Part 3 - The Sermon on the Mount Part 3 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Part 3 - The Sermon on the Mount Part 3

Matthew 5:7

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

The Greek word for the English word merciful is. Eleeo. 1653. eleeo, el-eh-eh'-o; from G1656; to compassionate (by word or deed, spec. by divine grace):--have compassion (pity on), have (obtain, receive, shew) mercy (on).
This word eleeo comes from the root 1656. eleos, el'-eh-os; which has the meaning of compassion.
Blessed are the compassionate for they shall receive compassion.
Mercy describes the act: compassion describes the feeling that accompanies the act.
Showing mercy is not just a legalistic or judicial act, it has to be accompanied with a feeling, compassion is generated as a feeling a yearning to ease the suffering and difficulty that a person has got themselves into.
That feeling, that inner yearning, that compassion is the trigger which releases the power or ability of God to help one another.

Matthew 9:36	But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
Matthew 14:14	And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
Mark 1:41	And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and sith unto him, I will; be thou clean.
1 John 3:17	But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

This feeling is required to release the flow of Gods ability in the gifts of the spirit, this inner yearning of compassion for one another releases the flow of God's spirit though us, and it is the lubricant in which the Holy Spirit flows.
Showing Mercy or compassion also has the meaning being without judgment.
Jesus was very emphatic about this, He clearly tells us not to judge one another

Matthew 7:1	Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Matthew 7:2	For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

Don't try to water this down Jesus meant exactly what He said: Don't Do It.
This is a command of Jesus, this command is unconditional. Jesus plainly says, do not judge another.

Romans 14:10	But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
James 4:11	Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
James 4:12	There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

Be merciful, you are not clever enough to judge another.
When we look at a situation we judge by looking at the actions of the person. However, God not only looks at the act He sees the motive.
God understands the reason we do certain things. Because we only see the act, we cannot judge righteously, and we often end up fulfilling the following scripture.
Jesus said because we don't have mercy we condemn the guiltless

Matthew 12:7

But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

The scriptures are clear; If you judge you will be judged.

Luke 6:37	Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Isaiah 55:8	God's thoughts are not like our thoughts, nor His ways like our ways.

When David ate the shew bread which was unlawful, God did not condemn him. I Samuel 21:6
Remember Rahab, she was a prostitute and because she lied and hid the spies, God rewarded her greatly. Joshua Chapter 6.
God forgave David of his adultery but killed the man who tried to steady the ark.
How would you have judged?
Blessed are the merciful, they shall obtain mercy.
Jesus was laying down the ground rules of the Kingdom, and certain things were forbidden. He clearly said Don't Judge another person, you are not clever enough, and God may look at it quite differently.
As I write this I am reminded of a true story from first hand. A missionary working in Africa was able to bring to the Lord a chief of a certain tribe. This Chief has ten wives, which of course presented a difficult situation for the missionary. Finally the missionary came to the following conclusion which was, that the chief should give up nine of his wives and live with the first one he married. The chief agreed to this and the missionary left to visit other villages. Some time later the missionary returned and enquired of the chief if he had complied with what they agreed was right. The chief beaming said yes I have done what God required of me and put aside my nine wives, the missionary replied where are they? The chief replied, oh I ate them.
How would you judge this situation?

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

King David new that God looked at things very differently than man does, when given a choice as to weather he would be handed over to man to or God he quickly chose God.

1 Chronicles 21:13

And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.

Some would say today let me not fall into the hands of Pentecostal Christians.
The church still has the tendency to shoot their wounded.
This cardinal rule of the Kingdom is very rarely adhered to by Christians and Ministers today. Some will disagree by saying we have to set a standard, yes the standard is God's word but we are not talking about standards here we are talking about your reactions to what you see as a breach of the standards.
Jesus said let him who is without sin cast the first stone. Only he who is without sin is allowed to Judge.
There are those in the body of Christ today who have set themselves up as Judge, even setting up websites or newsletters to expose those whom they judge to have failed. Great will be their judgment, their pride and arrogance goes before them.

Colossians 3:12	Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Colossians 3:13	Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Colossians 3:14	And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy
Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap
God Bless you
N Johnson © 2005