First Century Context: Mercy Was Opposed
As we continue in this series on the Beatitudes, we focus on the theme of mercy. Very similar to meekness, mercy is often associated with weakness. I came across a writing by a Christian historian, relating how mercy was viewed by many of those who heard these words when they were first spoken by Jesus. As we have noted before, this teaching of Jesus is very much opposed to the commonly held beliefs of people then and now. I might add, these teachings of Jesus are certainly evidence that He was no ordinary teacher or moral leader. In the words of others from the scripture, “no man ever spoke like this man!” He speaks with the voice of heaven! And his teaching was life changing and world changing!
Historian Rodney Stark argues that there was one huge factor that helped capture the attention of the ancient world—Christianity’s revolutionary emphasis on mercy. Stark writes: In the midst of the squalor, misery, illness, and anonymity of ancient cities, Christianity provided an island of mercy and security…It started with Jesus… In contrast, in the pagan world, and especially among the philosophers, mercy was regarded as a character defect and pity as a pathological emotion: because mercy involves providing unearned help or relief, it is contrary to justice …. [Thus] humans must learn “to curb the impulse [to show mercy]; “the cry of the undeserving for mercy” must go “unanswered.” “[Showing mercy] was a defect of character unworthy of the wise and excusable only in those who have not yet grown up.”(Rodney Stark, Christian historian)
This was the moral climate in which Christianity taught that … a merciful God requires humans to be merciful.
Think about this for a moment… In the first Century society, there were no social services or helping agencies like hospitals, food pantries, DHR or other public service agencies, Fire Department or Police department. It was a very dark world where mercy was not considered a good character trait. Perhaps in some quarters of the world this is still the case. But Jesus is offering something very radical to the culture of his time and our time. “Blessed are the merciful”, would have been a rather shocking statement to most of his hearers. Then again, a lot of what Jesus said in this Sermon is quite shocking for us to hear. It is inspiring, but very challenging! Really impossible to accomplish without the help of God. These are supernatural responses against the more common natural responses typical in our world. Certainly, none truer that the subject of mercy and forgiveness. Let’s begin by answering the question:
I. What is Mercy?
First, let me identify some theological terms that are used together very often. There are volumes written on each concept and the bible uses all three terms many times in association with each other. I think understanding them will give us a clearer picture of mercy. The terms are Justice, Mercy and Grace.
A few years ago, a clergy friend told this story of how he was pulled over for speeding. He served 3 churches and was traveling to get to the third church when he was pulled over. The police officer asked him, Sir did you know that you were speeding? The pastor’s wife spoke up and told the officer that her husband was a minister and had 3 churches. The officer was surprised and asked, “How in the world do you serve 3 churches? The pastor said with great candor, “I speed!” Then he said to the officer, “Would you please show me mercy today?” The officer didn’t blink but said, “In the church you may get mercy but out here you get justice!” The officer wrote out the ticket and fined the pastor. The pastor received what he deserved by breaking the law. But the officer identified a difference between mercy and justice. The pastor wanted mercy but he received justice!
Here are the simplest definitions I know regarding mercy, justice and grace.
Mercy…Not getting what you deserve (in this case it would be not getting a ticket)
Justice…Getting what you deserve (in this case it would be getting a ticket)
Grace…Getting what you do not deserve (in this case it would be getting a police escort)
I’m sure that all of us here today would not be signing up for justice…we would want mercy!
Let’s look at this another way using one of the most well-known scriptures today. If we were to take John 3:16 we see mercy extended…We can say it together: For God so loved the world…He gave His only Son that whosoever believes in Him…what is next? “Should not perish”…that is an act of mercy because through Christ we do not perish…we do not get what we deserve…The next part. “But… have eternal life”. This is grace because we get what we do not deserve…
God not only spares us, but God gives us eternal life through Christ. Both mercy and grace are extended here. All out of God’s great love for us.
Now inferred in this statement is that Jesus was sacrificed for us. God gave us His Son. Jesus met the just requirement, paying the penalty for our sins. He took our place, paid our cost, died our death to meet the just demands of God. So, justice, mercy and grace are all seen in this powerful verse of John 3:16. Understanding mercy in this greater light helps us see:
II. Mercy Is Something Everyone Needs
Remember the story in John 8 of the woman taken in adultery and everyone was ready to stone here to death. What did Jesus say? Remember the famous words, “He who is without sin cast the first stone” (John 8:7) Everyone dropped their rocks. Why? Because they were guilty. The had all sinned. If any of us were there that day we would have done the same thing. Romans 3:23 reminds us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. There is no one truly righteous. We all stand in need of God’s mercy. We see evidence of this throughout the scriptures. Here are just a couple examples:
Ps 130:3-4 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
Lam 3:22 It is of the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed because His compassions fail not.
