this

kind of

tender

mercy,

boy,

it tenderizes

me.

mercy.

That's

mercy,

people.

Those who

have been

shown mercy,

they're

blessed.

But maybe

you're sitting

in your pew

saying,

gulp.

I'm not

sure if I'm

seeing the

mercy that

Jesus is

talking about.

Maybe

some of

you are

getting a

nervous.

I want

to help

you right

now in

talking about

mercy's

pathway.

Because

mercy

flows

down and

out

from the

throne in

heaven down

to earth

and out to

people in

need.

there's

this flow,

but it

gets

dammed

up.

There's

this

principle

throughout

your

Bible.

It's a

cause and

effect

principle.

And we

see it

in a

passage like

1 John.

1 John 4.

You don't need to

turn there.

I'll turn there

and read it

for you.

In 1 John 4,

we read

this.

Listen for the

cause and

effect.

Do you

see the

cause and

effect?

God loves

us.

We love

others.

Vertical

horizontal.

We see it

in John 13

in the

new commandment.

A new

commandment I

give to you,

that you

love one

another.

Just as I

have loved

you, you

are to

love one

another.

And by

this, all

people will

know that

you're my

disciples.

Jesus is

the great

example and

source of

our love

for one

another.

He loves

us.

We love

one another.

Mercy

flows along

the same

route.

Because

mercy is

actually a

demonstration

of love.

It's an

exercise of

love to

other people,

those in

need.

So God

has mercy

on us,

and we

have mercy

towards

others.

Imagine

you are in

a, you

own a

cabin in

Colorado,

and I'm

going to make

up the mountain

you're next to.

it's called

mercy peak.

And mercy

peak, it's

topped, it's

capped with

snow, it's

snow melt, runs

down this

mountainous stream

called

mercy stream.

And mercy

stream flows

into, next to

your cabin,

mercy lake.

It's pristine

waters, it's

snow melt.

Every morning you

drink it up and

you drink out

of it.

It just gives

you life.

And then what

you do is you're

like, oh this is

so good.

You get buckets

of it and you

carry it over to

your neighbors so

that everybody

drinks from

mercy lake.

And everybody's

like, yes, we

love the water

of mercy lake.

Well one morning

you wake up and

you walk outside

and your mercy

lake is a mud

puddle.

So you pull out

your binoculars.

Okay, there's

still snow on

Mercy Peak.

Oh yep, I can,

yep, there's some

kind of snow run

off.

I see it, yep,

yep, yep, yep,

yep.

I'm following it

down.

Oh, oh, there's a

problem.

Huh.

About 400 yards

up there's been

this dam of

stumps, of

brush, of

rocks.

There's this

sticks, trees,

and they have

formed this dam

and it's blocking

Mercy Stream from

running.

Do you know what

you're going to

need to do?

You're going to

get your hiking

boots on.

You're going to

go up there and

you're going to

dismantle the

dam so that

mercy flows.

Do you know

where I'm going?

If you find

yourself impatient,

frustrated,

avoiding,

disgusted,

unwilling to be

inconvenienced for

people in need,

you've got a dam

on your mercy

stream, on God's

mercy.

It's in you.

It's in your

heart.

And the way that

you dismantle that

dam is by

confession of the

sin, that allows

mercy to flow and

you need mercy

first and foremost

for yourself.

You need a drink

of that lake.

You need mercy.

So let me press

into that.

this dismantling of

the dam that

backs up mercy to

you and to

others.

Well, you've

got to remove the

sticks of

impatience.

Oh God, forgive

me.

Son of David, have

mercy on me.

I see my

impatience again.

Forgive me.

There's the brush

of busyness.

business.

I was in New

York City recently

and I love to

ride the subway.

But the subway

would shoot through

these like subway

stations at 900

miles an hour.

And you're like

looking out the

window and you're

going so fast,

people on the

subway station

platform are just

a blur.

For many of us,

we're living life

so busy, we're

flying by people

in need.

We've got to

dismantle the

brush of busyness.

We've got to

slow down.

There's a pile up

of the stumps

of grudges.

Maybe you've

tried to help

somebody.

Maybe they've

bitten you.

Maybe they've

gotten mad at

you.

