The Magnificence of Mercy | Part 1

Have you considered the magnificence of mercy. Listen to Adrian Rogers what is mercy. Why is this quality of mercy. My dear friend it is passion and action. That's what mercy is not softness, not sentiment what compassion in action. I want us to think about this beatitude. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Welcome to love finding acclaimed pastor and beloved Bible teacher Adrian Rogers said God doesn't deal with us on the basis of fairness God deals with us on the basis of mercy. We just heard. Mercy is not just softness or mere sentiment. It's compassion in action at the godly characteristic, one that resides in the hearts and minds of those who accepted salvation from Jesus Christ and it actively reveals itself as compassion for others. If you have your Bible turn to Matthew chapter 5 verse seven is Adrian Rogers reveals more about the magnificence of mercy which you find again. The Beatitudes Matthew chapter 5 where calling me use the keys to the king and these are statements that Jesus Christ is made and he begins each one of them with the word blessed Lord blessed is almost hard to translate. We could say happy, but it means more than happy, it means fulfilled.

It means with joy. It means complete, it may mean to be congratulated all of those things and will are wrapped up in that report Macario's listen as the Lord Jesus Christ gives these Beatitudes believes that almost every Sunday Beatitudes that ought to be and seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain when he was sent his disciples came unto him, and he opened his mouth and taught them saying blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

And there he met Blessed are those who see their spiritual condition that they see that they are bankrupt paupers in the side of a righteous and holy God. The word poor here doesn't mean just without much it means without anything members for Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted. So you see, when we see what we are in and of ourselves spiritually in our hands.

We have nothing to offer to God.

Then the next step.

The blessedness is to be broken over our bankruptcy.

Blessed are they that mourn genuine godly sorrow that brings repentance that brings us to the next blessedness. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth, and we've already told you that meekness means submission to the will of God. It is strapped that has been conquered and now control because when I see what I am in them and love myself. And then when I repent of that sin with godly sorrow.

Then I yield myself to God and then look if you will, in verse six, the last one that we talked about Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled, and that righteousness is and is Jesus Christ himself, not our own righteousness, not self-righteousness, but the righteousness that comes by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. So when I see that I'm a law center and when I repent of my sin. And when I yield my heart to God. And when I hunger and thirst for Jesus. Then God does something in my heart I am born again and then I began to act like a born-again person and that brings us to the beatitude for today. Verse seven blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. This is a godlike characteristic that is in the heart and mind of those who have been born again and the way it shows is by having a heart full of mercy. Those who have received mercy. Beyond the shouted out for adventure will show mercy. Now what is mercy mercy is not just softness to some people. So Saul, they wouldn't hurt a fly. I was in a meeting the other day and they were discussing somebody that they wanted to do something. It took a little courage and I said no get him. He wouldn't kill a snake in the nursery that's that's soft enough but that's not necessarily mercy. Mercy is not just mere sentiment is not seeing somebody hurting in and somebody in trouble and shedding crocodile tears that may be sentiment, but it is not mercy. I heard of a preacher who was preaching and he was talking about how we need to be compassionate and he said I was walking down the streets of the town and I looked over there in a doorway and there was a derelict and the sand in the newspapers were blowing up around his body. He was, he passed out, which is lying there and he said all down that busy street people were walking well-dressed, going about the business and they look down there and there was a piece of humanity on the ground. He said nobody was stopping. Nobody did anything and then he said after we had gone to dinner and came back he was still there. Nobody taught anything in an amazing, isn't it amazing how we always think that the other man ought to do and there he had not only softness but maybe sentiment, but he did not have mercy. What is mercy. Why is this quality of mercy. My dear friend it is compassion and action.

That's what mercy is not softness, not sentiment what compassion in action.

I want us to think about this beatitude. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

First of all think with me if you want about the beauties of mercy.

Did you know that the quality of mercy is one of the most beautiful characteristics of God. And when you're merciful. You're acting like God.

Lamentations chapter 3. In verse 22 is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed you think about it because his compassions fail not very God links mercy with compassions. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed his compassions, they fail not. And then he goes on to say they are new every morning morning you can wake up and greet the mercy of God and thought about the fact that for you to fail to live this day. God doesn't have to take your life. All he has to do stop giving every day is a gift from God's mercies are new every morning. It is the Lord's mercies that were not consumed and then put this verse in your margin.

