The Blessing of Mercy

Matthew 5:7

April 28, 2002

 

The Beatitudes were not given as commands but as realities for those who are part of Christ's kingdom. We might call them Kingdom-Characteristics or Kingdom-Evidences. They describe the believer, and by the same token, they are effective instruments to root out unbelief in the heart and expose an unregenerate condition. They do reflect attitudes of the heart, but they also explain the way believers will relate not only to God but also to those about them. 

 

Without attempting to slice them too neatly, it does appear that the first four Beatitudes focus primarily toward the believer's relationship with God, while the latter four aim primarily toward others. We must take care at boxing them too tightly, though, for the all Beatitudes have to do with kingdom life, and thus each of them will impact relationships Godward and manward.

 

With this caveat, I want us to consider the effect of the fifth Beatitude in relationship to others. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy." The word "mercy" is a common one that we see in Scripture. It implies one being moved in pity and compassion toward the plight of another. It is much more than an attitude. Mercy moves the merciful into action. Often in the Old Testament we find mercy coupled with some expression of God's covenant love. The place where the Lord God accepted the propitiatory sacrifice to atone for the nation's sins was even called, the mercy seat. For at the mercy seat God was moved with pity and compassion for the sinful people, and took action to reconcile them to himself through accepting the blood of a goat in their stead. With the Old Testament saints, we are very happy that God is described as merciful! We find it to be a most welcomed character in the being of God.

 

But just as the Lord tells his people to be holy because he is holy, he also calls for his people to reflect his mercy. Sometime we want to hide from the Bible's description of Christians as merciful. It is a characteristic that demands of us a disposition of heart and life that is contrary to human nature. In the fifth Beatitude, Jesus sets forth mercifulness as part of Christian character. If it is indeed evidence of a regenerate heart, then does the characteristic of mercy affirm us or condemn us?

 

We want to consider three questions as we think upon this Beatitude. What is mercy? Why do we need to be merciful? How do we show mercy? A merciful heart that gives way to deeds of mercy characterizes a kingdom citizen. What does this imply?

 

I. An investigation of mercy

 

When a word is so common-like "mercy"-we can easily slide over its implications, so we need to do a bit of probing into its meaning: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy."

 

1. A contrast with love and grace

 

We often think of mercy alongside love and grace. They form a wonderful trio that we find in the divine disposition toward sinners. We may even find it difficult at times to make clear distinctions between them. Grace refers to the action of God in relieving the sinner's guilt, while mercy points to the disposition of God in showing compassion and pity toward the sinner. Let me illustrate it like this. Mercy can be seen in the Good Samaritan stopping to help the Jew that had been beaten and stripped by robbers. Grace was his action that brought restoration to the man. Mercy stops and stoops toward one that has nothing to offer the giver nor has he ever shown favor to the giver. Grace lifts him upon his own donkey, and carries him to the inn for complete recovery, paying the complete price on the pitiful man's behalf.

 

Love is boundless in its expression, extending to those who deserve and who do not deserve it, while mercy focuses upon the undeserving alone. For instance, the Father loves us, but he also loves the Son. He is merciful to us, but he is never merciful to the Son, for the Son has no need of mercy.

 

2. An explanation

 

With this contrast between love and grace in mind, let's consider what "merciful" implies. We can assume from the contrasting investigation that mercy is shown to those who have done nothing to deserve such favor, in fact, mercy aims for the pitiful, helpless, and even those that might never reciprocate in kind. For instance, the Prophet Jeremiah's picture of the distress of Judah before God's judgment confounds the imagination. He describes the Lord covering Zion with a cloud in His anger, of cutting off their strength, of removing any of His gracious protection, of becoming an adversary to them, of being like an enemy in the fierceness of his wrath. Jeremiah cries, "The Lord has rejected His altar, He has abandoned His sanctuary; He has delivered into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces.... The Lord determined to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion." Consequently, "Her gates have sunk into the ground, He has destroyed and broken her bars." Then there are cries of suffering rivaling anything ever witnessed in human history (Lam 2). Yet in the midst of ruin, desolation, and abject human misery, the prophet finds comfort in knowing that God's mercies are new every morning, "for His compassions never fail" (Lam 3:19-23). It is clear that Jeremiah is not speaking of the Lord doing anything favorable to Israel due to good in the nation. But instead he unveils the portrait of the Lord as righteous Judge also stooping to show compassion, so much so that Jeremiah can cry from the midst of the ruin, "The Lord is my portion...therefore I have hope in Him" (Lam 2:24). The Lord's mercy toward the undeserving, even the rebellious, helps us to understand what Jesus explains is part of kingdom citizenship.

