The Call of Paul to Mercy

, I would like to ask you to join me in prayer as we ask the Lord to bless our study of His word here this morning. Pray with me, please. My dear gracious heavenly Father, Lord, we come before you right now. We acknowledge the fact that you are present, that there is no place that we can go from where we can escape your presence.

We acknowledge the fact, Lord, that you are holy. That Father God, you are just absolutely unique in all of your ways that you are set apart and totally other. You are holy, and yet, Lord, we know that you have drawn near to us, Lord, that you have reached out to us, and we come to you, Lord, not in our own righteousness, but in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ through the shed blood of Christ, through the cross, Lord, we come to you, we approach your throne boldly, Lord, and we ask that you would extend to us sanctifying grace, that you would extend to us.

Instructing grace, that Lord, you would convict us if needs be with your grace, that Lord, you would build us up and establish us.

In your words, upon the gospel, Lord, by your grace, we are asking, Lord, for much grace because we need it, and I confess to you, Lord, the fact that I sin and come short of your glory, and that ultimately at the end of the day, Lord, I am in desperate need of you, that you might minister through me, your unworthy servant, to my brothers and sisters who have been purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ. Minister to them through your word as we continue on in our series. A call to mercy.

We ask these things for your glory and for the advancement of your kingdom for our sanctification.

In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Well, if any of you happen to be new with us this morning, just by way of a really fast review, I want you to know that we are in the midst of a sermon series called A Call to Mercy. There are 6 messages, and the first message, which was given about 3 weeks back, was called The Gospel Call to Mercy.

The second message was the call of Jesus Christ to mercy, and then last week, we dealt with the call of the early church to mercy. And I would like to say that It has been a huge blessing to observe and to hear about the ways in which this congregation thus far has responded to this sermon series. It has been absolutely overwhelming. Two days after Pastor Mike preached his sermon 2 weeks ago, as I walked downstairs through the front doors into the secretary office, I saw there on the left of me a whole lot of food for our food pantry.

And to be honest, there was a part of my heart that coveted what I saw because the food looked really good. What a blessing to see an immediate response. I have heard rumors. I will not get into those rumors, but I have heard rumors of ways in which people have blessed others in their care group that just goes beyond my ability to comprehend.

I wanna share with you just one particular response to the sermon series, that happened to take place in the context of my own care group. A couple of weeks back, Pastor Mike preached on the call of Jesus Christ to mercy, and the following day, our care group met and we had 7 out of our 8 families were present during that evening. And when we finally got to the question, is there any way in which you can minister to anyone in your own care group? Are there needs in your own care group that need to be ministered to, We began to discuss the one couple who happened to be absent from our care group that evening.

The husband, the father had just lost his job. He was in the process of applying for unemployment and our understanding was that he would receive about half of what his normal pay would be and we were under the understanding that he basically needed the whole check and half the check wasn't going to cut the mustard. And so I was greatly encouraged by the response of my particular care group in that everyone was extremely eager to want to step up to the plate to meet the need.

Now, you need to understand something about my care group.

We do not consist of a bunch of affluent type people by way of comparing ourselves with other Americans. We're normal ordinary people and most of us are single income family a thing. I was greatly encouraged when the group decided we will take an offering. And we designated Eve and Ursa Hansen as the collectors of the funds, and we determined that they would receive the funds in about 6 days on the Sunday.

By that Sunday, they should receive money from us by way of mail or hand delivered or whatever, and then they would cut the check for this one family. And so when Sunday rolled around, I had expected, knowing my group, that we might be able to contribute $1000 to help this family in need. $1000 seemed reasonable and legitimate, and to my surprise, as it turned out, the number was significantly bigger than that. 2 days ago, 2 of the ladies in my care group met up with the wife.

And they met her for coffee someplace there in Redlands, and they presented to her this envelope with a card in it expressing to this couple. That we love them. And that we wish to minister to them. And when she opened up the envelope, she then noticed the check for $3250.

