Sermon on the Mount – Part 5

 Sermon on the Mount – Part 5

Gospel msg no:47

 What Does the Lord Require?

Mic 6:6  Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?

Mic 6:7  Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

Mic 6:8  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Why is this requirement?

Micah 7:18-19 Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy. 19 He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea.

 

Luke 6:35-36  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.

Psalm 145:8-9 “The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. The LORD is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works”.

Psalms 103:8-18  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.

 

He also called mercy one of “the weightier matters of the law”

Matthew 23:23  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.

 

Merciful or Cruel

Proverbs 11:17  The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.

Proverbs 12:10  A righteous person cares for the life of his animal, but even the most compassionate acts of the wicked are cruel.

 

• The lesson is this: righteous men are tender, gentle, compassionate, and merciful; but the wicked are hard, harsh, inconsiderate, and cruel.

 

Definition of Cruel

• wilfully causing pain or suffering to others, or feeling no concern about it.

 

• extremely unkind and unpleasant and causing pain to people or animals intentionally not kind to someone or something and causing pain

• callous He had a callous disregard for the feelings of others.
• ruthless He was a ruthless dictator.
• heartless He has been described as a heartless boss by several employees.

 

Mercy is not mercy if it is something you deserve.

Matthew 9:9-13  As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.  10  And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.  11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”  12  But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  13  Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

 

The best example of mercy is Jesus Christ our High Priest

Hebrews 2:17-18 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.  18  For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

 

Hebrews 4:15-16  For we do not have a high priest not being able to sympathize with our weaknesses but One having been tried in all respects according to our likeness, apart from sin.  16 Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and we may find grace for timely help.

Hebrews 5:1-3  For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.  2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.  3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people.

 

For they shall receive mercy

Matthew 18:21-35  Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?  22  Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.  23  Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.  24  And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.  25  But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.  26  The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.  27  Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.  28  But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.  29  And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.  30  And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.  31  So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.  32  Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:  33  Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?  34  And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.  35  So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

 

Mercy is taking action

Luke 10:25-37  And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?  26  He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?  27  And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.  28  And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.  29  But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?  30  And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.  31  And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  32  And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.  33  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,  34  And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  35  And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.  36  Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?  37  And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

 

Genesis 50:15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him."

Genesis 50:21 Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones." And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

Proverbs 14:21 He who despises his neighbor sins; But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.

Proverbs 3:3-4 Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, 4 And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.