THE TENDER MERCIES OF GOD
Ps 145:8-11 8 The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. 9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. 10 All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee. 11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;
Many sermons have been preached about Grace, Faith, Heaven, God’s Love. How many Sermons have you heard about God’s Mercy? God’s Mercy is one of the Least Understood Facets of God’s Character. Mercy is an Attribute of God’s Nature that has often been Scoffed At by Unbelievers and by Carnal Christians. Mercy is a Powerful Force that Can & Should be Developed & Utilized by All Believers.
I. WHAT IS MERCY? Dictionary: “Kindness in Excess of what may be expected or demanded by Fairness; a Disposition to Forgive; Forbearance and Compassion.” Bible Dictionary: “The Outward Manifestation of Compassion.” God’s Mercy is a Multifaceted Aspect of His Nature and Will for All Mankind that is Designed for One Purpose: To Help Those in Need. Mercy is Compassion to those in Trouble, even if the Trouble is of their own making, or their own fault.
Pastor Warren Wiersbe said this concerning the difference between Grace and Mercy: “God’s Grace gives us What we Do not Deserve, While God’s Mercy Does Not Give us What we Do Deserve.”
Titus 3:4-7 4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
It is by God’s Mercy that we are Saved, Forgiven, and Justified. It is by God’s Mercy that we are Allowed to Receive that which we Do Not Deserve and Did Not Earn. We Deserved Destruction and Separation From God è But His Mercy Stepped In. Mercy Would Not Give us What we Deserved, then Grace Gave us What we Did Not Earn.
II. GOD ACTED IN MERCY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. One thing we must never lose sight of is this: God’s Overwhelming desire is to deal with people on the basis of Mercy. We See Mercy in the Furniture in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple. The Covering for the Ark of the Covenant was the “Mercy Seat.” It was made of Pure Gold. Two angels, cherubim, stretched their wings out over the Mercy Seat. When the Blood of an Animal was Sprinkled upon the Mercy Seat, God Looked Down upon that Blood and Judged by Means of Mercy. The Blood upon the Mercy Seat Covered or Made Atonement for the Sins of the people. The Mercy Seat was a Reminder of God’s Provision of Forgiveness for His People.
III. PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOD DEALS IN MERCY.
Ex 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel. God and Moses Had Fellowship & Communion at the Place of His Mercy. In the New Testament we read in 1 John 2:2 that Christ is the Propitiation, not only for our sins, but for the sins of the whole world. And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. The Greek word translated Propitiation means “Mercy Seat.” Some translations render it “the Atoning Sacrifice for our sins.”
This means that the Sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross provided Mercy that brought us into Right Relationship with God.
IV. CONSIDER GOD’S MERCY IN RELATION TO RELIGION. Religion is Often Harsh and Judgmental and Full of Condemnation. When I think of Religion, I think of the Pharisees. I think of Tongue – Waging, Slander and Accusation; Hard – Hearted, Unloving People. People who Kill with their Tongues. Religion So Quickly Forgets that God Deals with People in Mercy. Mic 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? God’s People Should Be Lovers of Mercy!!! We Must Not be like the Pharisees …. We Must Remember Mercy!!! Sometimes Church People Become so Religious that they Fail to Show Mercy. What if You were in the Crowd with the Woman caught in Adultery? Whould you have held a stone in your hand? Would you have thrown a stone at her? Churches, today, are full of people who hold stones in their hands. Without Mercy, they sling their stones at divorced people, and condemn them on and on and on. Listen, God forgives, God cleanses, and God restores people who make mistakes. And some people who are divorced are victims of other peoples sins. Divorce, or even divorce and remarriage, is not the unpardonable sin. It has been said that the Christian army is the only army in the world that shoots its woonded. It is time for the church to wake up and begin to walk in love, mercy, and grace toward hurting people!!!
V. KING DAVID COMMITTED ADULTERY WITH BATHSHEBA AND THEN KILLED HER HUSBAND TO COVER UP THEIR SIN. Under the Law, David should have been Put to Death for this Transgression. But David Cried Out to God for Mercy: Ps 51:1-4 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
David Repented and Confessed his Sin è He Cried Out for Mercy. The Prophet Nathan declared the word of the Lord to David, “The Lord Has Put Away Your Sin, You Shall Not Die.”
VI. GOD’S MERCY IS A PATTERN FOR BELIEVERS TODAY.
Eph 2:4-5 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) God is RICH in MERCY. He has a Full Supply, He Will not Run out. Christians who walk with God are rich in Mercy. Christians who are full of the Holy Spirit are rich in Mercy. Lam 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.
His Mercy is Fresh Every Day. God iful to deal in Mercy with us. Why do some Christians seem to have so little Mercy??? It is because they DO NOT have much of God in them.
1 Tim 1:16 KJV 16 Howbeit for this cause I OBTAINED MERCY, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a PATTERN to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
1 Tim 1:16-17 NLT But that is why GOD HAD MERCY ON ME, so that Christ Jesus could use me as A PRIME EXAMPLE of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. Paul is Saying that He Obtained Mercy as a Pattern for all who get saved. If God could Deal with him in Mercy, Who was the Worst of Sinners, it would Not Be a Problem for God to Deal with anyone Else in Mercy.
This leads us to Understand that because God Deals with us in Mercy, We Should Deal with Others in Mercy. Matt 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
In Ephesians 5 we are told to be Initators of God and walk in love. This means we are under Obligation to Operate in Mercy towards People, Just like God, Even when their Problems are of their Own Making.
As the People of God, We Need to Allow God’s Mercy & Kindness to Flow through us Unto Others. We Should Be Kind to one another, Tenderhearted, Forgiving one another, Always Demonstrating Mercy and Grace to one another in Jesus Name!!!
Mercy is a Vital Element in our Walk of Faith.
As an Attribute of God’s Character, it Should Characterize the Life of Every Christian, Especially You … and Me!!!
If you Want God to Deal with You on the Basis of Mercy ….
..Then ...You be Sure that You Deal with Others on the Basis of Mercy!!!
Matt 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
