Mercy is compassion and care. It is specifically the compassion and care that God demonstrates in His kindness toward us.
2 Corinthians 1:3 NKJV Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.”
I want to call your attention to that phrase: “The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.”
Some people may need to adjust their opinion of God. He is the Father of all mercies and the God of all comfort. God’s comfort is associated with His mercy. Comfort is the encouragement that God gives us as a result of His mercy.
His mercies are new every morning.
Lamentations 3:22-23 NKJV Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting.
Psalm 103:17 NKJV But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children,
We need to know His mercy.
We all know what it is like to bear burdens of guilt. Old Testament writers talked about the mercy, compassion and gracious God. We are too impressed with Satan’s accusations and attacks. Like many in the Bible, we know how it feels to be pushed down, walked on, and beaten down.
- You need to know that God is the God of all power.
- He is a God of all might.
- He is the Father of all mercies.
The Lord our God is a merciful God.
He is the Father of all mercies.
Ephesians 2 talks about the way we used to live in sin and that we were just like the rest of the world.
Each of us knows what it is like to follow the passionate desires and inclinations of that old sinful nature. It would be easy for God’s anger to shut us out and cut us off.
Ephesians 2:4 NKJV says: But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us.
God is rich in mercy.
God’s rich mercy is demonstrated through His great love for us. Listen to the extent of God’s love and mercy.
Ephesians 2:5 tells us: God loved us so much, that even when we were dead because of our sins, He made us alive together with Christ. It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved.
Do you remember being burdened down with guilt, accusations, and the trials of life?
God is rich in mercy.
Hebrews 4 tells us, Jesus was made like unto us and was tempted in all points like we are, so that He might be a merciful high priest.
Then, in the next verse he says: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16 )
We can come to the throne of our gracious God and receive His mercy and grace to help us when we need it most. Think about that. We have access to the throne of our gracious God when we don’t deserve it.
In Romans 12, Paul urged believers to present our bodies to God, by God’s mercy.
Romans 12:1 CSB Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.
When we understand God’s mercy, we will give God everything we have.
This is talking about God’s mercies. You can come boldly to God’s throne of grace for that mercy. We can come boldly because He wants to give mercy.
In 2 Chronicles 5, they were dedicating the temple.
Everything had been put in its place.
The ark of the covenant of the Lord was brought up into the temple, to the Most Holy Place under the wings of the cherubim. The priests, Levites, and the singers got together. They lifted their cymbals, stringed instruments, harps and 120 priests blew trumpets. All of the instruments and singers began making one sound to be heard praising and thanking the Lord.
2 Chronicles 5:13 says, their song said: “The Lord is good, and His mercy endures forever. The Lord is good, and His mercy endures forever.”
- Say that: “The Lord is good, and His mercy endures forever.”
- Say it again: “The Lord is good, and His mercy endures forever.”
Do you know what happened when they sang that over and over again?
As they sang about the goodness and the mercy of God, the glory of God filled the temple.
God wants believers to be filled with the message of mercy.
We are not here to condemn the sinner. This is a house of mercy.
Sometimes we think that we earn something from God.
Have you ever said: “God, I have not been mean.” “I have not been ugly.” “So, God, You ought to heal me.”
Healing is an act of God’s mercy.
Don’t plead your case before God. Everything you need comes as a result of God’s mercy. We have sinned and done wrong. You need to know that we have grace and mercy in Jesus.
Salvation is an act of God’s mercy.
God saved us out of His great love because He is rich in mercy.
All of God’s miracles are out of the riches of His mercy.
In Matthew 17, a man had a son who had severe seizures.
Jesus had been with the Father on the mount of transfiguration. When He came down to the valley with His disciples, He found this man. The man said, “My son suffers terribly with these seizures. Sometime he falls into the fire and into the water.” He said, “I brought him to your disciples and they couldn’t help him.”
In Mark 9:22, the father said to Jesus, “If you can do anything, have mercy on us.”
He did not ask for justice; he asked for mercy.
You may have been like so many in the Bible.
You have gone to everyone in the world and still have found no help. You have gone this way and that way and no one could help.
Your help is in the Lord.
The Psalmist said, “trust in the Lord, He is the help and shield.” He said, “Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.”
You need to know that God will help you because He is the God of all mercy and comfort.
God does not heal, save or deliver because you are good. God takes action because of His great mercy.
The Bible says Jesus took that boy and cast the demon out and healed him on the basis of mercy.
- Do you remember the story of the 10 lepers?
Leprosy was incurable and untouchable. The ten lepers had to stand afar off because they were lepers. They had to cover their mouth and nose so they would not breath on people. They had to walk down wind from people. They, had to cry, “Unclean, unclean, unclean; don’t come near us. We’re untouchable.”
The world has many untouchable people.
Have you ever felt like you were untouchable? No one could help.
Thank God, Jesus can touch untouchable people.
These lepers cried out: “Jesus, have mercy.”
They didn’t say, “We don’t deserve to live like this.” They didn’t say, “We have lived a good life.”
They just cried out for mercy.
God helps us on the basis of His loving kindness and tender mercy.
Jesus healed those ten lepers.
- Blind Bartimaeus was sitting by the roadside begging when Jesus came by.
He could not see what was happening, he just heard the noise and said, “What does it mean?” They said, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
Blind Bartimaeus did not cry, “Jesus, I have lived a good life; come back and heal me.”
He cried out: “Jesus, have mercy. Have mercy. Have mercy. Have mercy.” Mercy got the Lord’s attention and brought healing.
Everybody is a candidate for mercy.
- Saul of Tarsus was an enemy of the church and fought against the Lord.
After his conversion, Saul was put into the ministry. His name was changed to Paul.
Paul said, “I was a blasphemer, persecutor and a violent man.”
He celebrated the death of believers. He said: “I was the worst of sinners.”
Then he told Timothy, “I was shown mercy.”
- Jesus spoke of two men who went up to the temple to pray.
One was a Pharisee who thought he had done nothing wrong. The other was a poor, sinful, publican tax collector.
The Pharisee said, “I thank you, Lord. I’m not like other people. I fast twice in a week. I give tithes of all I possess. I’m good. I’m good. I’m good.”
The other man wouldn’t even lift up his head. Jesus said he bowed his head and smote on his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”
Jesus said the man that cried for mercy went down justified and saved.
That is all you have to do. We don’t have to confess all our sins to be saved. The Lord our God is the God of all mercy and comfort. He wants to heal your diseases. He wants to forgive your sins and cleanse you from all of your unrighteous deeds. He wants to help you in your troubles.
You are familiar with this text.
Read it out loud.
Psalm 23:1–3 NKJV The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
Psalm 23:4–5 NKJV Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
Psalm 23:6 NKJV Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
Hallelujah.
We should rejoice. Whatever we need is covered because the Lord our God is the God of all mercy and comfort. His mercy is from everlasting to everlasting.
Whatever you need is summed up in this.
Philippians 4:19 NKJV And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
