Meals with Jesus the finale!
Mercy in short supply?
| Speaker: | David Taylor |
| Series: | Hall of Mirrors |
| Date: | 12th Jul, 2026 |
| Download: | Mercy in short supply? |
| Plays: | 0 |
| Views: | 7 |
| Sermon notes: | Mercy in short supply?MERCY: IN SHORT SUPPLY? Jools Holland / Louise Marshall – Seven Acts of Mercy 1607 Painting by Caravaggio – depicts the seven acts of mercy. An angel at the centre top with an outstretched open hand depicts the transmitting of Grace. This emphasises that mercy is inspired by divine presence and flows through human action. We struggle on our own; we need God to enable us to show mercy and be forgiving. MATTHEW 18 v 21 – 35 The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. This passage underlines what makes believers very different in the way in which we speak about or expose the sins, flaws and faults of others. Eph_2:10 for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 10000 talents 1 talent = 20 years wages for a labourer. (Lifetime debt) 100 denarii 1 denarii = a day’s wage. 3.5 months wage. Peter’s 7 becomes 77, in Judaism 3 times was sufficient to show a forgiving spirit, but not 4! So Peter with 7 thought he was doing well! True disciples of Jesus are to forgive without keeping count – 77. This may echo and reverse Lamech’s boast of vengeance in GEN 4 v 24 “If Cain’s revenge is 7 fold (God) then Lamech’s is 77 fold (Lamech’s vengeful passion). May I suggest that a person with a critical spirit loves to count, but a person filled with God’s Spirit enables a person to make forgiving a way of life? (30) Forgiveness is the highest form of showing mercy! Mercy, which is by nature undeserved, comes to those who receive it as a gift. It is also potentially transformative in nature. We have received undeserved mercy. The assumption that we will, in the light of that show mercy to the undeserving, is a reasonable one. God expects us to be reformed and reshaped by his wonderful gift. In this story, mercy has no impact; it doesn’t reach the inner man! V35 “from your heart” Mercy describes a divine attribute of God’s nature—He is “rich in mercy” (Ephesians 2:4), and His “mercy is great” (2 Samuel 24:14). Mercy has so many different descriptions, that several Hebrew and Greek words are used to express the dimensions of its meaning, words like compassion, lovingkindness, favour, and steadfast love often appear in Bible translations to illustrate the idea of mercy. A brief biblical definition of mercy is “the gift of God’s undeserved kindness and compassion.” On a human level, mercy is the benevolent or compassionate treatment of someone suffering or in need. Mercy is an attitude that moves us to act on behalf of those in need. On a divine level, mercy is the foundation of forgiveness expressed in God’s pardon of human sin. By His divine quality of mercy, God remains faithful to His covenant promises and His relationship with His people despite their unworthiness and faithlessness (Deuteronomy 30:1–6; Romans 9:15–16, 23; Ephesians 2:4–9)READ. Mercy and grace are evident in the salvation that is available through Jesus Christ. We deserved judgment, but in Christ we receive mercy from God and are delivered from judgment. In Christ we receive eternal salvation, forgiveness of sins, and abundant life (John 10:10)—all gifts of grace. Our response to the mercy and grace of God should be acceptance and to humbly come and worship with thanksgiving. Hebrews 4:16 declares, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Our hearts are changed. Forgive from the heart v 35. We linger at the cross and we live in the light of the cross. We will do to others what has been done to us on the cross.
James 2 v 13 “mercy triumphs over judgement”
In 1940, when Winston Churchill became prime minister, he forgave his bitter opponents for the sake of the greater victory in WW2. “Of this I am quite sure, that if we open a quarrel between the past and the present, we shall find that we have lost the future”
The Cross of Jesus was a horrible miscarriage of justice. Never let it become an unappreciated norm in our lives. We do not earn our forgiveness; Jesus achieved that for us on the cross. But your willingness to forgive is evidence that you have understood and received God’s forgiveness. Forgiven people forgive. Show mercy! Here I am humbled by Your Majesty Now I've found the greatest love of all is mine Majesty, Majesty Here I am humbled by the love that You give |
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Last week we saw Cleopas and Mary go from hopeless not hope on the Emmaus Road. This week, they have dashed back to Jerusalem to the locked room where the disciples are hiding out, chattering fearfully among themselves. Confused, full of disbelief.
The account of what happened next is in Luke 24:36-53, and in John. So let’s read Luke 24…
1 Jesus turns panic into peace
They are in a locked room John 2:19 for fear of the Jews and Jesus suddenly appears.
They were startled frightening, talking amongst themselves about what has been happening.
Suddenly He is with them- having walked through the door. So they are scared. Is it a spirit or a ghost?
“Peace to you!”
Jesus presence brings forgiveness, joy, hope and peace.
People search for peace in so many ways – drugs, alcohol, casual sex, meditation, spiritualism. All of them ultimately disappoint and all are spiritually bankrupt. You end up with less peace and more panic and mess.
Jesus brings true peace.
Initially they are terrified – thinking it’s a ghost.
So in v39 Jesus tells them to look at his hands and feet, touch them. He has a physical body. He eats with them to show He is physical. Luke is knocking on the head the JWs teaching of a spiritual resurrection and the Gnostic that would soon be around in the 2nd century who thought Jesus was not made of flesh.
It’s a resurrection body that is a recreation like our bodies, but heavenly too – so he can walk through doors! Get your head round that!
Jesus’ first words to the troubled disciples are Peace to you. Then he asked “Why are you so troubled?” Literally why are you so stirred up?
