Well, this evening we return once again to the Beatitudes after a short break that we took last week. And so tonight we now move on to the fifth Beatitude, which we find in verse seven of Matthew chapter five. And it says in verse seven, blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. So the next character trait that is to be found in a Christian is that they are merciful. They show mercy to others. This is what God expects from his people. These first four Beatitudes that we've seen already, they're really more about our attitude towards God. poor in spirit, mourning over sin, meekness, and hunger and thirsting for righteousness. They're really God-focused. But now the last four that we turn to, beginning tonight with the fifth one, are more concerned with our attitude towards our fellow men. It really has the same pattern of the Ten Commandments. You see, the first few commandments are about how we live before God, And then the final ones are about how we treat our neighbours. So I have the same here, four Beatitudes that show us how we live before God and then four about how we live with our fellow men. Same principle of loving both God and neighbour. And so the last Beatitude that we considered two weeks ago now was about hungering and thirsting for righteousness. And the promise is that we will be filled. You see, when we are filled to overflowing, this then shows itself in a righteous life, doesn't it? The inward desire for righteousness will become an outward reality. And so one aspect of this light righteousness that is to be seen in us is that the Lord both desires from his people and works into his people a merciful spirit. We are merciful. And in turn the promise is that the mercy will be shown to them. So that's what we have tonight. Being merciful and obtaining mercy. They're inseparable. to show mercy and to receive mercy, to forgive and be forgiven. You can't separate them, they're two sides of the same coin. You can't have forgiveness and mercy without showing them yourself. And again, this beatitude is something of a paradox. Because being merciful and being successful are never associated with one another, are they? Mercy wasn't a quality that was desired in the ancient world, and it's not really one that's desired today either. If you look at history, the kings and the armies of the various empires in the ancient world, they weren't successful by being merciful. No, just the opposite, they were ruthless. You look at Rome, Greece, Babylon, Assyria, you read what they did, you see some accounts of this in the Bible itself. They were utterly ruthless to their enemies. They showed no mercy. Even in Israel, there were those who expected the Messiah to come and to bring in his kingdom by force, that he would show no mercy to the Romans but drive them out. But here Jesus is beginning to show that his kingdom is a spiritual kingdom and that will find its consummation in the world to come. God works by his own power. He doesn't need to use the methods devised by men. And likewise in our day, mercy really isn't highly sought after by people, is it? How many films and novels are out there that revolve around the idea of vengeance. You've probably seen a film or read a book like that. You get into a story, we follow a particular character, something bad happens to them at the start, and then the story builds up, and then they get revenge at the end. And by this point, you've been on the journey with them, and you don't want them to show mercy, no, you want them to get revenge, and you rejoice when they do. But the Lord expects from his people just the opposite. He expects his people to show mercy. It says in Proverbs 11, the merciful man does good for his own soul, but he who is cruel troubles his own flesh. We see it in the Lord's prayer as well. Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. They go together. So, if we're going to get mercy, we have to be merciful, seems to be what it's saying. It sounds almost like a kind of work salvation, doesn't it? Is it that God is merciful to us because we are merciful to others? Are we earning God's mercy by being merciful to others? Well, no, that's not what's being said here. No, we are to be merciful to others because God has been merciful to us. That's what motivates us to be merciful. Because we cannot earn our salvation, so it cannot be by being merciful that we are granted salvation. No, because salvation is free. We don't purchase it through good works, such as showing mercy. No, we come without money and without price. And so it's the other way around. God is merciful to us and therefore we are merciful to others in response to his grace and mercy towards us. And so that's what we need to grasp first. Any mercy we show comes because first of all, God has been merciful to his people. So to what it says in 1 Peter 2, Peter writes, but you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, who once were not a people, but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. There was a time when we were apart from mercy. We did not have mercy but we have