Opening Prayer:
Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song (Psalms 28:6-7), in Jesus name, Amen.
Today’s Bible Verse: Read Ephesians 2:4-5.
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved (Ephesians 2:4-5).
Associated Scriptures:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:2).
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding (Ephesians 1:7-8).
To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord (1 Timothy 1:2).
Supportive Quotes:
Grace answers to the undeserving; mercy answers to the miserable.[1] – D. A. Carson
God's rod of mercy is ever in his hands outstretched; God's sword of justice is in its scabbard: not rusted in it - it can be easily withdrawn - but held there by that hand that presses it back into its sheath, crying, "Sleep, O sword, sleep; for I will have mercy upon sinners, and will forgive their transgressions.[2] – Charles Spurgeon
When we contemplate the characteristics of this Divine excellency, we cannot do otherwise than bless God for it. His mercy is "great" (1 Kings 3:6), "plenteous" (Ps. 86:5), "tender" (Luke 1:78), "abundant" (1 Pet. 1:3); it is "from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him" (Ps. 103:17).[3] – A. W. Pink
Biblical Analysis:
Introduction
God is full of mercy and grace. Mercy is when we don’t get what we do deserve. Grace is when you do get what you don’t deserve. Mercy expresses God’s compassion. Grace expresses God’s good pleasure. Mercy protects us from complete annihilation. Grace moves God to grant merit where it is unwarranted and to forgive the debt that we cannot repay. In short, mercy protects us while grace provides the pathway to salvation through faith.
Mercy is the possession of a disposition toward kindness and forgiveness. Titus 3:5 (NKJV) tells us that He saved us “according to His mercy.” Mercy is, therefore, the compassion of God, His perfect inclination or frame of mind, that moved Him to provide a Savior for us. However, mercy is not the action that ultimately saves us, but it preserves unbelievers until the gift of God’s grace can perform its miracle.
Mercy was the deep feeling of compassion that God felt toward His creation. However, the love of God is the motivating attribute behind all that He does in saving a soul (John 3:16). Since God is compassionate, His love, mercy, and grace combined to provide the foundation and motivation for an action that would justify our sin. However, God is just (John 5:30, "My judgment is just”), and sin is a complete offense to Him (Romans 1:18, NASB, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness”) and must be punished by death (Romans 6:23, NKJV, “For the wages of sin is death”). Therefore, His love and His mercy could not produce grace until there was provided a sufficient satisfaction for sin.
If God’s mercy was the disposition or inclination that moved God towards salvation, and love is the motivating factor that instigated the plan for salvation, then sacrifice is the action that makes God’s grace possible. Therefore, we are “justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24, NASB). Because sin required a payment, sacrifice was the only alternative to our own death and subsequent eternal separation from God. Salvation is made available by the sacrifice. The sacrifice is the foundation for grace. The resurrection is the evidence of eternal life. Without the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross and his atonement for our sin, there could be no grace. We have obtained “salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10a, NASB).
All praise and glory to our God who is worthy of glory, filled with goodness, and grace. The proof of His glory is all around us. The evidence of God’s goodness is that He loves us despite our sin. Finally, His love and His mercy were put into action on the cross. This provided a payment for that sin and opened the door for eternal life.
Spiritual Application:
Through God’s absolute sovereignty, we were rescued from eternal damnation. It was because of the great love that God has for His children that He made the ultimate sacrifice to provide for our justification through the atoning blood of Jesus (Romans 5:9). The love of God caused Him to have mercy on us even though we had earned eternal punishment (Romans 11:30-32). His mercy opened the door for His grace (Hebrews 4:16). Then, and only then, did grace provide for the gift of faith that saved us (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Lesson Within the Lesson:
How do we define God’s mercy?
How do we define God’s grace?
How is God’s mercy manifested?
How is God’s Grace manifested?
How do God’s love, mercy, and grace work in sequence to prepare our hearts for God’s gift of faith? Read Ephesians 2:4-10.
[1] Don Carson, Sermon on the Mount, © 2018 Christianity Today christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/october/35.96.html.
[2] Charles Spurgeon, Mercy, Omnipotence, and Justice, June 21, 1857, by C. H. SPURGEON, (1834-1892), public domain, biblebb.com/files/spurgeon/0137.htm.
[3] A. W. Pink, The Mercy of God, by Ron Jones, D.D. ©The Titus Institute of California, www.titusinstitute.com.
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