AN INTRODUCTION TO MERCY
Matthew 5:7

Mercy.  This was a concept that for the most part was not found in Jesus' day.  The religious leaders certainly did not advocate it.  They promoted pride, self-righteousness, and judgmentalism.  The Romans called mercy "the disease of the soul."  It was the supreme weakness.  John MacArthur describes this philosophy and its impact on Roman society with these words:  Mercy was a sign that you did not have what it takes to be a real man and especially a real Roman.  The Romans glorified manly courage, strict justice, firm discipline, and above all, absolute power.  They looked down on mercy, because mercy to them was weakness, and weakness was despised above all other human limitations.

MacArthur continues:  During much of Roman history, a father had the right of patria opitestas, of deciding whether or not his newborn child would live or die.  As the infant was held up for him to see, the father would turn his thumb up if he wanted the child to live, down if he wanted it to die.  If his thumb turned down the child was immediately drowned.  Citizens had the same life-or-death power over slaves, with no fear of arrest or reprisal.  Husbands could even have their wives put to death on the least provocation...A society that despises mercy is a society that glorifies brutality.

Mercy comes from the Hebrew word, hesed, which is one of the most difficult words in the Hebrew language to translate into English.  It means the ability to get right inside the other person's skin until we can see things with his eyes, think things with his mind, and feel things with his feelings.

Friends, is this not what God did in Jesus Christ?  God got inside the skin of man.  God came down as a man.  He hungered as a man hungers.  He grew weary as a man grows tired.  He knew temptations as a man knows temptations.  (Quote #2715)  The problem today is we do not try to show mercy because we are so concerned about our own feelings.

Mercy is different from forgiveness.  Forgiveness flows from mercy, but mercy is larger than forgiveness.  God is merciful to us daily, even when we do not sin.  I am reminded of those familiar words written by Jeremiah as he watched his beloved city of Jerusalem being destroyed by the Babylonians.  The Lord's lovingkindnesses (it is that Hebrew word for mercy) indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness  (Lamentations 3:22).  Don't those words make you just want to break out in singing Thomas Chisholm's great hymn, Great is Thy faithfulness, O God, my Father.  There is no shadow of turning with Thee.  Thou changest now, Thy compassions, they fail not.  As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.  Great is Thy faithfulness, morning by morning new mercies I see.  All I have needed Thy hand hath provided, Great is Thy faithfulness, O Lord unto me.

Father, the words of that great hymn express the gratitude from our hearts for Your incomparable mercies.  We praise You that they are new every morning.  We have a desire to know Your mercy so that we, in turn, might show mercy to others.  We ask this in the name of Jesus.  Amen.

 

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