Dear Christian friends:

If Mr. Krushchev died today many people would shout with joy and celebrate. Often we are glad if our enemy or someone we don't like gets hurt or in trouble. We say, "His own fault. He deserves that. I'm glad he got punished."

But is that how God feels? God says, "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live." (Ezekiel 33:11) God is merciful and shows mercy to His enemies. In our text, one more of the Beatitudes, Jesus says:


It is not easy for us to show mercy to other people, especially to some people who are not very nice. True, we can show mercy to nice people, if it will help us, but to the poor and the ignorant and weak who can't help us, we don't easily show mercy. So we need this encouragement from Jesus: "Blessed Are The Merciful."

In our bulletin this morning you can read a story about a boss who showed mercy to one of his workers who had stolen some money from the company. The boss said, "I will not send you to prison. If I let you keep working here will you promise not to steal again?" The clerk was very surprised and cried with shame and joy. Then the boss said: "You are the second man who has fallen and received a pardon here. I was the first. What you have done, I did. The mercy you received today, I received many years ago. And God promises mercy and forgiveness to both of us."

In this story we have a very clear explanation of how to show mercy. A very good example. But the best example of showing mercy is God Himself. The boss in that story himself was a sinner, and so he ought to show mercy to the sinner clerk. One was not better than the other. But God is not a sinner. He is perfectly good and holy, yet He shows mercy and forgiveness to us sinners. He gave His only beloved Son to suffer mockery and shame for us. Paul says, "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." (Romans 5:6)

God didn't show mercy to us because we were His friends and nice people. By nature we are not His friends, but His enemies, loving ourself and sinful ways. Yet God pitied us and gave His Son to die for us on the cross. You cannot find a mercy like that, wonderful mercy, except in God.

In Luke 6:32-36 Jesus tells us some things about showing mercy:

"For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful."

So we see what it means to show mercy and why we ought to show mercy. But do we have the power or love to show mercy? If we look back on our past life we see many times when we failed to show mercy to someone.

Your husband made a mistake. Then the wife got angry and scolded and made lots of trouble. No patience, no kindness or mercy. Or maybe someone sinned against you, and you became angry and walked away in a huff. We are quick to criticise and judge and condemn other people and show no mercy.

One deaf young man made a mistake and got in prison. After that not one of the brothers or sisters visited him. No deaf person has visited him for many years, no mercy.

Where can we find power to show mercy and forgiveness? Only from God Himself. God is love. God is merciful. He has showed His great mercy in Jesus. When we confess our sins and then accept God's mercy in Jesus we receive power to show mercy to others.

But if we don't not confess our sins. If we are self-righteous and feel no need for God's mercy. Then we can't show mercy. Then we can't show mercy to anyone else. We will be proud and critical against others.

However, if we humbly confess our sins and receive God's mercy in Christ we can show mercy to others even those that hate us and do harm and meanness against us.

In this way we show that we are true Christians and have a wonderful promise. Jesus says, "Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy." (Matthew 5:7) We need God's mercy every day of our life or we will fall into temptation and be lost. Without His mercy and care we fail.

But here Jesus promises us plenty of mercy for the future days on earth. Jesus does not mean that we earn God's mercy by showing mercy. Mercy is one thing you can't earn. If you earn it is no longer mercy, but wages.

What Jesus means is that those who believe in Him will show mercy. Those who do not believe in Him will not and cannot show mercy and so will not go to heaven.

God be merciful to us and help us to show mercy.

Amen.