BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL: FOR THEY SHALL OBTAIN MERCY

Ps 23
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod
and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup
runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the
LORD for ever.

Matt 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

I. GOD COMMANDS MERCY OF HIS PEOPLE.

A. God has consistently required His own to be merciful.
1. Hos 4:1 Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with
the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the
land.

2. Hos 6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt
offerings.

B. Jesus condemned the scribes and Pharisees for their lack of mercy (among other things).
1. Matt 23:23-24 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise
and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these
ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat,
and swallow a camel.

2. Matt 9:10-13 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and
sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his
disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto
them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that
meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance.

C. Being merciful is more than just a mental attitude.

1. James 2:13-17 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and
mercy rejoiceth against judgment. What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith,
and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And
one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not
those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is
dead, being alone.

2. 2 Tim 1:16-18 The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me,
and was not ashamed of my chain: But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently,
and found me. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in
how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.
II. GOD THE FATHER AND JESUS CHRIST, HIS SON HAVE SHOWN US HOW TO BE MERCIFUL.
A. Being merciful leads to godly treatment of others.
1. Luke 6:27-36
27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke
forbid not to take thy coat also.
30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to
receive as much again.
35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great,
and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

B. Jesus Christ was made like us to allow Him to be an eternal merciful high priest to us.
1. Heb 2:17-18 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he
might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for
the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour
them that are tempted.

C. In all things, He is our example.

1. 1 Peter 2:19-24 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering
wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if,
when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto
were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his
steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not
again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who
his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto
righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

D. God’s way is the best way.

1. Ps 86:11-16 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. For
great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. O God, the
proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not
set thee before them. But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering,
and plenteous in mercy and truth. O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto
thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.

III. WE AS CHRISTIANS ARE BLESSED WITH A FOUNT OF MERCY THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.
A. We can boldly approach God’s throne through Jesus Christ to obtain mercy.
1. Heb 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the
Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched
with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us
therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in
time of need.
 B. God’s mercy is everlasting.
1. Ps 100 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come
before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not
we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,
and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his
mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

2. Ps 103:8-18
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his
righteousness unto children's children;
18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

C. God is rich in mercy.

1. Eph 2:4-10
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through
Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that
we should walk in them.

LET US SEEK THE WISDOM FROM ABOVE!

James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full
of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.