M E R C Y

 

 

I.                   “Racam”, is the Hebrew word, which is usually translated mercy, love, or compassion, and it expresses the love of a superior for an inferior, and is seen in the deep feelings that move the superior to help, often exhibited in not giving someone the due or full punishment the person deserves.

 

2 Sam. 24:10-24                  After David had sinned and acknowledged his sin to God, God gave David his choice of punishment.  Which of the three things did David pick, and why?

 

Do you view God’s mercy the same way?                       Why?

 

Neh. 9:30, 31                        Because of God’s great mercy/compassion, what didn’t He do to the Israelites even though they rebelled (vs. 26) against God?

 

Has God ever shown His great mercy to you in this way, even though you’ve re­peatedly rebelled and disobeyed God?

If so, how do you feel about God and His great mercy toward you?

 

And how is it affecting your obedience to Him now, and why?

 

Psa. 25:4-7           What was God to David?

 

What did David want the Lord to remember?

 

What do you want the Lord to remember about/toward you, and why?

 

Prov. 28:13           Who is the person that finds mercy/compassion?

 

Would you find mercy based on this?                             How often, and why?

 

Dan. 9:16-19        On what basis doesn’t and does Daniel ask God to look with favor upon Jerusalem?

 

When you pray to God and ask Him for things, on what basis do you hope for a pos­itive response/answer from Him?

 

Is it because of any merit/righteousness of your own or because of God’s great compassion/mercy?

 

Hab. 3:2 What does the prophet Habakkuk ask God to do in His wrath?

 

Have you ever asked God to be merciful toward someone who had unrepentantly sinned against Him and was provoking His wrath?                                Why?

 

II.                “Chanan”, “Chesed” are Hebrew words, which are usually translated mercy or grace, and they draw attention to the response of a per­son who is able to help another person who stands in need.  Again there is the implicit assumption that the one who helps is moved by his feelings and that the one who is helped has no right to expect aid.

 

Other Hebrew words which are also translated “mercy” express condescending love, reaching out to meet a need without considering the merit of the person who receives the aid.

 

Ex. 33:19               What does God tell Moses about His mercy/graciousness?

 

Does it seem fair that God will show His pity/love on some and not on others (Rom. 9:10-21)?                         Why?

 

Was there anything about Jacob that merited/earned God’s mercy?

Then why did God choose to have mercy on Jacob?

 

How do you feel about God’s sovereignty – that He can do whatever He wants to upon whomever He wants irrespective of that person’s worthiness?

 

Psa. 57:1-3           Because David was running for his life from king Saul, for what does David ask God?

 

Have you ever asked God for His mercy/graciousness because your life was endangered?                 When?

 

Micah 6:8              What did the Lord require of each Israelite?

 

[To love “kindness” / “mercy” means to seek/desire to show pity on people in distress/need.].

 

Are you obeying God in loving mercy?                           If so, how?

 

Micah 7:18           Why doesn’t God stay angry with rebellious Israel?

 

Do you delight in showing mercy/love to people who have wronged/sinned against you rather than staying angry with them forever?                 Why?

 

If not, how could you have this attitude (Eph. 5:18; 1 Jn. 5:14, 15; Gal. 5:22, 23 with Col. 3:12)?

 

Zech. 7:5-9           Instead of fasting, what did the Lord want these Israelites to do (vs. 9)?

 

Are you more concerned with inner character qualities being practiced like jus­tice, kindness/mercy, and compassion, or are you more wrapped up in religious externals like fasting, Bible reading for information and/or debating purposes, praying ritually or prideful prayers, teaching Bible studies, or sing­ing in the choir?

Which is God more concerned with (see Hosea 6:6 also)?

 

III.             “Eleeo” and “eleos” are Greek words, which are translated “to show mercy” and “mercy”, and they express sympathy, pity, or compassion for the misery of another and act to help the one in need.

 

Matt. 5:7                Who shall receive mercy as well as be blessed/happy?

 

                Do you consider yourself a merciful person?                 Why?

