Readings: Psalm 103: 6-18; Acts 9: 1-16; Luke 23: 32-43; Matthew 18: 21-35
Aim: To understand and learn to appreciate more, the gifts of God’s Grace and Mercy being lavished on mankind and to give necessary cautions not to take them for granted.
Introduction:
Grace is one of the key attributes of God so also Mercy. They are both very wide and are aspects of His love to mankind that remains a misery. What is “Grace”? According to Baker’s Dictionary of Theology “Grace” is the word used to describe God’s commitment to us. It is the principal manifestation of God’s love. God’s grace is free. If it were not, it would no longer be ‘grace’. The pages of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation are saturated with the grace of God. It is a common belief that when we use the word Grace, we are referring to God’s unmerited favour toward those who are undeserving of it.
“Common” Grace and “Saving: Grace
As we study the grace of God, it is important to make a distinction between what we might call Common Grace and Saving Grace. Common grace is seen in the gifts that God gives to all men such as gift of life, health, strength and even special skills. Nations, communities, families and individuals all benefit from the common grace of God. “God causes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust alike (Matt. 5: 45). “But many people have taken ‘common’ grace for granted. Saving Grace, on the other hand, is a perfection of God’s character that is exercised only toward those that He has chosen to love from before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1: 4). It is the unmerited blessing of forgiveness that is received, not by our working, but by our believing. This Grace does not come to us by works, we don’t earn it through church activities and attendance. It is freely bestowed on all who believe. Even the elect of God do not in any way deserve this grace but rather they deserve God’s judgement for their sin. And yet, God pours out His saving grace on His people and He does so freely and because He has chosen to do so. God is under no obligation to save any man from sin, but He gives saving grace to whom He will. In a nutshell, Common grace refers to the sovereign grace which God bestows on all of mankind regardless of their spiritual standing before Him, while saving grace is that special dispensation of grace whereby God sovereignly bestows unmerited divine assistance upon His elect for their regeneration and sanctification. Man is helpless. It is impossible to save ourselves. (Titus 3: 5). Even if we had the opportunity to save ourselves, we would never stop boasting about it. Ephesians 2: 8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” Because God does not owe us anything.
Grace is eternal, it was planned before the world began. 2 Timothy 1: 9 says ‘God who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of His own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began. Grace is also free. It cannot be earned, deserved or purchased. Romans 3: 24. We are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. God the Father, the gracious One planned from eternity past to lavish a people with His grace. He is the fountain of all grace. Our Lord Jesus Christ the Son is the channel of Grace. If not for the work of Christ upon the cross to atone for our sins, the grace of God would never be extended to us, because we would be required to pay the penalty for our sin to satisfy the justice of God.
This confirms the popular meaning of the ACRONYM, Grace “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Grace and He bestowed/applies the gift of grace to our hearts in the new birth.
WHAT IS MERCY?
Although God’s mercy and grace are really two sides of the same coin, mercy is totally different from Grace. Mercy is another aspect of God’s love and further manifestation of His unlimited Grace. Mercy is God not giving to sinful mankind what they rightly deserve. The mercy of God is fundamental to everything in our world. From creation to procreation and recreation, the mercy of God underpins every positive experience and achievement of man. Answered prayers come on heels of God’s mercy (Psalm 4: 1). Salvation from sin and afflictions come through the mercy of God (Titus 3: 5). Many who came to Jesus Christ for healing or deliverance often cry to Him for His mercy. And of course, eternal life will ultimately be ours by the sheer mercy of God (Jude 1: 21).
Moses said that God would not only give mercy, but that He would make it available to His people in satisfying measures. Psalm 90: 14 “Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days!” Psalm 90: 14 NKJV.
Some Scriptural Verses on Mercy
Lamentations 3: 22-23 “Through the Lord’s mercies, we are not consumed. Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” (Lam. 3: 22-23 NKJV)
Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. When her neighbours and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her (Luke 1: 57, 58 NKJV).
When mercy received is duly acknowledged, we will learn to behave like the Israelites and exclaim as in Psalm 126: 2 “Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” (Psalm 126: 2 NIV).
Response to God’s mercy should be endless praise as clearly spelt out by Joseph Addison (1712) in the hymn:
“When all Thy mercies, O my God,
My rising soul surveys,
Transported with the view I’m lost,
In wonder, love, and praise.”
Therefore, that man does not receive what he deserves is God’s mercy in action. This does not change the wages of sin. Sinful man deserves to die, but God’s mercy said No. We are all products of God’s mercy.