Quite simply our sins condemn us, and nobody is exempt. Without God’s mercy we perish.
There is a story about a mother who came to Napoleon on behalf of her son, who was about to be executed. The mother asked the ruler to issue a pardon, but Napoleon pointed out that it was the man’s second offense and justice demanded death.
“I don’t ask for justice,” the woman replied. “I plead for mercy.”
The emperor objected, “But your son doesn’t deserve mercy.”
“Sir,” the mother replied, “it would not be mercy if he deserved it, and mercy is all I ask.”
Her son was granted the pardon. This is the heart of mercy, when we get what we do not deserve. Without God’s mercy we would all be condemned in our sins and deserving of hell.
But mercy is not only about having our sins forgiven. Mercy also involves our actions.
III. Mercy Involves Active Kindness To Others
Most of us here probably associate mercy more with forgiveness or overlooking an offense like the story of the police officer who might have had mercy on the minister. But Jesus is saying…”Blessed are the merciful”, which applies more here to an “active kindness” to the destitute and to any who are in trouble. The merciful are not just those who have received mercy, but those who are extending mercy to others.
Commentator Adam Clarke gives a great understanding of this. He indicates:
Mercy supposes two things:
1. A distressed object AND
2. A disposition of the heart, through which it is affected at the sight of such an object. (Adam Clarke)
A good example of this is when we are walking or driving, and my wife sees a stray dog or an animal someone has dropped off. I can guarantee that we will not keep walking by or driving by! NO! Every effort will be made to help that dog get to a better place. This is an act of mercy. But we see greater examples of this in our world. You see the need…you are convinced that intervention is needed, THEN you move forward to alleviate the need or to help the person, animal or any other part of God’s creation. This is extending an act of mercy.
Wesley in his sermon on this verse regarding mercy stated that it was in the full sense of the term “they who love their neighbors as themselves.”
The merciful man is here termed by our Lord in the original language carries with it an association with the hurts and injuries of the others person, to feel their pain as a woman in travail: or to cry, or lament grievously; because a merciful man enters into the miseries of his neighbor, feels for and mourns with him.
Here are a couple of good biblical examples of this entering into the pains or struggles of others.
OT Example: Moses
When God was going to destroy the Israelites for making a golden calf to worship it. Moses interceded for his people: “O, this people have sinned a great sin; yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin; and if not, blot me out of the book which thou hast written;” (Exod. 32:31)
NT Example: St. Paul
When the Jews refused to listen to the gospel
Paul pleads for his people: “I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh!” (Rom. 9:3)
Now folks would you be so bold and compassionate and merciful to pray…God spare these people even if it means taking my name out of the book of life? That is quite a prayer as an act of mercy. I find it inspiring and challenging as I reflect over my own faith journey!
In our own Methodist history and tradition, we have identified what are commonly called:
Works of Mercy
Individual Practices – doing good works, visiting the sick, visiting those in prison, feeding the hungry, and giving generously to the needs of others
Communal Practices – seeking justice, ending oppression and discrimination (for instance Wesley challenged Methodists to end slavery), and addressing the needs of the poor
But perhaps the most compelling acts of mercy are shown in Matthew 25 which I preached on recently. Then the King shall say, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry, and thirsty, and a stranger, and naked, and sick, and in prison, and ye ministered unto Me.”
Acts of Mercy are evidence or the litmus test to indicate whether we are sheep or goats.
As we seek to apply this to our individual lives and our church, this is why we support Prodisee Pantry, reach out to Homeless, support Disaster Response, Kidz Eatz and other helping agencies sending aide to needy people, advocate for prison ministries and generally seek to help the poor and needy. I hope we understand that these acts of mercy do not save us, but they are a great indication that we have saving faith that acts in love and mercy to others in Christ’s name. It is part of what Jesus is saying here…Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy! One last but important part to share today.
III. Mercy Received Must Be Given To Others
When we read or hear those words, “Blessed are the merciful for they will receive mercy”, it begs a question. If we refuse to give mercy to others does that mean we forfeit the mercy given to us? If we do not act mercifully to others, then no mercy will be given to us. Is that correct? The scriptures seem very clear about this. Here are a couple of examples as I could not make this any clearer or say it any better.
