The miracle of Mercy

1. The Miracle of Mercy - 27th May 2017
“Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his
inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.” (Micah 7:18).
The bible teachesusthatGod is a God of mercyand grace.Understandingmercyisoften difficultfor
people aswe tendto be a generationof Titfor Tat inherentattitude of “I’ll gethimforthat”and “I hope
theygetwhat theydeserve.”Manyhave developedanature of harsh criticismandwantothersto get
whattheyhave comingto themand thensome.Thiscan be in relationtowhathe or she doesagainst
youor at timeseventoothers…God,however,ismercifultoeventhe worstoffenders,sinners,andlaw-
breakers.ThismeansthateventhoughHe knowsof our guilt,He doesn’talwaysissue the punishment
deserved…andthatisdeath aswe can learnfrom Proverbs10:16, “The wages of the righteousis life,
but the earningsof the wicked are sinand death.”
Simply,we are all sinnersanddonot meetthe standardsof righteousnessthatGodwantsus to have.
But we fail Him,butthrough Hismercyand grace He providedawayfor our sinsto be forgiventhrough
our acceptance of ChristJesus. Thisshall bringwithitrighteousnessandsalvation,andshall opena
readyway to be justifiedandsaved.ItiscalledGods righteousnessandsalvation. We are availedthe
possibility Godsfree giftof salvation —eventhoughwe don’tdeserve it. Toelaborate,we canlearn from
Romans3:22-24, “ This righteousnessisgiventhrough faithin JesusChristto all who believe.There is
no differencebetween Jew and Gentile, 23
forall have sinnedand fall short ofthe gloryof God, 24
and
all are justifiedfreelyby his grace throughthe redemption that came by ChristJesus.” Coupledwith
grace (beinggivenGod’sfree gift of forgivenessthoughwe’vedone nothingtodeserve it),mercyis
shownbecause He lovesusandonlyasks that we acceptHis Sonby faith. Because salvationisonly
availedthroughJesusChrist:“Notonlyisthisso, butwe alsoboast inGodthrough our Lord Jesus
Christ,throughwhom we have now received reconciliation.”( Romans5:11).
The God of mercycallsfor the following requirementfromus: “He has shownyou, O mortal,what is
good.And what does the LORD require of you?To act justlyandto love mercy andto walk humblywith
your God.”(Micah6:8). These are wordsto all of mankind.Mercyisofferedtoyouand me alike. He has
shownuswhat isgood and allowswhatisrequiredof us…certainlyNOTeverythingthatwe maywant
because He isNOT our magic wand! The writerof the bookof Micah speaksaboutGod’smercy in
Micah7:18, “Whoisa God like you,who pardonssinand forgivesthe transgressionof the remnant of
hisinheritance?You do not stayangry forever but delightto show mercy.”
The above passage showsthat God enjoysbeingmerciful,andisstill showingmercytoday.One example
of God’smercytoday isthe remarkable storyof a womancalledJeanette.Hergrandmother,Carla,tried
to urge Jeanette togo intodrug rehabwithoutmuchsuccess.Carlaprayedto God,askingfor His
interventionwithJeanette.Carlawasremindedbythe wordsfromGod,“Who doI needto doanything,
rememberwhoIAM. I can take that drug away fromyourgranddaughter,squashitand itwill not
return.”Carla saidshe prayedforJesusto come intotheirbrokenfamilyandheal hergranddaughter.
Jeanette isnow drugfree andenjoyingablessedrelationshipwithherfamily.Carlastandson Luke 1:50,
“Hismercy extends to those whofear him, fromgeneration to generation.”

2. Sayingthat He is a God of mercyis just one descriptionof whatHe iswillingtodo. We read fromabove
where Godoffers usthe possibilityof pardoneventhoughHe knowsof ourguilt.Paul gives usa good
understandingregardingthe Mercyof God in Ephesians2:1-10. From thispassage we can read: “As for
you,you were dead inyour transgressionsandsins,in whichyou used to livewhen you followedthe
ways ofthis worldand of the ruler of the kingdomof the air, the spiritwho is nowat work inthose
who are disobedient.All of us alsolivedamongthem at one time, gratifyingthe cravingsof our sinful
nature and followingitsdesiresandthoughts.Like the rest, we were by nature objectsof
wrath.”(Ephesians2:1-3).It statesthat,those whofollow the waysof the worldlive insinledbythe evil
one and thus we were objects forthe wrath of God. But due to His love andthroughHis mercy mankind
was savedasstatedin Ephesians2:4-5,“But because ofhis great love for us,God,who is rich inmercy,
made us alivewith Christeven when we were deadin transgressions—itisbygrace we are saved.”
Whenwe continue to read thispassage,we canlearnthat through Gods Grace we too were raisedwith
Jesusandavailedusthe possibilityof enteringthe heavenlyrealmsothatJesuscoulddemonstrate the
incomparable richesof Hisgrace: “And Godraised us upwith Christand seated us with himin the
heavenlyrealms in ChristJesus,in order that in the comingages he might showthe incomparable
riches of hisgrace, expressed in hiskindnessto us in ChristJesus.” (Ephesians2:6-7).Itis God’sgrace
that savedus throughFaith inHim andNOT by ourabilitybutitbeinga giftof God!We get a further
understandingwhenwe continue readingfrom Ephesians2:8-10, “Forit is by grace you havebeen
saved,through faith—andthisnotfromyourselves, it isthe giftof God—notbyworks,so that no one
can boast.For we are God’sworkmanship,createdin ChristJesus to do goodworks, whichGod
prepared in advancefor us to do.”
Whenwe come across the wordGod’smercy,it isreferringtothe compassionor forgivenessshown
towardsomeone, while havingthe powertopunish whichisaneternityof damnation. Godbeing
merciful means:althoughassinnerswe deservepunishment,He doesn’tpunishus, butavailsusthe
possibilityof salvationthroughourfaithinJesusChristas one’ssaviour.God’s Mercyis the withholding
of a justcondemnation.Mercyiscoupledwithotherattributesof God as we can findin Psalm 86:15,
“You,O Lord, are a Godmerciful and gracious,slowto anger and aboundinginsteadfastloveand
faithfulness” God’smercyisrootedinHislove forus.He is merciful,inlarge part,because He islove:
“Whoeverdoes not lovedoes not know God,because Godislove.” (1 John4:8).
The fullnessof Hismercyisseenin Matthew 27. Jesusisbrutallybeatenandmurderedonourbehalf; He
receivedourjustcondemnation,andwe receivedGod’smercy. Because of Hislove forus,God wantsus
to be withHim.His mercyis requiredforthatto take place.AsChristianswe needtoknow that there is
an inseparable connectionbetweenGod’sloveandmercy.JesuslaiddownHislife andbecame the
sacrificial lambsothatGod’s mercycouldbe extendedtous.Insteadof punishingusforoursin,God
allowedHisSontotake the condemnationinourplace.Thatisthe ultimate actof God’s mercy. “Thisis
how we know what love is:Jesus Christlaiddown hislife forus. And we ought to laydown our lives
for our brothers andsisters.”(1John 3:16).