 

a. Forgiveness

 

Most of the examples of the use of "mercy" in the Gospel of Matthew point to forgiveness. In 6:12-15, the "Lord's Prayer," we find the prayer for forgiveness based upon a corresponding attitude of forgiveness in the believer: "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." Then Jesus explains, "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions." The message is clear: those who are forgiven and who desire forgiveness demonstrate forgiveness toward those who have wronged them. In 10:10-13, Jesus quotes from Hosea 6:6, when explaining to the Pharisees that complained he had eaten with sinners. Jesus tells them, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick," with the clear implication of spiritual healing through forgiveness implied. "But go and learn what this means: 'I DESIRE COMPASSION [MERCY], AND NOT SACRIFICE,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." The characteristic that is to be evident in those who know the Lord is not a ritualism or outward ceremony as that of the Pharisees, but compassion or mercy that shows forgiveness toward others.

 

And again, in 18:21-35, Peter asks the question about how often he was to forgive his brother that sinned against him. Peter thought he did well in stretching it to up to seven times. But Jesus tells him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven," that is, an unlimited amount of forgiveness. The he offers the story of the one slave that owed a debt that he could never repay that was forgiven by his master. But instead of showing the same kind of mercy, he threw one of his fellow slaves into prison because he had not repaid him a smaller, more manageable debt. Jesus' point is clear: "Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?" Then he makes application, "My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart." Jesus calls this an act of mercy. We forgive, not because the other person necessarily deserves it, rather because we ourselves were shown mercy in the Lord forgiving us.

 

b. Benevolence

 

Mercy is also benevolent action or "active goodwill," as Kent Hughes expresses it. It implies that because we have known the mercy of God stooping to us in our rebellion and need, we reciprocate by stooping to others in need. It is beautifully illustrated in the story of the 19th century man whose horse had just been accidentally killed. A crowd gathered and offered words of sympathy, but a preacher stepped up and spoke to the loudest sympathizer, "I am sorry five pounds. How much are you sorry?" Then passing the hat, he showed the true meaning of mercy. "True mercy demands action" [Kent Hughes, The Sermon on the Mount, 47].

 

The same idea of meeting needs is used by Jesus in Matthew 12:1-7. He quotes once again from the Hosea 6:6 passage, "I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE," in reference to the Pharisees complaint about his disciples picking the heads of grain on the Sabbath because they were hungry. Jesus rebukes their legalism and attention to ritualism while failing to recognize the physical need of these men. In this context Jesus teaches us that mercy demands benevolent action.

 

c. No merit

 

Some have mistaken the meaning of this Beatitude as a means to obtaining mercy through merit. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy." In light of this, they have sought to engage in diligent social action (which is certainly commendable) but doing so with the idea of accruing merit that will be used as bargaining chips before God to receive mercy at judgment. But that whole idea contradicts the Beatitudes. For as we open the Beatitudes, we are struck by the reality of our spiritual bankruptcy-we have no merit to offer God, and so we mourn over our sin, crying to God for forgiveness, bending our wills in submission to his will, and thus hungering and thirsting for righteousness. Mercy is a natural response, for it implies that the believer shows mercy for he has been shown mercy. And there is great promise of the future that God will continue to show him mercy. But those who do not show mercy have not known mercy in the "now," and will not know mercy in the "future."

 

II. A rationale for mercy

 

What is mercy? Thomas Watson wrote, "It is a melting disposition whereby we lay to heart the miseries of others and are ready on all occasions to be instrumental for their good" [The Beatitudes, 143]. John Stott calls it, "compassion for people in need" [Christian Counter Culture, 47]. We see what it means, but now we must ask, why do we show mercy? I want to offer eight reasons for showing mercy.

