The Ballestero Blog

The High Cost Of Mercy

Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

• Extending mercy to others will not be cheap.
• Not extending mercy to others will even cost more.

Mercy is one of the most expensive commodities in the world. A monetary value cannot be placed upon it. And yet, neither can the rewards of being merciful be measured.

Calvary Was About Our Mercy And Forgiveness.

Jesus Paid For Us To Have Mercy With The Silver Of His Tears And The Gold Of His Blood.

• He paid the ultimate price. His life.
• Visibly, all we have to give are our words, and our hand.

It Is Expensive To Forgive

• It costs some their pride.
• It costs some their insistence on being right.
• It costs some their superiority feeling.
• It costs some the sympathy that goes with being the injured party.
• It may even cost all of your emotion and tears.

Mercy Is Not Cheap

• Some are too hard-hearted to be merciful.
• Some are too proud to say, “I forgive you.”
• Some choose to hold a grudge like it is money in their emotional bank account.
• Some refuse to pay the price for peace and harmony.
• Some cannot see the bigger picture; they only see their hurt.

How Much Would Showing Mercy Cost You?

How Much Would Not Showing Mercy Cost You?

Being Merciful Doesn’t Make The Other Person Right.

• Being merciful doesn’t justify their wrong.
• Being merciful doesn’t save them.
• Being merciful doesn’t mean they deserve mercy.
• Being merciful not only brings peace, but God’s mercy and forgiveness into your life.
• You cannot afford to withhold merciful.
• You will curse your own soul.
• You cannot afford to not pay the price mercy demands.

In The Old Testament, Mercy Demanded A Sacrifice. It Still Does!

• Mercy required a lamb.
• Mercy required a bullock.
• Mercy required a heifer.
• Mercy required a turtle dove.

Back Then… The Cost Of Gods Mercy Was An Animal Sacrifice.

Today The Cost Of God’s Mercy Is You Sacrificing Yourself In Repentance.

• Today, you are the sacrifice.
• Today, your pride is the sacrifice.
• Today, your will is the sacrifice.

The Unmerciful Servant

Matthew 18:32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:

Matthew 18:33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?

Matthew 18:34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

Matthew 18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

(Evidently God can take back the forgiveness He once gave you, if you are unforgiving to others.)

Showing Mercy Is A Sign Of Strength, Not Weakness.

• It takes strength to say:
• “I forgive you.”
• “Let’s put this behind us and go on.”
• “Let’s start all over.”
• “I love you.”

Extending Forgiveness Is An Act So Important That Heaven Keeps Track.

Mark 11:26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

The last thing any of us want or need is for God to refuse to show us mercy. There is a direct connection between the mercy we show and God showing us mercy.

God Removes His Forgiveness From Your Life, When You Do Not Forgive.

• The price of mercy is always high.
• The price of not showing mercy is so much higher.

What Is Gained By Being Merciful?

• Favor with God.
• Favor with man.
• Peace
• God’s blessing.
• God’s mercy.
• Forgiveness is God’s greatest blessing. Don’t throw it away.

What Is Lost When Mercy Is Not Shown?

• Your personal forgiveness from God.
• Your home in heaven.
• Showing mercy to others is so important to God that your whole eternity is affected by your lack of forgiveness.
• I find no Bible to support the belief that one can be saved and be unforgiving as well.
• The extremely high cost of unforgiveness is prohibitive.

Showing Mercy

• Showing mercy puts marriages back together.
• Showing mercy puts families back together.
• Showing mercy brings churches a much-needed healing and revival.
• Showing mercy restores damaged relationships.
• Showing mercy displays Christ’s Spirit in us.

Are You Willing To Show Mercy In Spite Of What Has Happened?