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Blessed are the Merciful

February 28, 2024 • Pastor Ludence Robinson

Matthew 5:6

“Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.”

“Be merciful”


So far Jesus has been sharing with his disciples and the crowds who had gathered to hear him, the beatitudes of his Fathers’ kingdom. They had come from great distances to hear this parabolic teacher from Galilee. Jesus was sitting on the mountaintop, as he continued to expound on practical truth.  He takes his hearers on a logical sequence into the depths of spiritual maturation. He guides them through the principles and practices of people that would characterize the kingdom of his Father.


Each step in the progression of beatitudes indicates or presupposes that one goes before the other. For instance, Jesus begins with the poor in spirit those of us who recognized our complete and utter spiritual bankruptcy before God.  Next, those of us who mourn our sinful condition that is, having deep sorrow over our sinful state before God. Then, those of us who are humble and gentle, displaying restraint over our sinful passion, will stand to inherit everything that God has given to us. Fourthly, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness will not go away empty but will be filled to the fullest of God.


We have come now to the fifth beatitude “Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.”


Now to be sure there is a subtle difference between grace and mercy. Grace is God giving us what we don’t deserve (Ephesians 2:8), while mercy is God withholding from us what we do deserve (Titus 3:5; Psalm 103:8-12).

 

As we look at this fifth beatitude several things instantly catch our attention. Four words, in particular, jump out immediately to the reader:


Blessed – the word again refers to those who were fortunate, well-off, wealthy.  

The merciful –  refers to one who is actively compassionate or one who is benevolently kindhearted, which involves both thought and action.


Shown/ Mercy to be compassionate (by word or deed) to have compassion, to take pity on.

 

What is mercy?


In Hebrew, the word for “mercy” is closely related to the word for “womb,” which is rechem. This linguistic relation is significant as it sheds light on the nature of God's mercy as depicted in the Scriptures.


In Greek, the word for “mercy” is “eleos,” signifying compassion and pity. It is used in the New Testament to convey God's compassionate care and forgiveness towards humanity.

 

Who is merciful?

God is merciful.


Exodus 34:6   “And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.”


Deuteronomy 4:31 “(For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he swore unto them.”


Psalm 103:8 “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.”


Lamentations 3:22 “It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.”


Daniel 9:9 “To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against him;”

 

We ought to be merciful.


We are commanded to be merciful – Luke 6:36


When speaking of the wisdom the child of God should possess, James says it's full of mercy – James 3:17


We are told in the book of Jude that our duty is to be merciful – Jude 22

 

Who are the merciful? The merciful are those who extend active compassion to others without hesitation as in the parable of the good Samaritan who “took pity on” the man who “fell into the hands of robbers…and took care of him” (Luke 10:30).

 

How is mercy demonstrated?


Well, if we were to follow the example of the good Samaritan, we can derive a clearer picture of how to be merciful… or better yet full of mercy.

 

(First to be merciful is…)

TO FEEL SOMETHING FOR OTHERS


Notice that the priest and the Levite, though persons who should have felt something for this man felt nothing, the text says they simply “passed by on the other side,” although the law excused them from touching things that were dead, the man injured was not dead but “half dead.” And to add insult to injury the priest and the Levite were off duty. Looking closely at the text they were coming “down from Jerusalem to Jericho” and so had an opportunity to help the man but refused. There was a sense in which their duty was over, and they did not want to be bothered.

 

But the Samaritan on the other hand went to where the injured man was and helped him. This was not the desire of interest that you pass by, but a gut feeling, which moves you to do something for others. The concept here for compassion is to have the bowels yearn, that is, feelings of sympathy, or pity: - (to be moved with) compassion. The moving of “the bowels of mercy” is where your only resolve is to help. The lesson here is that as believers we ought to be touched by the circumstances and situation of others with the intent to do something for them.

 

(Secondly to be merciful is…)

TO BE SOMETHING FOR OTHERS


Note carefully that the most unlikely person in the parable to help this injured man should have been the Samaritan, for he was an enemy, and hated by his fellow Jews. But unlike the priest and the Levite who were family (fellow Jews)  and did nothing for the injured man in need of help. The Samaritan not only stopped to see what the problem was but stooped down to protect the injured man, despite his own safety. There were several things the Samaritan did to protect the injured man...he went to him, bounded his wounds, poured in oil and wine, set him on his beast, brought him to the inn, and took care of him.

 

Notice that these things that the Samaritan did for the injured man not only protected the quality of his life but practically saved his life. Question, what are we doing in order to save a life? Are we taking the proper steps to ensure that we are taking care of others with the necessary tools for saving their lives? Or are we like the priest and Levite followers of God only in name and not action?  

 

(Thirdly to be merciful is…)

TO DO SOMETHING FOR OTHERS


Notice again how the Samaritan takes of his own resources to help the man further, he goes beyond the call of duty to meet the needs of the injured man fully. The Samaritan gives of his resources to help the man, but not only to help him but also to ensure that if he should incur any debt while staying in the inn it would be taken care of. He would gladly repay or reimburse the inner keeper for his troubles.

 

The lesson here is in order to be merciful, we ought to be ready at any given time to go beyond the call of duty to help persons in need of our assistance. We ought to do so without prejudice, and avoid discriminating against, regardless of circumstances. However, being merciful is going to cost us, along with many extras if we are going to obtain mercy.

 

James 2:13 puts it this way “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

 

In practical terms how do you and I obtain the mercy of God in everyday living? To summarize all that I have said tonight to obtain the mercy of God or better yet to be shown mercy…we must keep in mind three practical elements:

 

1. We see the need of others —that’s recognition.

2. We are moved by the needs of others —that’s motivation.

3. We move to meet the needs of others —that’s action.