 

1. Resembles God

 

Quite simply, a merciful spirit resembles the mercy of God. Just think of the multitude of times that the Scripture speaks of God's mercies. The Psalmist tells us, "All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness [mercy] and truth" (25:10). David's cry for forgiveness was based upon God's mercy not David's merit (51:1). He tells us that mercy belongs to the Lord (62:12). The approach to God is always on the basis of mercy, so that Psalm 136 offers a refrain giving thanks, "For His mercy endures forever." Both Paul and Peter describe salvation as obtaining mercy (I Tim 1:13; I Pet 2:10). To Titus, Paul explains that God even saves us according to His mercy (3:5). If our God is like this, should mercy not be reflected in our own lives?

 

2. Aiding needy

 

Mercy is a legitimate means that God has provided to give aid to the needy that have found themselves in that position by the Providence of God. Thus we are told by James, "Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphan and widows in their distress..." (1:27). Jesus speaks of giving a cup of cold water in his name, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and of visiting those in prison as acts of mercy (Matt 25:35-36). God has placed some people in a position of great helplessness so that his people might demonstrate mercy toward them.

 

3. Residual effect

 

Mercy has an effect upon others. When the Lord showed mercy to the demoniac in delivering him, the man's desire was to follow after Christ. Instead Jesus told him, "Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you." The Gospel writers report, "And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed" (Mar 5:14-20). Mercy shown to him overflowed in mercy to others.

 

Victor Hugo picked upon on this idea (whether from a biblical view or not, I really don't know) in the well-known novel, Les Miserables. The story takes place during a time of upheaval in France. Jean Valjean, the main character, is a poor tree trimmer that steals a loaf of bread to feed his sister's family. Convicted of stealing, he spends 18 years in the slave galleys, rowing the seas in misery. Upon his release, his attitude is hard and crusty, ready for vengeance. By chance he stays in the home of a priest because no one else will give him lodging, and during the night he robs the priest of a silver candlestick and escapes from the town. Later when apprehended, he is brought to the priest for identification, who then tells the police, 'I gave him the candlestick.' Then he picks up another and said that he gave him a pair of candlesticks but he had forgotten the other when he left. Released by the police, he stumbled out of the village, smitten by the mercy shown by the priest. His life changes as he was affected by mercy. After being mistaken one more time as a criminal, he refuses to head down that path again, and spends the rest of his life showing mercy to the unfortunate, even to those that had wronged him. In the end, the man that hunted him for years is overcome by the mercy Jean Valjean displayed, and lets him go. Though Victor Hugo may strain implications at points, he effectively shows the residual effects of mercy.

 

4. Constant reminder

 

Mercy serves as a constant reminder that we are living under God's mercy. I would recommend that we return daily to the first Beatitude, to realize our spiritual bankruptcy, for that reminds us that to be able to call ourselves "Christians" comes only because God has stooped to meet us in our need through the provisions of Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection. Mercy known will result in mercy shown.

 

5. Fulfills the second royal commandment

 

When Jesus explained to the scribe the meaning of "neighbor" in the royal command, "[You shall love] your neighbor as yourself," he totally boggled the man's mind! Instead of explaining that a neighbor was his fellow Jew-or we might say, fellow Christian or fellow American or fellow Anglo, he told the story of the Good Samaritan. Jews and Samaritans hated each other and had absolutely nothing to do with one another. A Jew would travel for hours and days if need be to avoid traveling through Samaritan lands. Yet the one that demonstrated mercy to his neighbor was not the priest or Levite, but a Samaritan toward a Jew. Jesus told the inquirer, and us, "Go and do the same" (Luke 10:25-37).

 

6. Keeps us from covetousness

 

One of the most enslaving of sins is that of covetousness. It is the uncontrolled or out of control desire for things. Covetousness covers the gamut: "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor" (Ex 20:17). Mercy guards the heart against covetousness by seeing that our resources do not belong to us, but are entrusted to us as a stewardship in service to God and those about us.