 

Matt. 9:11-13                       What does God desire more than the keeping of voluntary/optional sacrifices?

 

If God desires compassion/mercy more than an optional sacrifice, what should be the major focus of your life: inner, godly character traits being practiced or optional religious activities?

Which are you majoring on, and how?

 

Matt. 18:23-33                     What was the point of Jesus’ parable (vs. 33)?

 

How many times do you think you’ve sinned in your life so far?

 

Has God been merciful to you?                         How?

 

How many times has any one individual sinned against/wronged you thus far?

Have you had mercy on that person?                              How?

 

Matt. 23:23           Why were these Pharisees hypocrites?

 

Are you a hypocrite in that you carefully do the outward acts of a good Christian (i.e., pray, witness, read and memorize your Bible, get involved in church activities, etc.), but neglect the more important character qualities of justice, mercy, and faithfulness?

Why?

 

Lk. 1:50                                Whom does Mary say that God’s mercy is upon or extends to?

 

Have you experienced God’s mercy because you’ve feared Him (by hating evil and obeying God – Prov. 8:13)?

If so, when?

 

Rom. 11:30-32                     The Gentiles to whom Paul wrote were at one time disobedient, but in this Age of Grace (from Acts 10 on to Christ’s coming), Gentiles have now received or been shown what?

 

Israel is now corporately disobedient to God so that when God’s mercy to the Gen­tiles reaches its full number (11:25), Israel will again receive (11:26, 27) what?

 

God’s ultimate purpose in binding/shutting up all men (Jews and Gentiles alike) in/to disobedience is to show/have what upon them all (Jews and Gentiles)?

 

How do you feel about God’s having bound Jews and Gentiles over to disbelief in/dis­obedience (vss. 7, 8) to Jesus and God so that He might show mercy to them in their appointed times?

 

Rom. 12:6-8          If your spiritual gift is that of mercy, how should you use/exercise it?

 

When you have pity or compassion for/upon people’s misery, need, or sinful condition, do you aid/help them with a cheerful spirit or grudgingly, and why?

 

Eph. 2:3-6              What did God, who is rich in mercy, do for us because of His great love?

 

Just how grateful are you for God’s mercy and love?

 

And how do you show your gratitude?

 

1 Tim. 1:13           Even though Paul was a blasphemer, persecutor of Christians, and a violent man, why did God show mercy on him?

 

Even though Paul acted ignorantly in his unbelief, was God obligated to show mercy to him (Rom. 9:15, 18; Ex. 33:19)?

 

1 Tim. 1:15, 16                    Why was Paul selected as an object of God’s mercy?

 

Do you have this kind of patience and mercy with great sinners?                              Why?

 

How could you (Eph. 5:18; 1 Jn. 5:14, 15; Gal. 5:22, 23 with Col. 3:12)?

 

Titus 3:4, 5           Because of God’s mercy, what did He do?

 

Why or on what basis didn’t God save us?

 

How do you feel about this, and why?

 

Does knowing how God saved you motivate you in any way?                   If so, how?

 

Jude 1:22, 23       How should we relate to those who doubt (those doubting the truth because of being confused by false teachers)?

 

Have you ever shown mercy (love, encouragement, patience, and true teaching) to a new Christian who became confused, and started doubting what you had taught him be­cause a cultist/false teacher was influencing him?

 

On some/others, our mercy should be mixed with what?

 

[We are to have mercy/pity upon even the most corrupted believer, but we’re to ex­ercise great care while getting alongside him so that we don’t become trapped by the allurement of sin.].

 

Do you love the sinner (whether Christian or not) but hate his sin?

Specifically, how do you do this?

 

IV.              “Oiktirmos” is the Greek word, which is translated as mercies or compassion.

 

Rom. 12:1             Because of God’s mercy, what should Christians do?

 

Are you presenting/offering your body/life as a living and holy sacrifice to God?                 Why, and how?

 

How often do you think about/meditate on the fact that God has forgiven you of all your sins so that you don’t have to spend eternity in hell, and why that often?