February 2025
Persecuted, 23 February 2025
24 02 25 Filed in: Sermons | Blessed: The Beatitudes
Blessed are…Persecuted for Righteousness’ Sake
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
Blessed: The Beatitudes
February 23, 2025
Matthew 5:10-12
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: Persecution is often a part of following Jesus, but He is worth it.
Welcome to Persecution Sunday!
Today we conclude our eight-week series on the Beatitudes, the blessings announced by Jesus at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. As a review, here’s what we’ve covered thus far:
Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Today’s text might seem irrelevant to us today in the United States of America, but millions of our brothers and sisters around the world know persecution…and perhaps someday we will, too.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)
Have you ever been persecuted…because of righteousness? Someone saying, “Happy holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” doesn’t count! I mean have you ever paid a steep price for doing the right thing? It’s been said that no good deed goes unpunished, and yet God will have the final word on Judgment Day.
The Beatitudes are not instructions to follow, but rather announcements of reality. Jesus isn’t saying you have to be persecuted in order to experience the kingdom of heaven. It seems like some people throughout history have acted like fools in order to be persecuted, as if foolishness is noble. If you stand on a street corner and yell at people, people will mock or ignore you, not because of your righteousness, but because of your lack of love.
We are not to seek out persecution, but neither are to be surprised if we genuinely encounter it due to our obedience to Jesus.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)
This verse has served as a comfort to our brothers in sisters for the past two thousand years ago, those tortured and even martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ.
Jesus adds a bit more to his declaration.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)
The words “be glad” literally mean “leap much!” I love that! We are to rejoice and leap much when we are persecuted. Does that make sense? Is it even possible?
In the decade of the 2000s, there were over 1.6 million Christian martyrs. Many predict at least one million will be killed because of their faith in Jesus in this decade. Can we put a human face on those who are suffering? God is present to those who are persecuted. That’s the blessing. Can we be present? To learn more about the Persecuted Church, go to Persecution.com.
We need to pray for our brothers and sisters who are being persecuted.
We need to expect persecution.
Again, I’m not suggesting we should seek persecution, but we need to expect it. Paul told Timothy,
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, (2 Timothy 3:12)
Jesus was certainly persecuted! Following Jesus means following him into death, too, whether it’s literal or figurative. It’s not about us. It’s about Jesus. He said,
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. (John 15:18-20)
This is hardly the American Dream, family! We’ve been blessed with religious freedom in our nation, but that could change someday. So we need to expect persecution. Also,
We need to endure persecution.
Paul wrote,
12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment. (1 Corinthians 4:12-13)
This would not be a good recruiting tool for Christianity on a billboard! But this is what it means to follow Jesus. In addition to expecting and enduring,
We need to embrace persecution.
Peter set a great example for us. It is believed that when he was martyred, he was supposed to be crucified like Jesus, but he didn’t feel worthy, so he requested that he be crucified upside down! He wrote,
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:12-13)
However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. (1 Peter 4:16)
So What?
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)
Holy troublemakers live with prophetic imagination. They refuse to go with the crowd. They take the high road, do the right thing, love well, and honor God in everything they do.
If you were on trial for following Jesus, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
Stu G of The Beatitudes Project asks some great questions:
Who and what am I colluding with? The dominant powers at play in the world—or the one who shared the message of the Beatitudes?
What am I resisting?
Are there situations in everyday life where I’m being forced to go with the flow? What would happen if I said no?
Who am I speaking out for? The homeless in my town? The woman at work on the receiving end of sexual jibes? The effeminate guy at school who’s getting bullied?
If I speak out—if I resist—am I willing to suffer for it? Because it might just happen.
One holy troublemaker, Mother Teresa, had this pinned to her wall in India:
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)
Live a life worthy of persecution. And remember, no matter what the cost, Jesus is worth it. You are blessed. God is on your side.
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
Blessed: The Beatitudes
February 23, 2025
Matthew 5:10-12
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: Persecution is often a part of following Jesus, but He is worth it.
Welcome to Persecution Sunday!
Today we conclude our eight-week series on the Beatitudes, the blessings announced by Jesus at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. As a review, here’s what we’ve covered thus far:
Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Today’s text might seem irrelevant to us today in the United States of America, but millions of our brothers and sisters around the world know persecution…and perhaps someday we will, too.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)
Have you ever been persecuted…because of righteousness? Someone saying, “Happy holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” doesn’t count! I mean have you ever paid a steep price for doing the right thing? It’s been said that no good deed goes unpunished, and yet God will have the final word on Judgment Day.
The Beatitudes are not instructions to follow, but rather announcements of reality. Jesus isn’t saying you have to be persecuted in order to experience the kingdom of heaven. It seems like some people throughout history have acted like fools in order to be persecuted, as if foolishness is noble. If you stand on a street corner and yell at people, people will mock or ignore you, not because of your righteousness, but because of your lack of love.
We are not to seek out persecution, but neither are to be surprised if we genuinely encounter it due to our obedience to Jesus.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)
This verse has served as a comfort to our brothers in sisters for the past two thousand years ago, those tortured and even martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ.