Matthew 6:15
But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.
One of the key practices in our faith incorporates this scripture which we say every Sunday in the Lord’s Prayer:
Forgive us our trespasses AS we forgive those who trespass against us
I wonder if we really know what we are praying. We are asking God to forgive us in the same way that we forgive others. This should be a BIG incentive for us to forgive!
James 2:13 reads, For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Of course, Jesus taught us a great deal about mercy, particularly, in the parables.
In the parable of the unmerciful debtor, the servant to whom his lord forgave ten thousand talents was naturally expected to exercise the small measure of the same compassion required for forgiving his fellow servant’s debt of a hundred pence; and it is only when, instead of this, he relentlessly imprisoned him till he should pay it up, that his lord’s indignation was roused, and he who was designed for a vessel of mercy is treated as a vessel of wrath (Mt 18:23-35; and see Mt 5:23, 24; 6:15;
“The Christian stands in a middle point, between a mercy received and a mercy yet needed. (JFB Commentary) Sometimes the first is urged upon him as an argument for showing mercy—’forgiving one another, as Christ forgave you’ (Col 3:13; Eph 4:32): sometimes the last—’Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy’; ‘Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven’ (Lu 6:37; Jas 5:9). And thus, while he is ever to look back on the mercy received as the source and motive of the mercy which he shows, he also looks forward to the mercy which he yet needs, and which he is assured that the merciful—according to what Bengel beautifully calls the benigna talio (‘the gracious requital’) of the kingdom of God—shall receive,
How shalt thou hope for mercy, rend’ring none?
We see this act of mercy extended very powerfully in the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. “A certain man was going down the road and fell into the hands of some evil men. Well, these evil men stripped the man, and beat him, wounding him so badly that they left him for dead. Now ‘by chance’, remember that phrase, ‘by chance’, some others were coming down the road and saw the beaten man and passed him by on the other side of the road. They obviously were hardened by the world and didn’t want to get involved. But then a Samaritan, a stranger, a foreigner, came near and was moved with such pity and such compassion, that he tended to the man, and saved the man’s life.” When Jesus finished this teaching, he asked, “Who was a neighbor to this man?” And the person Jesus was speaking to answered, “The one who showed him mercy.” And then Jesus commanded, “Now go and do the same.” It doesn’t get much clearer than that.
Every time I preach on this subject God puts people in my path. Last time a car broke down in our parking lot. It is God’s way of making this real for me… not just an academic lesson… but a real, life lesson.
Conclusion
Mercy Is Something we ALL need for we are ALL sinners Do you need God’s mercy? Simply confess and ask and it will be given. As Fanny Crosby wrote, “The vilest offender who truly believes that moment from Jesus, a pardon receives!” Praise the Lord!
Mercy means we cannot pass by on the other side and we are compelled to give mercy to others. Is your faith actively involved in extending acts of mercy to others in some manner? If not, ask God to help you see some act of mercy that you can extend to others. He will.
Mercy means we must extend forgiveness we have received to others. Is there someone you are holding a grudge against? Is there someone you are withholding mercy from? I realize that forgiveness can be a process…perhaps we can simply ask God to help us even desire it for others.
So whether you need to receive mercy or give mercy… if you need to pray about your life or for someone else the altar is always open for prayer. You can respond as God leads you.
Closing Story
Amber Guyger is a former Dallas police officer who has been found guilty of murdering Botham Jean. The case became a national story because of the circumstances surrounding the crime, which included allegations of racism. Guyger is white and was a police officer; Botham Jean was an African American. Guyger shot and killed him in his own home—alleging that she had mistakenly entered the wrong apartment and thought he was a burglar.
Guyger has been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. Many people outside the courtroom have decried the sentence, insisting that it is far too lenient. Inside the courtroom, another voice was heard, Brandt, the brother of Botham Jean. Brandt gave a statement in which he forgave Amber Guyger and explained that he did not wish her any harm. He instead encouraged her to look to Christ. Brandt looked at Guyger and told her that he loved her. He then asked the Judge if he could approach Guyger and give her a hug.

Forgiveness can be a journey, but it begins with the willingness to act. It is the only thing that can turn enemies into friends. It is how God changes our lives and how it can change others.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy”! Amen!