Jesus Part Four

Mercy

By Pastor Greg Ball, February 05, 2023

John 7:37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”****

Grace is what I need in my life but I don’t deserve.

Mercy is not getting what I deserve.

Mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm:

John 8:1-11 NLT 1Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust.

This story really isn’t about the woman.

The woman represents all of us who have been caught in sin.

What’s being revealed in the scripture is the mercy of God.

John 8:9-11 NLT When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

Jesus wasn’t neglecting the law, Jesus was fulfilling the law.

He wasn’t overriding justice, he was fulfilling justice.

There’s something in us that is of the fallen nature that wants people to get what they deserve.

A merciful heart wants to release mercy.

I don’t want to be a person who judges others based on their actions and judges myself based on my intentions.

10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

If Jesus doesn’t condemn the woman caught in adultery, he doesn’t condemn you and I.

Jesus said neither do I pronounce a sentence of judgment and condemnation go and sin no more.

Jesus takes a position of the judge, and he shows mercy.

Mercy is not a neglect of justice.

Mercy is God’s divine justice and His judgement being pass over and placed on Jesus.

Mercy is God taking the penalty of your sin and placing it on Jesus.

Jesus is the Mercy Seat.

When the blood of Jesus was poured out He became the Seat of Mercy.

Romans 3:25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,

Jesus became the once-and-for-all acceptable and wrath-satisfying sacrifice on our behalf.

God’s mercy never ends!

Lamentations 3:21 This I recall to my mind,Therefore I have hope. 22 Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

Luke 18:10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 ‘I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 “And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’

Hebrew 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

The throne of grace is the seat of mercy.

Mercy is someone else paying the price for you!

Jesus is not only your Judge he is your Heavenly Father.

John 3:17 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Jesus doesn’t condemn.

Romans 12:1 NIV “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”