Jesus adds a bit more to his declaration.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)
The words “be glad” literally mean “leap much!” I love that! We are to rejoice and leap much when we are persecuted. Does that make sense? Is it even possible?
In the decade of the 2000s, there were over 1.6 million Christian martyrs. Many predict at least one million will be killed because of their faith in Jesus in this decade. Can we put a human face on those who are suffering? God is present to those who are persecuted. That’s the blessing. Can we be present? To learn more about the Persecuted Church, go to Persecution.com.
We need to pray for our brothers and sisters who are being persecuted.
We need to expect persecution.
Again, I’m not suggesting we should seek persecution, but we need to expect it. Paul told Timothy,
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, (2 Timothy 3:12)
Jesus was certainly persecuted! Following Jesus means following him into death, too, whether it’s literal or figurative. It’s not about us. It’s about Jesus. He said,
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. (John 15:18-20)
This is hardly the American Dream, family! We’ve been blessed with religious freedom in our nation, but that could change someday. So we need to expect persecution. Also,
We need to endure persecution.
Paul wrote,
12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment. (1 Corinthians 4:12-13)
This would not be a good recruiting tool for Christianity on a billboard! But this is what it means to follow Jesus. In addition to expecting and enduring,
We need to embrace persecution.
Peter set a great example for us. It is believed that when he was martyred, he was supposed to be crucified like Jesus, but he didn’t feel worthy, so he requested that he be crucified upside down! He wrote,
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:12-13)
However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. (1 Peter 4:16)
So What?
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)
Holy troublemakers live with prophetic imagination. They refuse to go with the crowd. They take the high road, do the right thing, love well, and honor God in everything they do.
If you were on trial for following Jesus, would there be enough evidence to convict you?
Stu G of The Beatitudes Project asks some great questions:
Who and what am I colluding with? The dominant powers at play in the world—or the one who shared the message of the Beatitudes?
What am I resisting?
Are there situations in everyday life where I’m being forced to go with the flow? What would happen if I said no?
Who am I speaking out for? The homeless in my town? The woman at work on the receiving end of sexual jibes? The effeminate guy at school who’s getting bullied?
If I speak out—if I resist—am I willing to suffer for it? Because it might just happen.
One holy troublemaker, Mother Teresa, had this pinned to her wall in India:
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)
Live a life worthy of persecution. And remember, no matter what the cost, Jesus is worth it. You are blessed. God is on your side.
Peacemakers, 16 February 2025
17 02 25 Filed in: Sermons | Blessed: The Beatitudes
Blessed are the Peacemakers
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
Blessed: The Beatitudes
February 16, 2025
Matthew 5:9
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: God is on your side when you are complete in Him and help others experience shalom.
Shalom! Shalom!
Shalom is not just a greeting; it is one of my favorite words. Many translate it simply as "peace," often associating it with images of the 1960s and 70s—Richard Nixon’s victory fingers or tie-dyed hippie culture. But shalom is much more than the absence of conflict. It signifies wholeness, completeness, mutual flourishing—everything in its right place.
The Beatitudes and the Greatest Blessing
We have been exploring the Beatitudes this year—eight invitations and declarations of blessing spoken by Jesus. These are not instructions to follow but rather proclamations of present and future realities. The greatest blessing is the presence and favor of God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9)
Blessed are the wholeness-makers. Blessed are the shalom-creators.
What Comes to Mind When You Think of Peace?
Perhaps I have already influenced your answer by referencing the 60s and 70s! Many people equate peace with the absence of war or imagine a quiet, serene place near water. The dove is a widely recognized symbol of peace.
We have been fortunate to live in a country that has largely experienced peace in the past century, with Pearl Harbor and 9/11 being the most notable attacks on our soil since the 19th century. For many, war is a foreign concept (and to those who have served in the military, we thank you).
But peace is not merely the absence of war or conflict. True shalom means wholeness, completeness, and mutual flourishing.
Inner Peace
We often sing, It Is Well. Is it well with your soul today? Do you feel whole and at peace? Before we talk about making peace, we must start with ourselves. If you do not have peace, you cannot make peace. You cannot give what you do not possess.
Our purpose at College First is centered on Jesus. We worship a Person, not a book. We embrace a relationship, not a religion. As we saw last week, faith begins in the heart—not with a list of rules to follow. We should be known for our love, not our politics.
Christian maturity is beautifully described in Galatians 5:
...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23a, NLT)
How do we experience love? It begins with God. God is love. We cannot manufacture love, but we can receive and share it.
How do we experience inner peace? Isaiah wrote:
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal. (Isaiah 26:3-4)
Trusting God is the key to true, personal peace. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Paul writes:
He himself is our peace. (Ephesians 2:14)
Through Christ, peace has been made between a holy God and sinners like us:
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things... by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)
Making Peace
Once we have peace within, we can look at our relationships. Often, our inner turmoil stems from unresolved conflicts. Who do you need to forgive? Who needs to forgive you?
