Blessed are the Merciful

The Power of Pity

Matthew 5:7

Greek eleeo - Kindness, Compassion, Pity
- New Testament Examples (Matt. 9:27, 9:10-13, Heb. 2:17-18, Luke 18:13, Luke 10:36-37

Hebrew chesed - Lovingkindness, Compassion, Steadfast Love
- Old Testament Examples (Isa, 63:7, Neh. 9:17)

Paul’s Example (Acts 9:28-30, Acts 14:19, 2 Cor. 11:24, Romans 9:1-2, Romans 10:1)

Simply put: Being merciful means putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, seeing the world through their eyes, imagining what it would be like to be them, and to feel for them.

Practical Reasons for Someone’s Behavior:
- They’re reacting against a bad experience
- They were taught these values growing up
- They have some kind of hardship
- They’ve had no good influences

Spiritual Reasons for Someone’s Behavior
- They are spiritually blind (2 Cor. 4:4)
- They are slaves to sin like everyone else (Rom. 7:14)
- They don’t know the love of God (John 14:15, 1 John 4:19)

Why This is Hard
- Our Society Has Low Relational Intelligence
- We’re afraid that by being merciful we will enable their view or life choices.
- It’s tiring. We’re selfish.

The Gospel Does what Man Cannot Do
Consider Christ’s mercy toward us - feeling for us even in our self-inflicted pain

What does “will receive mercy” means?
- God’s mercy does not depend on human effort. (Romans 9:16)
- If mercy were required on our part to obtain God’s mercy, not one of us would have God’s mercy.
- All of the beatitudes are a way of enjoying what God has already given.

Discussion Questions

1. What does the word “mercy” mean to you? What do you feel would be a good definition of the word “merciful”?
2. Is there any particular person in your life presently that you could show mercy to? Share the circumstance. In what way could mercy be demonstrated?
3. Discuss examples in the Bible pertaining to mercy by reading Matthew 9:27, 9:10-13 & Luke 10:36-37. According to Matthew 5:7, what is the result of being merciful?
4. Can you describe a situation where you recall someone being merciful to you? Was the mercy warranted or deserved? How did you feel afterwards?
5. If compassion and mercy are synonymous, how can we become a more compassionate person? Read Isaiah 63:7 & Nehemiah 9:17.
6. Using the example from question #2, if you were to see the world in another person’s eyes, how would it change your attitude and then behavior towards them? Read Colossians 3:12-13. What are we to do according to God’s word?