obtained it in Christ with God's goodness to us. God has had mercy upon us in Christ. And so showing mercy comes from receiving Christ and his mercy. And so when we show mercy in our own lives, it's proof. It's proof that you understand the grace and the mercy of God. We are unworthy recipients of His mercy. We deserve nothing from God. And were it not for His grace and His mercy, we would all be condemned. And when we grasp this, we say, well, God has acted in such a gracious way to me. How can I possibly act in any other way towards anyone else? If he's been so merciful to me, how can I do anything to other people? Someone wrote, I think one of the commentators I read said, our mercy grows out of our personal experience of the mercy of God. our mercy grows out of our personal experience of the mercy of God. So we don't earn God's mercy by being merciful to others. We receive God's mercy in Christ and it shows that we understand it by being merciful to others. So this beatitude and the parable that we read in Matthew 18 that Jesus told, they're saying that someone who isn't merciful hasn't properly understood the gospel. They haven't got it, it hasn't sunk in that they've first received mercy and it shows because they're not merciful to others just like that wicked servant. He didn't realise what huge a debt had been cleared from him and he went after a few coins from someone else. It means if we're not showing mercy ourselves, that we haven't understood the seriousness of our own sin. We haven't understood the depth of our sinfulness. And we haven't understood the holiness and the majesty of God. We haven't understood how high he is and how low we are. We haven't begun to grasp the wonder of our forgiveness. And so when we see that he overflows with mercy, we also will overflow with mercy. Because our characters have to reflect his character. And he has shown himself to be merciful, hasn't he, time and time again in his work. to his people throughout the scriptures, throughout history, he is the God of mercy. And so that's what our lives have to be defined by now, mercy on others. And that's what we see perfectly displayed in our Lord Jesus Christ as well, isn't it? The only other occurrence of the word merciful in this form in the New Testament is in Hebrews 2.17, where Christ is described as our merciful and faithful high priest. How many times in the Gospels do we read of people appealing to Jesus to have mercy upon them, shouting, Son of David, have mercy upon us. The blind, the lame, the sick, the relatives of the sick. And he had compassion on them. and He healed their diseases. And when they nailed Him to the cross, He cried, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. So God's mercies to us are new every morning. And so that's how we have to treat others. And when they ask us, why are we being so gracious? Why are we doing to them what they do not deserve? we can say, well, this is how God has dealt with me. And my life is now lived in him, so this is how I'm going to deal with you. And so there's two headings that we can look at mercy under tonight. Very briefly, we can consider mercy as forgiveness and charity. So begin, we can see that mercy One aspect of mercy is forgiveness. We can show mercy by forgiving those who wrong us. Jesus told in the parable to forgive, not seven times, but 77, 70 times, seven times. And so, forgiveness is to be part of our lives, and that's one way of showing mercy. It says in Matthew 5, just further on in verse 43, you have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy, but I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven, For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? So we have to be forgiving, we have to show mercy and reflect God's image rather than man's wickedness. And so this is the main evidence that we are being forgiven ourselves, that we have understood the forgiveness we have. Just as in the previous Beatitudes, we've seen that we have to acknowledge our own sinfulness, and likewise we see that just as we are sinful, other people are sinful. and they will wrong us. And if we can be forgiven, so can they. And so we leave God to judge and we just forgive. If someone wrongs you, they will give an account to God one day. So just forgive them now and leave the matter in His hands. And in the church as well, we need to be able to forgive, we need to forgive one another. And that can be hard, for brother or sister when Christ wrongs you, it can be so difficult. But here's the thing, see if a Christian has sinned against you, and they really are a Christian. That sin against you has been dealt with on the cross of Calvary. And so if our Lord has dealt with it, we need to leave it, and we need to forgive, and move on, and be reconciled. Of course, when we forgive others, there is a place for justice as well. Being forgiving doesn't always mean being a doormat. For example, if someone, say, breaks my window, I forgive them, absolutely. but justice demands they still pay for the damage they've done. Things like that, we need wisdom going on, when to