Evidently, she called her husband immediately after parting ways with the two ladies, and he called me and he was profoundly thankful. And very blessed by the gift. That is just one small example of one way in which one humble care group sought to apply what has been learned over the last 3 weeks, and I share that with you by way of encouragement and by way of exhortation even as the apostle Paul does similar things as we will see. What an overwhelming response and I submit to you that there is no telling what all the Lord has in mind in terms of what he wants to do through you, his people, by way of answering the call to mercy, ministry.

This morning as we continue in our series, then we are focusing on the call of Paul to mercy. Paul's call to mercy and the question that I wish to address is this. What do we observe from Paul concerning Mercy Ministry? Now, hold on.

Because I've got a shotgun in my hands and I'm gonna fire one bullet and that bullet's gonna go through the barrel and as soon as that bullet leaves, it's gonna split into many, many different pieces and fragments of the bullet are going to, to be, to, to go all over the place and my prayer, my hope is that every single one of you will be on the receiving end of at least a fragment of the bullet. As I fire away the answers to this question. There are many answers. This list is not going to be exhaustive, but I, I'm afraid that it might be exhausting to you to hear.

So hold on to your seats, and here we go. What do we observe from Paul concerning mercy ministry? Number one, number one, mercy ministry is grounded in the teaching of Jesus Christ. Many things could be said.

Here's one passage. in Acts chapter 20, when the apostle Paul is bidding farewell to the Ephesian elders, he gathered them together, he gave to them a farewell speech. Part of what Paul says is this, Acts 20:35, he says, in everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner, you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus that he himself said, he says, you must Remember what Christ said, and this is what the Lord Jesus Christ said, it is more blessed, or it is rather blessed to give than to receive.

And so essentially what he is doing is as he's communicating to the Ephesians, he's reminding them of his example, and he is saying to them, that, that Jesus Christ has even said, and I live my life based upon what he said, that it is better.

It is more blessed. If I am going to experience joy and happiness in my life, that is gonna come by way of giving of myself. It is better to give than to receive. And so, mercy ministry is grounded in the teachings of Jesus.

Again, much more could be said. Number 2, mercy, ministry is grounded in the gospel. The apostle Paul, having experienced salvation, by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone, experienced a radical transformation. the, the, the, the life and the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ was the, the paradigm shift in his life and his life was forever changed as a result of this gospel.

But note what Paul says to the Corinthians and 2 Corinthians chapter 8. And what he is doing is he is trying to motivate the Corinthians to give to the poor Jews in Jerusalem. And by way of motivating them, he gives to them the gospel. Note what he says in verse 9, for the grace, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, Yet for your sake he became poor.

That you through his poverty might become rich and so clearly what Paul is doing to the Corinthians is he is directing their attention to the cross, to Jesus Christ, to his incarnation, his life and his death. He's wanting them to direct their attention to him and to look at. Him and to understand that in light of Jesus Christ and what he has done for you, you too should model his example and be willing to give to the Macedonian, to the, to the Jerusalem poor Jews out there. And so mercy ministry is grounded in the gospel.

Number 3, mercy ministry is to be modeled in the life of the believer. Now, if you look at the life of Paul, so much could be said, but his was a life that was deeply rooted in mercy. His was a life that was profoundly impacted by this concept. Of mercy ministry decisions he made and the ways he lived his life and sacrifices in his life, in, in much regard was, was the result of his passion for mercy.

Paul's decision, for example, not to marry, I believe was an expression of mercy. Because in not being married, he would be more freed up to exercise mercy ministry in his life and be freed to proclaim the gospel all over the place and to meet needs all over the place. He made that decision, I believe, in part, Not to marry so that he could be an expression of God's mercy so that his life could communicate God's mercy. I believe that his willingness, Paul's willingness to endure hardship is an expression of mercy.

In 1 Corinthians 4:11, he talks about being hungry, being thirsty, being poor, being persecuted, and he's willing to endure such difficulties of life for the sake of proclaiming the gospel and for the sake of ministering mercy to those who needed it. You look at the apostle Paul and his example is just remarkable. I believe that his work ethic, now look at Paul, he worked very, very, very hard to say the least. To the Ephesian elders there in Acts 20:34, he said, I showed you that by working hard.

I showed you by my example of hard work. That you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus. Again, it is better to give than to receive. Other passages, 1 Thessalonians 2:9, he says, you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day.