We cannot guarantee peace, but we can work toward it. Relationships require effort from both parties:
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18)
I have spent years working to reconcile broken relationships. It is difficult and requires prayer, patience, and surrender. We can’t force reconciliation, but we can do our part—refusing to hold grudges, rejecting bitterness, and extending grace.
Peacemaking is costly but ultimately worth it. Like any form of creation, it involves risk and sacrifice. Relationships are among the most complex and rewarding things we can build. The greatest gift we can offer is ourselves.
I was introduced to The Telos Group through The Beatitudes Project. Their mission is to form communities of American peacemakers across lines of difference and help reconcile deep conflicts. They are pro-peace, pro-Israeli, and pro-Palestinian.
So What?
Your next step may not be traveling to the Middle East to make peace between Israelis and Palestinians, but that does not let you off the hook.
Begin with yourself.
Beyond yourself, where do you find conflict? At work? In your home? On social media? How can you promote listening, respect, and love—especially in a world so divided by politics and cancel culture?
As the old song says, Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.
C.S. Lewis wrote,
The fingerprint of God is in the present. In this moment, we can know God and be transformed by the Peacemaking God—the God of Peace.
Shalom—wholeness and healing—takes time. It is a journey of a million miles that begins with one step. What is your next step?
Let us begin with prayer—not only asking God for peace but also for guidance in how we can participate in His work of peace.
Children of God
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9)
There is no greater identity than being a child of God. This is the reward and promise of peacemaking.
Your identity is not in your job, ethnicity, political affiliation, or any other label. You are a child of the Most High God, created in His image. That identity is affirmed when we engage in peacemaking, becoming like the Prince of Peace Himself.
You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are and your place in God’s family. (Matthew 5:9, The Message)
God is on your side when you are complete in Him and help others experience shalom.
Prayer
LORD, bring more wholeness and healing into my heart that I may live in greater harmony with others. Help me be self-giving and others-centered, just as Jesus, the Prince of Peace, was. LORD, may our hearts be filled with shalom, that we may bring Your wholeness to the world. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Credits: Some ideas from The Beatitudes Project podcast.
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
Blessed: The Beatitudes
February 16, 2025
Matthew 5:9
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: God is on your side when you are complete in Him and help others experience shalom.
Shalom! Shalom!
Shalom is not just a greeting; it is one of my favorite words. Many translate it simply as "peace," often associating it with images of the 1960s and 70s—Richard Nixon’s victory fingers or tie-dyed hippie culture. But shalom is much more than the absence of conflict. It signifies wholeness, completeness, mutual flourishing—everything in its right place.
The Beatitudes and the Greatest Blessing
We have been exploring the Beatitudes this year—eight invitations and declarations of blessing spoken by Jesus. These are not instructions to follow but rather proclamations of present and future realities. The greatest blessing is the presence and favor of God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9)
Blessed are the wholeness-makers. Blessed are the shalom-creators.
What Comes to Mind When You Think of Peace?
Perhaps I have already influenced your answer by referencing the 60s and 70s! Many people equate peace with the absence of war or imagine a quiet, serene place near water. The dove is a widely recognized symbol of peace.
We have been fortunate to live in a country that has largely experienced peace in the past century, with Pearl Harbor and 9/11 being the most notable attacks on our soil since the 19th century. For many, war is a foreign concept (and to those who have served in the military, we thank you).
But peace is not merely the absence of war or conflict. True shalom means wholeness, completeness, and mutual flourishing.
Inner Peace
We often sing, It Is Well. Is it well with your soul today? Do you feel whole and at peace? Before we talk about making peace, we must start with ourselves. If you do not have peace, you cannot make peace. You cannot give what you do not possess.
Our purpose at College First is centered on Jesus. We worship a Person, not a book. We embrace a relationship, not a religion. As we saw last week, faith begins in the heart—not with a list of rules to follow. We should be known for our love, not our politics.
Christian maturity is beautifully described in Galatians 5:
...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23a, NLT)
How do we experience love? It begins with God. God is love. We cannot manufacture love, but we can receive and share it.
How do we experience inner peace? Isaiah wrote:
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal. (Isaiah 26:3-4)
Trusting God is the key to true, personal peace. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Paul writes:
He himself is our peace. (Ephesians 2:14)
Through Christ, peace has been made between a holy God and sinners like us:
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things... by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:19-20)
Making Peace
Once we have peace within, we can look at our relationships. Often, our inner turmoil stems from unresolved conflicts. Who do you need to forgive? Who needs to forgive you?
We cannot guarantee peace, but we can work toward it. Relationships require effort from both parties:
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18)
I have spent years working to reconcile broken relationships. It is difficult and requires prayer, patience, and surrender. We can’t force reconciliation, but we can do our part—refusing to hold grudges, rejecting bitterness, and extending grace.
Peacemaking is costly but ultimately worth it. Like any form of creation, it involves risk and sacrifice. Relationships are among the most complex and rewarding things we can build. The greatest gift we can offer is ourselves.
I was introduced to The Telos Group through The Beatitudes Project. Their mission is to form communities of American peacemakers across lines of difference and help reconcile deep conflicts. They are pro-peace, pro-Israeli, and pro-Palestinian.
So What?