Maybe they're

like, I want to

be helped this

way.

And it's like,

I'm not putting

myself up against

that again.

You need

mercy.

That's backing

up the flow.

Oh God, have

mercy on me for

holding a grudge

against this

person I'm

trying to help

and they're just

not letting me

help them the

way I want to

help them.

The rocks of

the unwillingness

to be

inconvenienced.

Maybe it

shows up like

this.

You encounter

someone in

need and

you're like,

that's above

my pay grade.

Pastor!

No.

You're not

above that.

That's not

above you.

It's not

beyond you.

Our Lord Jesus

wants mercy,

not avoidance,

engaging people,

moving towards

people.

There's another

area that's a

little delicate.

Our

affluence.

Listen to

1 Timothy 6.

As for the

rich in this

present age,

charge them

not to be

haughty,

to think that

they're better,

to separate

themselves,

to not be

willing to get

their hands

dirty,

nor to set

their hopes

on the

uncertainty of

riches,

but on God

who richly

provides us

with everything

to enjoy.

They are to

do good,

to be rich

in good works,

rich in mercy.

To be

generous and

ready to

share,

thus storing up

treasures for

themselves as

a good foundation

for the future,

so that they

may take hold

of that which

is truly life.

Yes,

even our

affluence

can be a

dam to

the flow of

God's mercy.

Oh,

Lord,

have mercy on

me for

seeing,

for allowing

my wealth

to get in

the way of

helping people

in need.

this is what's

going to take

for us to

dismantle

these dams.

What it

gets at

is our

ongoing need

for mercy.

Ironically,

there is

mercy

to help you

dismantle

your dam.

And then

there is

mercy

that meets

you when

you are

like,

oh,

this is

bad.

Mercy!

Oh,

I don't

like this

attitude.

God,

that must

agree with you.

Mercy!

Mercy,

mercy,

mercy,

mercy me.

mercy.

I don't

know about

you,

but when

I see

these things

in myself,

son of

David,

have mercy

on me.

Have mercy

on me

for my

merciless

heart,

for a

lack of

tenderness

towards

these people

in need.

Could it

be,

brothers,

the reason

why

there's not

more mercy

is because

of our

sin?

Brothers

and sisters,

blessed are

the merciful.

Aren't you

glad to know

God's mercy

is more?

God,

mercy is

bigger than

my heart.

Mercy has

a pathway,

down and

out,

and God

wants to

adjust your

heart to

use you

to extending

mercy,

bringing

buckets of

water to

people in

need.

So now

let's look at

this mercy

promised.

This

beatitude

is broken

into two

parts.

It's like

the rest

of the

beatitudes.

There is

this

character

trait,

merciful,

blessed,

it's of

God,

it's a

result of

God's

grace,

and then

there's a

promise.

And in

this case,

it's a

future

promise.

Blessed

are the

merciful,

for they

shall receive

mercy.

Now that

might sound a

little confusing

to some

of you.

Because it

may sound

like Jesus

is making

future mercy

conditional on

your present

mercy shown.

It can sound

something like

this,

if you show

mercy now,

then I will

show you

mercy then.

it can sound

like God

will show

us future

mercy

depending on

our show

of present

mercy to

others.

It sounds

conditional.

Is it?

No.

Jesus isn't

saying that.

If Jesus were

saying that,

we'd have to

throw out our

New Testament.

it.

Jesus is

saying something

else.

Because

salvation,

our salvation,

is not by

works.

Our salvation

is not

conditioned on

our obedience,

on our

obedient show

of mercy.

Our salvation

depends solely

on God's

grace and

mercy.

mercy.

So,

so if it's

not that,

what is

Jesus saying?

Well,

remember who

he's talking

to.

That these

citizens of

heaven are

people who've

already been

brought into

the kingdom

of the

beloved son.

Remember,

theirs is the

kingdom of

heaven.

That's what

bookends this

group of

people.

These people

have been

shown mercy.

These,

these blessed

ones,

they've been

shown mercy.

First Peter

2, 9, and

10.

These blessed

kingdom citizens

are being

shown mercy.

They have a

merciful high

priest who

pours out

mercy from

his throne.

