This sermon explores the concept of God's enduring mercy, emphasizing that His love for us is constant and unwavering, regardless of our actions.
Good morning, family. It's another beautiful day to gather together and share in the Word of God, isn't it? I hope you're all feeling as blessed as I am to be here today.
Now, I want to share with you something that's been on my heart lately. It's a verse that I'm sure many of you know well, but it's one that I think we could all do with a little reminder of from time to time. It's from Psalms 107:1, and it goes like this: "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever."
Isn't that something? "His love endures forever." Just let those words sink in for a moment. No matter what we're going through, no matter how far we might stray, His love for us never wavers. It's a constant, unwavering, enduring love. And that's what we're going to be talking about today: God's enduring mercy.
We're going to look at what it means to truly understand that mercy, to experience it in our lives, and to live in the light of it.
And speaking of mercy, I came across a quote from the great Christian author, Philip Yancey, that I think really sums up what we're talking about here. He said, "Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more—no amount of spiritual calisthenics and renunciations, no amount of knowledge gained from seminaries and divinity schools, no amount of crusading on behalf of righteous causes. And grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us less—no amount of racism or pride or pornography or adultery or even murder. Grace means that God already loves us as much as an infinite God can possibly love."
So, before we get started, let's bow our heads in prayer.
When we think about mercy, we often think about it in human terms. We think about a judge showing mercy to a defendant, or a teacher showing mercy to a student who forgot their homework. But God's mercy is so much more than that. It's not a one-time act, but a constant, enduring part of His character. It's not something He gives out sparingly, but something He pours out on us in abundance.
Consider the story of the prodigal son. Here was a young man who had turned his back on his father, squandered his inheritance, and lived a life of sin. But when he returned home, his father didn't turn him away. He didn't even wait for his son to reach the house. He ran out to meet him, embraced him, and welcomed him home. That's a picture of God's enduring mercy. Even when we turn our backs on Him, His mercy is there, waiting for us to return.
But God's mercy isn't just for those who have strayed. It's for all of us, every day. It's there in the forgiveness we receive when we confess our sins. It's there in the comfort we feel in times of sorrow. It's there in the strength we find in times of trial. It's there in the peace we experience in the midst of chaos. It's there in the joy we find in His presence. It's there in the hope we have for eternity. That's God's enduring mercy.
Now, let's think about what it means to truly understand that mercy. It's not just about knowing that God is merciful. It's about experiencing that mercy in our own lives. It's about recognizing the many ways God shows us mercy every day. It's about being grateful for that mercy, even when we don't feel like we deserve it. It's about trusting in that mercy, even when we can't see the way forward. It's about living in the light of that mercy, allowing it to guide our thoughts, our words, and our actions.
But understanding God's enduring mercy isn't just about us. It's also about how we treat others. When we truly understand God's mercy, it changes how we interact with the people around us. We become more forgiving, more compassionate, more understanding. We stop keeping score and start showing grace. We stop holding grudges and start extending forgiveness. We stop judging and start loving. That's the power of understanding God's enduring mercy.
In the book of Lamentations, we find a powerful expression of God's mercy in chapter 3, verses 22 and 23: "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO
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