In our ongoing sermon series, “The Keys to a Blessed Life,” we continue to explore the Beatitudes, which are the opening verses of the Sermon on the Mount. Before we delve further into our discussion, I would like to briefly mention a Christian holiday we are observing today called Reformation Sunday. Many Protestant denominations celebrate this reformed movement on the last Sunday in October. In the early sixteen century, Martin Luther, a German monk and Bible scholar, posted his beliefs on the church door in Germany. His main points emphasized that the Bible held more authority than the church at the time and that human salvation was fulfilled by God’s grace, not by human deeds. Luther objected to the sale of indulgences by the church in those days. While he may not have intended it, his actions inspired many churches to re-evaluate their faith based on the Word of God. Today, Reformation Sunday still calls us, both as a Reformed church and as individuals, to reflect on our faith journey and renew our spiritual lives in line with Christ’s teachings. Reformation is an ongoing process, not a one-time event.

As reformed Christians, we are all called to be ministers of God. The Lord has gifted each of us with unique talents and abilities to fulfill our divine tasks. One common ministry that all followers of Christ are called to undertake is showing God’s mercy to others. God wants us to be agents of His mercy. In today’s Beatitude, Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7). This sacred principle assures us that when we show mercy to others, we too will receive mercy. Before we explore how to carry out this ministry, let us to consider the meaning of mercy and why it is crucial in our faith journey.

First of all, what is mercy? It can be defined in various ways, but, this morning, I want to share two key concepts. Firstly, showing mercy means forgiving people who do not deserve it. Second, it involves helping those who cannot help themselves. These ideas of mercy can be frequently found in the Bible.

Now, why should we consider being merciful in our spiritual race? Numerous scriptures teach us about this. In our Epistle reading today, the Apostle Paul addressed his readers about this issue. He explained that they were once dead in their sins, living according to their flesh desires (Ephesians 2:1-2). Due to their sinful actions, they deserved God’s wrath. However, through the great love of God who is rich in mercy, they were brought back to life in Christ. By the grace of God, Christ’s merciful acts on the cross saved them from punishment and seated them with Jesus in heavenly places. Similarly, as readers of Paul’s letter today, we were spiritually dead in our sins before turning to Christ. Because of God’s deep love for us, we have been restored as His masterpiece created in Christ. In response to His mercy, we are called to extend that blessing to others.

In our Old Testament reading this morning, the prophet Hosea empathized the importance of learning about the Lord, particularly His mercy. Hosea’s continuous invitation to the people of Israel revealed that despite their many offerings and sacrifices, their hearts had been far away from the Lord. Their love for God constantly changed like “the morning mist or early dew” (Hosea 6:4). They had repeatedly turned away from the Lord and continued to worship idols. Hosea urged the people to return to the Lord, repent of their sins, and acknowledge His mercy. He promised them revival and restoration of their true identity. In the New Testament, Jesus rebuked the hearts of some religious leaders who observed rituals but neglected to understand God’s characteristics, especially His mercy. Just like the people of Israel in the Old Testament and certain individuals in Jesus’ time, sometimes we may substitute our religious works for our genuine relationship with God. Let me clarify that I don’t oppose our reformed and historical traditions or our dedication to the Lord and His church. What I am saying is that the focus of our faith journey should be on knowing the merciful and just Lord. Our offerings and sacrifices should express our undivided love for God and our appreciation for His mercy.

There are many ways to show mercy to others. In today’s sermon, I want to focus on three practical methods the Bible teaches us about how to carry out the ministry of mercy and become agents of it.

Number one is to be patient with others’ weaknesses. Whether we admit it or not, each of us has our own weaknesses and shortcomings. That is why we need to show mercy when we encounter people’s failures in our lives. Some may argue that forgiving can be difficult. They believe it may bring back painful memories and force us to confront the stressful consequences all over again. With our human nature, we often want others to take responsibility for their mistakes and apologize for their wrongdoings. There is nothing wrong with these reactions. As I stated before, forgiving others, especially those who have hurt us and our loved ones, is one of the hardest things to do. However, we need to forgive other people’s sins because Jesus instructed us to do so.

I have been married with my wife, Soon Hwa, for 26 or 27 years – I should be able to provide the correct number of years, either 26 or 27! Like those who have been together for a longer period, I would say that one secret to a lasting relationship is being patient with each other’s faults. I have been married with a sinner, my wife, and she has also been with a bigger one – that is me! Both of us have had our ups and downs over time, but we have been merciful toward each other’s shortcomings. Someone once said something like this: “A great marriage is the union of two great forgivers.” God wants us, as His children, to show His blessed mercy to each other.