Your next step may not be traveling to the Middle East to make peace between Israelis and Palestinians, but that does not let you off the hook.
Begin with yourself.
- Where is it not well with your soul?
- Where are you experiencing conflict, tension, or anxiety?
- Who do you need to forgive? What broken relationship needs mending?
Beyond yourself, where do you find conflict? At work? In your home? On social media? How can you promote listening, respect, and love—especially in a world so divided by politics and cancel culture?
As the old song says, Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.
C.S. Lewis wrote,
The fingerprint of God is in the present. In this moment, we can know God and be transformed by the Peacemaking God—the God of Peace.
Shalom—wholeness and healing—takes time. It is a journey of a million miles that begins with one step. What is your next step?
Let us begin with prayer—not only asking God for peace but also for guidance in how we can participate in His work of peace.
Children of God
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9)
There is no greater identity than being a child of God. This is the reward and promise of peacemaking.
Your identity is not in your job, ethnicity, political affiliation, or any other label. You are a child of the Most High God, created in His image. That identity is affirmed when we engage in peacemaking, becoming like the Prince of Peace Himself.
You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are and your place in God’s family. (Matthew 5:9, The Message)
God is on your side when you are complete in Him and help others experience shalom.
Prayer
LORD, bring more wholeness and healing into my heart that I may live in greater harmony with others. Help me be self-giving and others-centered, just as Jesus, the Prince of Peace, was. LORD, may our hearts be filled with shalom, that we may bring Your wholeness to the world. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Credits: Some ideas from The Beatitudes Project podcast.
Pure, 9 February 2025
09 02 25 Filed in: Sermons | Blessed: The Beatitudes
Blessed are the Pure in Heart
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
Blessed: The Beatitudes
February 9, 2025
Matthew 5:8
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: God is on your side when you’re pure in heart, when you stop playing games and come clean with the real you.
When I was a little boy, one of my favorite things to do at my Grandma Schneemann’s house was take a bath. I know, some kids like to get dirty. It’s not that I didn’t like to get dirty, but grandma always played this little game where she’d put a wet washrag on my back and I had to reach back and try to get it off.
I can vaguely remember the sights and sounds of those interactions, but I’ve been told the most triggering sense is smell. To this day, whenever I smell Ivory soap, I’m transported back twenty—thirty—ok, more than fifty years ago to time with my grandma.
It seems like everyone in my generation had a grandma that used Ivory soap. Oddly enough, I never remember it in my house growing up, but it was grandma’s soap. Developed in 1879 by Harley Proctor (who started a little business with his friend Mr. Gamble!) it still floats and boasts that it is 99.44% pure.
What does it mean to be pure? As we continue our series on the Beatitudes or blessings announced by Jesus in Matthew chapter five, we read these words,
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
I love God! I really love God. There’s one significant challenge to a relationship with God: we cannot experience Him with our senses.
You can’t smell God, though I love to smell the beautiful flowers He has created.
You can’t touch God, though you can touch a human created in His image.
You can’t taste God, even though the scriptures metaphorically say, “Taste and see that the LORD is good.” (Psalm 34:8)
You can’t hear God, though He speaks through the Bible and, occasionally, in other ways.
You can’t see God, though according to this verse those who are pure in heart will see God.
Would you like to see God? People saw God the Son, Jesus Christ, for thirty-three years. The glory of the Father, however, is more than our eyes could behold.
There’s a great story in the Old Testament book of Exodus where God is pleased with Moses.
Exodus 33:18 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”
Exodus 33:19 And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”
Exodus 33:21 Then the LORD said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”
We cannot see God’s face in these bodies, with these eyes. I’ve often thought it would be like staring at the sun. You can physically do it, but it will have terrible consequences.
Someday, we will have new, resurrected bodies that will be able to experience God in new ways. That’s part of our hope for the next life, a deeper, more sensory encounter with our Creator.
Job, in the midst of his terrible suffering in what many consider to be the oldest book in the Bible, said,
Job 19:25 I know that my redeemer lives,
and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God;
27 I myself will see him
with my own eyes—I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!
He wants to see God. He yearns for deeper intimacy with the Almighty. Do you? If you do, pay attention to this announcement from Jesus, this declaration of reality:
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
Let’s go back to pure. One dictionary defines purity as, “not mixed or adulterated with any other substance or material.” The Greek word used here, katharos, means clean or clear or pure.
Not long ago we started hearing about “clean eating.” The idea behind it is avoiding artificial ingredients and processed foods, instead eating real foods, things you can pronounce! If you’ve ever looked at the ingredients in convenience store snacks, it sounds more like a science experiment than body fuel! I must confess after exposure to clean eating, I occasionally want to nibble on some “dirty” food!
I think that leads to Jesus’ point here. It’s not always easy or natural to be clean and pure. Temptation comes our way each day, seemingly each moment. We are not perfect. We’ve all sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23), His standard of perfection found only in Jesus. As we’ve noted previously, this left us hopeless until Jesus came, lived a perfect life, died for us offering forgiveness, and rose from the dead, conquering sin and death.
