MERCY: IN THE OLD AND NEW
Pastor Larry Gatlin, So Oregon
There
is something really important on my mind this month; that being one of the
missing elements in the Body of Christ today. It can be described by using one
of two words, Mercy or Compassion. Both words have the same root in the
original texts.
The
truth that I want us to examine is simply this, Mercy is something that we all
want at various times in our lives. But if we're ever going to receive Mercy in
our time of need, we must first be willing to express it or issue it to any who
ask Mercy of us.
I
want to break it down into two categories. One. Mercy in the Old Testament, and
second, Mercy in the New Testament.
(Definitions are taken
from "Strongs Exhaustive Concordance")
I. Mercy in the Old Testament.
A. checked (kheh'-sed) it means;
1. Piety
2. Favor
3. Good
deed
4. Mercy
compassion
5. Look
at this scripture:
Gen
24:27 “And he said, ‘Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who
has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on
the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren.’" (NKJ)
B. racham (rakh'-am)
1. compassion
2. tender
love - such as the love of a maiden.
3. compassion
- coming from deep within. Like bowels of mercy or compassion. Or like coming from
the womb.
C. chanan (khaw - nan')
Ps
86:16 “ O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy
servant, and save the son of thine handmaid. (KJV)
1. primitive
root -- to bend or stoop in kindness.
2. to
favor
3. to
be merciful
D. khah - sed
1.
The everlasting mercy of the Lord.
Ps
136:1 “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth
for ever.”
in the Old Testament:
Many
have not even considered Mercy as a part of the Old Testament. The reason is
because there were so many people who were destroyed. This was especially
true when Israel entered the Promise Land. But it is actually Fathers Mercy
that brought this about. It's difficult for us to understand sometimes, but if
the enemies of Israel had not been destroyed, God knew that His people
would become slaves to the idol worship and governments of pagans. We know that
in fact they didn't destroy all of their enemies and indeed they fell pray to
the paganistic influences of the land. The Hitites, Amorites, Gerzites, and
even the Philistines were all descendants of the incestuous relationship that
occurred between lot and his daughters when they got him drunk. We won't even
go there.
Thus
all of the Zites represent sin and the perversion that befall us if we do not
take the time to build an intimate relationship with the Lord and fall
upon His Mercy. It is His Mercy that enables us to live a Holy life and
walk in His perfect will.
II. Mercy in the New Testament
A. eleeo (el-eh-eh'-o)
1. Compassionate
by word or deed
2. By
divine grace
3. To
have compassion
4. To
obtain compassion
Matt
5:7 “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” (KJV)
B. eleos (el'-eh-os
Compassion
2.
Human or Divine
3.
Especially active. Mercy should always be active in our Christian walk.
4.
Tender Mercy
Now let's look at another word that is familiar to us.
LOVE
OR CHARITY.
We're
all familiar with the different Greek words for Love. Phileo, erros, but I want
us to look at the word, Agape for a moment.
Mercy
is exactly what caused Father to bring to fruition
(maturity) his plan of Salvation. In John chapter twenty one Jesus is
going to teach the Disciples one of His most powerful lessons. Jesus has
been crucified and in verse three Peter makes that statement that all of us men
are familiar with. "I go a – Fishing." Now while they're
fishing they see some one on the bank calling to them. Jesus has already
appeared to them twice prior to this, but they are still a bit uncertain as to
who he is. Then He reveals Himself to them. Jesus is now going to MODEL mercy
and compassion for them. His objective is that they'll follow His lead and
express the same as a part of their lives and ministries.
Jesus has
prepared a meal for them as they come in to the shore they begin to notice that
there is more going on here that they could see from father out. Jesus has
bread and fish. It doesn't say that He took the fish that they caught, but
that He already had the fish waiting for them.
Was Jesus interested in satisfying their
physical hunger? Yes, but He was more interested in showing them the importance
of caring for people and displaying Mercy and compassion for every situation
that they might face. Jesus knew the turmoil and strife that they were facing
because of His crucifixion but He wanted them to see that in the midst of
life's darkest trials and heartaches displaying Mercy and compassion must
be one of our deepest priorities.
Now
Jesus gets to the point. He begins a time of grueling Peter. Think about it,
would you like to have been in Peters shoes (sandals)? "Peter, do you Love
me, Lord you know I do. Peter, do you really love me (AGAPE) me? Lord you know
that I do. By this point Peter is a bit ticked, Then Jesus really goes
for it and a third time He asks Peter, Do you really Love me? Yes Lord I
realllllllllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Love you. "Then feed my
sheep."
Peter
has to be thinking, Man this is a major bummer. Why's He always picking on me?
But Jesus wasn't picking on Peter, He was preparing him to receive a major
portion of Mercy.
Do
you know what a bummer Lamb is? Well my wife's cousin who passed away some time
ago raised lambs. A bummer lamb is one that is a pain. It has no mother
or has been rejected by it's mother and the Shepard has to care for it by hand.
You have to give it close attention or you'll loose it. So what is Jesus
implying here? Well He is teaching Peter the importance having and
displaying Mercy. You see we all come in contact with people who are bummer
Lambs. Some are addicted; some are depressed; some are down trodden and
others are just plain hurting. The one thing that they all have in common is,
they need some one who'll reach out to them and show them Mercy. If it
isn't a Christian, who will it be?
There
is no such thing as picking and choosing whom we'll show Mercy to. Some might
say, well that one just doesn't fit in, or that other one is just too
unlovable. But Jesus is saying to Peter and to all of us, "Feed my
sheep". Don't worry about where they've been just reach out in Love (charity),
Compassion and Mercy and take care of them. Peter wouldn't have and
neither would we if we hadn't heard that Mercy/Compassion is a
missing ingredient in the Church today.
It
is important that we open our hearts to all people-groups, as well as
all social and economical groups. We also need to be ready to display
Mercy towards them all. For Mercy is indeed one of the greatest acts of
Charity/Love that we could ever display to hurting people of this world.
You
see, we who have experienced the Mercy of God can do no less than share that
Love and Mercy that we have received with others. And it is never optional.
We are obligated to Mercy as well as to show it.
Pastor
Larry
