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Beloved I am rereading the Beatitudes in Matthew Chapter 5,  verse 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy, this beatitude is so misunderstood today because it sounds like we make our obtaining mercy conditional on our being merciful. This is not the condition on which we obtain mercy—“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Tit_3:5). We should be merciful because we have obtained mercy. Listen to receive mercy is to not get what you deserve, we all have received pity instead of just condemnation. You remember when you were guilty, but mercy removed the misery you should have received. Jesus said in Matthew 5:7 there’s a blessing for those who extend it, beloved you can bet your bottom dollar the time is coming when you and I will need mercy. Please remember we obtain mercy -not by work of righteousness, (for we have none) but according to his mercy, he saved us. 

 

I want to share with you something I read in Colin Smith’s book Momentum. Smith said there are seven opportunities for showing mercy. The first is pretty obvious: when you cross paths with someone who has a material need. That was the case with the Good Samaritan who responded to the needs of the man on the road, beaten and bleeding. Sinclair Ferguson said, “Mercy is getting down on your hands and knees and doing something to restore dignity to someone whose life has been broken by sin”.  He pointed out that the Samaritan did not deal with the cause of the man’s need by chasing the robbers. Nor did the Samaritan complain about the failure of society to meet the man’s needs. Instead, he addressed the immediate need that was set before him and did what he could to bring relief. Listen to beloved God will bring people in material need across your path, and when He does, you have an opportunity to reflect His likeness by showing mercy. 

 

A second opportunity for showing mercy comes when you encounter a fellow Christian who is struggling in his or her walk with God. Jude said, “Have mercy on those who doubt” (Jude 22), he reminds us that when a brother or sister in Christ is burdened down with unanswered questions, their greatest need is the kindness and compassion of a believing friend who will come alongside and strengthen them in their faith. Listen Pastor Warren Wiersbe says that if he could go back and do one thing differently he would do more to encourage God’s people. Now Warren is one of the most encouraging people you would ever meet. If he wished he had done more to encourage others, how much more should we? 

Christ does not break “a bruised reed” (Isa 42:3). David tells us that it was God’s gentleness that made him great (Ps 18:35). Beloved your usefulness to Christ will increase as you become more tender toward others and sensitive to the loads they bear. 

 

A third opportunity for showing mercy comes when someone fails in a way that might bring them shame and embarrassment. “Love covers a multitude of sins,” the apostle Peter writes in ( and 1 Peter 4:8) and a merciful person will look for ways to spare the blushes of the one who has failed. Please don’t misunderstand there are some things that should not be covered. Peter speaks about sins, not crimes. But there are many sins that a merciful person can gladly and rightly hide from view. Spurgeon says, “I recommend you, brothers and sisters, always to have on

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