Mercy is the Law that Gives Freedom

Scripture Reading: James 2: 12, 13 (NIV)
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
Message: Mercy is the Law that Gives Freedom
Beggars
In the Lord’s Prayer today, we prayed “forgive us our debts as we have forgiven our debtors” (Presbyterians say debts and our friends in the United church say trespasses)
The idea remains - we need God’s forgiveness, be have debt before God or because we have trespassed
It speaks to the posture of need before God - dire need
It is the posture of a beggar - we are all beggars before God
God’s love for us can never be earned
There is always reason for us to beg before Him - because on our own we always make a mess of things
We will be lost without the mercy of God
And if we then are beggars for the mercy of God, who are we not give mercy onto others?
Sometimes we forget that we are beggars when we turn to each other and start forming opinions about one another’s lives - it is called judgement
We claim the right to judge - mostly with what we think about others
Every time we judge, we forget how desperate we are for the mercy of God
Meaning of Mercy
Mercy is different from Grace in the sense that with mercy there is debt at play and with grace it is about undeserved gifts
Interestingly, in Afrikaans the same word is used for both mercy and grace - “genade”
The Greek word for Mercy is Eleos
It is derived from the word for olive oil… Olive oil was used to treat wounds… It is soothing, comforting, and healing
It speaks then to a merciful God who is healing, soothing and comforting through his mercy for us
In Hebrew the word for mercy is Hesed, which means steadfast love
What better way to explain God’s mercy in my life than his steadfast love for me despite all my shortcomings?
The Law that gives Freedom
James talks about the concept of “the law that gives freedom”
The book of James is all about acts of faith - he says faith without acts are dead
And the law, the Torah, is also about acts - what acts are good and what acts are sinful
Jesus said that He did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill the law
In His Person - Jesus did fulfill the law when he died for our debt on the cross
That speaks to the mercy of God - not that the debt of our sin was cancelled, but instead was paid for by the blood of Jesus
That brings us back to James - because of this mercy that our debt was paid for, all the more we should live to the heart of God’s law
And we know that the letter of God’s law is love
Love sets free… Love gives life… Love is this law that gives freedom that James talks about
We are loved through the mercy of God
And it is through the mercy of God that can begin understand his love
Developing an understanding of how much we need God, we can act according to the law that gives freedom because have received mercy and not because we are trying to justify ourselves
That is what James’ acts of faith is all about
Lord, have mercy
There is a Greek expression “Kyrie eleison” that has grown into an faith practice the church
Translated it is “Lord have mercy”
This short prayer has been spoken by Christians for centuries
It reminds me of the posture of a beggar
Along with the words of “Lord have mercy” comes the word “remember me”
It reminds of the criminal that was crucified next to Jesus
Luke 23: 42, 43 - “Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
And Jesus answering him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
I am this criminal - begging to be remembered
May I never forget this!
Lord have mercy on me… Jesus remember me
That is the law that gives freedom…
Live a life of Mercy
James said in today’s Scripture reading: “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom”
Let everything you do, everything you think, every way you live be out of the mercy of God
With everything you do, ask God: “Lord have mercy on me”
For then you will stop judging others
“Mercy triumphs over judgement”
Choose to live a life of Mercy
Then you will start appreciating the love of God in your life
Then you will see how God’s mercy heals, soothes and comforts you
And then you live the law that gives freedom…
Amen.
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