We cannot be pure on our own efforts. I’m not perfect. I’m not pure. But because of Jesus, we can be clean. Natalie Grant sings in her recent song, “Clean,”
There's nothing too dirty That You can't make worthy You wash me in mercy I am clean Washed in the blood of Your sacrifice Your blood flowed red and made me white My dirty rags are purified I am clean
Being clean is good. The people around us generally prefer us to be clean! We know the importance of clean hands, especially during flu season. We wash our cars, brush our teeth, and even bathe our pets because we want them clean.
But sometimes things—or people—appear to be clean, but they’re not pure. They’re not the same inside as outside. They have a divided heart. A divided heart can never be pure.
Jesus was a friend of sinners, yet he was an enemy to many of the religious. This is a very sobering reality for me as a pastor! Once when Jesus was talking to a group of pious Pharisees, he said,
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. (Matthew 23:25-26)
Have you ever opened a cupboard and grabbed a mug or bowl…only to find leftover food inside? It might look great on the outside, but you put it in the sink and find a clean vessel.
Religion is concerned about externals, making a good impression, putting on a show, looking the part. Jesus constantly spoke of the heart. It was the center of his teaching. He never said, “Blessed are the intellectuals.” He didn’t say, “Blessed are the achievers.” His declaration was not, “Blessed are the impressive or those who look good on the surface.” He said, “Blessed are the pure in heart.”
Dr. Michael Wilkin notes,
“Purity or cleanliness was an important religious theme in Jesus’ day. Observing all the Old Testament laws of being clean could bypass the most important purity of all, purity of the heart. Jesus declares here that a pure heart is what produces external purity, not vice versa.”
The Message translates our verse,
“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. (Matthew 5:8, The Message)
The pure in heart have an undivided heart. They are the same on the inside and outside. They don’t pretend on Sunday morning and live a lie the rest of the week. They are real, through and through.
So What?
Like Ivory soap, none of us is 100% pure. Someone once said pure motives is an oxymoron, a contradiction of terms. I want to be standing here today to be 100% for the glory of God, but if I’m honest, there’s at least 1% of my motivation at this moment is because I want you to like me, to feed my ego, to say kind things about me and my preaching. But I want to be pure in heart. I want to know and see God. C.S. Lewis said,
"It's safe to tell the pure in heart that they shall see God, for only the pure in heart want to" - C.S. Lewis
God is on your side when you’re pure in heart, when you stop playing games and come clean with the real you.
Jesus announces that God is on your side when you’re pure in heart, when you stop playing games and come clean with the real you. We need to return to childlike wonder, admit the reality of our brokenness, and reach out to Jesus for healing, for wholeness, for shalom, for forgiveness, for cleansing. The psalmist wrote,
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
Blessed: The Beatitudes
February 9, 2025
Matthew 5:8
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: God is on your side when you’re pure in heart, when you stop playing games and come clean with the real you.
When I was a little boy, one of my favorite things to do at my Grandma Schneemann’s house was take a bath. I know, some kids like to get dirty. It’s not that I didn’t like to get dirty, but grandma always played this little game where she’d put a wet washrag on my back and I had to reach back and try to get it off.
I can vaguely remember the sights and sounds of those interactions, but I’ve been told the most triggering sense is smell. To this day, whenever I smell Ivory soap, I’m transported back twenty—thirty—ok, more than fifty years ago to time with my grandma.
It seems like everyone in my generation had a grandma that used Ivory soap. Oddly enough, I never remember it in my house growing up, but it was grandma’s soap. Developed in 1879 by Harley Proctor (who started a little business with his friend Mr. Gamble!) it still floats and boasts that it is 99.44% pure.
What does it mean to be pure? As we continue our series on the Beatitudes or blessings announced by Jesus in Matthew chapter five, we read these words,
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
I love God! I really love God. There’s one significant challenge to a relationship with God: we cannot experience Him with our senses.
You can’t smell God, though I love to smell the beautiful flowers He has created.
You can’t touch God, though you can touch a human created in His image.
You can’t taste God, even though the scriptures metaphorically say, “Taste and see that the LORD is good.” (Psalm 34:8)
You can’t hear God, though He speaks through the Bible and, occasionally, in other ways.
You can’t see God, though according to this verse those who are pure in heart will see God.
Would you like to see God? People saw God the Son, Jesus Christ, for thirty-three years. The glory of the Father, however, is more than our eyes could behold.
There’s a great story in the Old Testament book of Exodus where God is pleased with Moses.
Exodus 33:18 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”
Exodus 33:19 And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”
Exodus 33:21 Then the LORD said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”
We cannot see God’s face in these bodies, with these eyes. I’ve often thought it would be like staring at the sun. You can physically do it, but it will have terrible consequences.
Someday, we will have new, resurrected bodies that will be able to experience God in new ways. That’s part of our hope for the next life, a deeper, more sensory encounter with our Creator.
Job, in the midst of his terrible suffering in what many consider to be the oldest book in the Bible, said,
Job 19:25 I know that my redeemer lives,
and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God;
27 I myself will see him
with my own eyes—I, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!
