Blessed Are The Merciful Series

Blessed are the Merciful The Beatitudes

Matthew 5:7 #5 of 8 in Series

INTRODUCTION

While walking home from school, Mark noticed the boy ahead of him had stumbled to the ground and dropped everything he was carrying. Mark hurried to the boy’s side and helped him collect his belongings. Surprisingly, the boy was carrying an especially hefty load. There was a baseball glove and bat, a couple of sweaters, a small tape recorder, and an armful of books. Mark helped him carry the things home and his new friend, Bill, was most appreciative of his compassion. During the walk home, Mark discovered Bill was struggling in school and had just broken up with his girlfriend. When they arrived at Bill’s house, he invited Mark in for a Coke and they spent the rest of the afternoon talking, laughing, and watching TV. Although the two boys never became real close friends, they kept up with each other throughout the rest of junior high and high school. Several weeks before graduation, Bill approached Mark and asked him if he remembered that day they met when Mark helped him with all of his stuff. Mark nodded as he remembered. Bill then asked, “Did you ever wonder why I was carrying so many things that day?” Without pausing for an answer, Bill explained he had cleaned out his locker and was going home to take his life. He had been storing away sleeping pills and was headed home to end it all when Mark happened along to help him out. Bill told Mark how that simple act of compassion inspired him to go on living. He said, “Mark, when you picked up my books that day, you saved my life!” Imagine how many times our small, seemingly insignificant gestures of concern may reignite the flame of life and inspire someone to continue on. Thankfully, compassion has a way of doing that.

Chicken Soup for the Soul, Jack Canfield and Mark Hansen, 1993, p. 35

Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once told about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child; the winner was a four-year-old boy. His next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into his gentleman’s yard, climbed into his lap and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing. I just helped him cry."

The Story File

The Beatitudes exhibit the natural progression of the transformation that comes only through Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Those who seek this transformation are "blessed" or "approved of God." True happiness in life comes when one receives God’s approval.

In our last installment of this series on The Beatitudes we looked at "hungering and thirsting for righteousness." Showing mercy is the outward expression of the inner hungering and thirsting after righteousness.

"Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy." (Matthew 5:7)

MAIN BODY

I. Defining Mercy

A. The "Merciful" in Greek means to be compassionate or merciful.

B. To "obtain mercy" means to experience mercy.

C. The Hebrew word for mercy means kindness or piety.

II. Being Merciful

A. Mercy has a close relationship to forgiveness and love.

1. Luke 6:27—36

2. 1 John 4:10—11

B. Being merciful means, extending mercy to anyone in need of mercy, forgiveness to the one who needs forgiveness and help to those who need it in a time of need.

C. Being merciful is the outward expression of hungering after righteousness. (Matthew 9:13)

III. Obtaining Mercy

A. This 5th Beatitude is not a requirement of salvation but a value to be nurtured in those who are saved.

1. God showed us mercy while we were still sinners.

2. Ephesians 2:4—5

3. Titus 3:5

B. Being merciful as a Christian means, we are imitating Christ. (Hebrews 2:17)

C. The mercy obtained is both temporal and eternal. (Lamentations 3:21—24)

Mitchell Skelton, Minister

Midway church of Christ

http://www.TheLordsWay.com/Midway