Traditionally when we try to define mercy we say it means - Not getting what you deserve. The problem is we are getting to decide what others deserve. So there has to be something more to mercy . Jesus tells us in Matt 25 that "whatever you do for the least of these" (others) we do for him. If that is the case then when we look at others we need to see Jesus.
So when Jesus says "I desire mercy, not sacrifice" (Matt 9:13) what does this mercy mean? How does Jesus himself teach us to show mercy?
The first way is to be merciful to the hurting. In the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus points out that if you show compassion for others you can be showing mercy. This kind of mercy isn't just a feeling of guilt or feeling sorry for that person, it is a feeling that moves you to take action. If you look at a hurting person and see Jesus you are going to act differently than if you are looking through your own eyes and setting your own "deserving scale."
The second way is to be merciful to the sinful. As in the story of the adulterous woman brought to Jesus, he teaches us to be merciful. If anyone had the right to condemn her it would have been the "perfect" man, Jesus. He said, "the one who is without sin cast the first stone." As the accusers walked away Jesus could have picked up a stone and killed this woman, but he showed mercy. Jesus is teaching us that mercy moves us to help, not condemn. If you look at a sinful person and see Jesus you will show mercy not condemnation. If you are looking through your own eyes you usually set your own "deserving scale."
The third way is to be merciful to the enemy. Jesus said "Love your enemy, do good to them." (Luke 6) We live in a culture that lives the opposite of this statement. We cheer for wrath and punishment. We would much rather see someone who has hurt us or offended us to pay for the wrong they've done rather than shown mercy. Some may be asking the question, "So are you saying that there shouldn't be consequences for their actions?" No. You’re asking the wrong question! What about asking, "If I see Jesus in this person how would I treat Him?" Maybe we would respond differently. Instead of looking through our own eyes and determining what others deserve we show the mercy of Jesus to them.
If mercy is not NOT getting what you deserve then what is it? Mercy is something you don't have to do but you choose to do it because you see Jesus as that person. What if followers of Christ would focus on this kind of mercy. Would this world be different? Whether or not it would, when we see Jesus he would tell us "come, take your inheritance" (Matt 25:34). When we see Jesus in others we can't help but show mercy. Just as when we put on Christ, God can't help but to see Jesus in us - the hurting and sinful!
Doug
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Man Of Love
This next weeks teaching looks at Jesus as a Man of Love. I know it is Valentines Day Weekend, but I am not talking about the mushy kind of love that is normally associated with Valentines Day.
Jesus said: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34-35).
Jesus showed us how to love people who are not like us. He was humble enough to love even those considered to be unlovable. It was this kind of love that can change the world.
We are good at loving people like us. We are good at loving our own people, but how are we at loving those who we find it difficult to love.
Maybe this video will inspire you to love even your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:43-48).
Copy and Paste link into browser: http://www.nbcdfw.com/sports/football/A_Game_of_Hope_Dallas-Fort_Worth.html
Jesus said: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34-35).
Jesus showed us how to love people who are not like us. He was humble enough to love even those considered to be unlovable. It was this kind of love that can change the world.
We are good at loving people like us. We are good at loving our own people, but how are we at loving those who we find it difficult to love.
Maybe this video will inspire you to love even your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:43-48).
Copy and Paste link into browser: http://www.nbcdfw.com/sports/football/A_Game_of_Hope_Dallas-Fort_Worth.html
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Jesus--Man of no religion
Our next topic in our "Rediscovering Your First Love" series talks about how Jesus came and challenged the religious establishment.
The church should be saturated with Jesus. It should have Jesus' DNA all over it. But for the most part it doesn't. It has years of tradition and religious practices passed down from man that get in the way. Maybe this is why early in Jesus' ministry he challenged the religious establishment.
The teaching this week will walk through Mark 1:21-3:6; 7:6-8. Mark 7:6-8 says this:
"Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.' You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."
I had a Jewish friend of mine tell me that he had been studying Jesus. He said, "I am finding out that Jesus was quite Jewish." What he meant was that Jesus practiced Judaism. He is partly correct, Jesus practiced Judaism the way it was meant to be practiced. He did not however hold himself to the laws that were added to Judaism by man.
This attitude did not sit very well with the religious leaders and eventually led to Jesus' death. Instead of being saturated with God, Judaism had become a mixture of what God gave Moses and what man decided to add later.
Christianity has done the same thing. While Judaism has different schools of thought on the law like Rabbi Hillel and Rabbi Shammai, Christianity has Calvin, Luther and the Wesley. A mixture of God and man, with the man side of things taking precedent most of the time.
Jesus came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill the law. (Matthew 5:17)
It is important that we see Jesus as the leader of the church and strive to become saturated with him, not our religious practices.
The church should be saturated with Jesus. It should have Jesus' DNA all over it. But for the most part it doesn't. It has years of tradition and religious practices passed down from man that get in the way. Maybe this is why early in Jesus' ministry he challenged the religious establishment.
The teaching this week will walk through Mark 1:21-3:6; 7:6-8. Mark 7:6-8 says this:
"Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.' You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."
I had a Jewish friend of mine tell me that he had been studying Jesus. He said, "I am finding out that Jesus was quite Jewish." What he meant was that Jesus practiced Judaism. He is partly correct, Jesus practiced Judaism the way it was meant to be practiced. He did not however hold himself to the laws that were added to Judaism by man.
This attitude did not sit very well with the religious leaders and eventually led to Jesus' death. Instead of being saturated with God, Judaism had become a mixture of what God gave Moses and what man decided to add later.
Christianity has done the same thing. While Judaism has different schools of thought on the law like Rabbi Hillel and Rabbi Shammai, Christianity has Calvin, Luther and the Wesley. A mixture of God and man, with the man side of things taking precedent most of the time.
Jesus came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill the law. (Matthew 5:17)
It is important that we see Jesus as the leader of the church and strive to become saturated with him, not our religious practices.
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