This morning I invite you to turn with me to Luke chapter 10, Luke chapter 10, we read there the familiar story, what we call the Good Samaritan, read that in connection with the next beatitude on our list from our Lord's Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5 verse 7, blessed Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy, our Lord says. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Along with that Word of God, we hear now the Word of God. Luke 10, verses 25-37. Hear now the Word of God. On one occasion, an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. Teacher, he asked, what must I do to inherit eternal life? What is written in the law, he replied. How do you read it? He answered, love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. You have answered correctly, Jesus replied. Do this and you will live. But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, and who is my neighbor? In reply, Jesus said, A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So to a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was, and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. Look after him, he said, and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have. Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers? The expert in the law replied, The one who had mercy on him, Jesus told him, Go and do likewise. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Well, beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ, do you have the birthmarks? Do you have Christian birthmarks? Now, boys and girls, you know what a birthmark is, I trust. A birthmark is some sort of an identifying mark that you may have somewhere on your body. It is a mark that is unique to you. Birthmarks come in different shapes, different sizes, maybe even different shades of color. Some birthmarks are more visible. Other birthmarks are a little less visible. You may or may not have one. I have one that's quite visible. It's located right here on my neck, on the left side, below and behind my left ear. A little red mark. Clearly visible. Others may have some that aren't visible. But all Christians have the multiple birthmarks of being born again called the Beatitudes. As we have said before, the Beatitudes are characteristics that describe the character of the citizen of the kingdom of heaven. They describe the believer. In a sense, the Beatitudes create a portrait of the Christian's life and what describes that life. And one of those birthmarks that really stands out in a special way as its effect is visible, as it is clearly experienced by others, and as it is clear proof of Christ living in the believer, is mercy. the kingdom citizen who knows his bankruptcy because of sin that he has nothing to offer to God with which to earn his favor, and who then hates sin and mourns because of it, who hungers and thirsts, desires righteousness, that one cannot help it then but to be naturally exercising mercy. Exercising mercy, first of all, to relieve misery. Exercising mercy, secondly, without excuse. And thirdly, exercising mercy as a thankful response. First of all, exercising mercy to relieve misery. Sometimes we say that where mercy is needed, misery already exists. Mercy is needed because there is misery. And that is the aim of mercy, to relieve misery. A definition will help us to understand that especially as we distinguish mercy from grace, often in the Bible, mercy and grace are synonymous. They are used interchangeably to stand for the same thing. But there is a distinction between grace and mercy. Especially as several commentators point out, for example, grace is a loving response when love is undeserved. Grace, we might say, is getting what we don't deserve. Whereas mercy is a loving response prompted by misery and helplessness. Or grace is especially associated with men in their sin, while mercy is associated with men in their misery, the consequences of sin. Grace deals with the sin and the guilt itself. It extends pardon. It extends forgiveness. But mercy deals then with what can be seen, we might say, the result of sin, the pain and the misery and the distress that is caused by sin. And whereas grace extends pardon and forgiveness, mercy extends relief. And therefore, mercy is to recognize another's struggles and difficulties and hardships and the misery that these things produce and to be moved to pity. To be moved to have sympathy and compassion for that one. Yet, mercy does not simply end then with a feeling. A feeling of sympathy or compassion. It includes action. In the text, the word for merciful has the idea of actively compassionate. Not only having the feeling of compassion, but being actively compassionate. Move to action. And we see that in the details. The aim of mercy again, then, is to do all that one can. to relieve another of the consequences of sin in their lives, whether it be because of their own sin that they have committed or because they have been sinned against like the man into the story or because of the effects of sin that we all struggle with throughout our life. But mercy then is the complete opposite of cruelty. The complete opposite of the cruelty of ignoring one in their suffering, of forgetting that one, of turning your back on that one, of shunning that one. And as the Word of God clearly shows us, mercy is a divine necessity. It is not optional in the Christian life. Mercy necessarily