Chapter 7. 19
Go and Learn Mercy
Not Sacrifice
Is it a suggestion, recommendation or a command?
How do you love someone who is not loveable?
Seek it, Learn it, Obey it, Teach it, Wait on it.
First Word
When you see God or Jesus giving instructions in scripture, they are not just suggestions or recommendations; they are
COMMANDS. Jesus commanded us to GO and LEARN the meaning of showing mercy instead of offering sacrifices.[1] He could have just told us the meaning, but
instead He wanted us to dig it out for ourselves so we could get it deep within
our spirit.
We are warned to not to go beyond what has been written in scripture with
some special theological precept and statement; IT’S SIMPLE, it’s just about obedience. Jesus is our example; He was never about sacrifices, but about mercy
and compassion toward our fellow men;
but it all began with His Mercy and compassion toward us that provided THE WAY back
to God.[2]
1 Corinthians 4:6 – Do not go beyond what
is written; it’s simple
6 I have applied all these things
to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers that you may LEARN by us
NOT TO GO
BEYOND WHAT IS WRITTEN, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of
one against another.
(ESV)
About Sacrifices
Let’s take a look at sacrifices. The pagan nations were offering human sacrifices to
their god Molech which God said was an
abomination. Human sacrifices were
forbidden,[3]
but yet God told Abraham to offer Isaac his ONLY son with Sarah as a sacrifice
on an altar of fire. Abraham knew God’s
command about sacrifices, yet he obeyed and trusted
that when he sacrificed and killed Isaac, that God would raise his son back to
life, to fulfill the promises, [4]that
through Isaac he would make him a great nation.[5]
And you know the rest of the story; God
was MERCIFUL and was only TESTING Abraham’s faith and obedience. [6]
Did you see it? The Mercy and TESTING was for Abraham’s “testimony” to his family; it was not for God,
He already knew what Abraham would do. This
story is not about the sacrifices
that God desires; it’s about our Obedience
and His Mercy.[7] Makes me want to shout Hallelujah!
About Mercy
Sacrifices is about Worship directed toward
God; Mercy is about compassion directed toward our fellow man. While I see sacrifices throughout scripture,
I do not see where God COMMANDED sacrifices, but He did command us to show mercy and compassion.
If we want to sacrifice, it should be “Sacrifices of Praise”.[8]
God
desires goodness, love, loyalty, mercy, kindness;
that
we grow in KNOWLEDGE of
Him.[9]
About Love
It’s hard to talk about Mercy without talking
about Love, sometimes friends, co-workers and even family members become UNLOVABLE. Well, we might still love them,
but we sure don’t LIKE them very much.
The corporate office transferred a man into
my office that just dogged my management at every turn and he was JUST
NOT LOVABLE. Although he
was a Christian, what he was doing was taking the company into a poor financial
posture. I could see it, but he was just
doing what had always been done before. Before things ever got better between us, I PRAYED about my attitude and hurt; and that was the day I saw him across the
room and in prayer, I said “there goes the man I
love”.
When
I decided to love and accept him was when I was able to change the policies
that was separating us and crippling the company. Instead of attacking him, I attacked the
problem and in the end EVERYBODY won. Love,
do Good and Pray for your enemies, repay evil with good, not more evil. Three things will last forever, Faith, Hope and Love. Without
Love you are spiritually bankrupt.
My granddaughter had moved down what I saw as a dark
path of nightclubs, bar tendering, alcohol and drugs and chose to shake off
anyone who would pull her down from the dreams and desires of her heart. When you HATE the
lifestyle, how do you respond to it in LOVE?
The Prodigal Son’s story of scripture sets the stage; the parents stayed
firm in their beliefs and did not support him, nor did they go get him, but watched
for the son’s return and even prepared a festival in the expectation… In Tough
Love; they Watched, they Waited and they Welcomed
his return.
I had some very close “Believing” friends that decided to
break their marriage vows between their spouse and God;[10]
this was not about a new lover,
but an old war zone. I was crushed, hurt, and angry and just didn’t
even want to speak to them. I certainly
didn’t know their emotions, feelings and length of time that went into this
hard decision, but in my BS, my Belief System, I
embrace what the Bible teaches, that God
wants us to live in PEACE.[11] Handsome or Beautiful does not
compensate for a spouse that is cranky, selfish or unkind. [12]
There are inappropriate things that take PEACE away from the marriage such as moodiness,
insecurity, clinging, pity parties, jealousy, complaining, criticizing, fault
finding, strong willed, ready to fight, yelling, anger, temperamental displays,
verbal put downs, making demands, manipulating situations, playing hard to get,
withholding sex, physical abuse and the list goes on and on. The question that must be asked; IS A SPOUSE LIKE THIS REALLY A
BELIEVER?
