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[Thus far in our study of the Sermon on the Mount our Lord has taught us that,] 

• [Spiritual Beggars are bankrupt and need Salvation]
• [Broken sinners are mourning and are driven to Repentance]
• [The Mighty Meek realize their source of strength and Surrender.]
• [Satisfied Saints deeply Desire a relationship with Christ and are filled.]

   ["On the evening of April 25, 1958, a young Korean exchange student, a leader in student Christian affairs in the University of Pennsylvania, left his flat and went to the corner to post a letter to his parents in Pusan. Turning from the mailbox he stepped into the path of eleven leather-jacketed teenage boys. Without a word they attacked him, beating him with a blackjack, a lead pipe and with their shoes and fists. Later, when the police found him in the gutter, he was dead. All Philadelphia cried out for vengeance. The district attorney secured legal authority to try the boys as adults so that those found guilty could be given the death penalty. Then a letter arrived from Korea that made everyone stop and think. It was signed by the parents and by twenty other relatives of the murdered boy. It read in part:"]

   ["Our family has met together and we have decided to petition that the most generous treatment possible within the laws of your government be given to those who have committed this criminal action--.In order to give evidence of our sincere hope contained in this petition, we have decided to save money to start a fund to be used for the religious, educational, vocational, and social guidance of the boys when they are released--.We have dared to express our hope with a spirit received from the gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ who died for our sins." ]   [A. Leonard Griffith, Beneath the Cross of Jesus] 

[To be blessed] 

• [The world feels that a person is blessed by what they have - Possessions.]
• [The Ten Commandments teach a person is blessed by what he does - Outward Acts.]
• [The beatitudes teach that a person is blessed by what he is - Your Character.]

A.     The Basics of Mercy [- What is Mercy?] 

1.      [Mercy is not just soft] 

a.       [Mercy - eleeo (Gk) - 1) to have mercy on 2) to help one afflicted or seeking aid 3) to help the afflicted, to bring help to the wretched.] 

b.      [1828 Webster’s Dictionary – Mercy 1. That benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart which disposes a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves; the disposition that tempers justice, and induces an injured person to forgive trespasses and injuries, and to forbear punishment, or inflict less than law or justice will warrant.  In this sense, there is perhaps no word in our language precisely synonymous with mercy.  That which comes nearest to it is grace.  It implies benevolence, tenderness, mildness, pity or compassion, and clemency, but exercised only towards offenders.  Mercy is a distinguishable attribute of the Supreme Being.]

[The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation. Num. 14.18] 

2.      [Dr. Mike Minnix, "To have mercy means to get inside the skin of another person and to see and feel life from that persons perspective."[1]]  

3.      [Mercy is not mere sentiment - It is more than crying for the pain of others.] 

4.      [Someone has said,]  

Justice is getting what you deserve,
Mercy is not getting what you deserve,
Grace is getting what you do not deserve. 

5.      [Mercy is Compassion in Action.] 

B.     The Beauties of Mercy [- Mercy is one of the most beautiful characteristics of God.] 

1.      Mercy Shows continuous compassion (Lam 3.22) 

[Lament. 3:22 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. ] 

["We are going to meet unmerciful good people and unmerciful bad people,

unmerciful institutions, unmerciful organizations,

and we shall have to go through the discipline of being merciful to the merciless."]    [Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)] 

2.      Mercy Flows from Great Love (Eph 2.4) 

[Ephes. 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, ] 

3.      Mercy Knows a Great God (Eph 5.1) [- The beauty of Mercy is to be like God.] 

[Ephes. 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; ] 

["Mercy imitates God and disappoints Satan."

Saint John Chrysostom (C. 347-407)] 

C.     The Basis of Mercy (Luke 10.25-37) [- The Good Samaritan] 

1.      [An inquiring attorney] 

a.       [He was 100% correct - He knew the letter of the law, he did not know heart of the law.  The Religious leaders knew where Christ would be born, but not one of them went to see Him when He was born, they missed Him.] 

b.      [He was 100% lost - He asked who is my neighbor - He did not want to love anyone he did not have to.] 

2.      [The Good Samaritan – An example of a good neighbor.]  

a.       [Three types of people in life:] 

(1)   [The Beater Uppers (vs 30) - And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead - iniquity] 

(2)   [The Passer Uppers (vs 31-32) - And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. ³² And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. - indifference] 

(3)   [The Picker Uppers (vs 33) - But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,  - involvement.] 

3.      [The Basis of Mercy - Which showed mercy?] 

a.       Mercy Recognizes Need (vs 33) [- . . . and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, . . . – In recognizing the needs of others mercy looks beyond race, creed, and culture and embraces the value and humanity of those before them.  The Samaritan did not see an enemy, or a Jew, he saw a human being whom God loved dearly, in desperate need.  The priest only saw his own defilement, the Levite only saw a distraction, the Samaritan saw a man in need.] 

b.      Mercy Reaches out with Comfort (vs 34) [- And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. – The Samaritan gave the stranger everything he had that could care for this man, he spared nothing.] 

c.       Mercy Results in Action (vs 35) [- And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee  - This was true substitution.  The Samaritan committed to taking care of every expense this helpless man might incur in order to guarantee his care.] 

D.    The Blessings of Mercy (Jam 2.13;Ps 18.25). 

[James 2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment. ] 

[Psalm 18:25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; ] 

1.      We receive mercy when we have shown mercy. 

["The Merciful Love Unconditionally."] 

CrossRoads Baptist Church, Nov 30, 2008