HAVE MERCY ON ME

“And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed Him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.   And when He was come into the house, the blind men came to Him:  and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this?   They said unto Him, Yea, Lord.  Then touched He their eyes, saying,  According to your faith be it unto you.   And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.  But they, when they were departed, spread abroad His fame in all that country.”   (Matthew 9: 27-31)

In the case of these two blind men, mercy is the compassion that they were crying out for and Jesus was there to fulfill their need according to their faith.   Although they were told not to broadcast it, the mercy they received was too great to keep to themselves.   And likewise with us, when Jesus does a marvelous work we should be just as excited to tell it.

In another instance, right after Jesus calmed the raging sea, He returned to land and was met by a naked man who was called Legion because of the multitude of devils he was possessed with.   This man was so mentally disturbed and violently influenced by these devils that He lived in the tombs, and though oftentimes was bound with chains, he would eventually break them and then go wander in the wilderness.   As Jesus was casting the evil spirits out of the man they begged to be allowed to go into a herd of swine who, after the demons entered them, ran violently down the mountain they were on and into a lake where they were drowned.   The man, now no longer possessed by this legion of devils, now sat at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.   “Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought Him that he might be with Him:  but Jesus sent him away, saying,  Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.”   (Luke 8: 38-39)

Jesus, His disciples and many people came to the town of Nain where they came upon the funeral procession of a young man, the son of a widow.   “And when the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.   And He came and touched the bier:  and they that bare him stood still.   And He said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.   And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak.   And He delivered him to his mother.   And there came a fear on all:   and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us;  and, That God hath visited His people.”   (Luke 7: 13-16)    Jesus was so moved by profound compassion to a woman who was in deep grief that He restored her hope, security and her future.   By reversing this devastating loss that would have left her economically destitute and dangerously vulnerable, Jesus showed His divine mercy and power over death and his deep empathy for her sufferings.   There is hope for the hopeless when God intervenes in our personal tragedies.

Mercy is an act of compassion, forgiveness and withholding the punishment that we deserve.  God’s grace and mercy is a fundamental part of His character where He shows acts of kindness, pity and comfort.   Mercy cannot be earned.   Instead, it is an attribute of God’s nature that is freely given on a daily basis.   “It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning:   great is Thy faithfulness.”   (Lamentations 3: 22-23)  

And since it is a part of God’s character it also should be a part of ours as well.   Showing mercy to unkind people is a challenge, especially when you don’t want to be kind and compassionate.   Just as we receive leniency and second chances from God, so likewise we are to be patient with the shortcomings of others.   When mercy is applied it creates a practice that is more forgiving and less focused on retribution.  “Blessed are the merciful:  for they shall obtain mercy.”  (Matthew 5: 7)    “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.”   (Luke 6: 36)

Another act of mercy is the case with David and Bathsheba.   It is one of disobedience and actually sinning that led to lust, an adulterous affair, an illicit pregnancy, deception and the murder of Bathsheba’s husband.   God sends Nathan to confront David thus revealing his sin.  God never overlooks sin even in those He loves.   He held David accountable for his actions although he was a man after God’s own heart.   David repents but faces a severe consequence in the death of the child.   But God extended mercy on David and his now wife to conceive another son, Solomon.

This story teaches us key lessons about the consequences of sin, the corrupting influence of power, the devasting penalties of uncontrolled lust, but also the importance of repentance and God’s forgiveness.   “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean:  from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.   A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you:   and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.   And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”   (Ezekiel 36: 25-27)   It demonstrates that even righteous individuals are susceptible to temptation and that sin has serious consequences.   God sees all sin but offers forgiveness through genuine confession and repentance.   “For Mine eyes are upon all their ways:  they are not hid from My face, neither is their iniquity hid from Mine eyes.”   (Jeremiah 16: 17)   The dangers of temptation and sin leads to more serious transgressions.   This is a powerful reminder for all believers about the constant need for vigilance against temptation, the importance of accountability and the hope found in God’s forgiveness through sincere repentance.

Repentance is more than feeling sorry for your sins, it is being afraid of its penalty.   It’s about being disgusted and hating what God is against.   It isn’t simply crying in sorrow, but it’s about being changed.  It brings us back to one accord with God.   “I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”   (Isaiah 43: 25)

Satan will claim anything you want to give him while God doesn’t accept half of anything.   It’s all or nothing.   Dabbling in the world will surely bring destruction.   Don’t be misled by worldly lust and don’t be captivated by it either.   See it as God sees it:  ugly, foul and rotten to the core.   And don’t allow it to monopolize your time, energy and attention.   Sin can be as small as stealing a piece of candy or as big as committing murder.  

Nonetheless, to God sin is sin.   It will prevent God from hearing your prayers and it will stop you from praying to God.   Sin is anything that goes against God’s holy nature, standards, character and His will.  It is a state of separation from God, an act of disobedience and a reflection of unholiness in thoughts, words or deeds.   Sin is a violation of God’s commandments and rebellion against His laws.   “Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save;  neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear:  But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.   For our transgressions are multiplied before Thee, and our sins testify against us:  for our transgressions are with us;  and as for our iniquities, we know them…”   (Isaiah 59, 1-2 & 12)

The image of Christ must be seen and observed in our private life, our character, habits and our doings.   It’s a daily choice, a lifelong journey and a constant renewing of the mind and spirit so you become more like your Teacher, Jesus Christ.   We honor God in our thoughts and actions.   Our whole life should be one that brings Him glory because He is worthy of all our praise and adoration.   “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;  that ye should shew forth the praises of Him Who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light:  Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God:   which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.   Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul…”   (1 Peter 2: 9-11)

Mercy is compassion that forbears punishment even when justice demands it.   Mercy along with grace is a key aspect of God’s nature shown in His steadfast love and faithfulness to His people despite their unworthiness.

Saul was well known for persecuting Christians and sending them to prison.   “I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.   Which thing I also did in Jerusalem:   and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests;  and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.   And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme;  and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.”   (Acts 26: 9-11)

But he became a fervent preacher of the faith he once tried to destroy.   While on the road to Damascus he would have an encounter with Jesus that would forever change his life.   Now known as the Apostle Paul, after his conversion and baptism he became very influential in shaping the faith of the churches due to his letters.   God’s grace and mercy demonstrates that even those who oppose the faith can be redeemed and transformed.   Paul was called by the risen, ascended and glorified Lord Jesus Christ.   “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, Who hath enabled me, for that He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;   Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious:  but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.   And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.   This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners;  of whom I am chief.   Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting.”   (1 Timothy 1: 12-16)

His submission to the lordship of Christ enabled him to be blessed to perform many miracles, signs and wonders including healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out demons, surviving a poisonous snake bite, all to authenticate the message of Christ, to spread the gospel and to proclaim the glory of God.   Although God had blessed Paul with such power he still felt so unworthy.   “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.   But by the grace of God I am what I am:   and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain;   but I laboured more abundantly than they all:   yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”   (1 Corinthians 15: 9-10)    “Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of His power.   Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ…”   (Ephesians 3: 7-8)

Paul endured many severe hardships like shipwreck, imprisonment, beatings and martyrdom all for the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.   Through the abundance of revelations and the thorn in his flesh, he gladly would rather have infirmities, distress and persecutions for Christ’s sake so that the power of God would rest on him.

We have several different situations on mercy in this message but the outcome is the same for everyone.   God is a just God.   He will in no wise clear the guilty until repentance is granted.   For His mercy endures forever.   “But God, Who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)   And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus…”   (Ephesians 2: 4-6)    “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom:  to whom be glory for ever and ever.   Amen.”   (2 Timothy 4: 18)