What God Expects

Matthew 5:7

Matthew 5:7

Matthew 5:7

Robert Ingersoll: “I'll give God a chance to prove that he exists & is almighty. I challenge him to strike me dead within 5 minutes!”

Matthew 5:7

Robert Ingersoll: “I'll give God a chance to prove that he exists & is almighty. I challenge him to strike me dead within 5 minutes!”

At the end of the 5 minutes: “See! There is no God. I am still very much alive!”

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“He demonstrated that even the most defiant sinner cannot exhaust the patience of God in just 5 minutes!”

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God is full of mercy!

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“You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy” (Micah 7:18, NIV).

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Micah 7:18.

“Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful” (Joel 2:13, ESV).

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Micah 7:18.

Joel 2:13.

“God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ” (Eph 2:4, ESV).

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Micah 7:18.

Joel 2:13.

Eph 2:4.

God “saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy” (Tit 3:5, ESV).

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Because God is merciful, he expects his people to be merciful.

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“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8, NIV).

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Micah 6:8.

“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Lk 6:36, ESV).

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This Beatitude deals with mercy.

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“ B L E S S E D A R E T H E M E R C I F U L , F O R T H E Y S H A L L R E C E I V E M E R C Y ” ( M T 5 : 7 , E S V ) .

This Beatitude deals with mercy.

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Blessed are the Merciful

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B U T , W H A T I S M E R C Y ?

Blessed are the Merciful

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Mercy is primarily an attitude toward men.

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Mercy is primarily an attitude toward men.

“Mercy” indicates a desire to remove the evils one faces.

Matthew 5:7

Mercy is primarily an attitude toward men.

“Mercy” indicates a desire to remove the evils one faces.

A distinct difference between mercy & grace.

Matthew 5:7

Mercy is primarily an attitude toward men.

“Mercy” indicates a desire to remove the evils one faces.

A distinct difference between mercy & grace. Mercy deals with what we see of pain, misery, & distress.

Matthew 5:7

Mercy is primarily an attitude toward men.

“Mercy” indicates a desire to remove the evils one faces.

A distinct difference between mercy & grace. Mercy deals with what we see of pain, misery, & distress.

Grace removes the guilt of sin.

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Mercy is action.

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“[Jesus said], „A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, “Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back‟” (Lk 10:30-35, ESV).

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Jesus asked the lawyer who had tried to trick him, “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” (Lk 10:37, ESV).

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Jesus asked the lawyer who had tried to trick him, “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” (Lk 10:37, ESV).

The lawyer replied, “The one who showed him mercy” (Lk 10:37, ESV).

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The Good Samaritan did not simply feel sorry for the one he saw on the side of the road.

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The Good Samaritan did not simply feel sorry for the one he saw on the side of the road.

But, he showed him mercy, i.e., he acted.

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“Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water” (Mt 17:15, ESV).

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“Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water” (Mt 17:15, ESV)—this father wanted Jesus to act.

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Mt 17:15, ESV.

“God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Lk 18:13, ESV).

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Mt 17:15, ESV.

“God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Lk 18:13, ESV)—the publican wanted God to act, viz., to forgive his sins.

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Mt 17:15, ESV.

Lk 18:13.

The ten lepers: “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us” (Lk 17:13, ESV).

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Mt 17:15, ESV.

Lk 18:13.

The ten lepers: “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us” (Lk 17:13, ESV)—they wanted Jesus to act—they wanted healing.

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How can we show mercy?

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Showing mercy is a must.

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Showing mercy is a must. “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal

6:2, ESV).

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Showing mercy is a must. “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal

6:2, ESV).

“As we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Gal 6:10, ESV).

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We can show mercy by praying.

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We can show mercy by praying. All men are subject to temptations & suffering; therefore, all need

the help of God.

Matthew 5:7

We can show mercy by praying. All men are subject to temptations & suffering; therefore, all need

the help of God.

We need to pray for those around us.

Matthew 5:7

We can show mercy by praying. All men are subject to temptations & suffering; therefore, all need

the help of God.

We need to pray for those around us. “I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings

be made for all people” (1 Tm 2:1, ESV).

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We can show mercy by praying. All men are subject to temptations & suffering; therefore, all need

the help of God.

We need to pray for those around us. 1 Tm 2:1.

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Mt 5:44, ESV).

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We can show mercy by praying. All men are subject to temptations & suffering; therefore, all need

the help of God.

We need to pray for those around us. 1 Tm 2:1.

Mt 5:44.

“Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved” (Rom 10:1, ESV).

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We can show mercy by caring for physical needs.

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We can show mercy by caring for physical needs. Many have great physical needs & we can help with those needs.

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We can show mercy by caring for physical needs. Many have great physical needs & we can help with those needs.

“Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit [i.e., to care for] orphans and widows in their affliction” (Js 1:27, ESV).