Ephesians 2 verse four and following God but God, who is rich in mercy for RB calls out his great love wherewith he loved us. They know how God counts his riches not in silver and gold, but in his mercies, and so my dear friend, one of the beauties of mercy when you're merciful your godlike to be unmerciful is not to be like God. The Bible says in Ephesians chapter 5 in verse one, therefore, be imitators of God imitators of God, not in the bad sense of imitation but actually the King James is. Be ye therefore followers of God and the word literally means imitators of God being godlike in my dear friend the Lord Jesus Christ illustrated that so much in the gospel of Luke in the gospel of Luke. There was a lawyer who came Luke chapter 10 I think most of you know, and he said good master, what do I have to do to inherit eternal life. What do I have to do to be saved. What Jesus said, you know the law.

What does the law say well he said in this man was good lawyer.

Well he said the law says love God with all you be and you to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus said you got it right you you just do this and you'll be all right. Well this man that he was not only a good lawyer but he was a bad lawyer.

I mean, he got the answer right, but he did know the Lord and Jesus knew he wouldn't say you see he was looking for loophole in the law and so did you know that you can be 100% right and still die and go to hell. Did you know that I mean I would ask you how to be saved, you could give it to me just like they when you die you going to him. Is it when I wait a minute, Pastor, I know the plan of salvation you're not saved by the plan of salvation is saved by the man of salvation and thought about it when not carried wanted to know where Jesus Christ was going to be born. He went and asked the scribes where is Messiah to be born will they said you to write down there to Bethlehem, as was good be born, but not a one of them went down there to bow the knee to him and yet they must demand this lawyer way. It all just right.

He was battling source is up but now wait a minute. Who is my neighbor who is my neighbor know what I will love them. I don't have to hide or show mercy and find out I don't have to show mercy to me. As far as he was concerned God would really around even happier that God but his neighbor as him. He had were about. And Jesus told him that store the good Samaritan MMS or Jesus said a man went from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among thieves that if you know anything about the typography of the holy land. You know that Jerusalem is set on a hill. Jericho is down in the Dead Sea. The rift there on the banks of the Dead Sea 1300 feet below sea level is a man.

He starts on a mountaintop he's going from Jerusalem to Jericho.

Jericho was a heathen city. Members were Rahab live.

Jerusalem was the holy city, and this man pictures mankind going away from God from the Holy See to a hellish city he's going down down down and Jesus said that all that road, he fell among thieves about a lot of limestone caves. There and precipitous places a lot of wild animals used to be.

There was a place where marauders and muggers and robbers and thieves cutthroats they would stay in those cave just waiting for someone to come along and this man came along and the Bible says that they beating based scripting may Robbie and they left him past day and then Jesus said to this lawyer wanted to know about who is his neighbor was Jesus said to him, he said then that came along that day, a certain priest and the priest saw him and he passed by on the other side. Now you know the priest. They were the religious people that day.

They were the teachers and they performed all of the rituals and the sacrifices he represents ritualism always so many churches today so filled with ritualism based and they said they knew they pray they saying to this they do that when they go out and just as lost as a goose in the snowstorm. This priest represented ritualism and he just passed by. Then Jesus said another man, this time for Levi. He walked by, he saw him, he passed by what they were keepers of the law so that the priest represented ritual. He represented rules, you know, the law can condemn us in the law can describe this but the law can't redeem us, maybe this Levi to look at you boy you in a man. What were you doing down here anyway. This is not a safe place to be traveling alone. You should never have been here getting just what you deserve, he will pass and that's what the law does different all the rules in the Old Testament, they can describe us. They can condemn us, but they don't save us. And Jesus said 1/3 man came along he was long a Samaritan below the Samaritans were they were mongrel race. They were the ones that were left behind after captivity they intermarried with the pagan heathen people around them and the Jews. This buys Jesus at a certain Samaritan, I know we had in mind.

He had in mind himself because Jesus was despised and rejected hated of man. This man, this hated one missed despised one. He's coming along and Jesus said he saw the man he saw I'm way was and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion. He went to him. He found the man's wounds and Jesus said he poured in oil and he poured in wine and oil.

