Mercy

• 1 Timothy 1:2 — ² To Timothy, a true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. ^(NKJV)

Introduction:

1. “Mercy” is another word that Paul used sparingly in the greetings of his letters.
2. While there are things that we cannot know about mercy, we have an accurate concept of it by what God has revealed.

Definition

Vine’s

(1656)) “is the outward manifestation of pity; it assumes need on the part of him who receives it, and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows it.

Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon

1656 ἔλεος [eleos /el·eh·os/] 1 mercy: kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them. 1a of men towards men: to exercise the virtue of mercy, show one’s self merciful. 1b of God towards men: in general providence; the mercy and clemency of God in providing and offering to men salvation by Christ. 1c the mercy of Christ, whereby at his return to judgment he will bless true Christians with eternal life.

3. Today let’s search the Scriptures to gain a deeper appreciation for “mercy.”

Body:

1. God is merciful!

• Ephesians 2:4 — ⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ^(NKJV)

1. His mercifulness is not always observable or understandable by our ability to reason.
2. Remember Job…
3. Relate the story…
4. James says…

• James 5:11 — ¹¹ Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. ^(NKJV)

1. Providentially, God chooses when, on whom and in what way He grants mercy, in answer to prayer

• 2 Timothy 1:15–18 — ¹⁵ This you know, that all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. ¹⁶ The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain; ¹⁷ but when he arrived in Rome, he sought me out very zealously and found me. ¹⁸ The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day—and you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus. ^(NKJV)
• Philippians 2:25–30 — ²⁵ Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; ²⁶ since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. ²⁷ For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸ Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. ²⁹ Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; ³⁰ because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me. ^(NKJV)
• Hebrews 4:14–16 — ¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. ^(NKJV)

1. Through God’s sovereign will, He chose to show mercy in His scheme of redemption.
2. To Israel…

• Romans 9:14–18 — ¹⁴ What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! ¹⁵ For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” ¹⁶ So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. ¹⁷ For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” ¹⁸ Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. ^(NKJV)

1. Be careful not to think this shows that God is unfair!

• Romans 9:19–21 — ¹⁹ You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” ²⁰ But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” ²¹ Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? ^(NKJV)

1. Paul explains…

• Romans 9:22–26 — ²² What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, ²³ and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, ²⁴ even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? ²⁵ As He says also in Hosea: “I will call them My people, who were not My people, And her beloved, who was not beloved.” ²⁶ “And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ There they shall be called sons of the living God.” ^(NKJV)

2. And, now to all nations
3. He called… V. 24 (above)
4. God calls by the gospel.

• 2 Thessalonians 2:13–14 — ¹³ But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, ¹⁴ to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. ^(NKJV)

1. Mercy is connected to salvation.
2. In His scheme of redemption, God was working this out.

• Romans 11:28–33 — ²⁸ Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. ²⁹ For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. ³⁰ For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, ³¹ even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. ³² For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all. ³³ Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! ^(NKJV)

1. Jesus fulfilled God’s plan.

• Hebrews 2:17 — ¹⁷ Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ^(NKJV)

1. Because God chose to be merciful to us.

• Hebrews 8:12 — ¹² For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” ^(NKJV)

3. Today, by God’s grace and mercy, we can be remade and become a vessel of honor.

• 1 Thessalonians 4:3–8 — ³ For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; ⁴ that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, ⁵ not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; ⁶ that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. ⁷ For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. ⁸ Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit. ^(NKJV)
• 2 Timothy 2:19–21 — ¹⁹ Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” ²⁰ But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. ²¹ Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. ^(NKJV)

1. Man’s response to God’s mercy.
2. Obey the gospel.

• 1 Peter 1:3 — ³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ^(NKJV)
• 1 Peter 1:22–23 — ²² Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, ²³ having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, ^(NKJV)
• 1 Peter 2:9–10 — ⁹ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰ who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. ^(NKJV)

1. Glorify God for His mercy…
2. As we worship.

• Romans 15:8–9 — ⁸ Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, ⁹ and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: “For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, And sing to Your name.” ^(NKJV)
• Ephesians 3:20–21 — ²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, ²¹ to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. ^(NKJV)

2. In our daily lives

• Romans 12:1 — ¹ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ^(NKJV)
• Ephesians 4:1 — ¹ I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, ^(NKJV)

1. Showing mercy to others.

• Matthew 9:13 — ¹³ But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” ^(NKJV)
• Matthew 12:7 — ⁷ But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. ^(NKJV)
• Matthew 23:23 — ²³ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. ^(NKJV)

1. There is a condition for receiving mercy.

• Matthew 5:7 — ⁷ Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. ^(NKJV)
• Luke 6:36 — ³⁶ Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. ^(NKJV)

2. How do we do this?
3. As Jesus taught about the good Samaritan.

• Luke 10:25–37 — ²⁵ And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” ²⁶ He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” ²⁷ So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ” ²⁸ And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” ²⁹ But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” ³⁰ Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. ³¹ Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. ³² Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. ³³ But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. ³⁴ So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. ³⁵ On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ ³⁶ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” ³⁷ And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” ^(NKJV)

1. Cheerfully

• Romans 12:6–8 — ⁶ Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; ⁷ or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; ⁸ he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. ^(NKJV)
• James 3:17 — ¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. ^(NKJV)

1. Mercy is connected to forgiveness

• Matthew 18:23–27 — ²³ Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵ But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. ²⁶ The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ ²⁷ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. ^(NKJV)

1. 27 “compassion” To feel deeply or viscerally, to yearn, have compassion, pity. -Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New

• Matthew 18:28–33 — ²⁸ “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ ²⁹ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ ³⁰ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. ³¹ So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. ³² Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. ³³ Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ ^(NKJV)

750. 33 “compassion,” “pity”: ‘to show mercy, to be merciful toward, to have mercy on, mercy.’ – Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 750.

• Matthew 18:34–35 — ³⁴ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. ³⁵ “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” ^(NKJV)

III. Mercy is connected to judgment.

• James 2:13 — ¹³ For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. ^(NKJV)

1. Teaching and practicing mercy can help us to reach the lost.

• Jude 20–23 — ²⁰ But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. ²² And on some have compassion, making a distinction; ²³ but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. ^(NKJV)

1. Opportunity for showing mercy to others is running out.

• Luke 16:24 — ²⁴ “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ ^(NKJV)

Conclusion:

1. Do you and I need mercy in the day of judgment?
2. Do we want God to be merciful to us?
3. How well are we showing ourselves to be merciful?