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We can show mercy by caring for physical needs. Many have great physical needs & we can help with those needs.

Js 1:27.

“If anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?” (1 Jn 3:17, ESV).

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We can show mercy by caring for physical needs. Many have great physical needs & we can help with those needs.

Jesus cared about the needs of those around him.

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We can show mercy by caring for physical needs. Many have great physical needs & we can help with those needs.

Jesus cared about the needs of those around him. When the multitude which continued with Jesus had no food, he fed

them with seven loaves of bread and a few fish (Mt 15:32-38).

Matthew 5:7

We can show mercy by caring for physical needs. Many have great physical needs & we can help with those needs.

Jesus cared about the needs of those around him. When the multitude which continued with Jesus had no food, he fed

them with seven loaves of bread and a few fish (Mt 15:32-38).

Jesus “went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people” (Mt 4:23, ESV).

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We can show mercy by caring for spiritual needs.

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We can show mercy by caring for spiritual needs. The spiritual needs of men are farmore important than physical

needs.

Matthew 5:7

We can show mercy by caring for spiritual needs. The spiritual needs of men are farmore important than physical

needs.

“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted” (Gal 6:1, ESV).

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We can show mercy by caring for spiritual needs. The spiritual needs of men are farmore important than physical

needs.

Gal 6:1.

“Let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (Js 5:20, ESV).

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We can show mercy by abstaining from cruelty.

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We can show mercy by abstaining from cruelty. All forms of cruelty are diametrically opposed to mercy.

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We can show mercy by abstaining from cruelty. All forms of cruelty are diametrically opposed to mercy.

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Eph 4:29, ESV).

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We can show mercy by abstaining from cruelty. All forms of cruelty are diametrically opposed to mercy.

Eph 4:29.

“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (Col 4:6, ESV).

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The world to which Jesus spoke this Beatitude was a cruel, cruel world.

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The world to which Jesus spoke this Beatitude was a cruel, cruel world. The Romans despised pity & the Stoics taught that compassion

was a vice.

Matthew 5:7

The world to which Jesus spoke this Beatitude was a cruel, cruel world. The Romans despised pity & the Stoics taught that compassion

was a vice.

Popular entertainment: Gladiator contests where humans were torn apart by wild beasts.

Matthew 5:7

The world to which Jesus spoke this Beatitude was a cruel, cruel world. The Romans despised pity & the Stoics taught that compassion

was a vice.

Popular entertainment: Gladiator contests where humans were torn apart by wild beasts.

Unwanted children were abandoned. Aristotle: “Let there be a law that no deformed child shall be reared.”

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The Pharisees refused to show mercy.

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The Pharisees refused to show mercy. Jesus told the Pharisees, “Go and learn what this means, „I desire

mercy, and not sacrifice‟” (Mt 9:13, ESV).

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The Pharisees refused to show mercy. Mt 9:13.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others” (Mt 23:23, ESV).

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Are we showing mercy?

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They shall obtain mercy

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“With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless” (Ps 18:25, ESV).

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Ps 18:25.

“If you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Mt 6:14-15, ESV).

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The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Mt 18:21-35).

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The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Mt 18:21-35). A certain king decided to settle accounts.

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The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Mt 18:21-35). A certain king decided to settle accounts.

A man was brought before the king who owed a great among of money, an amount the servant could not pay.

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The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Mt 18:21-35). A certain king decided to settle accounts.

A man was brought before the king who owed a great among of money, an amount the servant could not pay.

The king demonstrated mercy to the servant.

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The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Mt 18:21-35). A certain king decided to settle accounts.

This servant then went & found a fellow servant who owed him a small amount of money.

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The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Mt 18:21-35). A certain king decided to settle accounts.

This servant then went & found a fellow servant who owed him a small amount of money. When the other servant could not pay, the forgiven servant ordered him cast into prison.

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The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Mt 18:21-35). A certain king decided to settle accounts.

This servant then went & found a fellow servant who owed him a small amount of money. When the other servant could not pay, the forgiven servant ordered him cast into prison.

When the king heard of this, he ordered the “forgiven” servant delivered to the torturers until he could pay back all.

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The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Mt 18:21-35). A certain king decided to settle accounts.

This servant then went & found a fellow servant who owed him a small amount of money. When the other servant could not pay, the forgiven servant ordered him cast into prison.

When the king heard of this, he ordered the “forgiven” servant delivered to the torturers until he could pay back all.

Jesus concludes by saying: “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart” (Mt 18:35, ESV).

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John Chrysostom: “Mercy imitates God and disappoints Satan.”

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Are you receiving mercy because you are showing mercy?

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God has great mercy.

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D O Y O U K N O W T H A T M E R C Y ?

God has great mercy.

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H T T P : / / W W W . J U S T I N I M E L . C O M

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