The Mercy of God (Continued)

Did Jesus show mercy?

We believe that Jesus was God incarnate, that is God in human form, walking the roads of Israel. If that is the case, did He demonstrate this divine attribute. In other words, did He show mercy while here on earth? The answer is ‘most definitely’. Many pleaded for mercy. The two blind men cried, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” (Matt. 9:27) A woman also cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David!” (Matt. 15:22) And ten lepers also “lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (Luke 17:13) This was repeated many times. (Matt.17:15; Matt.20.30 for example). All these received what they asked for.

A Comparison

If we have to compare ourselves with someone else, there was One who met the standard that God demands. He is, of course, Jesus Himself, the only One who lived a perfect life. God said of Him, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:17; 12:15; 17:5) If we meet His standard then we might have stood a chance. But even that is out of reach, because He wasn’t born a sinner, but we were. Our problem is twofold.

1. We are not good to start with. The apple does not fall far from the tree. Our parents were sinners and we are sinners. (We sin because we are sinners). Everything reproduces after its own kind. Our first parents were sinners … “In Adam all die”. (1 Cor.15.22)

2. Secondly, we have picked up bad habits. We are such liars that we cannot even tell the truth to ourselves. The Bible says “if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”.(1 Jn 1:8) (We are sinners because we sin). “For all have sinned” (Rom.5.12)

A Well-Known Conversion

Although Charles Wesley had been trained for the Anglican church ministry and had been active in religious activities, there came a time when he realized that he had never personally experienced God’s love and mercy. He had a crisis experience on May 20, 1738, as he met with a small group of Moravian believers in the Aldersgate Hall in London. That evening he wrote in his journal: “At midnight I gave myself to Christ, assured that I was safe, whether sleeping or waking”. In 1741 he included in the Wesley hymnal a Stevenson hymn that reflected his experience:

Depth of mercy! can there be,
mercy still reserved for me?
Can my God His wrath forbear?
Me, the chief of sinners spare?

I had long withstood His grace,
long provoked Him to His face,
would not hearken to His calls,
grieved Him by a thousand falls.

But then the verse:

There for me my Saviour stands,
holding forth His wounded hands;
God is love! I know, I feel,
Jesus weeps and loves me still.

Charles Wesley, composer of more than 6,500 hymn texts, entered heaven on the basis of the mercy of God. And he could point to a day (May 20, 1738) when it happened.