Woodville Baptist Church
Sunday Evening , Sept. 15, 2024

      • John 10:27NLT

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  • TEXT: Matthew 5:7
    ETS: Jesus pronounces a blessing upon those who are merciful.
    ESS: The believer is to be a merciful person.
    OSS: The believer will ask God to create a merciful heart within him.
    PQ: what does it mean to be merciful?
    U.W.: Fundamentals
    TOPIC: Fundamentals of Being Merciful
    Matthew 5:7 (NLT)
    God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
    (μακάριοι οἱ ἐλεήμονες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ ἐλεηθήσονται.)
    ​
    INTRODUCTION:
    A. The world is unmerciful.
    The world is unmerciful.
    Cancel culture will cancel you for things you said and did 30-40 years ago.
    B. The believer is to be merciful.
    The message of Christ is counter-cultural.
    According to Jesus:
    The believer is to admit his absolute spiritual poverty and dependence upon God, not self.
    The believer is to mourn over sin, not glory in it.
    The believer is to be humble, not prideful.
    The believer is to hunger and thirst for what pleases God, not self.
    The believer is to be merciful, not merciless.
    ​
    What does the Lord have to say about being merciful?
    ​

    I. THE PRINCIPLE

    A. Mercy is an attitude that is lived out.

    1- What does it mean to be merciful according to the scriptures?
    a. Merciful ( ἐλεήμονες): “merciful,” is not simply possessed of pity but actively compassionate, is used of Christ as a High Priest (Heb. 2:17-18), and of those who are like God (text).
    Hebrews 2:17–18 (NLT)
    17 Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people.
    18 Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.
    b. It is an attitude that must be developed. (compassion, mercy)

    B. Mercy is expressed through a non-judgmental spirit.

    (Jn. 7:24; Rom. 14:10-13; Jas. 4:11-12)
    1. Because our judgments are often based upon a shallow view.
    (John 7:24)
    24 Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.”
    2. We need to be focused on our own accountability toward God.
    (Romans 14:10–13)
    10 So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
    11 For the Scriptures say, “ ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance praise to God.’ ”
    12 Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.
    13 So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.
    3. Our focus must be on personal obedience of God, not someone elses’.
    (James 4:11–12)
    11 Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.
    12 God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?

    C. Mercy is expressed in a forgiving spirit.

    (Matt. 18:21-22; Eph. 4:32)
    1. We are to exercise an ongoing attitude of mercy.
    (Matthew 18:21–22)
    21 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
    22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!
    2. We are to forgive because we have been forgiven.
    (Ephesians 4:32)
    32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

    D. Mercy expresses itself in action.

    *Good Samaritan (Lk. 10:33)
    Luke 10:33 (NLT)
    33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him.
    ​

    II. THE PRACTICE

    A. Remember God's mercy to you.

    (Col. 2:13-14; 1Jn. 1:8-10)
    1. Mercy in salvation.
    (Colossians 2:13–14)
    13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.
    14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.
    2. Mercy continues in the believer’s life.
    (1 John 1:8–10)
    8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth.
    9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
    10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

    B. Remind yourself of your own shortfalls.

    (Matt. 7:1-5)
    Matthew 7:1–5 (NLT)
    1 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.
    2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.
    3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?
    4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?
    5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

    C. Recognize God's desire is redemption; not condemnation.

    (2 Pet. 3:9; Titus 2:14; Rom. 8:29)
    (2 Peter 3:9)
    9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
    (Titus 2:14
    14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.
    ​
    ​

    III. THE PROMISE

    A. Happiness (Blessings)

    Matthew 5:7 (NLT)
    God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
    1. Real joy comes to those who are merciful.

    B. Mercy from others.

    Matthew 5:7 (NLT)
    God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
    (Matt. 7:1-5)
    Matthew 7:1–5 (NLT)
    1 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged.
    2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.
    3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?
    4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye?
    5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.
    1. A critical spirit begets criticism; mercy begets mercy.

    C. Mercy from God.

    Matthew 5:7 (NLT)
    God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
    1. Forgiveness from God is hinged on willing- ness to forgive others. (Matt. 6:12-15)
    Matthew 6:12–15 (NLT)
    12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.
    13 And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.
    14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.
    15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.
    ​
    CONCLUSION :
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Woodville Baptist Church
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