Here was a man who was given over to hard work. As an expression of mercy. And in our day and age and in our culture sometimes one of the struggles we have and I think especially among younger adults is the struggle to just be a hard worker so that as a result of my hard work teenager, my hard work, I might be able to be an effective minister and I might be able to more effectively be a minister. Of mercy, you look at Paul's work ethic and I believe that's an expression of his mercy.

Much more, could be said consider Philemon. I wanna draw your attention to this this just struck me. This was amazing. Think about, Paul's letter to Philemon, and the story.

There is a, a slave owner, a master. Paul is writing to the master. OK? And the reason he is writing to the master is because one of his slaves had run away.

The slave runs away from the master and eventually, crosses paths with Paul. What does Paul do? He proclaims the gospel to this runaway slave. And then after proclaiming the gospel at some point, I don't know exactly when he says to the runaway slave, you need to go back to your master.

And so he sends him back to the master, but he writes this letter to the master. OK, and he encourages the master to receive that runaway slave, no longer as a slave, but even much more as a brother who may prove to be useful to you. Now listen to what the apostle Paul says to the master in Philemon 1:18. He says, if he has wronged you in any way, or if he owes you anything, I don't know in what ways he's wronged you.

I don't know exactly what the dollar total is in terms of what he owes you, but the apostle Paul says, charge that to my account. I would be perfectly happy, Paul says, to pay off his debt for him. And such is the example of the apostle Paul, whose life was a life that was characterized by mercy. And the amazing thing about that is Paul had nothing, but he says, I'll pay it off for him.

He wasn't a wealthy, I'm, I'm sure he assumed that someone would support him to where he would be able to meet the need of this runaway slave who was now a brother. In countless passages, Paul talks about following my example, follow my example. I've spent more time on that point than I will any other point, and so here we continue on. Number 4, Mercy ministry is associated with knowing God.

Titus 1:16. Paul says they profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him. They say they know Him, but by their deeds they prove they don't really know Him. And so clearly some of their deeds were bad.

Deeds, but what does Paul have in mind in terms of the good deeds that the people of God should be engaged in? In the same book later on chapter 3 verse 14, the apostle Paul says, let our people, he's referring to all of our people, let our people. Learn to engage in good deeds. To meet pressing needs.

To engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs that they may not be unfruitful. Those are the types of deeds that the apostle Paul would expect the people of God to be engaged in deeds that result in meeting the pressing needs of people. And those who engage in those types of deeds give evidence that their profession that they do know God is a legitimate profession. Number 5, Mercy ministry is associated with sound doctrine.

1 Timothy 3:6:3, Paul talks about doctrine conforming to godliness. In Paul's mind, sound doctrine, good theology, right Christian thinking is always gonna work itself out in, in godliness. Now godliness is a category that can capture a whole bunch of stuff, but underneath that category we can take good deeds, ministering to the needs of those who have dire need. We can put that underneath that category of godliness, I believe.

So Mercy Ministry is associated with sound doctrine as we continue on number 6. Mercy, ministry is to be performed in love. 1 Corinthians 13:3. What does Paul say?

So if I give all of my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, But if I do not have love, it profits me nothing and so no doubt mercy ministry is to be performed in love that as we seek to meet the needs of others, our brothers and sisters and whatnot, there should be love in our heart as we seek to minister to those needs. Number 7, mercy, ministry is an effective antidote for sinful patterns of life. Mercy, ministry. is an effective antidote for sinful patterns of life.

Look at Ephesians 4:28, for example. What does Paul to the Ephesians say? He's, he's, in this verse, he's talking about a particular type of person, a covetous person, a materialistic person, a person who is caught up in the love of money and or the things that money can buy. He's talking about that type of a person.

And he is offering mercy, ministry as an antidote to that particular sin in that particular person's life. Ephesians 4:28, he says, let him who steals steal no longer, OK? This is the one who is, is an idolater. This is the one who, wants the things he doesn't have.

This is the materialistic person. this is the person who, when he looks at things others have, he wishes he has that, this type of a person, he says this thief should stop. Let him who steals steal no longer, but rather instead let him labor hard work here we see as being an antidote. He says, let him labor, performing with his own hands what is good, and the interesting thing is that he goes on to say, so that or in order that.

