Blessed Life: Merciful

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THE BEATITUDES

Matthew 5:3-7 (NIV)
3-7 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.“

WHAT IS MERCY?

Mercy is when someone in a stronger position to someone in a “weaker” position.

Mercy is the opportunity to take vengeance, give punishment, or humiliate someone who deserves it.

Grace is what we don’t deserve.
Mercy is what do deserve.

FORGIVENESS = MERCY

Matthew 18:21-35 (NIV)
18-35 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master handed 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 or sister from your heart.”

EXTENDING MERCY TO OTHERS

Matthew 6:12-15 (NIV)
12-15 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

We don’t give mercy to others so we can mercy from God.
We give mercy to others because we have mercy from God.

If we think we need to mercy from God, then we’ll make others mercy from us.

Poor in Spirit – recognizing that we are spiritually bankrupt before God.

BECOMING BETTER AT GIVING MERCY

How do we improve our mercy quotient?
     – ourselves how merciful God has been to us.

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