THE “BE” ATTITUDES 06
MATTHEW 5:7 BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL, FOR THEY WILL BE SHOWN MERCY.
OPENING ILLUSTRATION: MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE NAMES UWE HOLMER OR ERICH HONECKER. THE LIVES OF THESE TWO MEN CROSSED IN 1990, AND BECAME A VIVID EXAMPLE OF GOD’S MERCY TO THE ENTIRE WORLD. UWE HOLMER IS A PASTOR WHO SERVED THE LORD IN WHAT WAS FORMERLY KNOWN AS EAST GERMANY, A FORMER COMMUNIST NATION. LIKE MANY OTHER BELIEVERS, HE SUFFERED FROM THE 40 YEARS OF ERICH HONECKER’S IRON-FISTED RULE.
HISTORY HAS A WAY OF CHANGING THINGS. HONECKER HAD BEEN DISPOSED OF AS LEADER AND WAS FACING TRIAL ON THE CHARGES OF TREASON. WHILE AWAITING HIS TRIAL, HE WAS OPERATED ON FOR CANCER AND NEEDED A PLACE TO RECOVER. THIS BEATEN AND SICK MAN HAD NO WHERE TO GO: HE WAS TOO SICK TO STAY IN PRISON AND NO ONE DARED TO OPEN UP THEIR HOME TO HIM BECAUSE HE WAS SO HATED AND DESPISED. NO ONE WANTED TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS TYRANT.
PASTOR HOLMER’S CHURCH RAN A CONVALESCENT CENTER IN THE SECLUDED VILLAGE OF LOBETAL. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR THE VILLAINOUS HONECKER. HOLMER COULD HAVE EASILY RATIONALIZED THIS SITUATION AND CLOSED HIS HEART, BUT INSTEAD, HE FELT LED OF THE LORD TO OPEN UP HIS OWN HOME TO HONECKER AND HIS WIFE. THE HOLY SPIRIT COMPELLED UWE HOLMER TO REACH OUT AND MINISTER TO THIS MAN’S NEEDS, EVEN THOUGH HE WAS A SCOUNDREL.
TORRENTS OF RAGE WERE DIRECTED AT PASTOR HOLMER: HATE MAIL, BOMB THREATS AND THREATS TO CUT OFF FUNDING TO HIS MINISTRY WERE RECEIVED, ALL BECAUSE HOLMER HAD OFFERED MERCY TO AN ENEMY. UWE HOLMER EXPLAINED TO THE NATION (AND TO THE WORLD) WHY HE HAD MERCY ON ERICH HONECKER IN A LETTER TO AN EAST GERMAN NEWSPAPER, NEUE ZEITUNG. HE WROTE, “IN LOBETAL, THERE IS A SCULPTURE OF JESUS INVITING PEOPLE TO HIMSELF AND CRYING OUT: ‘COME UNTO ME ALL YE THAT LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST.’ WE HAVE BEEN COMMANDED BY OUR LORD JESUS TO FOLLOW HIM AND TO RECEIVE ALL THOSE WHO ARE WEARY AND HEAVY LADEN, IN SPIRIT AND IN BODY, BUT ESPECIALLY THE HOMELESS. WHAT JESUS ASKED HIS DISCIPLES TO DO IS EQUALLY BINDING ON US.”
PASTOR HOLMER DID NOT DO THE POLITICALLY CORRECT THING AT ALL, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN TO JOIN THE OTHERS IN THROWING STONES AT HONECKER. INSTEAD, UWE HOLMER DID THINGS THE JESUS WAY: BUT I SAY UNTO YOU WHICH HEAR, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, DO GOOD TO THEM WHICH HATE YOU, [28] BLESS THEM THAT CURSE YOU, AND PRAY FOR THEM WHICH DESPITEFULLY USE YOU. (LK. 6:27–28). ERICH HONECKER DESERVED TO DIE A HORRIBLE DEATH, ALONE. PASTOR HOLMER DID NOT GIVE HIM WHAT HE DESERVED. INSTEAD, HE GAVE HIM MERCY WHICH IS NOT AN EASY THING TO DO OR IS UNPOPULAR SOMETIMES, BUT CAN BE DONE WITH THE HELP OF GOD IN OUR LIFE. JESUS SAID, “BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL: FOR THEY SHALL OBTAIN MERCY.”