flows from hungering and thirsting for righteousness. In Micah 6, verse 8, we read, He has showed you, O man, what is good, And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. The psalmist says in Psalm 37, verse 21, the wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously. And Paul in Colossians 3, when he's talking about the new man and clothing ourselves, he says we are to be clothed with, among other things, to be clothed with compassion and kindness, with mercy. The aim of mercy, beloved, is to relieve another of the misery that they struggle with because of the consequences of sin. And its accomplishment, then, is actively seeking to do that. And that accomplishment, I think, is summarized quite briefly in a small quote I came across which says, Mercy is more than kindness. It includes kindness. But mercy is more than kindness. Listen, kindness, it says, is a friend calling when you are well. Mercy is a friend calling when you are sick. Kindness is a friend calling when you are well. Mercy is a friend calling when you are sick. This compassion, you see, of the merciful one, It makes His own. It makes His own the case, the situation, the circumstances of the suffering one. It makes it His very own. As John Calvin says, Christ says that those are happy who are not only prepared to endure their own afflictions, but to take a share in the affliction of others. Those who assist the wretched. Those who willingly take part with those who are in distress. We might say, actually entering into the suffering of another. Taking it on. Mourning with those who mourn, for example. And again, Scripture is not short of examples. We think of Abraham and Lot. Lot had taken the good pasture ground. He left Abraham with a rotten pasture ground. But when Lot was taken away by the invaders, he and his family and his goods, Abraham didn't say, I got what he deserved, now it's my turn. No. He had mercy on him. He went after him and rescued him. Joseph's brothers hated him and sold him, cruelly sold him into Egypt and slavery. And when they were literally at the mercy of Joseph, he extended mercy to them. He restored them. He loved them. When Miriam and Aaron became jealous of Moses, because of his place, we might say, with God. And the Lord struck Miriam with leprosy. Moses did not say she got what she deserves. He had mercy. He pleaded with God to make her well. And then, of course, the example before us in the story, right? The Good Samaritan. You see, the Good Samaritan didn't just stand there and look at the man and complain about the social failure of the priest and the Levite. those guys, they didn't do their duty. Instead, at his own inconvenience, at his own expense, he got his hands dirty. He took care of the injured man's needs from start to finish. That man is an example of mercy getting down on your hands and knees, doing what you can. With whatever God allows you to and gives you. Doing what you can to relieve misery. To restore dignity to one whose life has been broken by the consequences of sin. An example of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself as He walked this earth. He fed the multitudes, the Bible says, because He had compassion on them. They were like sheep without a shepherd. He cast out demons. Satan's tormentors. In Matthew 12, we read, many followed Him and He healed all their sick. He delivered them from the suffering that they were experiencing because of the effects of sin in this life. He fulfilled the words of Isaiah. He did not break bruised reeds, but He healed them. He did not quench men's lives that were dimly burning wicks, but He fanned them. He fanned the flame. He encouraged them. He brought them to Himself. Christians will be exercising mercy. They will be exercising active compassion. That's part of their character. Not perfectly, we know. God doesn't call us in that respect. But they will be exercising active compassion. In Galatians 6, verse 10, Paul says, Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of God. but to all people, even those later on, Jesus says, who persecute us, who sin against us. But beloved, we are given, especially as a congregation, we are given many, many, many opportunities to show mercy. The bulletin and the prayer posting lists those who are sick and those who are going through difficult times, those who are mourning because of death. We know the needs of many, both within and outside of our congregation. Those who are struggling right now with economic difficulties. Those who need to find work. Those who need customers for their businesses. Those who are in danger of losing their homes. All kinds of needs. Some ongoing, some that are temporary. And mercy is practiced by many, many means. not just money alone, not just giving in that respect, but also by words of encouragement, by a visit, by a meal, by transportation. If you have nothing to offer, then buy your tears or a hug. Sometimes that's all that is needed. Boys and girls, do you ever see one at recess who has no one to play with? Or at lunchtime who has no one to eat with? or one who simply appears like they don't have any friends, at least not very many, or one who is being picked on by bullies. You see, if you enter into the loneliness of that one, guess what happens? They're not lonely anymore. And you have a new friend. There should be no lonely, friendless, picked on children. Same is true for young