And they

will be

shown mercy

at the

judgment.

Do you

remember the

response of

the people

on the right

hand of

Jesus, the

king in

Matthew 25?

They're like,

what?

When did we

show you

mercy,

king?

all along?

When you're

showing mercy

to the

least of

these of

mine that

I paid

for?

Listen up.

If you're in

the kingdom,

the judgment

throne is a

mercy throne.

The judgment

throne is a

mercy throne.

Jesus is not

making a

future mercy

conditioned on

our present

obedience.

This is

future mercy

promised to

present kingdom

citizens, those

already who've

been brought

into the

kingdom.

And now

proof positive

of their

citizenship is

they show

mercy, just

as their

king has

shown them

mercy.

You know

what that

makes a

weekend say?

Light of

the judgment?

Son of

David, you

will show

mercy to

me on

that day.

There is

therefore now

no condemnation

for those who

are in

Christ Jesus.

There is

mercy.

Do I have

an amen?

Amen?

mercy awaits

brothers and

sisters.

And I

don't know

about you,

but that

mercy to

come tenderizes

me to show

mercy now.

Mercy

personified.

The one

speaking this

beatitude is

mercy incarnate.

His

ministry is

cross his

throne.

mercy people.

We've been

mercied.

We've been

brought into

the kingdom

by his

mercy.

We once

were not

shown mercy,

now we

have been

shown mercy.

There's this

mercy pathway.

It flows

down and

out.

And maybe

you've got

some work

this afternoon

to confess

and dismantle

some of the

things blocking

the flow of

mercy to you

and others.

Mercy

promised.

Mercy

awaits.

We look

forward to

that day.

Now you may

be asking this

question,

maybe you've

been asking

it all

along.

Who do I

show mercy

to?

And I'm

going to

close by

reading another

parable of

Jesus where he

answers that

question.

said to him,

and behold,

a lawyer stood

up to put him

to the test,

saying,

what shall I do to inherit

eternal life?

He said to him,

what is written in the law?

How do you read it?

And the lawyer answered,

you shall love the Lord your God

with all your heart and with all

your soul and with all your

strength and with all your mind

and your neighbor as yourself.

And Jesus said to him,

you have answered correctly.

Do this and you will live.

But he, the lawyer,

desiring to justify himself,

said to Jesus,

and who is my neighbor?

Jesus replied,

a man was going down

from Jerusalem to Jericho

and he fell among robbers

who stripped him

and beat him

and departed,

leaving him half dead.

Now by chance,

a Jewish priest

was going down

that road

and when he saw him,

he passed by

on the other side,

maybe saying,

I need to get to this

prayer meeting.

So likewise,

a Jewish Levite,

when he came to the place

and saw him,

passed by on the other side.

I've got kingdom work to do.

But a Samaritan,

as he journeyed,

came to where he was

and when he saw him,

he had compassion.

He went to him

and bound up his wounds,

pouring on oil and wine.

Then he sent him

on his own animal

and brought him to an inn

and took care of him.

And the next day,

he took out two denarii

and gave them to the innkeeper,

saying,

Take care of him

and whatever more you spend,

I will repay you

when I come back.

Jesus then said,

Which of these three

do you think,

Mr. Lawyer,

proved to be a neighbor

to the man

who fell among the robbers?

And the lawyer said,

The one who showed mercy.

And Jesus said to him,

You go and do likewise.

Brothers and sisters,

the kingdom of heaven has come.

We've been mercied.

Now let's go and do likewise.

Let's go with the flow

and let's show mercy

as those who've been tenderized

by the very mercy of God.

And you know what's going to happen?

It's going to distinguish us

from the rest of the world

who is merciless.

Let's pray.

God in heaven,

we are a people

in need of your mercy

every day.

Forgive us

for allowing other things

to get in the way

of us seeing our need

and drinking deep

from your flow

of mercy to us.

Oh, we're so grateful

that we can come

to your throne of mercy

and find mercy

in time of need.

We thank you, Jesus,

that you see us

as we are.

Lord, would you use us?

Would you help us

to see people in need

with eyes of mercy,

tender,

helpful,

humble,

and pray this

in Jesus' name?

Amen.