One major impression of the Holy Spirit about the subject of mercy on me is the fact that MERCY OF GOD IS NEVER AUTOMATIC. ALTHOUGH GOD IS VERY RICH IN MERCY, HE IS NEVER UNDER ANY OBLIGATIONS TO SHOW US MERCY. IN OTHER WORDS, IF HE REFUSED TO BE MERCIFUL TO US, THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT. This is why Romans 9: 15-16 NLT “For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.
Romans 9: 15-16 NLT. Also, there is nothing we can do to a popular sinner whom God shows mercy. One of the ways our God prove to us that He is powerful and unquestionable is the way He dispenses Mercy. In one of the final words of John Newton, the writer of the hymn ‘Amazing Grace’, he said, “My memory is nearly gone but I remember two things: That I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Saviour.”
Few examples of those who were the recipients of the mercy of God
JOSEPH – Genesis 39: 21 ‘But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
MOSES said to God – Exodus 15: 3 “You in Your mercy have led forth the people whom You have redeemed: You have guided them in Your strength to Your holy habitation.” Exodus 15: 13 NKJV.
DAVID – I Chronicles 16: 34 “O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever.” David enjoyed God’s mercy on many occasions.
PAUL said about himself – I Timothy 1: 13 ‘although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy … I Timothy 1: 13 NKJV. At least we read a bit on the pains Paul inflicted on God’s people in our Epistle today.
Each time I enter this church auditorium, I am always overtaken by the image of the cross which is prominently displayed. Alexander Whyte said the following about the cross – ‘it is the picture of violence, yet the key to peace. It is a picture of suffering, yet the key to healing. It is a picture of utter weakness, yet the key to power. It is a picture of capital punishment, yet the key to mercy and forgiveness.
Although by definition, mercy cannot be earned, the Bible shows us some things we can do to enhance the mercy of God in our lives.
- God faithfully deals His mercy to those who love Him and keep His commandments. He secures mercy for such persons “to a thousand generations” (Deuteronomy 7: 9). Also those who walk before the Lord “with all their heart” (I Kings 8: 23)
- And then, Jesus declared that “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5: 7). God shows mercy to the merciful.
- Proverbs 28: 13 NKJV. “He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsaken them will have mercy. (Proverbs 28: 13 NKJV).
- Ask or Cry for mercy. (Mark 10: 47-49 NKJV). And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called…
WARNING!!! IS IT POSSIBLE FOR MAN TO ABUSE GOD’S GRACE AND MERCY?
Paul said in Romans 5: 29, “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.” This radical concept opened a theological floodgate. Jude warned that it is possible to ‘change the grace of our God into a licence for immorality” (Jude 4 NIV). Why be good if you know you will be forgiven? In Romans 6, Paul explained further. “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” “Certainly not!” (Rom. 6: 1-2). Truly, sin remains appealing, but we are to “Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord,” and “Do not let sin reign in your mortal body” (Rom. 6: 11-12).
In Matthew 18: 21-35, Jesus linked mercy and forgiving others. It is a very dangerous move for anyone who has received mercy to be adamant to show mercy to others of matter what happens. God says it is a dangerous move.
CAN PEOPLE BE JEALOUS ABOUT MEASURE OF GRACE ON OTHERS OR EVEN MERCY RECEIVED?
Don’t be jealous of Display of God’s mercy in the lives of others. Don’t be angry about it, there is nothing you can do about it. This was one of the major problems with the Pharisees. The Grace on Jesus was a problem to them so also the fact that the people they had condemned are being accommodated by Him. Luke 15: 1-2 “Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” (Luke 15: 1-2 NKJV). Do we want God’s mercy for ourselves, but resent it when others, particularly those who don’t especially like, are recipients of the same mercy?
Basic relationships between Grace & Mercy
- They are both two sides of a coin
- They are both divine gifts to mankind
- They are both at work in the process of redemption of man.
CONCLUSION
The mercy of God and the grace of God go hand in hand to display an aspect of God’s character to us. These attributes reveal God to be unique and unparalleled. These attributes are also to be seen in those who trust in Christ. We are called to share God’s mercy and grace with others.
Mercy and grace are best illustrated in the salvation that is available through our Lord Jesus Christ. We deserve judgement, but if we receive Jesus Christ as Saviour, we receive mercy from God and we are delivered from judgement, we receive by grace, salvation, forgiveness of sins, abundant life and become candidates for eternal life. Therefore, because of God’s mercy and grace, our response should be to fall on our knees in worship and thanksgiving. Hebrews 4: 16 declares, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
Comments and questions.