He wants to see God. He yearns for deeper intimacy with the Almighty. Do you? If you do, pay attention to this announcement from Jesus, this declaration of reality:
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
Let’s go back to pure. One dictionary defines purity as, “not mixed or adulterated with any other substance or material.” The Greek word used here, katharos, means clean or clear or pure.
Not long ago we started hearing about “clean eating.” The idea behind it is avoiding artificial ingredients and processed foods, instead eating real foods, things you can pronounce! If you’ve ever looked at the ingredients in convenience store snacks, it sounds more like a science experiment than body fuel! I must confess after exposure to clean eating, I occasionally want to nibble on some “dirty” food!
I think that leads to Jesus’ point here. It’s not always easy or natural to be clean and pure. Temptation comes our way each day, seemingly each moment. We are not perfect. We’ve all sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23), His standard of perfection found only in Jesus. As we’ve noted previously, this left us hopeless until Jesus came, lived a perfect life, died for us offering forgiveness, and rose from the dead, conquering sin and death.
We cannot be pure on our own efforts. I’m not perfect. I’m not pure. But because of Jesus, we can be clean. Natalie Grant sings in her recent song, “Clean,”
There's nothing too dirty That You can't make worthy You wash me in mercy I am clean Washed in the blood of Your sacrifice Your blood flowed red and made me white My dirty rags are purified I am clean
Being clean is good. The people around us generally prefer us to be clean! We know the importance of clean hands, especially during flu season. We wash our cars, brush our teeth, and even bathe our pets because we want them clean.
But sometimes things—or people—appear to be clean, but they’re not pure. They’re not the same inside as outside. They have a divided heart. A divided heart can never be pure.
Jesus was a friend of sinners, yet he was an enemy to many of the religious. This is a very sobering reality for me as a pastor! Once when Jesus was talking to a group of pious Pharisees, he said,
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. (Matthew 23:25-26)
Have you ever opened a cupboard and grabbed a mug or bowl…only to find leftover food inside? It might look great on the outside, but you put it in the sink and find a clean vessel.
Religion is concerned about externals, making a good impression, putting on a show, looking the part. Jesus constantly spoke of the heart. It was the center of his teaching. He never said, “Blessed are the intellectuals.” He didn’t say, “Blessed are the achievers.” His declaration was not, “Blessed are the impressive or those who look good on the surface.” He said, “Blessed are the pure in heart.”
Dr. Michael Wilkin notes,
“Purity or cleanliness was an important religious theme in Jesus’ day. Observing all the Old Testament laws of being clean could bypass the most important purity of all, purity of the heart. Jesus declares here that a pure heart is what produces external purity, not vice versa.”
The Message translates our verse,
“You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. (Matthew 5:8, The Message)
The pure in heart have an undivided heart. They are the same on the inside and outside. They don’t pretend on Sunday morning and live a lie the rest of the week. They are real, through and through.
So What?
Like Ivory soap, none of us is 100% pure. Someone once said pure motives is an oxymoron, a contradiction of terms. I want to be standing here today to be 100% for the glory of God, but if I’m honest, there’s at least 1% of my motivation at this moment is because I want you to like me, to feed my ego, to say kind things about me and my preaching. But I want to be pure in heart. I want to know and see God. C.S. Lewis said,
"It's safe to tell the pure in heart that they shall see God, for only the pure in heart want to" - C.S. Lewis
God is on your side when you’re pure in heart, when you stop playing games and come clean with the real you.
Jesus announces that God is on your side when you’re pure in heart, when you stop playing games and come clean with the real you. We need to return to childlike wonder, admit the reality of our brokenness, and reach out to Jesus for healing, for wholeness, for shalom, for forgiveness, for cleansing. The psalmist wrote,
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
Mercy, 2 February 2025
02 02 25 Filed in: Sermons | Blessed: The Beatitudes
Blessed are the Merciful
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
Blessed: The Beatitudes
February 2, 2025
Matthew 5:7
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: Mercy is an undeserved gift to experience and share.
Thirteen days ago, the word "mercy" made headlines after it was used in a sermon in Washington, D.C. It is our subject today. While I have no political motivations, I want to warn you that mercy is not an easy topic—unless you are in a posture of surrender.
I invite you to open your hands and say this simple prayer:
"Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening."
We have finished half of the Beatitudes—the blessings Jesus proclaimed in the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5. These are not merely instructions on how to live but declarations of the reality of God’s kingdom, both now and in the future. They are radical, counter-cultural, and intentionally upside down! The way of God is often the opposite of the American Dream, which some may find offensive. Jesus said,
"Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear."
So far, we have studied these Beatitudes:
Today’s Beatitude may be the simplest and most logical:
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." (Matthew 5:7)
This principle echoes the idea that we reap what we sow. Paul wrote several decades after Jesus:
"A man reaps what he sows." (Galatians 6:7b)
The concept is older than Christianity, originating in agricultural practices. But let’s take a closer look at the word "mercy."
It’s not commonly used in everyday vocabulary, and it is often misunderstood. We say, "LORD, have mercy" or hear the phrase "grace and mercy" without deeply considering its meaning.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, mercy is "compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm." Synonyms include leniency, clemency, compassion, grace, pity, and charity. In essence, mercy is when you don’t receive the punishment you deserve.