ROD MATTOON, TREASURES FROM THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, VOL. 1, TREASURES FROM SCRIPTURES SERIES (SPRINGFIELD, IL: ROD MATTOON, 2006), 72–73.
INTRODUCTION: WELL, WE HAVE COME RIGHT OFF OUR CELEBRATION OF THE RESURRECTION AND NOW BACK INTO OUR SERIES ON THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT AND PARTICULARLY THE BEATITUDES.
THIS MORNING WE CONTINUE WITH MATTHEW 5:7 WHERE WE READ, “BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL, FOR THEY WILL BE SHOWN MERCY.”
WHAT IS INTERESTING IS THAT THIS BEATITUDE WOULD SEEM TO GIVE US A WAY OF FOLLOWING THE PREVIOUS BEATITUDE DEALING WITH HUNGER AND SEARCH FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
LET ME REMIND YOU OF SOME OF THE MAIN THOUGHTS OF THIS BEATITUDE:
• HUNGER IS A CRAVING OR DESIRE FOR SOMETHING. WE CANNOT WILL OURSELVES TO BE HUNGRY OR THIRSTY BUT WE CAN CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE IT HAPPENS
• RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT A POSITION, BUT AN ACTIVITY. BEING RIGHTEOUS IS DOING WHAT IS RIGHT.
• BEING FILLED IS SOMETHING I CANNOT DO FOR MYSELF BUT IS DONE FOR ME. GOD GIVES ME THE FILLING – SATISFACTION WHEN I CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT WHERE RIGHTEOUSNESS IS WHAT I DESIRE.
TRANSITION: AS WE MOVE INTO THIS NEXT BEATITUDE, WHAT BETTER WAY CAN WE START CREATING THE ENVIRONMENT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS THAN BY BEING MERCIFUL.
I. THE BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE IN THIS BEATITUDE
MATTHEW 5:7 BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL, FOR THEY WILL BE SHOWN MERCY.
a. THE CONDITION OF RECEIVING MERCY IS BECAUSE WE ARE GIVING MERCY – BEING MERCIFUL
b. “BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL”
i. ACTIVE IN BEING MERCIFUL
ii. GOD IS NOT POURING HIS BLESSING, HIS MERCY AND HIS GRACE WILLY-NILLY. THE CONDITION TO RECEIVING FROM GOD IS GIVING
c. PRINCIPLE IS REPEATED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
i. “FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS
ii. COLOSSIANS 3:13 BEAR WITH EACH OTHER AND FORGIVE WHATEVER GRIEVANCES YOU MAY HAVE AGAINST ONE ANOTHER. FORGIVE AS THE LORD FORGAVE YOU.
d. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PRINCIPLE IS RELATED TO THE AUDIENCE
i. IMPORTANT TO ASK, AS JESUS WAS TEACHING, WHO WAS HE DIRECTING IS TEACHING TOWARDS?
ii. MATTHEW 5:1–2 NOW WHEN HE SAW THE CROWDS, HE WENT UP ON A MOUNTAINSIDE AND SAT DOWN. HIS DISCIPLES CAME TO HIM, 2 AND HE BEGAN TO TEACH THEM, SAYING:
iii. THIS PRINCIPLE IS FOR FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST
iv. NOT A CONDITION TO BECOMING A CHRISTIAN, BUT IT IS A CONDITION FOR MAINTAINING A WHOLESOME GROWING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND IS IN FACT A RESULT OF OUR RECEIVING THE MERCY AND FORGIVENESS OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IN THE FIRST PLACE.
JAMES BOICE IN HIS COMMENTARIES ON MATTHEW AND THE BEATITUDES SAYS IT THIS WAY:
FOR WHAT JESUS ACTUALLY WAS SAYING WAS THAT WE ARE TO SHOW MERCY BECAUSE WE HAVE RECEIVED MERCY AND ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE IT. CONVERSELY, IF WE DO NOT SHOW MERCY TO OTHERS, WE SHOW THAT WE EITHER UNDERSTAND LITTLE OF THAT MERCY BY WHICH WE HAVE BEEN SAVED OR ELSE HAVE NEVER ACTUALLY RECEIVED IT.