Number two is to give people a second chance or even more. Everybody needs that type of mercy, in other words, receiving more opportunities. When we are hurt by others, what would be our natural responses? There may be two thoughts on those hurtful situations before we consider practicing God’s mercy. First, we may want to get even with those who have hurt us. Second, we might want to retaliate if or when some people wrong our loved ones. If we cannot carry out these acts of revenge, we may even ask our descendants to do them on our behalf. According to the Apostle Paul, we, as recipients of God’s mercy, need to be kind and merciful and forgive others just as Christ forgives wrongdoers, instead of retaliating with the same pain we have experienced (Ephesians 4:31-32). These loving and gracious responses can be considered giving a second chance to those who do not deserve it.

Friends, I am aware of how many of us, including myself, may find this sacred instruction challenging. In real life, it is hard for us to provide an additional chance, particularly to those who have harmed our lives and the lives of our loved ones. When I reflect on this topic, I am often reminded of the attitude Jesus had toward one of his disciples, named Peter. He was quite a character. When Jesus mentioned that His disciples would abandon Him when the time came, Peter immediately declared, “Lord, I will follow you no matter how difficult it gets.” In contrast to his confident proclamation, Peter later denied Jesus three times when Jesus was arrested and put on trial. Eventually, Peter considered giving up on his divine calling due to those failed actions. However, Jesus gave Peter another chance, in other words, offered a renewed calling to be a follower of Christ. This invitation took place on the shores of the Sea of Galilee during a loving banquet provided by Jesus. During this merciful fellowship, Jesus asked Peter three times about his love for Him and affirmed his identity as a disciple of Christ again and again. Because of Christ’s second chance, Peter became one of the founding members of the Church of God. During the period of Pentecost, he fearlessly and confidently preached the Word of God in front of more than 3,000 people. He served those with diverse backgrounds and shared Christ’s mercy with them until he died, reportedly crucified upside down, according to Christian tradition.

In the Bible, there are many stories about “the God of second chances.” If God can provide additional opportunities to the characters in the scriptures, He can also extend second chances to us. In fact, Christ has granted us more than a second chance. One day, Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive others, suggesting the perfect number, seven, which was commonly believed in those days. Peter thought he would be merciful if he forgave others seven times. However, Jesus’ response to that question was entirely different than Peter’s perspective. According to Christ, not seven times, but seventy-seven times would be required. In other words, Jesus expects His disciples to offer those who offend us not only a second chance but unlimited opportunities for God’s mercy.

Providing someone with more chances is one critical way of showing God’s mercy. I believe that many of us have heard and witnessed inspiring testimonies from individuals who have received second chances in their lives and have overcome their challenges. Once again, however, in everyday life, it is difficult for us to apply this merciful principle to others and even ourselves. Sometimes we may wonder, “What if they fail again… What if they make progress for a week or two and then go back to their previous state?” These are valid concerns we may have. Despite these doubts, we must still grant a second chance to those around us. Friends, who might be recipients of merciful acts from us in the days to come? With the help of the Lord, we can extend God’s merciful, limitless opportunities to those in desperate need.

What about us? Whether we admit it or not, we are not exempt from the topic of receiving a second chance. I believe many of us, including myself, have made mistakes in the past that we are not proud of and now regret. We have made errors, and we may think, “I wish I could go back in time and do things differently. I could be a better person.” Since the beginning of this year or this fall, some of us may have invested a great deal of effort, energy, and time in self-improvement or overcoming obstacles in our faith journey. How are we doing these days in terms of these commitments? Once again, some of us may feel disheartened by repeated failures and want to give up on our dreams and visions. When faced with such disappointments, we have two options. The first is to continuously condemn or beat ourselves up while replaying our shortcomings over and over again. This only leads to feelings of guilt and lower self-esteem. The second option is to turn to Christ, bringing our past failures and mistakes to Him and seeking His forgiveness and mercy. In other words, we can ask Jesus to give us a second chance and start anew. We need to remember what the Bible teaches: The God we serve is a God of mercy.

