SUPERIORITY OF MERCY
Susan Murray
Today’s Scripture: “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:13, ESV
Theme: We should be concerned with loving people rather than appearing self-righteous.
SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM
When God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, He knew that the Israelites would fail to fully obey so He provided a system of sacrifices to demonstrate their need to be cleansed from their sins. God desired to have a relationship with His people, but His holiness prevented Him from being in contact with their sin. Justice, the righting of wrongs, is a central part of God’s character so therefore the substitutionary animal sacrifices were necessary at that time to prevent the Israelites’ absolute destruction. God gave them mercy.
RECEIVING MERCY
According to Webster’s Dictionary, the definition of mercy is, “compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.” God’s justice demands punishment for sins. It is within His power and right to do so. Yet He desires to give mercy. So, what happens to justice? Did it just disappear as though it no longer mattered? No, Jesus took our place instead, suffering God’s just wrath for our sins by dying on the cross, making mercy possible. Both justice and mercy were fulfilled on the cross. Jesus’ one-time final sacrifice makes sinners right with God (righteousness); therefore, repeated animal sacrifices are obsolete. In reality, the purpose of those animal sacrifices was to point to Jesus' ultimate, once-for-all sacrifice.
GIVING MERCY
God tells us to give the mercy we have received to others, but as I’ve heard it said, you cannot give what you do not possess. Jesus said He calls sinners, not the righteous, to receive mercy. He wasn’t saying the Pharisees were righteous but rather self-righteous. They saw themselves as being acceptable to God based on their own religious performance of the do's and don’ts of God’s laws, including the Mosaic sacrifices. They were not really interested in mercy. Yet receiving mercy is the ONLY way to be right with God. Jesus wanted them to see their need for mercy by pointing them to learn what the Scripture that they already knew meant: Hosea 6:6 “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice.”
Their self-righteousness made it impossible to receive mercy, and so they were also unable to give mercy to others. Only those who hear His call, seeing themselves as unworthy sinners and admitting their need, receive Jesus’ saving mercy. Then His mercy to you makes genuine mercy to others possible. Jesus must become more than just an example to follow of giving mercy. He IS your mercy, which transforms you into a joyful, merciful person.
Make It Personal: I often hear people say, “I’m just not worthy of God’s love and forgiveness.” I respond by saying, “That’s right, you are not worthy, but you are of great worth to God.” Worthy implies you are owed something, like an employee is worthy of his wages because he has earned them. God does not owe you mercy, but He longs to give it. Are you trying to be good enough for God to love you? Are you exhausted, trying to feel worthy and tempted to give up on Jesus because you just can never get it right enough? Give up your efforts and receive His never-failing mercy!
On the other hand, are you regularly agitated at another’s failure, saying, “I would never do that to you”? Do you call people “idiots” even if it’s just a thought you never speak aloud? Do you think, “That person can’t possibly be a Christ follower; just look at what he did”? Or “Glad I am not as bad as she is.” Are daily repentances absent in your prayers? Then it’s possible you may be in the same danger as the Pharisees, missing out on mercy. It’s never too late to hear His call, admit you are a big a sinner just like everyone else, and receive mercy.
Pray: God have mercy on me, the sinner. Amen
Read: Hosea 6:6; Luke 18:9-14; Hebrews 10:1-10
Weekly Memory Verse: “But when he heard it, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘”desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.’” Matthew 9:12-13, ESV