MESSAGE 2021.05.16 GOD of Mercy Pentecost-Shavuot
William Akehurst HSWC
GOD of MERCY, a message for Shavuot-Pentecost. Shavuot, celebrates GOD's WORD given to the Israelite Nation. Pentecost, celebrates GOD giving HOLY SPIRIT to believers in Messiah. Together, GODS WORD in written and living form, plus GOD's SPIRIT, bring a fuller completeness to the individual believer who has received GOD's MERCY.
Define Mercy - compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm.
One who has the power to punish, yet shows compassion or forgiveness toward the one to be punished.
INTRODUCTION (this could be a sermon in itself)
Note: I had forgotten that today is Pentecost Sunday, but the LORD reminded me…for this purpose.
Pentecost Sunday marks 50 days since the Passover celebration.
In the Old Testament, 50 days after the original Passover, when the Hebrews exited Egypt, they waited at the bottom of the mountain for Moses to return with the WORD of GOD, the 10 commandments.
In Jewish teachings, Shavuot is celebrating the day when the Children of Israel, the Hebrews, received Torah, the Law, or the WORD of GOD. The 10 Commandments.
This day of Shavuot aligns with Pentecost, the Day the Christian Jews received the Holy Spirit. Acts 1-2
And scripture tells us that the believer in JESUS CHRIST is Sealed by HIS SPIRIT.
So What can we learn from this?
GOD's WORD represented by the Torah is written for our benefit to study and learn.
But there's more to the WORD than this...it is JESUS...
John 1:1 (KJV) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
And there's more to JESUS than just the WORD of GOD, it is HIS SPIRIT.
HIS SPIRIT, the Comforter, who shall teach us in HIS WORD.
John 14:26 (KJV) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH will guide you in all truth
John 16:13 (KJV) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
JESUS says, I must go away so I can send the Comforter, the SPIRIT.
John 16:7 (KJV) Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
JESUS gave up HIS SPIRIT (so that we could receive!)
Luke 23:46 (KJV) And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
HIS SPIRIT fills the believers
Acts 2:4 (KJV) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
HIS SPIRIT Seals us!
Ephesians 1:13 (KJV) In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
So when you have both GOD's WORD, written and living (JESUS)...AND...HIS SPIRIT, you have been made complete!
I think of the many times I read through a passage (even the same passage or verse like John 3:16-see below) and learn something new each time. This is the HOLY SPIRIT teaching me and applying or writing these things that "jump off the page" to the tablets of my heart. This is the Work of the Holy Spirit in every believer that combines the POWER of the HOLY SPIRIT with GOD's HOLY WORD.
So it is important to ask for the LORD's guidance, HIS SPIRIT to reveal the hidden things when we read GOD's WORD, so that the SPIRIT can impart the message, the attribute, the defining moment of that passage into our heart.
Prayer:
FATHER, we ask that YOUR WORD and CHRIST through it, would open our understanding, by the teaching and application of YOUR SPIRIT within us. Let us hear and know YOUR still small voice, in the quietness of our time with YOU. In YOUR NAME FATHER, and JESUS and HOLY SPIRIT, Amen.
*****
MESSAGE: GOD of MERCY
In the OT passage today, we read of the people receiving GOD's Word. And in this passage, we learn an attribute of GOD, the GOD of Mercy. Let's take a look.
Note: I received and added this passage from Exodus by the promptings of HOLY SPIRIT this morning in my last preparations of the message; I believe it completes the message, PRAISE THE LORD!
Exodus 34:5-8 (KJV)
5 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him (Moses) there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.
6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,
7 Keeping mercy for thousands (generations), forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.
8 And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped*.
*Before we get started, in vs 8, we see how Moses worshipped at this moment. In Hebrew it says his face upon the ground. This was an honest heart felt act of worship to the ALL POWERFUL and HOLY GOD. Moses could not get into a position any lower than his face in the dirt, a representation of our sin before the HOLY LORD GOD. And a position of worship, understanding our sin and our lack before the ALMIGHTY and HOLY LORD GOD.
MERCIFUL for thousands of generations since this encounter by Moses on the day of Shavuot.
"The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands (generations), forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,”
Exodus 34:6-7 NLT
6 The LORD passed in front of Moses, calling out, “Yahweh! The LORD! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.
