A Surprising Mercy in the Church
Good Morning Friends,
There is a great illustration of mercy in Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan. Also one in the story of the Prodigal son. But today we explore the raising up of The Body of Christ and the community of worship inspired by the story of Jonah and its sign for the city and the called out assembly of believers. Here we consider that Jesus asked us to study the sign of Jonah and I think also the possibility of A Surprising Mercy in the Church.
Scripture: The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”
John 2:18-20 (NIV)
13For judgement will be without mercy to anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgement.
James 2:13 (NRSV)
9Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing.
1 Peter 3:9 (NRSV)
7
‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Matthew 5:7 (NRSV)
Message: Isn’t it surprising that Jonah, even though he was saved from death, never really did believe in a God of hope for others. If he did he would have rejoiced that all his prophecy was unfulfilled for the people of Nineveh. Jonah was not a compassionate man by nature. Jonah’s attitude of clinging on and fighting on… never giving up is inspirational until we come to that point where his will supersedes God’s will. With all the similarities between Jonah and Jesus this is where they part. Jonah sought truth but not so much forgiveness and mercy. Here Jesus is teaching us something important. Now the Jews read the Book of the minor prophet Jonah on Yom Kipper, the Day of Atonement… a day of seeking forgiveness for sins. But there is more to the story. Dig a little deeper and we find that the grand antidote to sin, is mercy. Christian, here is the story… God showed compassion by sending His son; we show compassion by showing God’s act of compassion to others. Now get this, today in the midst of the dangers of the world, the church has been created to demonstrate God’s mercy in a collective action. Here the church through its sympathetic consciousness of others distress, combines with a desire to alleviate pain, and through individual action we share the good news of Christ. We grow up in the Church and learn that we can witness to God’s daily mercy. Yes it takes more than Sunday worship. It takes a conscious act of living mercifully daily. Here is what I mean. It is disciplined restraint. It is not letting out a sigh of wordless disapproval when a toddler is having a meltdown at the checkout counter. It is offering quiet sympathy in our body language when an overwhelmed waitress brings us food that is not just the way we ordered it. It is deciding there is no need to send the food back because trying something new is a good thing…something so good we should bring the feeling with us to Church on Sunday. And it is here as the church we experience God though acts of mercy. It is a beautiful virtue that allows us to address offenses in a manner that is mindful of the larger relationship at stake and invites the offender into a deeper relationship with the offended. Friends, mercy is indeed an attribute of heaven brought to earth. Charles Dickens sets the scene for the need for mercy in the opening of A Tale of Two Cities: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way…” Friends, what Dickens was getting at, what the Bible promises is not only just that God shows mercy to people, but that people can — must — show mercy to each other if we are to break free of the tyranny of sin. Here is the hope of justice presented in a new way. Now I imagine that there is a lot of anger, resentment and bitterness on this subject of forgiveness, mercy and salvation in the church. But, get this, without mercy we stumble and fall are destroyed. We all need mercy. We need to offer it and receive it to get back on track. Friends we cannot have the fellowship of being the church without mercy leading to forgiveness because bitterness and resentment always destroy fellowship. Grudges and getting even are a normal part of the world scene, but they have no place in the life of someone who has enjoyed the mercy of God. Jonah should not have been surprised at God’s mercy for Nineveh and we should not be surprised at finding mercy in the Church. After all it is our job to share it everywhere we go.
Pray we see new mercies each day. Pray we extend mercy to others in ways that build community and sustain revival. Pray we find hope in God’s mercy when we return to Him. Pray we be obedient to God’s call sharing the truth with love. Pray we find mercy and grace in our time of need. Pray we discover how to show mercy corporately Through Christ’s Church. Pray we be mediators more so than intermediaries. Pray we listen to the cries of the poor and respond in love. Pray we build a house of harmony. Pray we forge a commitment to a community of peace. Pray we inspire a new generation to serve. Pray we never grow tired of being merciful. Pray we remember the value of people. Pray we rejoice when people are obedient and God is merciful. Pray we are healed by a mercy that brings unity and makes us whole.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 