Here's the reason why that thief needs to stop being a thief and start working very hard so that he may have something to share with him who has need. And so you see in this passage that mercy ministry is an antidote for sin. In this particular case, the sin happens to be associated with thievery, but I would submit to you that many sins can be cured if we were to engage ourselves in a life of mercy ministry. Many sins, for example, as a parent, I look at my children and I identify that they, they are little idolaters.

They are spoiled in many ways and as I have been thinking about this, the thought is striking me that I need to get them engaged in mercy ministry. I need to get them to the place where their attention is away from self and on to others and they learn how to find real joy in serving others and trying to meet the needs of others. And if I am able to be successful in that, what I will, in effect, do is I will cure them of this self-centeredness, of this materialistic idolatry. And so again, I submit to you.

That mercy ministry is an effective antidote for sinful patterns of life. Number 8, mercy ministry is to be withheld. From lazy Believers. In 2 Thessalonians 3:6 through 13, Paul says, keep aloof from every brother who leads an unruly life.

Later on in the midst of verse 8, he says, in reference to his own example, he says, we, with labor and hardship, we kept working night and day. Then later on, he goes on to say, somewhere there in verse 10, if anyone will not work, neither let him eat. Neither let him eat. If he will not work, he should not eat.

And so clearly, there's a sense in which if there is a lazy believer, We want to refrain from mercy ministry to the lazy believer, OK? Now there are believers who aren't lazy and who work very hard and who underneath the sovereignty of God have been dealt a difficult deck of cards to play with. And those are the types of people, especially the people you identify as hardworking people trying to serve the Lord, and they're in a place of real dire need. Those are the types of people that you wanna reach out to.

You want to seek to minister to their needs. Number 9, Mercy ministry is an indicator of the grace of God. Go ahead and turn because we'll be staying here for a, for a while. 2 Corinthians 8.

2 Corinthians chapter 8. By the way, chapter 8 and chapter 9 is probably the classic place to go to in reference to the topic of, of just mercy ministry and giving financially to meet the needs of others. This is a classic place to go to. but, as I said, number 9, mercy ministry is an indicator of the grace of God.

Notice what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 8:1. He says, now, brethren, he's writing to the Corinthians, and he's gonna make reference to another group of believers, the Macedonian churches. He says, now brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God. Which has been given in the churches of Macedonia.

And if you continue to read, what you come to discover is Paul is essentially saying the reason I know God's grace is being poured out upon the Macedonians is because of the fact that they were willing to give, they were engaged in mercy ministry. Notice what he says by way of describing these Macedonian churches. He says that verse 2, that in a great ordeal of affliction. They were enduring affliction, persecution, their abundance of joy, and their deep poverty.

He is essentially saying that these Macedonian believers were impoverished. They were very poor people. Financially speaking, they did not have hardly anything to offer. Their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.

Paul says, for I testify that according to their ability and beyond their ability, they gave up their own accord. Then he goes on to talk about how these people gave to him. As a minister of the gospel, they sought to meet his own personal needs, and it would seem as if Paul had to convince them not to give anymore, because he, he goes on to say how they begged him to give to meet the needs of the poor Jews in Jerusalem. And Paul, Paul says, they gave up their ability, and they gave beyond their ability.

And, and, and all of this, Paul concludes is an indicator. Of the grace of God upon them. I know that God's grace was upon them. They gave out of their poverty according to ability and beyond ability, these gentile believers reached into their pocketbook in order to give to these Jewish believers in Jerusalem who by way of comparison were worse off than them.

And that is how I know God's grace was upon them. Number 10, mercy ministry can be effectively performed by the poor and suffering, and that probably goes without saying in light of what I just shared about the Macedonians. What a blessing to know that you can be poor and involved in effective mercy ministry. Even to such an extent that your example could be used to motivate others.

That's what Paul does with the poor Macedonians. He paints this picture of the very poor Macedonians. He brings it to the Corinthians and he says, look at the painting and what do you see? And the Corinthians have only one conclusion.

