Thoughts on Mercy as Mission

So what does this mean? 

Micah 6:8 

“He has shown you, O mortal, 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”.

Love mercy?

Do you really believe He desires that we love mercy? 

Do you love to spend time being merciful? 

Do we even have a good understanding of what mercy is?

Defining mercy

I asked 3 of my favorite baristas - they all struggled.

One said forgiveness or maybe putting others first.

Two had a notion of the Lord having mercy on us.

Mercy: An attitude of the heart that is disposed toward compassion. Most often translated to mean kindness or goodness. Mercy is often expressed through acts of justice and restoration.

Compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish,harm, or neglect.

Luke 10:25-37 NIV On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” 

A Very full illustration but Three things I get that affect the idea of mercy.

We can't respond fully to God without loving our neighbor.

We can't love our neighbors fully without loving mercy.

We can't love mercy without action.

Very difficult to love your neighbor & bring the gospel to them if you don't love mercy. Mercy is a gateway for the gospel & fundamental to life on mission.

So how do we do that? Engage in their circumstances to address needs personally or through community. We have to find a way to be in proximity or relationship to respond to our neighbors need. Engagement doesn't mean we have to fix everything, we can't always change the circumstance but our mercy can bring comfort.

How will we know when we've really made headway on this missional thing? It is a journey for us, individual & corporately with no score card. Perhaps when I can ask you every 2 months to send me an update news letter just like we expect from other missionaries? Tell me about all occasions you extended mercy to someone?

Matthew 5:7 God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 

Matthew 18:33 Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ 

Luke 10:36-37 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” 

Galatians 6:9-10 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone.

Colossians 3:12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 

Ephesians 2:4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much.

Jude 1:2 May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love. 

Psalm 112:9 They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor. 

 Luke 3: 8-11 - John the Baptist 

"Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God"... The crowds asked, “What should we do?” John replied, “If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry.” 

With the love of mercy comes a heart of compassion, followed by the power to affect.

Power to affect - action or inaction makes a difference.

 Palm Sunday thoughts

 

Imagine what it was like to go up to Jerusalem that Sunday.

The scale of the Passover feast-national holiday was the equivalent of Christmas & 4th of July for us. It was a required feast for the Jews with all its required stuff.

Maybe 250,000 people in the city.

Imagine Pilate riding into Jerusalem. Nothing like a parade to bring out the politicians.

The city would have had many Dignitaries & prominent visitors. Full display of leaders  & power.

 

Messianic expectation was particularly present. Because of a history of false messiahs & nationalistic rebellion the festival was always a concern for the Romans. Soldiers were at the ready & lots of people were talking. Was he already here? Was he coming? Would this year be different? Is this Jesus different? Something is, for Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead a few days before.

A lot going on, a lot of excitement, a lot of expectation, a lot of tension.

 

What timing for the unfolding of such profound events that would change history forever.

 

Matthew 21

The Triumphal Entry

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,  saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

 “Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

 

Jesus Cleanses the Temple

And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”

And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant, and they said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,

Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies
you have prepared praise’?”

 

Also in Luke

“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

 

These 2 acts set the stage for everyone to ask - Who is this Jesus?

 

Jesus publicly declares himself messiah & king. We see throughout the week revelation of His Messianic Authority & power & the challenge to it.

He’s the one who summoned for the colt to fulfill the scripture.

 

Clearing the temple was more than just righteous anger; it was a demonstration of His kingship ownership claiming control of his father’s house.

It was a message to the people who were being oppressed, ripped off, & denied.

 

Some recognized His declaration & were filled with hope.

But there was a big difference between His kingdom & their expectations, obviously culminating with the crucifixion.

 

Luke - Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem

And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

If only you had know what would bring you shalom with God, wholeness in relationship.

They missed it. How come they missed the very thing they were looking for.

 

Factions - Jewish sects

Review what each group believed – they all had the scriptures

 

Pharisees

The most pious seem to resent him the most. He challenged their hypocrisy & legalism that was oppressing the people.

 

Sadducees

Illegitimate priesthood who collaborate with Rome that guard there status jealously.

 

Essenes

A priestly protest movement, Isolationists – ignore Jesus

 

Zealots

Political Revolutionaries scorn Jesus because he did not advocate force against Rome. Looking to war tactics as providing solution. 

 

Any parallels today?

Perhaps there are some similarities today- in preparation for His second coming

We can’t deny the fragmentation of the church. Are some segments of the church living the same things today?

 

Not a big fan of keeping the church calendar, But it is good for us to reflect each year, not just to rejoice that we know the messiah, not just for what he has done for us. But also to review what tripped them up, what they missed and make sure none of those things are keeping us from true kingdom living.

 

I want to encourage you to read one of the gospel accounts this week.

 

A week long confrontation with religious leaders, yet love & tenderness to the disciples. Very special times of teaching & serving. We need to see the whole story of this special week.

 

One of those special times was the table of which will still do today to remember.

His rejection & brokenness that purchased our redemption. His atonement & covenant will cover us forever. We can experience & walk upright in His kingdom because of the power of His resurrection. We can say blessed is the King who lives among us.