To gain Peace,
sometimes there is a parting of the ways; scripture
addresses the one who stays, NOT the one who leaves; it’s about the
believing spouse who continues to
honor the vow to God. In my BS, I believe as a “Free
Willie” that God does not choose who we marry; our actions are based
on what we have put into our heart, this is what guides our decisions. Once we make the
marriage VOW to God,[13]
we will be judged on how we respond and
take care of our spouse and family.
We move from the position of SELF to the new position of THE VOW made to God and our spouse. OUR VOW IS OUR LIFE ASSIGNMENT, it’s what we will do every day. “BUT if the husband or wife who isn’t a believer
insists on leaving, LET THEM GO.
In such cases the Christian husband or wife is no longer bound to the other,
for God has called you to live in PEACE.” [14]
Keep yourselves in the Love of God;[15]
be kind
to one another, tenderhearted,
forgiving
one another, show honor and hospitality to strangers in brotherly love.[16]
About the Kingdom
Seek the Kingdom of God while it can still be found;[17]
God in His mercy left the door of Noah’s Ark open for an extra week for anyone
who might choose life, then HE CLOSED IT. Prepare your mind for action,[18]
fixing your hope on the grace of Jesus Christ. Reverence, Honor and Glorify God.[19]
Learn It
You are what you think: What you think can lead you astray[20]
because your mind is on the things of man.[21] You cannot lean on your own understanding,[22]
you must renew your mind;[23]
transform how you think, grasping the things that are above.[24] Your mind should be on whatever is true,
honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, and if there is anything
of excellence
and if there is anything worthy of praise,[25] think about these
things and LEARN them.
Obey it
Obedience is better than sacrifices and offerings;[26]
when man’s law conflicts with God’s law, we should obey God rather than men.[27]
Don’t refuse
what God is speaking to you,[28]
let your light shine before others,[29]
so that they may see your good works and give glory to God. Let the word of Christ dwell in you
richly,
teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom,
singing
spiritual songs, psalms and hymns and with thankfulness in your hearts.[30]
Teach It
Our
Faith without good works is a DEAD FAITH.[31] We are not to just hear the Word, but to DO the Word,[32]
making the paths straight for those seeking to move closer to God.[33]
Don’t be ashamed of the Gospel,[34]
be ready to share it whether it’s convenient or not.[35]
Walk it and
Talk it, day
and night wherever you go.[36]
Teach it to your Children; when you lie down and
when you rise up,[37]
and teach it to your grandchildren, generation to generation.[38] Write it on the door post of your home.
Let your speech always be gracious,[39] seasoned with the
salt of the Word.
The Take Away
Go and Learn Mercy, not
Sacrifice; Go
and Learn is not a suggestion, it’s a command.
The Word of God; SEEK IT, LEARN IT, OBEY IT, TEACH IT and WAIT ON IT; the promises
of the Lord will surely come.[40]
The
only sacrifices God wants is your sacrifices of Praise.[41]
He wants us to show Love, Compassion and Mercy
towards our fellowman, even reaching out to those that are NOT LOVABLE.
Problems with friends that have separated: PRAY
about their VOW;
seek ways to help in reconciliation; don’t provide more support for their
separation.
Problems within family; PRAY stand firm in your
faith; operate in the 3W’s;
Watch, Wait and Welcome.
Problems in the office; PRAY over the issue; attack
the problem, not the person.
We are to BE DOERS of the WORD and not hearers only,[42]
Faith without works is a dead Faith.[43]
GO
AND LEARN MERCY, then DO
IT.[44]
[1] Matthew 9:13 – Go & Learn the
meaning of MERCY in
scripture -- Jeremiah 35:13 – Go and Learn how to be OBEDIENT
[2] John 14:6 – Jesus gave us THE WAY
[3] Leviticus 18:21 – Don’t sacrifice your children to Molech; it’s an
abomination
[4] Genesis 22:5 – God will resurrect Isaac and we
will return
[5] Galatians 3:16 – The covenant was for Abraham
and his seed. -- Galatians 3:29 – If you
believe in Christ, you are Abraham’s seed.