JAMES MONTGOMERY BOICE, THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT: AN EXPOSITIONAL COMMENTARY (GRAND RAPIDS, MI: BAKER BOOKS, 2002), 46.
II. BEING A MERCIFUL PERSON AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST
a. REALIZE THAT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO BE MERCIFUL
i. BEING MERCIFUL BRINGS US THE BENEFIT OF GOD’S MERCY
ii. THE ACTIVITY OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS A RESPONSE TO OTHER FROM WHAT WE RECEIVE AND CONTINUE TO RECEIVE FROM GOD
b. BEING MERCIFUL REQUIRES A CHANGE IN ATTITUDE AND EVEN PRAYER
i. MERCIFUL PEOPLE REALIZE THAT, BECAUSE THEY RECEIVED MERCY FROM GOD, THEY MUST EXTEND MERCY TO OTHERS. MERCY IMPLIES GENEROSITY, FORGIVENESS, AND COMPASSION, AND A DESIRE TO REMOVE THE WRONG AS WELL AS ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING. THIS PROMISE DOES NOT GUARANTEE MERCY FROM PEOPLE. THE BELIEVERS’ COMFORT COMES IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT, NO MATTER HOW THE WORLD TREATS THEM, GOD WILL SHOW THEM MERCY BOTH NOW AND WHEN HE RETURNS.
BRUCE BARTON ET AL., LIFE APPLICATION NEW TESTAMENT COMMENTARY (WHEATON, IL: TYNDALE, 2001), 24
ii. IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW THE BLESSING OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE, DON’T JUST PRAY, ‘LORD BLESS ME’ BUT PRAY, ‘LORD MAKE ME A BLESSING’, AND YOU WILL BE BLESSED. IF YOU REALLY WANT GOD TO TEACH YOU SOMETHING, DON’T JUST PRAY, ‘LORD TEACH ME SOMETHING NEW’, BUT ‘LORD HELP ME TO TEACH SOMEBODY SOMETHING USEFUL TODAY’, AND YOU WILL LEARN. THE CONDITION TO RECEIVING IS GIVING.
CHARLES PRICE, MATTHEW: CAN ANYTHING GOOD COME OUT OF NAZARETH?, FOCUS ON THE BIBLE COMMENTARY (FEARN, GREAT BRITAIN: CHRISTIAN FOCUS PUBLICATIONS, 1998), 69–70.
III. MERCIFUL THINGS WE CAN DO IN THE REAL WORLD
i. BE PATIENT WITH QUIRKS
1. YOU CAN SHOW MERCY WHEN YOU DON’T GET IRRITATED, ANGRY, OR UPTIGHT WITH PEOPLE’S PERSONAL QUIRKS.
2. THIS TAKES SOME PATIENCE - BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN QUIRKY BEHAVIORS!
3. THE TRUTH IS, THIS KIND OF MERCY WILL TAKE YOU A LONG WAY IN RELATIONSHIPS, ESPECIALLY MARRIAGE.
4. EPHESIANS 4:2 SAYS “BE PATIENT WITH EACH OTHER, MAKING ALLOWANCE FOR EACH OTHER’S FAULTS BECAUSE OF YOUR LOVE.” SO, SHOW MERCY TO THOSE YOU LOVE OUT OF REVERENCE FOR CHRIST.
ii. HELP ANYONE HURTING AROUND YOU
1. JESUS TOLD THE STORY OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN TO MAKE A POINT THAT HELPING THE HURTING AROUND YOU IS THE MEANING OF MERCY.
2. MAYBE THIS WEEK GOD WILL PUT SOMEONE IN YOUR PATH WHO HAS A PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL OR FINANCIAL NEED AND IS UNABLE TO HELP THEMSELVES IN THIS MATTER. WILL YOU EXTEND MERCY? OR WILL YOU RUSH AROUND THEM?
3. WHEN YOU HELP THOSE ARE HURTING, DON’T GRIN AND BEAR IT, EITHER. ROMANS 12:8 INSTRUCTS US IN THIS, …. IF IT IS MERCY, LET HIM DO IT CHEERFULLY.
iii. DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO HURT ME
1. WHEN SOMEONE HURTS YOU, WE OFTEN WANT TO EITHER GET EVEN OR WRITE THEM OFF. BUT THE BIBLE SAYS IN EPHESIANS 4:31-32 THAT WE SHOULD BE KIND AND MERCIFUL, FORGIVING OTHERS AS GOD FORGAVE YOU BECAUSE OF CHRIST.