We see that they are very poor and yet they gain. And so therefore those who are poor. have the capacity to give and as a result, be a blessing as the Macedonians are being used as a blessing. To the Corinthians and Paul is using them to motivate.

The Corinthians as well. I think of children and teens, sometimes children don't have a whole lot of money. How much money do you have? Well, I get $1 a week for allowance.

Well, what, you can still give. Or even teens, maybe they have a part-time job and they're making by way of comparing what they make with their parents, they're making like little compared to a lot. But even a teen who may not have a whole lot has the privilege and the opportunity to be able to give to meet the pressing needs of those who are in need. Number 11 Number 11, mercy ministry should be greatly desired by God's people.

Again, going back. To the Macedonian example, 2 Corinthians 8:4, notice what Paul says about them. They begged us, they beg, you get the sense that Paul was almost having to say, no, no, no, no, don't, don't, don't give. you've given enough, that's enough, stop it.

And, and then you get, you get these Macedonians who are, who are basically arguing with Paul. No, no, Paul, I know we're broke. I know we have nothing, but we want to give it anyway. Begging us with much entreaty for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, they greatly desired the opportunity to give to those who were in need.

And so Mercy ministry should be greatly desired by God's people. 12, mercy ministry that has been started should be completed. See, part of what Paul is doing with the Corinthians, as you read through chapters 8 and 9, you begin to understand that they had committed to giving a year ago. And now Paul is sending them a letter motivating them to be true to what they began.

Paul is essentially saying, Yo, Corinthians, you guys have said, that you're going to give a year ago and now I'm encouraging you to hold true to that commitment and I am sending to you Titus, and Titus is gonna come along and receive the offerings so that he can take it, and I may go with him, I'm not sure, but so that he can take it to Jerusalem in order to minister to the poor Jews out there. OK, so again 12, mercy ministry that has been started should be completed. Look at 2 Corinthians 8:6-7.

Paul says, consequently, we urge Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well, the gracious work being raising the money to give to the poor in Jerusalem.

And he goes on a little later in 2 Corinthians 8:10, and he says, and I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago, you began this a year ago, not only to do this, referring to this offering and giving it to the Jerusalem poor, not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. But now finish doing it. Finish doing it all that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability.

So again, mercy ministry that has been started needs to be completed.

Number 13, mercy ministry should result in greater equality among the people of God. Mercy, ministry should result in greater equality among the people of God. 2 Corinthians 8:13, Paul says, for this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction. We're not asking you to Give for their ease and for your affliction, Paula saying, but by way of equality at this present time, your abundance being a supply for their want that their abundance also may perhaps at sometime in the future become a supply for your want that there may be equality.

And so Paul is, is saying here that there should be a sense of equality among the wealthy believers and the poor believers. The wealthy believers should be willing to do whatever they can to help out the poor, and in this case we're talking about poor believers being willing to help out the more poor believers. In terms of the Corinthians to the Macedonians. Number 14, Mercy Ministry should serve to motivate other believers to give.

OK? So, what by that is this, what does Paul do to motivate the Corinthians? He gives to them the Macedonians. He shows them the Macedonians in order to motivate them to give.

And so in a similar way, perhaps the Lord would want to use us as a local church to be an example so that through our example, others might be motivated to give or maybe he would want to use one care group's example of mercy ministry to motivate another care group in Mercy ministry and so that we all together collectively as one body, presenting ourselves before God as an act of worship. would be a church that is characterized by a passion for mercy ministry that we find much joy and delight and satisfaction in mercy ministry.

And as a result, are an encouragement to others. Mercy Ministry should serve as a motivation to other believers.

It's interesting in 2 Corinthians 9:2, Paul talks about the example of the Corinthians, and he's probably referring back to when they first began a year ago with their passion to raise money to give to meet the poor, and he says that, in reference to the Corinthians, he says that their zeal has stirred those up in Ikea. Your zeal had stirred those up in Achaia. You motive God used you to motivate them in mercy ministry. Number 15, Mercy Ministry will result in the experience of personal blessing.