Ever been like that? panicked, emotions stirred, stomach churning?
Jesus reassures them
1) Touch me
2) Eat with me
Circumstances are like mattresses. If you are under them , you suffocate. If you can get on top, you can rest. We get a choice – focus on teh circumstances, or focus on Jesus.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face and the things of earth will go strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace.
If you are prone to panic, if when you are asked How are you? Your answer is “alright under the circumstances”
Allow Jesus to bring peace.
We need to hear God – His presence takes away panic
Heacham shepherdess. Sheep panic, heads down, often die. Fox hunt. Not warned. Sheep started to panic – shepherdess whispered in tehir ear and panic gone. Why? Sheep need to hear the voice of the Shephrerd
Phil 4:7 tells us “the peace of God that transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Draw near to God and the devil will flee.
Worship and allow his presence to be manifest.
2) He turns confusion into clarity v44-48
The next thing Jesus does is remind them of all that he had taught them. Luke 9:45 tells us they didn’t understand him before the cross fully.
So Jesus explained His teaching and how the OT all points to Him – the triumphant bits, the suffering servant bits, the bits that show us our need of Grace. It’s all about Jesus.
As he does so, confusion become clarity!
Have you ever been confused?
Someone was wondering around with a t-shirt with a large K on it. He was asked what’s the K for? I’m confused. But confused isn’t spelt with a K. Well that’s how confused I am!
If you are confused about life – Jesus loves to bring clarity.
Very popular Scripture – Jeremiah 29:11-14
People often quote the first verse For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Which is so helpful. But we need to read on!
Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.
The key to know God’s plan, knowing clarity where there was once confusion is 3 fold!
1) Call on God in prayer – calling has a desperation, a tenacity, a telling God what’s what about it
2) Listen – as God listens to you, listen to Him. Allow him to speak through his word, His Spirit and trusted friends
3) Seek God – that takes time and soaking in His presence.
If you are living in confusion – seek God and gain clarity
3) Jesus turns pointlessness into purpose v47-48
The disciples had gone inward focussed, in a locked room, full or fear and doubt.
Jesus turns their pointlessness into a purpose. He explains to them the message they have to proclaim
– The death and resurrection of Jesus
– Repentance and forgiveness
– Going to all the nations with the message
Got a great quotes from William Booth who started the SA (who in the ppt slide has an awesome hipster beard!)
We believe in the old-fashioned salvation. We have not developed and improved into Universalism, Unitarianism, or Nothingarianism, or any other form of infidelity, and we don't expect to. Ours is just the same salvation taught in the Bible, proclaimed by prophets and apostles, preached by Luther and Wesley and Whitfield, sealed by the blood of martyrs – the very same salvation which was purchased by the sufferings and agony and Blood of the Son of God.
Relational Mission, our family of churches has this amazing emphasis of everyone a witness!
We are all turned from purposeless to purpose. We all have the great commission. You may be what I call a connector – someone who is great at making friends and inviting them to stuff. You may be an apologist – someone good at answering questions. You may be a servant – you love to help people. You may be a power person – passionate about going out on the streets, prophecying over people and healing the sick, or you may be a reaper, someone who is good at sharing the gospel and inviting response. Whichever you are, you are part of the team here, hopefully part of a life group on a mission. Don’t write yourself off – we all get to play.
Another William Booth quote You cannot say you are not ordained. You were ordained when you signed Articles of War, under the blessed Flag. If not, I ordain every man, woman and child here present that has received the new life. I ordain you now. I cannot get at you to lay my hands upon you. I ordain you with the breath of my mouth. I tell you what your true business in the world is, and in the name of the living God I authorise you to go and do it. Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature!
All across our nation it seems like the Spirit is reminding the church of the great commission – I’m hearing of fruitfulness all over
Newmarket stories!
J.J. Bouncer story
REading
We have an amazing gospel to draw people in, that will see churches planted in the region and in Northern Europe.
750 million people live in Europe, and it is estimated that less than 4% of Europeans attend church regularly with less than 2% being evangelical Christians. As such Europe can be seen as the least evangelised continent in the world. More than 250,000 villages, towns and cities in Europe do not have a single evangelical church.
We currently serve churches and plants in Germany, Finland and Holland with ministry and will be looking to send short-term teams to serve and church planters out to towns and cities all over Northern Europe to plant vibrant New Testament Churches.
I’d love to see a congregation planted into Fakenham first! But we need power for that as there have been a couple of failures already. Thomas Edison on the thousands of lightbulb proptype failures said this “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
4) He turns powerlessness into powerfulness v49
Look, Jesus says “I am sending the promise of the Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
They felt powerless – they had felt powerless when Jesus told them to feed the five thousand with a few loaves and fishes. The job is impossible – God wants us to take responsibility for the mission and we feel powerless, because it is too big and too impossible. But then he gives us power!
They needed to wait for Jesus to ascend to heaven so that He could send the Spirit instead. And when He comes he comes in power. Power to be witness.
We will pray into that in a moment
5) Jesus turns worry into worship v50-53
They all go out from the fish BBQ with Jesus and He ascends to heaven, where He is ever praying for us. Their response is worship.
They returned to the city with great joy and were continually joining together for worship in the Temple
No more fear, only faith
No more confusion, only clarity
No more pointlessness, only purpose
Before they were hiding and fearful, now openly praising in the Temple
Before there was sorrow and perplexity, now praising and blessing
Before there was doubt, now they are filled with faith and hope
So let’s apply this…
Come to Jesus
Receive a fresh infilling of the power of the Spirit
