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Go Back   Spiritual Forums > Religions & Faiths > Christianity

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  #1  
Old 04-06-2011, 03:11 PM
LisaLisa
Posts: n/a
 
"I Desire Mercy, Not Sacrifice"

Here is a paper I wrote on Mercy last month. I thought I'd share it here as maybe someone here can relate or find something useful or beneficial from of it. I hope you enjoy it.

Mercy

The last 2 weeks have been especially challenging for me. I was trying to kick my nicotine habit and find a church. Why? Because that's what I thought God wanted me to do. In the process of struggling with trying to get off nicotine completely, I became upset, frustrated and tormented by the struggle and the failure. Then I thought, well, if I find a church maybe that will help because I probably should be going to a church anyway so that I can give a tithe and gather together. Only problem is that I observe the Sabbath and I don't celebrate the holidays, so finding a church that believes as I do is next to impossible. Oh, and I had decided that I should probably give up watching tv all together too because it's not good. Then I decided that fasting would be beneficial because I read that in the Bible too, so I added that to my list also.

In my search for a church, I checked out all kinds, and each one had their own teachings. What if I picked the wrong one?????? What would happen to my soul then???????? Will I go to hell if I accidentally pick the wrong church???????????

Oh no!!! I have to give up nicotine, throw away the tv, stop eating food, have to "the right" church, have to tithe, have to do this and that, I was making a list! That list kept getting bigger by the day! This was my "salvation plan list".

The more I examined my life and thought about it, the bigger that "salvation requirement list" got and the more upset, frustrated, tormented, and hopeless I felt. I felt my joy slipping away. I started to feel despair, self condemnation and loss of the happiness that I had before in Jesus because the more I looked at that list the more I realized that I could never do it, I would always not quite be good enough, according to that list.

I prayed and prayed and prayed.......and one verse kept popping into my mind "I desire mercy, not a sacrifice". I ignored it, and checked my list again. Tried like crazy to withdrawal from nicotine, tried to find a church, prayed for guidance, wisdom and direction........then I heard it again "I desire mercy, not sacrifice". I wondered what that meant? I had no idea…..I just knew that I was miserable now because I wasn’t living anymore, just trying to follow a set of rules so that I wouldn’t go to hell!

I started to see Jesus as this stern judge that was ready to cast me away if I accidentally said or did the wrong thing, or if I went over my allotted sin count for the year, even tho I really did love God with my whole heart, and did my best to serve Him and follow His commandments.

So I sat down for my nightly Bible reading and I read Matthew 9:9-13 which says:

“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. “Follow me,” he said to him. And he got up and followed him. As Jesus was having a meal in Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard this he said, “Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do. Go and learn what this saying means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

There it was again! That mercy thing, and Jesus was saying it to the Pharisees! There was a cross reference there too, it was Hosea 6:6 so I looked that up and there it was again! Hosea 6:6: “For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”

Interesting…….so I kept on reading further in Matthew and there it was again! Matthew 12:7 “If you had known what this means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.”

Here in Matthew chapter 12, Jesus was addressing the Pharisees again when they were questioning His disciples for picking wheat and eating on the Sabbath. Jesus told the Pharisees, again, He wants mercy and not sacrifice!! He also told them that they didn’t understand what that meant.

So, what did Jesus mean? I decided it was time to do some research and figure it out, so I put my “salvation requirement list” away for the day and focus on this scripture and it’s meaning.

Who exactly were the Pharisees? The name Pharisee, in its Hebrew form, means “separatists”, or “the separated ones”. They were also known as chasidim, which means “loyal to God”, or “loved of God”. They were a group of people who followed the law to the letter. They followed it so closely that they turned worship into a system or a “list” of do’s and don’t’s. They created the first “salvation list” and they believed that they were holy, righteous because they followed this list and everyone who did not follow this list was detestable. They put themselves above everyone else…….including Jesus!! Their list was so long and so hard and full of sacrifice, rituals, rules and regulations that it was next to impossible to adhere to it. In their life of sacrifice, they considered themselves better then everyone else and proud because THEY were worthy, THEY were great, THEY were righteous, THEY were holy, THEY were important and deserving, and everyone else was pond scum.