people or any among us in church, in school, at recess, anywhere. Someone has said we must have compassion on the souls of others and help them. We must have pity on the ignorant and instruct them. Pity on the careless and warn them. Pity on those in a state of sin and snatch them. Notice it's not just for physical suffering, it's also because of spiritual suffering. If you know someone is struggling with a besetting sin or living in sin, we are called to be merciful and to go to them and to admonish them and encourage them and show them the right way, the truth. The quote goes on to have compassion on those in sorrow and comfort them, compassion on those in want and supply them, compassion on those less advantaged and not take advantage of them. Exercising mercy, first of all, to relieve misery, but secondly, exercising mercy without excuse. You see, one who is merciful will not look for excuses to keep from helping someone in need. He will not look for excuses in order to protect himself from some sort of costly service, costly time, or his costly resources, or even to cost him his reputation in some way. Jesus was dealing with Pharisees of His day who claimed that they devoted all of their money to the temple. They gave it all to God. Look what we have done. We have given everything to God. It's His. But therefore, they couldn't take care of their aged parents. But Jesus reminds them that the Bible says that God delights in mercy, not sacrifice. They were living in sin against the fifth commandment. And the priest, the Levite in our story, no doubt in their minds, They had good reasons for passing by the injured man. They had their own busy lives and their own busy schedules to attend to. They were about the work of the Lord. A priest and a Levite. Their work was important. They didn't have time. Plus, if the man was dead, they would make themselves unclean by touching him. And then they couldn't do their work for the Lord. However, Jesus demonstrated by His bold contact with the dead whom He raised to life that that was no excuse. God delights in mercy. The priest and the Levite refused to pay the cost of being inconvenienced. They refused to die to their own plans to make their own plans second place. They refused to fit in with God's providence in their lives. That was God's providence. And they said, you know, we don't care for that. We'll willingly take God's providence when it works to our advantage. But you know this, yeah, we don't really care for that. Beloved, God's providence includes giving us opportunities to show mercy. And rarely is it convenient for you and me. Rarely is it convenient. But it is a blessing from Him. So many, and I am guilty. So many make excuses that they look at one in need and say, well, you know, he must have deserved it. Or he had it coming in some way. Or he should have planned better. Or I don't have any time. Or it's going to mess up my plans and I've got my own problems to deal with. I'm just going to worry about me right now and nobody else. But the only excuse for the believer is to find an excuse to help another because of the love of God that is in him. That love of God who loves the fatherless and the widow and the lonely and the despised and the needy. In 1 John 3, verse 17, John says, If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? You see, the Word of God is very clear that those who do not show that love, who have no pity, who do not extend that mercy, they are the wicked. But those who extend that mercy, they are filled with the love of God. You see, we must ask ourselves, am I merciful? Or am I too proud and arrogant to take time for the wretched? Am I gentle or am I hard-nosed to the downtrodden, those whom we say are down on their luck? Am I helpful or am I callous toward the backslidden? Am I compassionate or am I impatient with the fallen, thinking that they are beyond hope anyway? Do I choose a lifestyle of convenience for me over a self-sacrificing lifestyle of showing mercy? again beloved mercy is not optional in the life of the Christian but it is a hallmark of true conversion to Christ it is a birthmark of being born again it will be natural whether little or much with whatever God has given to us but that mercy is ignored to one's own danger Proverbs 21 verse 13 says if a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor he too will cry out and not be answered. But Jesus says, Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Exercising mercy in the third place, therefore, as a thankful response. As a thankful response for mercy received. You can only see the need for mercy in others if you know your own need for mercy. As you can imagine, there are so many who misinterpret this beatitude and the other ones, as well as so much of what the Bible says, of course. But they misinterpret this one, for example, to say that what Jesus is teaching there is that we can only gain the mercy of God if we first show mercy. Just like later on in the sermon when Jesus says, but if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. And therefore, receiving God's mercy dependent, contingent upon, first being forgiving to others. But that's not what Jesus is teaching. He's not teaching that we can only gain the mercy and the forgiveness of God if we first show mercy and extend forgiveness to others. We need to remember he's talking again about the kingdom citizen. He's talking about