The Deep Mercy Of God

The Deep Mercy of God

Text: Psalm 103:17–18 (KJV)

"But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them."

Introduction: A Mercy Without Beginning or End

Before your first sin, God’s mercy had already made provision.

Before you ever called on grace, mercy was chasing you down.

God's mercy stretches from eternity past to eternity future—a mercy that had no beginning and will have no end.

What Is Mercy?

Mercy is one of the most beautiful, misunderstood, and under-preached truths in Scripture.

- Mercy is not weakness.

- Mercy is not indulgence/ tolerance

- Mercy is not a divine shrug at sin.

Mercy is the righteous heart of a holy God, refusing to leave you where sin would have destroyed you.

It is deeper than any pit,

longer than any road you've wandered,

stronger than the guilt hanging over your soul.

I. What Do We Deserve?

We must begin with the truth: mercy only matters when we understand what we deserve.

A. We Deserve Death

“For the wages of sin is death…” — Romans 6:23a

Sin earns wages—and those wages are death.

Not just physical death, but eternal separation from God.

Illustration:

Picture a courtroom. A guilty criminal stands condemned.

The penalty is death. That was us—before Christ stepped in.

B. We Deserve Wrath

“…and were by nature the children of wrath…” — Ephesians 2:3b

“He that believeth not is condemned already…” — John 3:18

We weren’t just misguided—we were under God’s holy wrath.

Already condemned.

Already guilty.

C. We Deserve Separation

“But your iniquities have separated between you and your God…” — Isaiah 59:2

Sin separates.

Hell is not just fire—it is isolation from the presence of the Lord

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 (KJV) And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

D. We Were Dead

“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins…” — Ephesians 2:1

We weren’t weak or misdirected—we were spiritually dead.

Illustration: A dead man doesn’t respond to light or sound.

That was us—lifeless—until mercy made us alive.

E. We Were Slaves and Enemies

“Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.” — John 8:34

“…when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God…” — Romans 5:10

Sin ruled us…. We weren’t just lost—we were hostile to God.

II. But God… Who Is Rich in Mercy

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us…” — Ephesians 2:4

The most glorious interruption in Scripture: But God…

- He withheld what we deserved—that’s mercy.

- He gave us what we didn’t deserve—that’s grace.

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us…” — Titus 3:5

III. Mercy and Judgment – A Heart Check

“Judge not, and ye shall not be judged…” — Luke 6:37

The same measuring stick you use on others… God will use on you.

- You can’t beg for mercy while dishing out judgment.

- You can’t demand grace while holding a grudge.

- Grace means you do get what you don’t deserve

Mercy means you don’t get what you do deserve

—can you wish the opposite on someone else?

IV. Mercy in Action: The Woman at the Well (John 4)

- Five failed marriages.

- Living in sin.

- Shamed, avoided, and alone.

- She came to the well at noon—isolated from others.

But Jesus “must needs go through Samaria” (John 4:4).

The need was Not geographically—spiritually. -Mercy was on a mission.

He met her at her point of shame.

He exposed her truth not to condemn, but to heal.

He offered her living water.

He didn’t walk away. -He stayed. -He spoke. -He redeemed.

“Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did…” — John 4:29

She became the first evangelist in the New Testament.

That’s mercy.

- Her shame became her sermon.

- Her failure didn’t cancel her future.

- Mercy repurposed her past.

V. Remember Who You Are Because of Mercy

- You are a recipient of grace.

- You are the temple of the Holy Ghost.

- You are the light of the world.

- You are the salt of the earth.

- You are heaven-bound.

- You are living proof of the mercy of God.

VI. Mercy Has a Mission: To Save You