 

7. Displays faith

 

Faith cannot be seen without works. That is James' basic argument in that classic passage of James 2:14-26. "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." That is what happens in mercy, the believer displays his faith. He calls attention to the One who has shown mercy to him by the merciful disposition of his life toward others. What Hudson Taylor in China, David Livingstone in Africa, and William Carey in India could not accomplish with their words, they accomplished with multiplied acts of compassion toward the godless people about them. So often they gave of themselves, exhausting their resources and energies to help others. Out of their mercy the nationals about them saw their faith.

 

8. Offers promise

 

Jesus reminds us in this Beatitude that it is the merciful that "shall receive mercy." Will you need mercy when you stand before God? Indeed, even when we stand before Him we have no merits to offer God; we have nothing to bring Him that will commend us to Him. So what do we need? Mercy! And that is the whole point Jesus makes. Those who have received mercy in this life through Christ will demonstrate it by the way they are merciful toward others; and they now have the double assurance of mercy for them in the future.

 

III. An exercise in mercy

 

Mercy is not just an attitude (though it includes this) but also an action toward others as a good steward of the manifold graces of God given to us. So how do we show mercy? What actions can we take?

 

1. Forgiving

 

The primary implication that we have seen earlier in the Gospel of Matthew regarding mercy is that it means that in the same way that we are forgiven we will forgive others. That is the same logic used by other biblical writers. To the Ephesians, Paul explained that forgiveness toward others is grounded in the mercy of forgiveness that has been shown to us: "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you" (Eph 4:32). Peter conveys a similar idea, "To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead, for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing" (I Pet 3:8). That is what forgiveness means.

 

We are challenged by this Beatitude, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy." Are you bearing a grudge, maintaining bitterness, seeking revenge, or holding someone in emotional hostage? The call of Christ is to forgive. You must release them from your own sentence of condemnation or indebtedness toward you. Does this mean that your emotions and hurt is immediately gone? Kent Hughes reminds us, "The fact that you have forgiven and continue to forgive is a sign of grace, despite the ambivalences and imperfections of your forgiveness" [49].

 

2. Compassion

 

By compassion I am referring to the way we are to embrace the fallen and downtrodden. Paul told the Galatian Christians, "Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted" (6:1). Rather than speaking about or acting vindictively toward the sinner brother, he tells us that the Christian response is restoration. That is mercy at work.

 

3. Giving

 

We are stewards that are to show the mercy of God to others by the way we give to meet pressing needs. Thomas Watson, the Puritan pastor, reminds us, "Dispose your alms prudently... There is a great deal of wisdom in distinguishing between those that have sinned themselves into poverty, and those who by the hand of God are brought into poverty" [169]. Mercy does not mean to throw your resources to the wind, but to use them wisely in meeting the needs of those in distress.

 

4. Speaking

 

Mercy is also found in speaking the gospel of Christ-that gospel of forgiveness and mercy, to fellow sinners. The Psalmist declares, "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary" (107:2). In telling us that we are to "proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light," Peter reminds us, "For you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY" (I Pet 2:9-10). It is those on the receiving end of mercy that can now show mercy to others by proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord to those living in sin and rebellion against God.

 

5. Praying

 

Finally, we show mercy when we pray for the conversion of unbelievers. Is it because others deserve to know Christ and his forgiveness? Is it because others have some good in them that might be bettered through the gospel? Are we to pray because others are longing to come to Christ? No, we pray because none of us deserve to know Christ, none deserve forgiveness, and on top of it all, none are even seeking after God (Rom 3:11). We pray because as the recipients of mercy, we long for others to know the same bounty of divine mercy through Jesus Christ.

 

Conclusion

 

Are you one who shows mercy to others? It is the merciful that will stand in the mercy of God at judgment. Have you known such mercy even now through Christ? Then show that mercy to the world about you for the sake of Christ and the gospel.

Permissions: You are permitted and encouraged to reproduce and distribute this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way and you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction. For web posting, a link to this document on our website is preferred. Any exceptions to the above must be explicitly approved by South Woods Baptist Church.

Please include the following statement on any distributed copy:

Copyright South Woods Baptist Church. Website: www.southwoodsbc.org. Used by permission as granted on web site. Questions, comments, and suggestions about our site can be sent here.