The Greek word for merciful, eleemon, means "actively compassionate." The Hebrew word for mercy, rachamim, contains within it the root word for "womb," symbolizing birthing, nurturing, and deep, unconditional love. One rabbi even relates mercy to God’s "womb-love" for His people.
We all deserve eternal punishment for our sin, pride, selfishness, and rebellion. Yet, God offers mercy through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
This is why people say, "I’m better than I deserve." We deserve to pay for our sins, but Jesus took our place.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." (Matthew 5:7)
Jesus illustrated mercy in a powerful parable:
Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
Jesus replied, “No, not seven times, but seventy times seven!” (Matthew 18:21-22, NLT)
Forgiveness is never justified, earned, or deserved. By definition, forgiveness is an act of mercy.
Jesus continued with a parable about a king settling his accounts. A servant who owed millions pleaded for mercy and was forgiven. However, this same servant later refused to forgive another man who owed him a few thousand dollars. The king, enraged by his lack of mercy, threw him into prison until his entire debt was paid.
Jesus concluded:
"That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart." (Matthew 18:35)
Meditate on that for a. moment. Those are Jesus’ words. We are to show mercy. We are to forgive others.
The funny thing about human nature is we want mercy for ourselves, but justice for others. How many times have you said or thought, “That’s not fair!”? Often, it’s because someone who deserved to be punished wasn’t. But experiencing mercy feels so good.
Perhaps my favorite personal story about mercy—besides Jesus’ death and resurrection for my sins—occurred many years ago on my way to our church gathering. I was pulling out of my driveway and hit satan! Actually, I hit satan’s car! It was Halloween and someone dressed as satan was driving down my street, I didn’t see them and hit their car! Nobody was hurt and the damage wasn’t terrible, but it was real.
I knew I deserved a ticket. I knew I deserved points on my record. I knew I deserved to file a claim with my insurance company…and theirs. My car had no notable damage, but justice meant I would get their car repaired.
My friend worked for an insurance company and we discovered it was the same company that insured the other driver (satan!). To make a long story short, he was able to talk to their agent, arranged for the repairs, and I was let off the hook…no ticket, points, rate increase…it was like the accident never happened. That’s mercy!
Mercy is not fair. It is a gift. And gifts are never deserved.
But here’s the key: You can’t give what you don’t possess.
If you ask me for ten dollars and I don’t have it, I can’t give it. If you need a ride and my car won’t start, I can’t help you. But if you ask to see pictures of my grandkids, I can absolutely show you!
We can only give mercy if we have received mercy.
So What?
The message is clear: Show mercy! But we must first recognize that God made the first move. When Jesus died on the cross, he showed us mercy, declaring us forgiven and clean.
Some of you have carried guilt and shame for years. Going to church helped a little, but the burden remains. Jesus died for that! He makes us clean!
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
That is mercy! And it is available to all of us. If you are not following Jesus, surrender today. Say "yes" to Jesus! Get clean! Mercy is a free gift waiting for you to receive.
Then, express thanks to God for His mercy. This may seem obvious, but it’s easy to forget, to get busy, to move on with life. We need to regularly pause and give thanks, not only on communion Sunday, but ideally as part of our daily rhythms. Because of the cross and the empty tomb, we’ve been given so much. It’s worth celebrating. It’s one of the reasons we worship.
Then we can extend mercy to others. We’ve been blessed to be a blessing. We’ve been loved so we can love. We’ve been shown mercy so we can show it to others.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." (Matthew 5:7)
If you call yourself a Christian, keep your "mercy tank" full so it can overflow to others. Keep your "love tank" full so it can spill onto others. If you’re not basking in God’s mercy and love—if you’re too busy to be with the LORD, meditate on His promises, and remember His goodness—you won’t have anything to give.
We all need God’s mercy. We all need mercy from others. And mercy is never deserved.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." (Matthew 5:7)
We’ve all been shown mercy by the LORD, most significantly through the cross. Jesus took the punishment we deserve…death. He has shown us mercy, offered us the free gift of forgiveness, invites us into an eternal relationship with our Creator, and provides us with hope, peace, meaning, and joy.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." (Matthew 5:7)
As we have received mercy, let us be quick to forgive and show mercy to others…for His glory and our benefit.
Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. (Jude 2)
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
Blessed: The Beatitudes
February 2, 2025
Matthew 5:7
Series Big Idea: The greatest sermon in history is radical, revolutionary, and relevant.
Big Idea: Mercy is an undeserved gift to experience and share.
Thirteen days ago, the word "mercy" made headlines after it was used in a sermon in Washington, D.C. It is our subject today. While I have no political motivations, I want to warn you that mercy is not an easy topic—unless you are in a posture of surrender.
I invite you to open your hands and say this simple prayer:
"Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening."
We have finished half of the Beatitudes—the blessings Jesus proclaimed in the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5. These are not merely instructions on how to live but declarations of the reality of God’s kingdom, both now and in the future. They are radical, counter-cultural, and intentionally upside down! The way of God is often the opposite of the American Dream, which some may find offensive. Jesus said,
"Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear."
