Blessed Are the Merciful

Matthew 5:7

Summary
Jesus says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Mercy is not simply something Christians do from time to time; it is something that increasingly defines who we are. Those who have received the astonishing mercy of God in Christ will inevitably begin to extend mercy to others. This mercy does not earn God’s forgiveness, but it is the fruit of a life that has been transformed by grace. As we consider this fifth Beatitude, we will ask what mercy is, why it matters, and how we can recognize whether the mercy of Christ has truly taken root in our lives.

Discussion Questions

1. Read Matthew 5:7. What do you think Jesus means when he describes someone as “merciful” rather than simply saying they occasionally “show mercy”?
2. How would you explain the difference between grace and mercy? How have you personally experienced God’s mercy?
3. Why is mercy more than simply performing acts of kindness? What would it look like for mercy to become part of our character?
4. What are some ways Christians can be selective in the people to whom we are willing to show mercy?
5. Why should mercy be an important part of the church’s witness to the world? What do you think unbelievers typically expect to encounter when they walk into a church?
6. Read Matthew 18:21–35. What does the parable of the unforgiving servant teach us about the relationship between receiving mercy and extending mercy?
7. Jesus says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Why does this not mean that we earn God’s mercy by being merciful?
8. One sign that mercy has taken root in us is that we are broken by the sin and misery we see in others. What is the difference between looking at someone with judgment and looking at them with mercy?
9. Why can it sometimes be easier to show mercy to strangers than to the people closest to us? Where might God be calling you to become more merciful at home?
10. How does mercy help us overlook the quirks, weaknesses, and irritating habits of other people? How do we distinguish merciful patience from ignoring serious sin?
11. How does remembering God’s mercy toward you change the way you respond to someone who has disappointed, irritated, or sinned against you?

Quotes
“For Christ says also (as we have seen) in this sermon nothing about how we become Christians, but only about the works and fruits which no one can do unless he is already a Christian, and in grace.”
– Martin Luther, Commentary on the Sermon on the Mount, p.257-258

“For I have given directions that 30,000 modii of corn shall be assigned every year for the whole of Galatia, and 60,000 pints of wine. I order that one-fifth of this be used for the poor who serve the priests, and the remainder be distributed by us to strangers and beggars. For it is disgraceful that, when no Jew ever has to beg, and the impious Galileans [Christians] support not only their own poor but ours as well, all men see that our people lack aid from us.”
– Julian the Apostate, Letter to Arsacius, High-Priest of Galatia, Letter 22 (A.D. 362)