7 I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations.”
NOTES: Exodus 34:5 (Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible)
The Lord God is merciful; ready to forgive the sinner, and to relieve the needy. Gracious; kind, and ready to bestow undeserved benefits. Long-suffering; slow to anger, giving time for repentance, only punishing when it is needful. He is abundant in goodness and truth; even sinners receive the riches of his bounty abundantly, though they abuse them. All he reveals is infallible truth, all he promises is in faithfulness. Keeping mercy for thousands; he continually shows mercy to sinners, and has treasures, which cannot be exhausted, to the end of time. Forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin; his mercy and goodness reach to the full and free forgiveness of sin. And will by no means clear the guilty; the holiness and justice of God are part of his goodness and love towards all his creatures. In Christ’s sufferings, the Divine holiness and justice are fully shown, and the evil of sin is made known. God’s forgiving mercy is always attended by his converting, sanctifying grace. None are pardoned but those who repent and forsake the allowed practice of every sin; nor shall any escape, who abuse, neglect, or despise this great salvation. Moses bowed down, and worshipped reverently. Every perfection in the name of God, the believer may plead with Him for the forgiveness of his sins, the making holy of his heart, and the enlargement of the Redeemer’s kingdom.
Remember How I said that the HOLY SPIRIT can reveal new things to us from a passage we are familiar with? Let’s take a look at the following and cut it down.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave…
WHAT DID GOD GIVE?
Well YES, it Says HIS SON-JESUS who takes away the sin of the world.
John 1:29 (KJV) The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
But, what about GOD GIVING-HIS MERCY towards a fallen world?
GOD’s love for this world is so much “that HE gave” out of HIS Mercy…and rather than punish, HE GAVE the way of LIFE EVERLASTING, to all who would believe and receive HIM. But there is a condition to receiving that Mercy. The Mercy is offered to all people, but is only received by those who will believe. And, unfortunately for those who reject HIM, they will be found guilty because GOD is SOVEREIGN, and HIS WORD Stands to completion.
DEFINING GOD’S MERCY through HIS WORD
GREAT, Isaiah 54.7 “For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.” King James Version (KJV)
SURE, Isaiah 55:3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
ABUNDANT, 1 Peter 1:3 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
TENDER, Psalm 25:6 Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
NEW EVERY MORNING, Lamentations 3:22-23 22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
TYPES of MERCIES of GOD
The GENERAL MERCY of GOD.
Extends to everyone, believers and unbelievers alike. Psalm 145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
The SPECIAL MERCY of GOD.
This is for the children of men, notwithstanding their sins. GOD provides the necessities of life. Matthew 5.45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
The SOVEREIGN MERCY of GOD.
Reserved for believers who are heirs of salvation.
We must realize the mercies which GOD grants to unbelievers is only for this momentary life. It is solely of temporal (life/time-based). There will be no mercy extended beyond the grave.
Exodus 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands (generations), forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…
Hebrews 9:27-28 (KJV) 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Exodus 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands (generations), forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty…
Revelation 21:8 (KJV) But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Therefore, GOD’s MERCY is SOVEREIGN. It is Mercy offered to each individual, during this life. Each of us is given the choice to receive or deny this offer of Mercy and Redemption.
WHAT IS THE SCOPE OF GOD'S MERCY TO BELIEVERS?
GREAT to those who fear, reverence, acknowledge, believe and trust HIM
Psalm 103.11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
VESSELS of MERCY
We are HIS Vessels of Mercy. Prepared to glorify HIM and make known (the riches of) HIS glory.
Romans 9.23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory.
We have been given such a rich blessing of GOD’s Mercy, which provides us with rich treasures gathered from HIS WORD and HIS SPIRIT each day.
We See the attributes of our GOD and HIS MERCY in Exodus 34:6 "...The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 7 Keeping mercy for thousands (generations), forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin...
These Attributes of our GOD of MERCY, when we have HIS SPIRIT IN US, produces the same "Fruits of HIS SPIRIT" in us...
Fruits of HIS of the SPIRIT…Fruits of HIS Mercy
Galatians 5:22-23 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Together, GOD's WORD and HIS SPIRIT do a work in transforming us into HIS completed work in us.
And, Let us understand our GOD of MERCY, who is patient for all to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9 (KJV) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
But let us also remember that those who refuse HIS Mercy and Grace and Gift of Salvation, will receive an everlasting punishment. Therefore, we must commit to CHRIST's COMMAND...The Great Commission with Urgency! Time is short! We are witnesses of our SOON COMING KING!
James 5:20 (KJV) Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Mark 16:15 (KJV) And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Your world around you begins with WHERE YOU ARE. Now GO, HE said…
Let us be changed by GOD's WORD and HIS SPIRIT in us on this day of Pentecost-Shavuot.
1 Corinthians 11:23a (KJV) For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you...
Be Blessed BY THIS, and Be a Blessing to others WITH THESE THOUGHTS. Amen!
Bill