Yes, they followed the list, but they lacked one thing, the most important thing, mercy. “I desire mercy, not sacrifice”.

Notice that Jesus said to them “Go and learn what this means, I desire mercy, not sacrifice”. Jesus knew that they had no clue what it meant. They were too busy following the list, analyzing that list, arguing over it, debating it, studying it, dissecting it under a magnifying glass, always trying to be perfect, but missing the most important thing, compassion, love and MERCY!!!! In their attempts to be perfect on the outside, their hearts had no love, no compassion, no humility……..all they had was their list, and Jesus knew it. Their adherence to their list, made them proud, cold, and cruel because they felt that they were righteous and deserving and everyone else was not. They loved their list, they loved it so much that they flaunted it in front of everyone else! Look at me! See how great I am! See how good I am! See how holy I am! I am like God!!!! Remind you of anyone? Didn’t satan also think he was great?

Jesus knew that the Pharasees would never understand because you can’t learn love, compassion and mercy from adhering to a list! It’s a matter of the heart, and they would never get it. That’s why Jesus also said in Mark 4:12 “They see clearly but don't perceive. They hear clearly but don't understand. They never return to me and are never forgiven.'"

So what does Jesus really want from us then? He tells us in Matthew 22:37-40 “Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

That’s it! That’s what God wants from us, that’s the whole list! That’s also why Jesus told us in Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.”

To follow Jesus and to gain His approval is to love God with your whole heart, and to love others and show it though compassion and mercy in your heart, mind and daily actions. It’s a heart condition, a matter of love and humility before God.

Galatians 5:22,23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

1 Corinthians chapter 13 goes into detail greater detail. “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

That’s the whole list…….to love, that’s it! To love God with your whole heart, and to love your neighbor. So, who is your neighbor? Jesus doesn’t leave us in the dark about that either, He told us in The Parable of the Good Samaratin.


Luke 10:30-37 Jesus answered, "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the host, and said to him, ‘Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.’ Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?" He said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."


Your “neighbor” is everyone and anyone, your fellow human beings. Not just members of your own family, not just your friends, not just people of your own race, country or religion, your neighbor is everyone.

1 John 4:8 sums it all up “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

When I was making the "list", I was basically nullifying what Jesus did for me on the cross. I was taking His gift of salvation through faith and belief in Him, and giving it back to Him.

I was telling Jesus that His sacrifice was not enough for me, that I had to also do the things that I wrote on MY list in order to be saved. This was not His list, it was mine. I created it, not Him. My "righteousness list" actually cheapened the act of love and mercy that Jesus did for me in dying on the cross to set me free!

Every time I added something to that list, I was condemning myself. He was not condemning me, I was doing it to myself, I was erecting my own prison and sending myself to it! I was telling God what I needed to do to be saved! Imagine that!

Each thing on my list was another set of sad and heavy chains that I placed upon myself. I was recreating the Old Law but with a Christian label on it, and in doing that I was making myself a Pharisee! This was not my intention, but that was the result and thank the Lord that He revealed this to me before I got in too deep!

The thought kept popping into my head that "You can never be perfect, that's why I died for you."

No wonder the joy that I had in Jesus was quickly slipping away, it was slipping away because I was moving away from Him! I chose to decide for myself what was required, I decided to make the rules and impose restrictions that Jesus never even mentioned. I was moving away from the Lord and giving His gift back, and putting my faith in the List instead of Him!

Oh, how stupid the human heart and mind can be!!!!! It's a wonder that He even puts up with us! His patience is so great, just as great as His love and mercy!

Jesus’s words in Luke 7 explain a great truth, let's take a look.

