Matthew 5:7 CSB – Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Understanding Jesus’ Mercy
Psalm 23:6 CSB – surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the day sof my life.
Ephesians 4:2 CSB – But God, who is rich in mercy,
James 5:11 CSB – the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
Titus 3:5 CSB – [God] saved us—not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy
Luke 1:78 CSB – Because of our God’s merciful compassion,
the dawn from on high will visit us
Matthew 9:13 CSB – But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
1 John 3:17-18 CSB – If anyone has this world’s goods and sees a fellow believer in need but withholds compassion from him—how does God’s love reside in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth.
Matthew 25:35-36 CSB – I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me.’
Matthew 25:42-43 CSB – For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger and you didn’t take me in; I was naked and you didn’t clothe me, sick and in prison and you didn’t take care of me.’
Three Dimensions of Mercy
Luke 10:33 CSB – But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and when he saw the man, he had compassion.
Mercy Sees Distress
Mercy Feels Compassion
Romans 12:15-16 CSB – Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble.
Mercy Takes Responsibility
Proverbs 14:21 CSB – The one who despises his neighbor sins,
but whoever shows kindness to the poor will be happy.
Proverbs 14:31 CSB – The one who oppresses the poor person insults his Maker,
but one who is kind to the needy honors him.
Blessed are the merciful = being patient when people fall
Galatians 6:1-2 CSB – Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted.2 Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
John 8:10-11 CSB – Jesus asked,
“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
11 “No one, Lord,” she answered.
“Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus.
“Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”
Romans 6:1-4 CSB – Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? 2 Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
3 Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?4 Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.
Psalm 85:10 CSB – Faithful love and truth will join together;
righteousness and peace will embrace.
Blessed are the merciful = forgiving those who hurt you
Matthew 18:21-22 CSB – Peter approached him and asked, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? As many as seven times?”
22 “I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven
Matthew 18:32-35 CSB – …his master said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And because he was angry, his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he could pay everything that was owed. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to you unless every one of you forgives his brother or sister from your heart.”
“Forgiveness cost God his Son on the cross, but what does it cost us to
forgive one another? Forgiving costs us our sense of justice.
We want to see ‘justice’ done, but the justice we envision satisfies our own interests. We must realize that justice has been done.
God is the only rightful administrator of justice in all of creation, & his justice has been satisfied. In order to forgive our brother, we must be satisfied with God’s justice & forgo the satisfaction of our own.” – Jerry Bridges, The Practice of Godliness
Ephesians 4:32 CSB – be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.
