Sound The Trumpet : Matthew 5:7 Happy are the Merciful

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“Matthew 5:7 Happy are the Merciful”
by Art Sadlier
July 10th, 2011

Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”

We have here in Matthew 5, eight sources of happiness or blessing. The first four relate to God, the second four relate to man.

Some years ago a small town merchant had identical twin boys born to him. The boys were inseparable, they even dressed alike. When their father died they took over the store and the business grew.

One fateful day one of the boys failed to ring up a sale. He absentmindedly left a dollar bill on the cash register. Later he returned to deposit it only to discover it was gone. He asked his brother if he had seen it and he said he had not. An hour later he asked his brother again, this time with a tone of suspicion. His brother was offended and became angry and defensive.

Evert time they tried to discuss the matter the conflict grew with charges and counter charges. The incredible outcome was the dissolution of their partnership. A partition was placed down the middle of the store, and two competing businesses resulted. This continued for many years, an open and divisive sore in the community.

One day when the brothers were now both old and reaching retirement. A car with out of state license plates pulled up in front of the store. A well dressed man got out and went into one of the stores. He made a shocking revelation! He said he wanted to clear his conscience of guilt.

He told the story of how as a boy he had stolen a dollar bill off the cash register many years ago. The story was told to the twin brothers and the two old men wept as the truth dawned upon them. They had lived their adult lives as strangers to mercy and forgiveness. Mercy was neither in their hearts nor in their lives.

The world to which Jesus came knew nothing of mercy. A roman philosopher said, “Mercy is disease of the soul, a sign of weakness.” When a child was born into the Roman world, the father had the right of “Patria Postestas.” If he wanted the new born to lie he held his thumb up. If he didn’t want the child to live he held his thumb down and the child was immediately drowned.

If a Roman citizen didn’t want certain slave anymore, he could kill him and bury him; that was his legal right. It is estimated that more than 50% of the population of Rome were slaves and treated like inanimate objects. If a man tired of his wife he could kill her in the same way as a slave.

The Jewish system though not as regressive, also knew little mercy and compassion.

First we want to see that the beatitudes are inherited qualities.

This is the fifth beatitude our Lord has given, “Blessed are the merciful.” Each of the beatitudes describes what the Christian is by nature of the new birth. When a child is born into the world it inherits the nature of its parents. In like manner when a man is born of the Spirit he inherits the very nature of God Himself. 2 Peter 1:4, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature....” The beatitudes describe these inherited qualities.

Mercy is a part of the very nature of God and of Christ. We see it on the cross as Christ says, “Father forgive them for they know what they do.” We inherit that spirit of mercy in our new nature at salvation. All of the beatitudes are characteristics which are a part of our new nature.

Second the beatitudes are an inherent quest.

There is a problem, although all of these qualities are ours positionally; we do not always practice them. Our problem is that although we are born again and the possessors of a new nature, our old nature is still present with us. Sanctification is the process of becoming in practice what we are in essence. Experiencing what we are in position.

Paul said, “Work out your own salvation,” or “become what you are.” Paul said, “Walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh,” or practice what you are, not what you were.

With that in mind each of the beatitudes is a quest in the believer’s life or an objective in the believer’s life. Each of the beatitudes then needs to be, nurtured, practised, developed, cultivated, in the believers life. They need to become dominant in our lives.

“Blessed are the merciful,” Tells us of our need or desire to practice mercy toward others. Every believer needs to practice that.

Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones says, “Our Lord places His emphasis on being rather than doing. A Christian is something before he does anything, what he does flows out of what he is.” He says, “We are not meant to control our Christianity, our Christianity is meant to control us.”

Third the beatitude of mercy is not the receiving of God’s mercy.

Jesus is not teaching us that if we show mercy to others they will show mercy to us. We know that was not what happened in the life of Christ. Our Lord’s life was a life of mercy. If mercy was its own reward, there would have no cross in His life. Mercy is not a human virtue that carries with its own reward.

Jesus is not teaching if we show mercy to others God will show mercy to us. We do not earn God’s mercy. Ephesus 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast”

D.L. Moody tells of a man that stood up in a meeting and said, “It has taken me 42 years to learn three things. Moody thought, “I’m interested in what a man has learned in 42 years of his life.”

The man said, “First he learned he could do nothing toward his own salvation.” Second he said. “God doesn’t require him to do anything toward his salvation.” Third he said, “Jesus Christ has done it all.” Salvation is a free gift to all who recognize they don’t deserve it and can do nothing to earn it.”

Fourth the beatitude of mercy is the reflection of God’s mercy.

As believers we the recipients of God’s mercy, grace and forgiveness. If we are true believers that mercy, grace and forgiveness will fill our hearts and thrill our hearts. Our hearts will be overflowing with gratitude to God. We will as a result, extend the same mercy to all we come in contact with. We are so overwhelmed with God’s mercy that the joy bells never stop ringing in our hearts.

We pity those who are blinded by sin the way we once were. We understand the grip of sin in their lives and long to help them escape that bondage. We love lost men and women no matter how deep they have fallen into sin. We love believers who defeated by sin the way we sometimes have been.

Like Al Smith’s song, “I have never lost the wonder of it all.” The wonder of God’s amazing, marvellous, wonderful grace in our lives, both at Calvary and day by day.

When the mercy of God toward you grips your heart, you can look upon the drunk, the druggies, the prostitutes and the ugly and the evil. And you can love them and long to see them saved.

Dr Martin Lloyd Jones says, “It is not that we obtain mercy when we forgive others, but rather we proclaim whether or not we have obtained forgiveness by whether we forgive.”

As we show mercy and compassion on others, God gives us more mercy and compassion toward them.

Happy are the merciful.

Application... Is your life marked by the qualities of these beatitudes? Are you becoming in practice what you are in position? Is there a spirit of unforgiveness in your heart? Is there anyone you have never forgiven?

A little boy was asked what forgiveness is. He gave a beautiful answer. “It’s the odour that flowers breathe when they are trampled upon”.

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13