‘So completely was Jesus bent
upon saving sinners by the sacrifice of Himself, He created the tree upon which
He was to die and nurtured from infancy the men who were to nail Him to the
accursed tree.’
Octavius Winslow
One of my work colleagues, lets call her Sarah, recently asked my team the question 'what effect does mercy have on your life?' For some reason the question really impacted me and I was lost for words (hard to imagine but true). Part of the reason was that I had just finished a series on 'Christ's sayings from the cross' where I had talked a lot about mercy. It is one thing to talk about mercy but it is something else to practice it. If you are a Christian you have probably heard dozens of sermons on the mercy of God, you've probably talked about it hundreds of times, but does mercy have any impact on the way you live your life? Take a moment to think about it.
Christ's sayings from the cross are a rich study for the Christian. They are scattered across the four gospels who record different aspects of Christ's sufferings. Christ's path to the cross was marked by mercy. Even as he went to Golgotha Christ turned to the 'Daughters of Jerusalem' in Luke 23 v 26-31 and pleaded with them not to weep for Him but for themselves and their children. Christ quotes from Hosea 10 v 8 as he prophesies about how awful the coming judgement will be. As Leon Morris notes 'Christ wanted their repentance not their sympathy.' Christ saw the awful siege that was coming on Jerusalem in AD 70 and was seeking to warn them to prepare for that awful day by fleeing to Christ. Christ quotes a curious proverb about green and dry wood (Luke 23 v 31). What does it mean? John Macarthur captures it well in in his commentary: ‘If the Romans would
perpetrate such atrocities on Jesus (the green wood – young, strong and a
source of life) what would they do to a Jewish nation (the dry wood – old,
barren and ripe for judgement).’
As Christ is finally being nailed to the cross he utters these remarkable words 'Father forgive them for they know not what they do (Luke 23 v 34). At the forefront of Christ's mind is mercy even as he is surrounded by his enemies (as predicted in Psalm 22 v 12-21). Golgotha was certainly a place of death and destruction but Jesus made it a place of deliverance and mercy.
At the cross, Christ was becoming the 'sin offering' which was offered 'outside the camp' (see Ex 29 v 14, 33 v 7, Le 4 v 12, 21, 6 v 11, 13 v 46). This is captured well by the writer to the Hebrews; 'For the
bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high
priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So
Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the
people through his own blood. Therefore let
us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured' ch 13 v 11-13. Golgotha was full of symbolism. So many prophesies were being fulfilled. All the types and shadows of the Old Testament were all coming to their completion at the cross.
What was it all for? It was the ultimate display of mercy and love that this world has ever seen. As JC Ryle says 'as
soon as the blood of the Great Sacrifice began to flow, the Great High Priest
began to intercede.' Christ was pleading with His father to forgive his murderers even as they were in the act of killing him. This word forgive is literally 'to leave'. Christ was saying to His father not to judge them immediately but to give time for mercy. Christ's prayers were answered within a few hours with the centurion in Matthew 27 v 54 saying 'Truly this man was the Son of God.' Let's never despair over mercy when a hardened centurion can go from driving nails into the Saviours hands to being his disciple in around 6 hours!
Sin demands justice yet sinners need forgiveness. How can they be reconciled? At the cross. Only at the cross can it be
said that ‘Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have
kissed each other’ Psalm 85 v 10. None of us deserve mercy,
but Christ has made a way of salvation.‘But if anyone does sin, we have an
advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and
not our only but also for the whole world’ 1 John 2 v 1-2. Dr Thomas Guthrie said of these words 'The whole world' - 'ah!' some would say, 'that is dangerous language.' It is God's language: John speaking as he was moved by the Holy Ghost. It throws a zone of mercy around the world. Perish the hand that would narrow it by a hair's breadth!' Propitiation means that Christ's sacrifice satisfied God's wrath on the cross. The Old Testament word for atonement is the same word used in Genesis 6 v 16 for Noah covering the ark in pitch. Christ is covering His people at the cross. As one writer says 'Christ not only provides, but is, the 'atonement cover' which obscures our sins from the sight of God, expiating our guilt by his blood.'
So what difference does mercy make in my life? Well hopefully it humbles me. As I look a the mercy tree of the cross I see the terribleness of my sin but also the greatness of my Saviour. I hope it also makes me merciful. I wonder if I asked my family, friends and work mates if they find me merciful, what would they say? Isn't that the ultimate test of our Christianity? Is it seen in our everyday lives? If I claim to have been forgiven and freed from a life of sin, how can I do anything else but show that mercy to others. Lastly I hope that mercy helps me to see that if Christ has given me everything nothing is too much to ask in His service. Christ doesn't call us to comfortable Christianity, he calls us to radical, sacrificial service. Mercy is a wonderful subject but it is even more beautiful as it is lived out day by day.
Oh on that cross, how it was seen
I can go now ever trusting in the One who died for me
What could I bring, for Your gift is complete
So I trust You, simply trust You, Lord with every part of me
I can go now ever trusting in the One who died for me
What could I bring, for Your gift is complete
So I trust You, simply trust You, Lord with every part of me
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