“Peace of conscience is nothing but the echo of pardoning mercy.” William Gurnall
“The law works fear and wrath; grace works hope and mercy.” Martin Luther
Today we are going to talk about Mercy. This is something that all Christians say they have, and they can probably even give some examples of how they have shown mercy and forgiven those who have trespassed against them. I believe that the majority of the time this is said it is a bunch of lies. I do not know many people who can truly say that they have forgiven everyone in their life. We can say it with our mouth and even show it in our actions but it is in the heart where we truly have mercy. Let’s start again by looking at the definition of mercy as it is used in the Bible.
Mercy
MER'CY, n. [L. misericordia.]
1. That benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart which disposes a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves; the disposition that tempers justice, and induces an injured person to forgive trespasses and injuries, and to forbear punishment, or inflict less than law or justice will warrant. In this sense, there is perhaps no word in our language precisely synonymous with mercy. That which comes nearest to it is grace. It implies benevolence, tenderness, mildness, pity or compassion, and clemency, but exercised only towards offenders. Mercy is a distinguishing attribute of the Supreme Being.
2. An act or exercise of mercy or favor. It is a mercy that they escaped.
3. Pity; compassion manifested towards a person in distress.
4. Clemency and bounty.
5. Charity, or the duties of charity and benevolence.
6. Grace; favor. 1 Cor 7. Jude 2.
7. Eternal life, the fruit of mercy. 2 Tim 1.
8. Pardon.
9. The act of sparing, or the forbearance of a violent act expected. The prisoner cried for mercy.
Ok now we know what mercy means. Notice it says mildness or tenderness of heart which causes an outward action. If you have mercy you will treat someone better than they deserve instead of saying that they are getting what they deserve. You will overlook injuries. This means you don’t point out what someone else did to offend you. As a matter of fact you do not even remember what someone did to offend you because forgiveness and mercy go together along with other words. Here is what the original Greek means.
Greek Word: ἐλεέω
Transliteration: eleeō
Phonetic Pronunciation:
el-eh-eh'-o
Cross Reference: TDNT - 2:477,222
Part of Speech: v
Vine's Words: Compassion, Compassionate, Merciful, Mercy
English Words used in KJV:
have mercy on 14
obtain mercy 8
show mercy 2
have compassion 1
have compassion on 1
have pity on 1
have mercy 1
have mercy upon 1
receive mercy 1
[Total Count: 31]
from
The same word that is used for mercy is also used for these other phrases. Do you have mercy, pity, or compassion. Let’s look at what Jesus has to say on this subject.
23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Matt 23:23 (KJV)
Brother Paul used this scripture in his message Sunday and it was put on my heart then to focus on mercy. Mercy is one of the weightier matters of the law. Here the Pharisees did not show mercy. Do you want to be associated with the Pharisees?
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Matt 5:7 (KJV)
Jesus said that blessed are the merciful. If you aren’t merciful then you will not obtain mercy. Remember in the definition it said that mercy is to inflict less than law or justice will warrant. We know what the law says. Do you want mercy or are you willing to accept the full punishment coming to you for your sins? I want and need mercy. James 2:10 says : 10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. So this pretty much shows how much everyone needs mercy to escape eternal damnation. When do we have the opportunity to show mercy? We know that when someone does something to offend us we should show mercy but what else. Is it merciful to send a bullet into someone’s chest because they are occupying land that belongs to someone else? It can be merciful to give instead of getting. It is merciful to forgive a debt. We will only be forgiven by the same measure that we forgive.
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. 23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. 24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? 34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. Matt 18:21-35 (KJV)
We should forgive our brothers as many times as they repent. Even if it is more times than we can count. We cannot show mercy and then talk about the mercy that we have shown. If you do not show mercy then you will not be shown mercy. I cannot say this enough. This passage also says that you must forgive your brothers every trespass and this must be done from your hearts. If you don’t you will be judged by our Heavenly Father. We were just told we should forgive our brothers. Here is another scripture on showing mercy to our brothers.
8 And the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying, 9 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: Zech 7:8-9 (KJV)
Do you have compassion or are you one of those Christians that have been hurt so much that your heart is hardened? I hope you heart is not hardened, because you have hurt Jesus more than you have ever been hurt. You had better hope he doesn’t harden his heart toward you. Do you show mercy to the poor or do you say they are probably getting what they deserve? That man is homeless because he is to lazy to work, he just needs to get a job. This is not mercy.
31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor. Prov 14:31 (KJV)
21 He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he. Prov 14:21 (KJV)
You honor God by showing mercy to the poor regardless of how they became poor. You can be happy if you show mercy to the poor. Doesn’t it make you feel good to know that you have helped the poor? What about the poor in spirit?
What about people who do not believe the same way as we do? What about non-believers? Should we show them mercy?
27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. 29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also. 30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. 32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. 33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. 34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Luke 6:27-36 (KJV)
Yes you should show them mercy too. This is where true Christian love for the world comes in to play. We must show mercy to the ones that hate us. Many times Christians can do this, but they cannot show mercy towards their brothers because they should have known better. Imagine how great this world would be if we could just learn to show mercy to everyone, no exceptions. If you can only show mercy to your family or to the body of Christ then you are no better than an unbeliever. How can you visit the people in prison if you cannot show them mercy?
31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. Matt 25:31-46 (KJV)
Are you a sheep or a goat? Would have enough pity to help the hungry, thirsty, strangers, the naked, or the criminals in prison? What if you heard a knock on your door and you went to answer it and there stood a middle aged woman that had on a mini-skirt, a see through shirt with no bra and she told you she just got out of prison and needed something to eat and drink and a place to stay. What would you do? I know what I would have done a few years ago and I would not have shown her the mercy I need too.
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Col 3:12 (KJV)
This passage is telling us to have the bowels of mercy. What does this mean? We should have the mercy that comes from deep inside of us. People used to say that true feelings come from the bowels or stomach. We now say the heart but when you get really sad or nervous what part of your body bothers you the most, your stomach. All of these things above are for the elect of God. If you find someone like this you will think they are a pushover and a weakling but the truth is they will have more strength than anyone you know. It takes strength to show mercy. Ok so how should we do this? Should we show mercy with sadness? Should we say “Oh how I pity that fool, I feel sorry for them and so I too am going to suffer for them”.
8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Romans 12:8 (KJV)
We should love mercy and we should show mercy with cheerfulness!!! We should thank God that we are able to forgive and show mercy, because this is not a natural reaction in this world. We can overcome the world by having pity and compassion on those who do wrong to us. In doing this we are guaranteed mercy for ourselves. When the prodigal son came home his father had mercy on him and his brother wanted judgment. Which do you want? We deserve the cross that Jesus hung on for our sins. There is nothing I can do to even begin to pay back the debt I owe. Trusting and relying on His mercy alone is what delivers me from my sin.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: Prov 3:3 (KJV) 4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Prov 3:4 (KJV)
We need mercy. We should carry mercy around with us and we should be looking for a place to show mercy to everyone we see. We are all sinners and we all need mercy to spend eternity with our Lord. We need to show the mercy that Jesus showed when he was here, UNCONDITIONAL. We can’t say that I’ll show you mercy this time but if it happens again….. No we should be willing to give mercy this time and be ready to give mercy the next time. The mercy or the lack there of could cause someone to turn to Jesus or it could cause someone to run from Jesus. Let’s not let our hearts get hardened because we have been hurt in the past. We have been driving nails into Jesus’ hands for 2000 years and he is still willing to show us mercy. Let’s love like Jesus. Peace to All, Amen.
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