A WINNING WITNESS IN A WARRING WORLD
THE GOOD LIFE – HAPPY ARE THE MERCIFUL
MERCIFUL PEOPLE ARE HAPPY PEOPLE.
PEOPLE WHO LACK MERCY LACK HAPPINESS.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7 (CSB)
1. LOVING GOD BY LOVING PEOPLE YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO LOVE
“Then an expert in the law stood up to test Him, saying, ‘Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘What is written in the law?’ He asked him. ‘How do you read it?’
He answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.
’ ‘You’ve answered correctly,’ He told him. ‘Do this and you will live.’” Luke 10:25-28 (CSB
2. THAT EVERY HUMAN BEING IS YOUR NEIGHBOR
“But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” Luke 10:29 (CSB)
3. THAT YOU CROSS ETHNIC, CULTURAL, AND RELIGIOUS BARRIERS TO HELP HURTING PEOPLE
“Jesus took up the question and said, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers.
They stripped him, beat him up, and fled, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down that road. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
In the same way, a Levite, when he arrived at the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
But a Samaritan on his journey came up to him, and
when he saw the man, he had compassion.’” Luke 10:30-33 (CSB)
“But we do see Jesus—made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace He might taste death for everyone—crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death.” Hebrews 2:9 (CSB)
4. THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO COUNT THE COST OF LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR
“He went over to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him. When I come back I’ll reimburse you for whatever extra you spend.’ ‘Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ ‘The one who showed mercy to him,’ he said. Then Jesus told him, ‘Go and do the same.’” Luke 10:34-37 (CSB)