Oil represents in the Bible. Symbolically, this is a parable. This is this is highly symbolic. What is oil represent the Holy Spirit to come for torque and this man needed comfort and there with the oil in the balmy healing oil they report in one what is one represent the blood of Jesus Christ. It was the. The wind explains the oil to come representing the precious.

I believe the blood of Jesus representing the wonderful ministry the Holy Spirit and then the Bible says that the good Samaritan took this man and sent him upon his beast and drawing to a man now when the good Samaritan met that man began with the good Samaritan was riding in. The man was on the ground but after the good Samaritan matting. The man was right and the Samaritan is walking. What a picture of substitution.

Jesus takes my place and I take his he's setting up on his knees and he brought into the van and he said you take care of him some money and whatever else it cost when I come again, I will pay the price on a picture salvation. I'm so grateful that Jesus came to where I was. I'm so grateful that he had compassion upon me. I am so grateful that he has brought me to his house mercy. I am so grateful that Jesus Christ paid the price. And in that same chapter verse 37 Jesus asked that lawyer question, he said. Now which of these show mercy which of these show mercy. My dear friend listen Jesus Christ has shown everyone of us mercy and mercy is not softness. It's not sentiment it is compassion. Compassion in action know how we need to learn the message.

Mercy, not with the indifference by the priest and the Levite, not with the iniquity of those who beat up the man, but with the involvement that life calls for how to know where you live. My dear friend, but in your city. I will tell you three classes of people limiting what they are. They are the meter uppers the past represent the picker uppers asked whole world might have to people having to destroy every pornographers. One of every beer baron and liquor dealers far as I'm concerned, is one every abortionist is one of those.

Your reference, I'm telling you we have people today who been bruised and battered, some are wounded domestically. Some are wounded psychologically little children who been abused and battered some of the sexually abused some of them are wounded economically. Victims of slumlords unfair, economical practices. Some are wounded spiritually. They been caught in the cults and false doctrine, and liberalism when they got into those movements that twice fold the child of hell. I'm telling you the bruised and battered in the beat up all around us.

There are the meter uppers there. The pastor uppers and many of them. God help us have been named home church role somewhere, but then the picker's you one of the three my dear friend, either you like those thieves who said what's yours is mine and I'm going to get you like the priest in the Levi said what's mine is mine and I'm going to keep it to be like the good Samaritan says what's mine is mine, which you can have if you mean I'm here to share. I'm here to serve and I'm here to minister. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy quickly now want you to think with me not only about the beauties of mercy. I'm telling you my dear friend that mercy is a beautiful thing because it is godlike. But what is the basis of mercy, the basis of mercy, show mercy for my dear friend, let me say this, there can be no mercy without proof. Did that sink in. There can be no mercy without truth, I'm talking to you about the basis of mercy. Verse Psalm 85 in verse 10 mercy and are met together righteousness and peace have kissed each other. I took my concordance and I looked up, place after place where God links mercy and proof together.

I knew it was there but I was amazed at the verses in the Bible where God conjoined mercy and truth all real mercy is rooted in truth, know what I mean by that is, to show mercy is not to minimize sin. Mercy is not sentiment when you show mercy you withhold judgment and when you withhold judgment. That means that judgment is really needing really expected.

Mercy is the withholding of judgment and never heard anybody say, is it fair for God to do this are fair forgot to do that I have ever gotten in the silly discussion with you about whether God is fair whether God is not fair. Bring God is not fair. Don't ever expect God to be fair, God is not fair. Now wait a minute I'm not finished it.

God is not Eli expect somebody to be fair to me that means I have it coming to me. Give me what I have coming be fair, no words I deserve this say that's fairness you give me my thought is like children arguing about a will is not fair that you get this and I don't get that that's that's fairness. God doesn't deal with us on the basis of fairness. God is with us on the basis of mercy. We don't deserving when a man is looking for fairness.

He's not happy when he gets what he deserves because he thinks I deserve.

He's only mad because he didn't get it sooner and doubly mad if somebody else gets more I match the object that stands God is not fair. God is just and think about the concept. God is not fair he is just and merciful coming up next time will hear part two of this important message but maybe today you have questions regarding your faith in Jesus.

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You have a heart full of compassion in action. If God has forgiven us. How much more should we forgive one another. Remember this beatitude today. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy will go to them tomorrow for the conclusion of the magnificence of mercy right on love worth buying a Facebook friend wrote recently on their wall with Encouraging Word.

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