The Merciful

This is the sixth message in our series, "The Beatitudes: Jesus' Invitation To The Good Life." Pastor JR shares with us what mercy is, how do we learn it, and what is the promise.  Sermon Text: Matthew 5:1-7 Sermon Notes:  What Is Mercy? How Do We Learn Mercy?   "Like nothing else could ever do, the gospel instills in me a heart for the downcast, the poverty-stricken, and those in need of physical mercies, especially when such persons are of the household of faith. When I see persons who are materially poor, I instantly feel a kinship with them, for they are physically what I was spiritually when my heart was closed to Christ. Perhaps some of them are in their condition because of sin, but so was I. Perhaps they are unkind when I try to help them; but I, too, have been spiteful to God when He has sought to help me. Perhaps they are thankless and even abuse the kindness I show them, but how many times have I been thankless and used what God has given me to serve selfish ends? The gospel reminds me daily of the spiritual poverty into which I was born and also of the staggering generosity of Christ towards me. Such reminders instill in me both a felt connection to the poor and a desire to show them the same generosity that has been lavished on me. When ministering to the poor with these motivations, I not only preach the gospel to them through word and deed, but I reenact the gospel to my own benefit as well." A Gospel Primer for Christians by Milton Vincent. What Is The Promise? How we experience God treating us is the way we will treat others; but how we treat others is also how we will experience God treating us.