[6] Genesis 22:1-2 – God Tested Abraham; Sacrifice & OBEDIENCE -- James
1:2-4 – TESTED; Faith produces
endurance & growth
[7] James 2:18 – Your Faith is JUDGED by your GOOD DEEDS
-- James 2:26 – Faith without WORKS is a DEAD
FAITH
[8] Jeremiah 33:11 – MERCY endures forever; give a sacrifice
of PRAISE -- Micah 6:6-8 - Do Justice,
Love Kindness, Walk Humbly
[9] Hosea 6:6 – Learn Knowledge of God; desire GOODNESS (ASV) -- Hosea 6:6 – Learn the Knowledge of God; desire LOVE (ESV) -- Hosea 6:6 – Learn the Knowledge of God; desire LOYALTY (HCSB) --
Matthew 12:7 – Go Learn to desire MERCY,
and not sacrifice
[10] Genesis
[11] Proverbs 21:9 – PEACE; a quarrelsome spouse
divides a home -- Ephesians 4:31 – PEACE; get rid of bitterness,
anger and fussing. -- Psalms 6:6-7 – PEACE - I am worn out crying myself to sleep in
sorrow
[12] Proverbs 14:1 – A foolish
spouse tears down their marriage. -- 1
Corinthians 13:3 – Without Love you are spiritually
bankrupt
[13] Malachi
[14] 1 Corenthians 7:15 – Let the UNBELIEVER depart; God has called us to PEACE
[15] Jude 1:21 - Keep yourselves in the love of God
[16] Ephesians 4:31-32 - Be kind,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another -- 1 Corinthians 13:13 – Faith, Hope and Love will
last forever -- Romans 12:10 – Love one another; show honor -- Hebrews
13:1-2 – Show Hospitality to strangers in brotherly
love -- Matthew 5:44 - Love and pray for your enemies --
Luke 6:35 – Do
good to your enemies -- 1
Peter 3:9-10 - Do not repay evil for evil
[17] Isaiah 55:6 – Seek the Lord while He can still be
found -- Matthew 6:33 - Seek first the kingdom of God
[18] 1 Peter 1:13 - Prepare your minds for action
[19] Proverbs 24:21 – REVERENCE
the Lord -- 1 Peter 2:17 – HONOR God -- Revelation 15:4 –
Fear and GLORIFY God; He alone is
Holy
[20] 2 Corinthians 11:3 – What you think can lead you astray. -- Philippians
3:18-19 – God’s Enemies’ Mind is set on earthly things -- 1
[21] Matthew 16:23 – Don’t put your mind on things of man -- John 2:15-17 – Do not love the desires of
the world
[22] Proverbs 3:5 – Do not lean on your own
understanding
[23] Romans 12:1-2 - Be transformed by
renewing your mind
[24] Colossians 3:2-5 - Set your minds on things that are above -- Joshua 1:8 – Meditate on the Word that
you may be successful -- Matthew 4:3-4 – We are to live by every Word from
God’s mouth -- Colossians 3:23-24 – Do your work as if
you were doing it unto the Lord
[25] Philippians 4:8 - Think on things that are pure, true, just, lovely,
just, commendable, true, honorable, excellence, pure, lovely and worthy of
praise
-- Hebrews 10:32 – Remember your struggle & sufferings & endure
[26] 1 Samuel 15:22 – Obedience is better than
Sacrifice & Offerings
[27] Acts 5:29 - Obey God rather than men
[28] Hebrews 12:25 – Don’t refuse what God is speaking to you
[29] Matthew 5:13-16 – Let your light shine before others
[30] Colossians 3:16 - Let the word of
Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, with thankfulness
[31] James 2:17 - Faith without works is a DEAD FAITH
[32] James 1:22 – Don’t just hear the Word; DO IT
[33] Hebrews 12:13 - Make the paths straight for those that follow you
[34] 2 Timothy 1:8 – Don’t be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
[35] 1 Peter 3:15 – Be ready to share and defend the Gospel of Hope
with gentleness and respect
[36] Deuteronomy 11:18-19 – Walk & Talk the Word wherever
you go -- Deuteronomy 6:6-9 – Day and Night;
Walk and Talk the
Word
[37] 2 Timothy 4:2 – Be ready whether it
convenient or not; convince, rebuke,
exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
[38] Deuteronomy 4:9 – Teach the Word to your Children and Grandchildren, generation to generation -- Proverbs 13:22 – Share
the Word, Generation to Generation
[39] Colossians 4:6 - Let your speech always be gracious
[40] Psalm 27:14 – Wait on the Lord; it will surely come -- Habakkuk 2:3 –
Wait for the promise; it will surely come
[41] Jeremiah 33:11 – Bring SACRIFICES OF
PRAISE unto the Lord
[42] James 1:22 – Don’t just hear the Word; DO THE WORD
[43] James 2:17 - Faith without works is a DEAD FAITH
[44] Matthew 12:7- LEARN God desires mercy, and
not sacrifice
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