“Now one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. Then when a woman of that town, who was a sinner, learned that Jesus was dining at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfumed oil. As she stood behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. She wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfumed oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” So Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” He replied, “Say it, Teacher.” “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed him five hundred silver coins, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” Jesus said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then, turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss of greeting, but from the time I entered she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with perfumed oil. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which were many, are forgiven, thus she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little loves little.” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

This account is one of my favorites, and one that has come into my mind several times over the last few days. Here Jesus was having dinner with one of the Pharisees. A local woman, probably a prostitute, found out that Jesus was there and she went to see Him and worship Him. She recognized who Jesus was and she showed her love and gratitude for Jesus by kissing His feet and anointing His feet with her perfume. Her love was genuine and Jesus knew it and He told her “Your sins are forgiven”.

Why were her sins forgiven? Jesus tells us why, “Your faith has saved you, go in peace”. The Pharisees didn’t understand this, so Jesus explained it to them that it was her great love and great faith that Jesus saw and approved of. Jesus also explained that the one who has the greater debt is the one who is the most appreciative when the debt is forgiven.

Once again, faith, love, compassion, humility, mercy…….those are the qualities that Jesus is looking for. Not self righteousness or putting faith in yourself and what you do because when it comes right down to it, we can never do enough, it is only through faith and grace that we are saved.

"For by GRACE you have been saved through FAITH; and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God; not as result of WORKS, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8,9
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  #2  
Old 04-06-2011, 03:12 PM
LisaLisa
Posts: n/a
 
The other day I was studying what it means to be self-righteous and I came across this article. It really is the best thing I've read in a long time. Below is a link.

http://www.gracegems.org/24/Ryle_self_righteousness.htm
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  #3  
Old 04-06-2011, 03:44 PM
LisaLisa
Posts: n/a
 
Jesus was all about mercy, love, humility and forgiveness. He seeks all to come to Him for forgiveness, so that He can love them, shower them with mercy. He loved us enough to die for us so that we can live. I can't imagine a love greater then that.
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  #4  
Old 04-06-2011, 04:14 PM
theophilus theophilus is offline
Master
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,537
 
That was an excellent paper. I hope a lot of people read it.
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  #5  
Old 04-06-2011, 04:16 PM
LisaLisa
Posts: n/a
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by theophilus
That was an excellent paper. I hope a lot of people read it.

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
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  #6  
Old 05-06-2011, 01:31 AM
sprinter
Posts: n/a
 
Ohh yeah,, more of this Lisa, more more more.
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  #7  
Old 05-06-2011, 01:34 AM
Gracey
Posts: n/a
 
"For by GRACE you have been saved through FAITH; and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God; not as result of WORKS, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8,9

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
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  #8  
Old 06-06-2011, 11:16 AM
Bluegreen
Posts: n/a
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by LisaLisa
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”


Your post, LisaLisa, is excellent.

It is the only law that matters. Love God, thy neighbour--all of creation.

Whenever I read that God or Jesus will punish and send people to Hell, I mentally drop out because it so contradicts the message of love.

You cannot spread the message of love and at the same time threaten punishment and Hell which produces fear.
To produce fear in people is what I consider evil; it is the tool of dictators, it is the tool used to control people and make them submissive. And it works on precisely those people who should be protected.
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  #9  
Old 06-06-2011, 12:27 PM
LisaLisa
Posts: n/a
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluegreen
Your post, LisaLisa, is excellent.

It is the only law that matters. Love God, thy neighbour--all of creation.

Whenever I read that God or Jesus will punish and send people to Hell, I mentally drop out because it so contradicts the message of love.

You cannot spread the message of love and at the same time threaten punishment and Hell which produces fear.
To produce fear in people is what I consider evil; it is the tool of dictators, it is the tool used to control people and make them submissive. And it works on precisely those people who should be protected.

Glad you enjoyed it friend!
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  #10  
Old 06-06-2011, 12:33 PM
LisaLisa
Posts: n/a
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by sprinter
Ohh yeah,, more of this Lisa, more more more.

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it too!~
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