Creating a Counter Culture - a Study on the BeatitudesSample

Blessed Are the Merciful

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."

Keep in mind Jesus is addressing his followers. If you are in the Kingdom of God, you have already obtained mercy. The mercy seat is the starting place. Mercy is not a New Testament concept. God has always been merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in love. His mercies are new every morning. In His mercy, He does not treat us as our sins deserve.

Mercy is at the center of the gospel.

God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ. The kingdom is all about giving and not just receiving. So, as we have received forgiveness, we need to forgive; as we have received grace, we give grace; as we have received mercy, we show mercy.

The Roman culture saw mercy as a sign of weakness. Could this have influenced the Jews who lived under Roman rule? God was reminding them who He is and who they are. The world’s ways tend to cling to us, and we need to keep reminding ourselves we are not of this world.

What is mercy?

Mercy is not giving you the punishment you deserve. Grace is giving you what you do not deserve. We cannot demand either of them. So, we need to come to God in humility.

We can only give mercy because we have received mercy first. If we needed to be merciful first, then the mercy we receive from God would be a payment for our kindness. That is not so. Those in the kingdom have already received mercy, and showing mercy is Kingdom culture.

What mercy is not.

We cannot give mercy when we are not authorized. For example, a teacher needs to correct exam papers well and provide students with the appropriate marks.

Mercy does not avoid confrontation. We are still required to speak the truth in love.

Mercy does not condone dishonesty and indiscipline. There is a difference between forgiving and enabling irresponsible behavior.

Mercy requires that I see people’s hurt and respond with compassion, especially if the person mistreated me.

Jesus is always interested in what is going on in our hearts. He is not interested in our charity and our religious acts if it is not motivated by love.

As Christians, we live with holding different truths in tension and balance. We need to uphold justice and yet be merciful. How do you do this? We will get balance as we walk closer to Jesus and hear His heart in different situations.

We need to be merciful in those situations, especially when it benefits us to act with harsh justice and seek vengeance. Being willing to let go of retribution is an act of mercy.

REFLECT AND ASK YOURSELF

• Remember a time you felt the urge to fight back, and you did. How will you do it differently now?
• In what areas or relationships do you find it difficult to extend mercy?