He was a deserter….a Denier….a man who said one thing but did another. He had

followed Jesus for three years and when it came time to stand he allowed a teenage girl to intimidate

him into saying “I don’t know the man”. Sad!. However the one he denied cooked him breakfast and

accepted him….His name…Peter!

He was a self inflated scholar. He was on a mission to stomp out this new order of Jesus followers. He

had just lead a angry mob to execute an innocent man. He was not fit for anything other than rejection

until he had a encounter of acceptance.…His name….Paul!

She was an adulterer….Caught in the very act. She, by law, deserved death. However, a rabbi from

Nazareth told Her she was not condemned…accepted…her name…she had no name according to

scripture…the rabbi’s name….Jesus!

All of these folks and many more have been accepted by Jesus. If they could say one thing, I believe it

would be Thank you! Thank you Jesus….thank you that you didn’t give up on me, thank you that you

over looked my problems and saw what I could be, thank you for loving me when I could even love

myself, thank you for accepting me.

One of the most powerful things that happens in a persons life is to be accepted….without condition.

Acceptance is the longing of every human heart. Acceptance is so powerful that the lack of it cripples

and the results of acceptance is freedom. We need acceptance, hope for it, expect it, and let it define

us.

We conclude this series on Mercy. I can’t think of a better way to conclude is to say thank you for

accepting me…us. Thank you Jesus.

In Romans 8, Paul turns the corner on his theological discourse and he starts building the evidence of

God great work in our souls. He starts with acceptance. Let’s hear what he has to say….