So far, we have studied these Beatitudes:
- Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3)
- Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4)
- Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)
- Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6)
Today’s Beatitude may be the simplest and most logical:
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." (Matthew 5:7)
This principle echoes the idea that we reap what we sow. Paul wrote several decades after Jesus:
"A man reaps what he sows." (Galatians 6:7b)
The concept is older than Christianity, originating in agricultural practices. But let’s take a closer look at the word "mercy."
It’s not commonly used in everyday vocabulary, and it is often misunderstood. We say, "LORD, have mercy" or hear the phrase "grace and mercy" without deeply considering its meaning.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, mercy is "compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm." Synonyms include leniency, clemency, compassion, grace, pity, and charity. In essence, mercy is when you don’t receive the punishment you deserve.
The Greek word for merciful, eleemon, means "actively compassionate." The Hebrew word for mercy, rachamim, contains within it the root word for "womb," symbolizing birthing, nurturing, and deep, unconditional love. One rabbi even relates mercy to God’s "womb-love" for His people.
We all deserve eternal punishment for our sin, pride, selfishness, and rebellion. Yet, God offers mercy through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
This is why people say, "I’m better than I deserve." We deserve to pay for our sins, but Jesus took our place.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." (Matthew 5:7)
Jesus illustrated mercy in a powerful parable:
Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
Jesus replied, “No, not seven times, but seventy times seven!” (Matthew 18:21-22, NLT)
Forgiveness is never justified, earned, or deserved. By definition, forgiveness is an act of mercy.
Jesus continued with a parable about a king settling his accounts. A servant who owed millions pleaded for mercy and was forgiven. However, this same servant later refused to forgive another man who owed him a few thousand dollars. The king, enraged by his lack of mercy, threw him into prison until his entire debt was paid.
Jesus concluded:
"That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart." (Matthew 18:35)
Meditate on that for a. moment. Those are Jesus’ words. We are to show mercy. We are to forgive others.
The funny thing about human nature is we want mercy for ourselves, but justice for others. How many times have you said or thought, “That’s not fair!”? Often, it’s because someone who deserved to be punished wasn’t. But experiencing mercy feels so good.
Perhaps my favorite personal story about mercy—besides Jesus’ death and resurrection for my sins—occurred many years ago on my way to our church gathering. I was pulling out of my driveway and hit satan! Actually, I hit satan’s car! It was Halloween and someone dressed as satan was driving down my street, I didn’t see them and hit their car! Nobody was hurt and the damage wasn’t terrible, but it was real.
I knew I deserved a ticket. I knew I deserved points on my record. I knew I deserved to file a claim with my insurance company…and theirs. My car had no notable damage, but justice meant I would get their car repaired.
My friend worked for an insurance company and we discovered it was the same company that insured the other driver (satan!). To make a long story short, he was able to talk to their agent, arranged for the repairs, and I was let off the hook…no ticket, points, rate increase…it was like the accident never happened. That’s mercy!
Mercy is not fair. It is a gift. And gifts are never deserved.
But here’s the key: You can’t give what you don’t possess.
If you ask me for ten dollars and I don’t have it, I can’t give it. If you need a ride and my car won’t start, I can’t help you. But if you ask to see pictures of my grandkids, I can absolutely show you!
We can only give mercy if we have received mercy.
So What?
The message is clear: Show mercy! But we must first recognize that God made the first move. When Jesus died on the cross, he showed us mercy, declaring us forgiven and clean.
Some of you have carried guilt and shame for years. Going to church helped a little, but the burden remains. Jesus died for that! He makes us clean!
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
That is mercy! And it is available to all of us. If you are not following Jesus, surrender today. Say "yes" to Jesus! Get clean! Mercy is a free gift waiting for you to receive.
Then, express thanks to God for His mercy. This may seem obvious, but it’s easy to forget, to get busy, to move on with life. We need to regularly pause and give thanks, not only on communion Sunday, but ideally as part of our daily rhythms. Because of the cross and the empty tomb, we’ve been given so much. It’s worth celebrating. It’s one of the reasons we worship.
Then we can extend mercy to others. We’ve been blessed to be a blessing. We’ve been loved so we can love. We’ve been shown mercy so we can show it to others.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." (Matthew 5:7)
If you call yourself a Christian, keep your "mercy tank" full so it can overflow to others. Keep your "love tank" full so it can spill onto others. If you’re not basking in God’s mercy and love—if you’re too busy to be with the LORD, meditate on His promises, and remember His goodness—you won’t have anything to give.
We all need God’s mercy. We all need mercy from others. And mercy is never deserved.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." (Matthew 5:7)
We’ve all been shown mercy by the LORD, most significantly through the cross. Jesus took the punishment we deserve…death. He has shown us mercy, offered us the free gift of forgiveness, invites us into an eternal relationship with our Creator, and provides us with hope, peace, meaning, and joy.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." (Matthew 5:7)
As we have received mercy, let us be quick to forgive and show mercy to others…for His glory and our benefit.
Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance. (Jude 2)