The Mercy Journey Mercy in Our Hearts Revisiting the formative experiences and ideas that shape our understanding of mercy Mercy n Compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within ones power to punish or harm ID: 783881
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Slide1
Part 1:
Mercy in Our Hearts
Slide2The Mercy Journey
Mercy in Our Hearts: Revisiting the formative experiences and ideas that shape our understanding of mercy
Slide3Mercy (n): “Compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm”
“The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”
[Psalm 145:8 ESV]
Slide4Why the Mercy Journey?
“The percentage of practicing Christians who say they have offered unconditional forgiveness (76%) exceeds the percentage who say they have received it (55%).”
[
Barna
Group,
The Mercy Journey
]
Slide5Before we can ever extend mercy to others, we must first recognize the depth of our own need for mercy, and the lavish way God extends unmerited mercy to us.
Slide6“Jesus told them this story: A man had two sons.
The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.
A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.”
[Luke 15:11-16]
Slide7“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you,
and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.’ So he returned home to his father.”
[Luke 15:17-20a]
Slide8“And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’
But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.”
[Luke 15:20b-24]
Slide9“Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house,
and he asked one of the servants what was going on.
‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’
The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’”
[Luke 15:25-30]
Slide10“‘His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours.
We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”
[Luke 15:31-32]
Slide11Three Realities About God’s Mercy Seen in the Parable of the Prodigal Son
1.We are
all
lost and in need of mercy
“A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living.”
[Luke 15:13]
Slide12Three Realities About God’s Mercy Seen in the Parable of the Prodigal Son
1.We are
all
lost and in need of mercy
2.
We have
all
sinned and don’t deserve mercy
“His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.”
[Luke 15:21]
Slide13Three Realities About God’s Mercy Seen in the Parable of the Prodigal Son
1.We are
all
lost and in need of mercy
2.
We have
all
sinned and don’t deserve mercy
3.
We have a God who is waiting and willing to give us mercy
“And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.”
[Luke 15:20b]
Slide14“The younger brother knew that in his father’s house there was abundant ‘food to spare,’ but he also discovered that there was grace to spare. There is no evil that the father’s love cannot pardon and cover, there is no sin that is a match for his grace.”
[Timothy Keller,
The Prodigal Son
]
Slide15Three Responses to God’s Mercy
1. Admit that you are lost
“Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you…”
[Luke 15:18]
Slide16Three Responses to God’s Mercy
1. Admit that you are lost
2.
Repent and come home
“So he returned home to his father…”
[Luke 15:20]
“When it comes to accepting forgiveness for oneself, not all Christians find themselves ready or capable of doing so. More than one-fifth of practicing Christians (22%) reports struggling with receiving forgiveness for something they have personally done.”
[
Barna
Group,
The Mercy Journey
]
Slide17Three Responses to God’s Mercy
1. Admit that you are lost
2.
Repent and come home
3. Forgive and be merciful to others
“Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours.
For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!”
[Luke 15:31, 32]
“
Those who experience radical forgiveness have more willingness to forgive others. Among those who say they have received forgiveness, almost nine in 10 (87%) say they have given it in return (compared to 64 percent of those who have not received it).”
[
Barna
Group,
The Mercy Journey
]
Slide18How is God calling you to respond to his mercy?
“
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”
[1 John 1:9]
“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”
[Col. 3:12]