the believer who by the grace of God knows his bankruptcy because of sin and who already has enjoyed the grace and the mercy of God in Jesus Christ. He's talking about demonstrating these things, these characteristics, as evidence of that new life in Christ. The one who enjoys the grace of God's forgiveness of all of his sins. Remember the distinction? Getting what we don't deserve. Getting that forgiveness. Receiving. Being given that forgiveness of all of our sins. And therefore, being made right with God and Jesus Christ. And of course, along with that comes God's mercy. God's mercy in the face of the consequences of sin. Our sins are forgiven, but we still suffer at times with some of those consequences. But in the face of the consequence of sin, as the psalmist says in Psalm 103, who heals all your diseases, who crowns you with love and compassion, He is slow to anger, abounding in love, compassionate and gracious. He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor His anger forever. He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. That's mercy. We don't get what we deserve. He does not treat us as our sins deserve. God's mercy in the face of the consequence of sin gives us confidence, first of all, of our eternal rescue from hell. That ultimate consequence is removed. And instead, given the comfort of eternal life, His mercy, the mercy of the cleansing power of the Holy Spirit from the pollution of sin. His mercy, we sing, His mercies are new every morning. In this life, He grants healing when we are sick. How many times have you had a cold? Or skin to your knee? Or whatever? And you've been healed. And indeed, unbelievers enjoy that common grace of God too. That common mercy of God as well. But God grants us that healing. Physically, but also when He determines to visit one with a terminal illness and He has not chosen to heal it. He gives God's people that peace that passes understanding. Peace in anxiety, that's God's mercy. Comfort when we are mourning. Help in times of trouble. We often recognize it only after He helps us through the fire and the floods of life. Yet God's promise is that I will be with you. I will give you relief. Not only from your sin, the consequences which you deserve, eternal hell, but the sufferings that we experience in this life. And even as we struggle with sin throughout our daily lives, His mercy includes a refreshing assurance of His forgiveness again and again. The Christian is called to exercise mercy out of gratitude for mercy received. You remember the story of the unmerciful servant, boys and girls, that servant owed his master so much money it would have taken him several lifetimes just to earn it. He could never pay it back. His master forgave him. He went out and found a servant to him who owed him a few dollars in comparison and he got angry, threw him in jail. And he then too was then thrown in jail until he should pay the last penny. We learn in part from that story that we are called to exercise mercy out of gratitude for mercy received. God knew our state. He knew our condition. He knew our hopelessness. He knew that we could do nothing about it. And He alone could and did. He sent His Son to deliver us from sin and all of its misery. And we are called to exercise mercy for mercy shown, but also a thankful response for mercy shown, but also for mercy promised. Psalm 41 says, Blessed is he who has regard for the weak. The Lord delivers him in times of trouble. Mercy promised from God, as we said a moment ago, throughout our daily life. He spares, He supplies, He sustains. But also mercy that He will grant through others. Not always and not from everyone. But in God's providence, His kindness is often responded to with kindness. And His ultimate mercy that is promised is the mercy that will be shown on judgment day. In a sense, we can say that on that day there will be judgment of two kinds. There will be judgment without mercy called hell which will be poured out upon those who reject Him, who want nothing to do with Him, who are merciless and loveless. But there's also judgment with mercy for those for whom Jesus died, who embrace Him by faith, who even on this very day who are humbled and come to Him in faith. On that day, they will hear from the mouth of our Savior, Enter into the kingdom prepared for you. We enjoy the mercies of God each and every day. We enjoy it visibly in a special way this morning with the Lord's table. The Lord's table is a table of the grace and the mercy of God. It's a table of grace as there we are reminded in a very visible way that Jesus Christ paid for all of our sins. His body was broken. His blood was shed into a complete remission of all of our sins. But it's also a table of the mercy of God as here more and more He rescues us from the consequences of sin as He nourishes and strengthens our faith. More and more we are delivered from doubt and temptation. More and more He comforts us with the knowledge that we are one with Him. And more and more He assures us as the Forum for the Lord's Supper says that the Lord Jesus Christ will come again to receive us to Himself that we might enjoy the eternal banquet with Him forever. Beloved God in His mercy has rescued us from death. He has restored us to life in Jesus Christ. And therefore in Him may our birthmark of mercy be exercised faithfully, pointing others to Jesus Christ, the God of all comfort. Amen.