In our Proverbs for today, we find the definition of success in God. In this fallen world, according to the Bible, righteous people are not those who never fail but those who keep rising even when they fall seven times (Proverbs 24:16). Many of us have experienced challenges in our faith journey one way or another, and it is inevitable. As I mentioned before, life is “full of ups and downs.” The key is how we react when we fall. As followers of Christ, we need to get up again with the mercy of God. I firmly believe that God gives us a second chance. As Christ declared, God provides us with a third chance, a seventh, and even seventy-seven chances (Matthew 18:22). With the unlimited opportunities God grants us, the Lord wants us to remember the Greatest Commandment of Christ: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and love your neighbour as yourself” (Mark 12:30-31). There are three kinds of love we, as Christ’s followers, express. The first is love for God, the second is affection for our neighbour, and the third is love for ourselves.

God wants us to love ourselves as Christ loved us. Jesus sacrificed Himself and showed His mercy and love until He completed His mission on the cross. This is how much God loves us through Christ. The same Lord wants us to love ourselves as Christ did for us. How much are we worth? It does not depend on our possessions, power, or pleasures. While those things are important in our lives, the more critical factor in determining our value is how much someone is willing to pay for us. God recognizes each of us as priceless. Because of our God-blessed precious identity, He dedicated His One and Only Son’s life to save us. The Lord, our Creator, paid once and for all because he sees each of us as His workmanship or masterpiece. A masterpiece is not a copy; there is only one available in this world. To live as God’s workmanship, He has given us a second chance whenever we fall and want to give up. Christ keeps reminding us of who we are and to whom we belong. Friends, can we fix our eyes on Jesus, who has given us seventy-seven opportunities through His mercy. Furthermore, He wants us to apply this godly principle to others in our relationships with them.

My prayer for our church is that St. Andrew’s Fenelon Falls can be known as a church of God’s mercy. Our church can be a place that provides a second chance for anyone. In our church’s inclusive statement, “At St. Andrew’s, we believe that we are all one in Christ, regardless of our various backgrounds, such as age, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, and physical or mental ability. We welcome into our church everyone who seeks to love God and participate in an open and supportive congregation that is grounded in the teachings of Jesus Christ.” God wants us as a church to show His mercy to those who need a second, or third or even more opportunities in their faith journey. With the many more chances given by God, we can all restore our identity in Christ, reconnect with God, and restart our sacred race with the help of the Holy Spirit.

This fact leads us to point number three: Value relationships over rules. In our Gospel reading for today, we encounter a conversation between Jesus and some of the Pharisees of His time. According to the Pharisees, the disciples broke the Sabbath law because they picked some heads of grain and ate them in the field. From a legalistic point of view this action would have been seen as harvesting on the Sabbath. However, Jesus introduced a merciful example of King David and his companion consuming temple food that was designated for the priests. This was unlawful for them to do; but they were forgiven because of God’s mercy in response to their hunger. According to Christ who is the Lord of the Sabbath, acts of mercy is more valuable than the observance of ritual laws from God’s perspective. Jesus placed vulnerable people before temple regulations, prioritized relationships over rules, and placed love above the law. Please understand that Jesus did not abolish God’s laws; He came to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17). According to the Apostle Paul, Jesus accomplished the very purpose of the Law through His merciful love (Romans 13:10). In the Protestant Reformation, John Calvin understood this core principle: the Sabbath is made for us as human beings, not us for the Sabbath, because Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, died for us who could not keep all the laws. God calls us to be love keepers rather than rule observers and challenges us to perform merciful acts to others in our faith journey.

In the real world, we need to admit that it is challenging to do this. Friends, can we take a moment and reflect on how deep Christ’s love has been demonstrated to us through the Cross? Look at the cross and listen to one of the last words He shared there. “Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). Over the course of our lives, whether we accept it or not, we have done numerous things without truly understanding why we were doing them due to our sinful desires. We have made countless mistakes and experienced many failures. Think about how often we have been forgiven? As the Psalmist said, “For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me” (Psalm 40:12). In this hair illustration, God’s forgiveness upon us is uncountable, like counting the number of our young hairs. In other words, there is no bottom to the well of God’s mercy. There is no way to comprehend the height and depth of God’s love. When we remember His abundant forgiveness for us, we can show mercy to those around us not only seventy-seven times but also from the bottom of our hearts. When we show mercy to each other, we will be known as true disciples of Jesus and receive God’s mercy as well.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7).

*In this sermon series, I have drawn inspiration from the teachings of Pastor Rick Warren as well as various messages based on the following texts: Hosea 6:1-6; Proverbs 24:15-16; Matthew 12:1-8; Ephesians 2:1-10.