2. WHILE THERE MAY BE LITTLE MERCY OR CIVILITY IN OUR SOCIETY TODAY, THE BIBLE INSTRUCTS US TO SHOW MERCY BY GIVING PEOPLE WHAT THEY NEED, NOT WHAT THEY DESERVE.
3. SEE, GOD DIDN’T GIVE US WHAT WE DESERVE – HE GAVE US FORGIVENESS, INSTEAD.
4. WHEN YOU BLESS SOMEONE WHO HURT YOU, YOU ARE ACTUALLY FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS.
5. SO, THINK ABOUT IT: WHO HURT YOU MOST RECENTLY IN LIFE? THEY MAY NEED YOUR MERCY THE MOST.
iv. BE KIND TO THOSE WHO OFFEND ME
1. WE THINK IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT CULTURAL ATTACKS ON CHRISTIANS ARE PREVALENT IN OUR SOCIETY.
2. OFFENSES ARE DIVIDING FAMILIES, FRIENDS, AND TARNISHING OUR WITNESSES WITH NON-CHRISTIANS AND EVEN DIVIDING OUR CHURCHES.
3. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS CULTURE WAR IS THAT IT’S A NO-WIN SITUATION.
4. INSTEAD, IF YOU’RE KIND TO SOMEONE WHO OFFENDS YOU, INCREDIBLE THINGS CAN HAPPEN!
5. YOUR RESPONSE TO SOMEONE CAN TRULY BE THE ENTRY WAY TO AN ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST – AND GOD’S MERCY MAY CHANGE THEIR LIFE.
6. JESUS TELLS US TO WALK THE EXTRA MILE, GIVE OUR CLOAK ALSO, ETC. WITH THE INTENDED RESULT OF “HEAPING COALS ON HIS HEAD”. MEANING HE SEE THE WRONGS OF HIS ACTION BECAUSE WE WERE MERCIFUL
v. BUILD BRIDGES OF LOVE TO THE OVERLOOKED
1. LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, JESUS DEMONSTRATED MERCY BY BUILDING BRIDGES OF LOVE TO OUTCASTS.
2. PASTOR RICK WARREN CALLS THIS PREMEDITATED MERCY – INTENTIONALLY REACHING OUT THE UNPOPULAR TO BUILD A BRIDGE OF LOVE IN JESUS’ NAME.
3. THINK ABOUT IT: WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU INVITED SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T BELIEVE IN JESUS FOR DINNER OR COFFEE?
4. HAVE YOU SHARED LUNCH WITH ANY NOTORIOUS SINNERS LATELY, BESIDES YOURSELF?
5. JESUS SPENT TIME WITH THE SOCIAL AND SPIRITUAL OUTCASTS – AND SO SHOULD YOU.
6. JESUS’ MISSION WAS TO SEEK AND SAVE WHAT WAS LOST – AND HE COULDN’T DO THAT WITHOUT ACTUALLY GOING TO THOSE HE INTENDED TO SAVE.
I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE WITH THIS, AND THE IMPLIED CHALLENGE TO US THAT IT GIVES:
MERCIFUL PEOPLE REALIZE THAT, BECAUSE THEY RECEIVED MERCY FROM GOD, THEY MUST EXTEND MERCY TO OTHERS. MERCY IMPLIES GENEROSITY, FORGIVENESS, AND COMPASSION, AND A DESIRE TO REMOVE THE WRONG AS WELL AS ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING. THIS PROMISE DOES NOT GUARANTEE MERCY FROM PEOPLE. THE BELIEVERS’ COMFORT COMES IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT, NO MATTER HOW THE WORLD TREATS THEM, GOD WILL SHOW THEM MERCY BOTH NOW AND WHEN HE RETURNS.
BRUCE BARTON ET AL., LIFE APPLICATION NEW TESTAMENT COMMENTARY (WHEATON, IL: TYNDALE, 2001), 24.
