Kindness and Mercy I. Introduction A. Hypothetical scenario 1. Imagine you are driving on a major road, have difficulties 2. You are stranded on the side of the road, no phone, no means of assistance 3. What do you think? What do you do? 4. Lots of cars and people similar to you drive on by 5. Of all people, a biker in full biker regalia stops near you 6. Now what do you think? 7. In the end, he helps get assistance for you and helps you get on your way 8. How do you react? B. Let's reverse the scenario 1. You are the one driving down the road 2. You see someone stranded on the side of the road, possibly needing assistance 3. What do you do? What do you think? C. This type of scenario described in parable of the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37 1. Response to a lawyer attempting to justify himself 2. Recognition of value of acting with kindness / mercy (Galatians 5:22-23) D. Let us spend some time considering kindness II. Kindness and Mercy A. The actions of the Good Samaritan were considered an act of mercy (Luke 10:37) B. Mercy and kindness involve similar concepts 1. Both indicate actions of goodwill or benevolence shown to others 2. Mercy often carries the idea of the unworthiness of the one receiving the benefit C. Christians are to be people marked both by kindness and mercy (Galatians 5:22, Luke 6:36) D. Why are we to be thus? III. Kindness and Mercy: Manifestations of Love A. Kindness/mercy is to be demonstrated principally on account of being the way that love is manifested toward others B. After all, how is love toward others expressed? C. Hence, the lesson of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) 1. The story is told on account of the question of who is the "neighbor" who should be loved as oneself in Luke 10:27 2. The Good Samaritan proves himself to be the "neighbor" of the injured man, and not the priest or the Levite, his own kin 3. Thus, it can be said that the Good Samaritan loved the man as himself, and we know this because he showed the man kindness and mercy D. Therefore, if we say that we love our fellow man, but do not involve ourselves in acts of kindness and mercy, we deceive ourselves and are liars! 1. 1 John 3:16-18 2. Our love must not merely be "in word or talk", but also "in deed and truth" E. Love, after all, is kind (1 Corinthians 13:4) 1. Love, therefore, acts accordingly! 2. We demonstrate our love for each other and for those without when we engage in kind and merciful acts! IV. Kindness and Mercy: Displayed Toward Us A. We also ought to be kind and merciful because God has been kind and merciful toward us 1. Romans 2:4, 11:22 2. Ephesians 2:4, 7 3. Titus 3:4-5 B. God is willing to continue to show us kindness and mercy as long as we do the same! 1. Romans 11:22 2. Matthew 5:7, 18:33 3. James 2:13 C. We ought not presume upon God's kindness and mercy, but should ourselves show kindness and mercy to others! D. We should also not be complacent, only showing kindness and mercy to those who show us kindness! 1. After all, mercy indicates, in many ways, unworthiness of the person receiving mercy 2. Were we worthy to receive God's kindness and mercy as manifested in the sacrifice of the Son (Romans 5:6-11)? 3. Luke 6:27-36: Jesus provides this challenge to us 4. Even sinners will be kind to those who are kind to them, and show mercy to those who are merciful to them! 5. Nevertheless, we are called to be kind to the unkind and to show mercy to the unmerciful! E. It is important, therefore, for us to show kindness and mercy with all men, even if they are "unworthy", since we have been unworthy of what we have received V. How to Show Kindness and Mercy? A. You may think, "Great! I need to be kind and merciful. How?" B. We can show kindness and mercy in many ways! C. Primary need: a heart of love and a desire to show your love for other people through kind and merciful actions (1 John 3:16-18, 4:7-21) D. Mercy and kindness can be shown in little ways 1. Providing a helping hand for people in stores or other places 2. Being there for someone in a time of need, even just to sit or listen 3. Willingness to pray for/with others 4. Seeing if people in difficult circumstances could use some help 5. You can think of many others E. We can also show mercy and kindness in greater ways 1. We can volunteer our time and resources to help people in need 2. We can be willing to assist people financially or with other resources without any expectation of recompense 3. We can invest in people with our time and energy F. Such, in reality, is the way that we put Matthew 5:13-16 to practice in our lives! 1. In kind and merciful deeds we show how God has loved us by loving others 2. That is something that others can see 3. Many desire to share in that 4. What you do and how you help will get you further than words alone! VI. Conclusion A. We live in an increasingly unkind and merciless age 1. More and more people are becoming more and more isolated in their own lives 2. Ideas of interconnected and interdependent communities are forgotten 3. We all have the idea, thanks to our culture, that we are only successful if we are able to achieve our goals ourselves without assistance: "picking ourselves up by our bootstraps" 4. It is easier to not get involved with the lives and difficulties of others, and there are always enough things to do to keep us busy in our own lives! 5. Unintentionally, many have just become so self-focused as to no longer exhibit a lot of concern for others! B. Nevertheless, people cry out for kindness and mercy 1. Humans were never meant to be islands! 2. God desires that all people should love their neighbors as themselves 3. Therefore, it is imperative that His people show mercy and kindness to their fellow man! C. Kindness and mercy, therefore, are not optional parts of the faith: they are critical as manifestations of the love that we must have for all men! D. Let us remember 1 Peter 2:10: we once were a people without mercy, but God has been merciful and kind to us: let us show that mercy and kindness to others! E. Let us find opportunities in our lives to show kindness and mercy to all men, especially those in the household of the faith F. Invitation/songbook Scripture, Meditation, and Application 1: “But love your enemies, and do them good, and lend, never despairing; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High: for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil. Be ye merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:35-36). God is kind, and we depend on His kindness. Kindness involves displaying benevolence or goodwill toward others. Mercy is a related concept, underscoring the unworthiness of the recipient of kindness. We do well to show kindness and mercy to others! 2: Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up (1 Corinthians 13:4). Love is kind. Therefore, if we want to show love, we must show kindness. How could we ever be considered loving if we do not display kindness? Let us display our love to others through kindness! 3: For judgment is without mercy to him that hath showed no mercy: mercy glorieth against judgment (James 2:13). As Christians we are aware that we owe everything to God’s kindness and mercy displayed in Christ. We want God to be merciful to us. God absolutely wants to show us kindness and mercy but expects us to be kind and merciful to others in return. If we refuse to be kind and merciful, we can only look forward to judgment! 4: Who in time past were no people, but now are the people of God: who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy (1 Peter 2:10). God has been kind toward us; He has been merciful despite our unworthiness. God is not expecting too much when He wishes for us to show others kindness and mercy since we have benefitted from His. May we be kind and merciful to everyone, as God is, and reflect His purposes in the world!