mercy – Somerset Church of Christ

June 13, 2024

Jesus Came to Call Sinners

Hosea is an interesting prophet. God told him to take a wife who was unfaithful, which he did. God said, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord” (Hosea 1:2 ESV). Throughout the book of Hosea, God shows him what it is like when the Israelites forsake God for other gods. They had turned their back on God even though he loved them as his own bride.

In a strange twist, she leaves Hosea after having children and Hosea is told to take her back and love her. Even though Israel sold herself to the Baals, God reveals His heart for his people: “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6). Jesus quotes this passage when he was criticized for eating with tax collectors and sinners: “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).

The heart of the gospel is repentance, a theme that is dominant throughout the entire Bible. God’s plea to Israel is to return to him: “Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity” (Hosea 14:1). He makes a promise that he will love his people and will heal their iniquity when they repent. We need to be reminded of God’s mercy for his people. It changes the way we treat “sinner and tax collectors,” the people who God calls to righteousness!

December 5, 2023

The Mercy of God

There is a strong theme of mercy woven throughout the birth narrative of Jesus. For example, in Mary’s song of praise known as The Magnificat, Mary said, “And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation” (Luke 1:50 ESV). Likewise, Zechariah prophesied as soon as his voice was returned to him. In that prophecy, he said, “. . . that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant” (vs. 71, 72).

God’s mercy is not only consistent throughout the birth narrative, but it’s present throughout the entire Bible. Jesus himself got annoyed with the Pharisees for accusing Jesus of hanging out with tax collectors and sinners. In response, Jesus quoted Hosea 6:6: “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).

Psalm 103, dubbed by one of my professors at college as “the gospel of the Old Testament,” says, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Psalm 103:8). Over and over again the Bible points to the mercy of God and, very specifically, it points to Jesus as the vessel of God’s mercy. God’s mercy is shown through His son. Paul recounts his conversion to Timothy. In it he says, “But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Tim. 1:13). God is a God of mercy who expects his people to act mercifully.

June 15, 2023

God’s Desire for Mercy

Hosea is a very interesting character. He was a prophet and the book begins by God telling him to take a wife who is in the business of prostitution. Hosea married Gomer and God tells him to name his children. Their names were Jezreel (the Lord sows [catastrophe]), No Mercy, and Not My People. God was demonstrating the unfaithfulness of Israel, how he was going to judge Israel, then love her and redeem her.

The entire book is a reminder of God’s judgement that will come because of Israel’s unfaithfulness to other gods. But it’s also a plea for Israel to repent and come back to God. In another strange command, God tells Hosea to find a wife who is an adulteress and redeem her: “Go again, love a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love cakes of raisins” (Hosea 3:1 ESV).

Hosea did so then loved his wife to show that “the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king, and they shall come in fear to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days” (vs. 5). God is clear too that “I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6). God is a God of mercy, second chances, and sacrifice. He is a jealous God who wants his people to return to him and love him always!

January 24, 2022

Have Mercy On Me!

low angle shot of a beggar holding a cardboard sign with the word help

Luke records a touching story of a blind beggar. Beggars were no more respected than they are today. We even have a derogatory nickname for them: bums. But beggars have one goal in this life–survival. Beggars are under-privileged because of life circumstances. Some have medical or mental conditions that render them unable to get or maintain jobs. Without income, nobody can eat or have a safe place to live.

When Jesus was approaching Jericho, a blind beggar found out that Jesus was passing by. “And he cried out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!'” (Luke 18:38 ESV). And the people who were in front rebuked him and told him to be quiet. “But he cried out all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!'” (vs. 39). Jesus commanded that the man be brough to him and he asked, “What do you want me to do for you?”

The man goes on to ask for his sight to be restored. This was a huge ask, and clearly the man believed Jesus could do it. He could have asked for immediate needs like food, water, and shelter. But instead he asked for his sight to be restored so he could work and be productive. Jesus, of course, restores the man’s sight. He went on to follow Jesus and glorify God. We should have the same attitude of Jesus, offering mercy to the people who are most in need.

December 3, 2020

The Steadfast Love of God

The past several weeks have been very challenging for us with several recent deaths. With every death we are reminded of just how short and precious life is. Each breath we take is truly a gift from God. There is much that we take for granted, there are lots of sins that we commit, and there are decisions we will regret. But God’s love is powerful, and he loves us anyway.

When our beloved friend, deacon, and brother in Christ died this past week, I was honored to be able to read Psalm 86 at the graveside. Bill had a love for both the psalms and music. Before his death he was working on a project to have a composer write sheet music to turn Psalm 86 into an A Cappella arrangement. Psalm 86 was one of Bill’s favorite psalms. It certainly has deeper meaning now, for sure.

Psalm 86 is about pleading for God’s mercy and receiving it because of God’s love: “Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you–you are my God. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day” (Psalm 86:1-3 ESV).

In this prayer of David, he recognizes how small he is in the presence of God, and that he is in desperate need of God’s mercy. It is because of God’s steadfast love that David received mercy, and David is giving thanks to God: “I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol” (vs. 12-13). It’s important not only that we recognize God’s steadfast love, but that we extend it to others as well.