Blessed are the merciful for they will be

“Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy”. (Matthew 5: 7)

What’s a “beatitude”? • The Beatitudes are Jesus’ teachings on blessedness. • Blessedness is related to joy and describes an unexpected experience of God’s presence with us. • In these eight statements, Jesus is describing for us the attitudes that permit us to develop a community where joy is experienced regardless of circumstances.

What is Mercy? Mercy is “compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm”. • Mercy is something shown by one in a position of moral uprightness to someone in lieu of the punishment or harm they might deserve. • Mercy is showing loving action to those teetering on the edge of receiving punishment.

Mercy and Justice? “the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished…” (Exodus 34: 6 -7) • Mercy is beyond “niceness” and blooms in places where animosity or opposition fester. If it is kindness at all, it is a baffling and astounding kindness.

“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 seventyseven 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. ” (Matthew 18: 21 -35)

Competing Ideas of Forgiveness • The forgiveness of the Pharisees centred on denying forgiveness and refusing to show mercy, leaving people languishing in sin. • Jesus’ forgiveness was freely given those who showed repentant hearts; in fact, He actually sought out sinners and offered them forgiveness.

• We’ve been mercifully forgiven such a sizeable debt by God, we ought to mercifully forgive the comparably insignificant debts of others.

Receiving mercy and extending mercy in Christ’s kingdom are inextricably intertwined.

Application Questions • Am I “mercy-full”? • Might we “grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the [merciful] love of Christ, and know this love that surpasses knowledge—that [we might] be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3: 18 -19).

Application Questions • Am I merciful? • It’s wonderful to note the presence of “some” mercy in our lives, but the nature of the Beatitudes forces us to consider whether mercy overflows from, pours out of or oozes from us. • If we are wronged, is our primary reaction to question how we can freely lavish mercy upon this person?

Might we together would grow in our embodiment of mercy, becoming a people through whom Christ’s mercy overflows to each other and to the world around us.