let things go, when we need to stand up for ourselves. But it can still be done with a forgiving spirit. But more often than not, the things we struggle to forgive are not the material things, like a broken window. No. The things we struggle to forgive the most are when someone has caused emotional damage to us, when they've hurt us. Words hurt. And it's not easy to be merciful. And people can hold grudges for years, can't they, because someone said something to them, someone did something to them, even in the church. And people argue, well, they don't deserve my mercy. Well, no, of course they don't. Of course they don't, that's the point of mercy, it is undeserved. They don't deserve your mercy and forgiveness, you're quite right, they do not deserve it. And you don't deserve God's. And so an unmerciful and an unforgiving spirit, that's a sign of a hardened heart. That's the sign of someone who is hardened and pride is at the root of that. You know, when forgiveness is not shown, it causes harm beyond measure. In the church, splits have been caused because people cannot forgive one another. And it's so sad. In the 19th century, in the free church, there were two men in the college who were eminent theologians. One was called William Cunningham, one was called Robert Candlish, and they were two of the main men of their day in the church. Both have written excellent books. And apparently at one Presbytery meeting, they had a fallout over something, and it just escalated like that. These are two professors in the college and after that they didn't speak to each other for 20 years. And it took one of them to be ill and near death for the other one to come and for them to resolve things. That's sad when that happens, isn't it? So we need to be merciful, my friends. Because we don't know just how things can escalate what will be the overflow and the fallout of that for years afterwards. So that's the first way in which mercy is shown in forgiveness. And the second way is in charity as well. Being merciful means being charitable. You can be merciful to someone that hasn't sinned against you. It can be someone you're under no obligation to help. They've not done you any wrong, you don't know them. But it's someone you can help, someone you do help. That's also showing mercy. We can look on the world around us and see how much suffering there is. And we can do the best to lessen the sufferings of others. And that means our lives will be full of good works like that. In Acts 9 we're told about a woman called Dorcas and she's described as being full of good works and charitable deeds. So that's what our life is to be as well. That's another way we can be merciful, as good Samaritans. Job was a merciful person as well. It says in Job 30, he says, have I not wept for him who was in trouble? Has not my soul grieved for the poor? has to be merciful. We have compassion as Christ had compassion on the multitudes and we want to alleviate the suffering in God's world. So the Lord in his grace gives us tender hearts to weep with those who weep. But it's not just the temporal interests of people. It's their eternal interest as well. My friends, it is a mercy to tell others the gospel. It is a mercy to share that good news with them. That is being merciful, to show them the way of life, to show them where life is to be found in Christ. And so all mercy is with the aim of spiritual progression in people. it builds up another Christian. If we show forgiveness to another Christian, if we are charitable towards them, that builds them up. And it gives us an opportunity to share the gospel with our own Christian as well. So mercy is what God desires for his people now. He desired to have mercy upon us, and now he desires us to have mercy upon others. In Hosea 6, it says, for I desire mercy and not sacrifice. You see, we can do many things in the church. We can be doctrinally correct. We can be pure in our worship and do everything right we think, but if we're not showing mercy, there's something wrong, isn't there? And Jesus confronts the Pharisees about this. And he says in Matthew 23, woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you pay tide of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done without leaving the others undone. So we can do everything else right, but there's still a fatal flaw of mercy isn't there. Our Lord says again in Micah chapter 6, He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? And so, as a church, mercy has to be at the forefront of us as well, and showing it to others and doing what we can to help others in mercy. Right from day one of the church, And if the early church, a mercy ministry was set up, read about that in Acts chapter 6, when seven men were chosen to serve, to wait on the tables, to help the widows, to provide for them the food that they required as well. And so that mercy ministry should continue today. as well, that we do it as a church as well, to the world around us, but we do it to one another in here as well. We support one another, we forgive one another and we do what we can to