Title Sunday Faith Training (6/17)-Jesus' Happiness Theory (5)
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Title: Jesus' Happiness Theory (5)
Text: Matthew 5:7
Date: 2012. 6. 17. Sunday Day Worship
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.”
★ The reason martyrdom is regarded as a title of thanksgiving and honor is because there is an eternal kingdom. If life on earth is everything, martyrdom is misery. It's just an unfortunate death. Because there is an eternal kingdom and the Lord's evaluation, martyrdom is the highest glory a believer can enjoy.
★ The Beatitudes that Jesus spoke of are all experiences, conditions, and attitudes that are beneficial in preparing for the eternal kingdom.
★ Today, let's take some time to think about the 'fifth happiness' that Jesus spoke of.
1. Who is truly happy?
★ The reason that the merciful are blessed is that they follow God's position. Let's take a look at God's position through the following Bible verses.
★ "Come, and let us reason together, saith the LORD; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18). “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us” (Matthew 6:12). “So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgive his brother from the heart” (Matthew 18:25).
★ When we show compassion to others, we ask for God's mercy.
★ How can you show mercy specifically? One is consideration and love for the socially disadvantaged, and the other is forgiveness of those who have wronged me.
2. What blessings do the merciful receive?
The blessing of the merciful is the mercy of God. Those who show mercy to others receive mercy from God. Through the parable of the man who owed ten thousand talents (Mt 18), Jesus taught the lesson, "He who does not forgive cannot receive forgiveness, and whoever forgives him can receive forgiveness." This raises the question of "forgiveness". The conclusion of the parable is that if we want to receive forgiveness from God, we must forgive others.
★ James 2:13, "There will be judgments without mercy to those who do not show mercy. Mercy overcomes judgment and boasts." Hokma quoted the theologian Johnson. "Mercy is a sign of faith in Jesus Christ." Forgiveness is given to those who admit they are sinners and believe in God's forgiveness through Jesus. What is the evidence that you believe in God's forgiveness? It's not just answering catechisms, it's showing mercy to others. Those who believe in God's mercy live by showing mercy to others. Showing mercy to others is prayer as a life seeking God's mercy.
★ This does not mean that good works other than faith are required for salvation. The 'true faith' that God sees is not just saying 'Amen' to the catechism. God wants a whole personal confession of faith, not just a catechism. James 2 is proof of that. Verse 22, "Behold, faith worked with his works, and by works faith was made complete." Verse 24, "From this you can see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone." Verse 26, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.”
★ Let's make a profession of faith life!
★ Dietrich Bonhoffer, "The lust for honor hinders faith. Those who seek honor no longer seek God and their neighbors. If I had not been merciful to me, would I have been punished more severely by God?" What we really need is not honor, but God's mercy. Those who know how important and decisive God's mercy is in our lives are willing to be merciful to others. Those who know the value of mercy are truly blessed.