help one another. Paul writes in Galatians 6, therefore as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. And so mercy is a necessity for us as Christians. It's not just an optional extra that we can staple onto our lives. No, it's expected. And it will be costly. It'll cost us our time. It'll cost us our money. It'll cost us our pride. It'll cost us our plans. It won't be convenient. It will require self-sacrifice. But what a witness to the world we will be. It's arguably one of the most difficult Christian graces to adorn. Because the world doesn't have many merciful people. It has people who do good things, absolutely. But not anyone who is merciful in the mould of Christ. So we'll present to the world something that is alien to them. What an opportunity. Here's how we are different, because God in his grace has given us the power to forgive, the power to give ourselves, to enter ourselves to serving others. And so by our acts of mercy, we might illustrate God's mercy in the gospel. And so, These words Jesus gives are quite blunt. It's the merciful who will obtain mercy. And that parable as well is very striking, isn't it? It hits home. So they're a challenge to us, these words as well. Our Lord said in Luke as well, with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. He says in Proverbs 21, whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard. So there is a call from God to us to be merciful in our lives. Not to save us, but as evidence that we have been saved and we have understood the mercy he has had upon us. So that's the fifth beatitude, showing mercy. Like I say, it doesn't save us. I hope you can see that showing mercy is a good work, isn't it? It's a good work. And faith produces works. It's the faith that saves us, and then that produces works like mercy. And that shows that our faith is real, that it is genuine. And so, let that be a challenge to us as well. If we don't show mercy, that says a lot about where we are spiritually. we might risk hearing at the last day the words, I never knew who'd depart from me. But if we do show mercy, not to get right with God, but because we are right with God, if we do show mercy, we can be sure that God's mercy will extend to us for all eternity. And that the last day, when we've spent ourselves in costly, merciful good works, when we've humbled ourselves, got rid of our pride and forgiven others, we can look forward to hearing those words, well done, good and faithful servant. So blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Amen. Let's pray. Our gracious and merciful God, We come before you this night, first of all, to thank you once again for your mercy. We realise that we are undeserving sinners. We deserve nothing from you, and yet you have been so good to us in the gospel, that you have granted us everlasting life, where we may be sure of an eternity in your kingdom, Christ on the throne, secure in him forever. We do not deserve this in our sin, but yet we find this is the reality that awaits us. And we are overwhelmed, lost in wonder, love and praise that you could do this for such a wicked people. And so we give you thanks for your mercy and we ask you would help us to now go out into this world and live lives abounding in mercy. Help us, O Lord, with forgiveness. We confess how we struggle with it, how people have hurt us, how people have let us down, have sinned against us. And we confess how hard it is to forgive now and to let things go, something we all struggle with. And we look unto you for that supernatural ability to get over it and forgive them. Help us in this, O Lord. Whatever they do to us, we can say, Father, forgive them, just as our Lord said himself. So please, help us to forgive. Give us the spirit of forgiveness with everyone, with friends, with family, with fellow Christians. and help us to be charitable as well, that we would not store up for ourselves treasures in this world where moth and rust destroy and where the thief may come in and steal, but that we would store up for ourselves treasure in heaven which is incorruptible and undefiled and that is secure for us. Help us then to help those around us. Give us a burden for those who are struggling. whether it be in our own country or in the many countries abroad in the developing world. Help us, O Lord, to be filled with mercy and to do what we can that we would indeed be your hands and feet in this world and that you would use us to build your kingdom and to show your glory and your goodness to others. So help us as a church in these things, O Lord. May we be characterised by merciful, by mercifulness, that indeed this be our whole lives, those who have truly understood and have never got over your mercy to us. So go before us this night and help us to be filled with wonder and awe in your goodness to us in the gospel. These things we ask with the forgiveness of our many sins in Christ's name and for his sake. Amen. Well we're going to close our time of worship this evening by singing Psalm 41 in the Saint Psalms. Psalm 41 which you can find on page 52 of the psalm books.