Mercy ministry will result in the experience of personal blessings. 2 Corinthians 9:6. At the end of verse 6, Paul says, he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. But it's interesting, you have to follow his train of thought, OK, because a little later, he says, verse 8, God is able to make all grace abound to you, assuming that you're going to, to, to give, assuming that you're going to sow bountifully, you're, you, you'll reap bountifully.

And he directs their attention to God and who God is. God is able. God can do it. He can make all grace abound to you, and, and, and what all does he mean by that?

That always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed. So those who are engaged in mercy ministry. Even those who might give out of their poverty or whatever, but those engaged in mercy ministry, Paul is saying, God is able to fill up the tank in such a way that you will continually have something to give to those who are in need. That you will be able to continue on in mercy ministry as you seek to live a life of mercy.

God, God will, as it were, he will continue to bless you in such a way that you can continue to be involved in mercy ministry so that you continue to have an abundance for every good deed. Later in verse 10, he says, now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increasing the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in everything for all liberality. And so 15 again, mercy ministry will result in the experience of personal blessing.

Number 16, mercy ministry should be done cheerfully. And Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9:7, God loves a cheerful giver and so we should give cheerfully. There should be a sense in our heart in which when we give, we're excited about it. And I can tell you just in reference to my own care group, when, when my wife and I wrote the check, we didn't write a check, we got cash actually.

When we got the cash out and stuck it in the envelope and gave it to Ibban Yura to give as a gift to this one family, it felt really good. It was a blessing. I can honestly say that there was no reservation. And I was able to give cheerfully, and I would venture to guess that the others in my care group would affirm the same thing.

That they gave cheerfully. And when the group heard, I talked to individuals at the time and when they heard about what the total was. There was not a person who did not smile. About what God had done to meet the needs of this family.

It was a huge blessing. Number 17, mercy, ministry should transcend. Ethnic, racial, and economic barriers. Going back to Paul's ministry.

His ministry was one to the Gentiles for the most part. He is speaking to a Gentile church, whether it be the Macedonians or the Corinthians as he goes around, he's collecting money from Gentile believers in order to give to Jewish believers. And in the process we find that Mercy Ministry transcends ethnic, racial, and economic barriers. and you don't have to be a rocket scientist.

to understand that we have various ethnicities in our sphere of influence. We have various levels of, financial people in our spheres of influence, and, these various races, if you will, of people and Mercy Ministry transcends all of that. Number 18, Mercy Ministry could manifest itself in one's willingness to give a body part. Mercy Ministry, this strikes me as being funny, but I'm actually being serious here.

Mercy Ministry could manifest itself in one's willingness to give a body part. What does Paul say to the Galatians? In 4:15, he's referring to when they first received the gospel and they received it the way they should have received it. And now here we are, I don't know how many years later, but they're beginning to drift away from the gospel, earlier on, he says, you foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you?

After beginning with the spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal through human effort, and he's just going after them because they're departing from the gospel. And, and against this backdrop, he says in chapter 4, verse 15, where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. He said, Paul had an eye condition.

And I don't know exactly what that condition was, but for all intents and purposes we can, we can conclude that he had bad eyes and he's saying, you guys, you guys would have been willing to pluck out your eyeballs to give them to me so that I could see and so that I could effectively minister. That's mercy ministry. And it may be that the Lord would call someone in this body to give a body part, not a, not a body part that would require your life, I would assume, but a body part that you could part with.

or it may be that God would have you make the decision that when you die, I know there's ethnic issues involved and people arrive at different conclusions, but it could be that the Lord would have you to make that decision that when you die, you want to donate your organs.

so that others might have life or extension of life through your mercy. Ministry number 19. Mercy ministry is not optional. Notice what Paul says to Titus.

Now remember, Titus is a pastor, so Paul is speaking to the pastor and he is telling the pastor, this is what you must say to your people, this is your ministry to the people that are under you. Paul says to him, our people must, this is an imperative, it is a command, they must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful. And so mercy ministry is not optional. It is actually required.

God wants his people to be engaged in such ministry. Number 20 mercy ministry may be the result of special gifting, OK? It's, we need to understand that there may be some people who are especially gifted for mercy ministry. Romans 12:6, the apostle Paul says, since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let each exercise them accordingly.

And, he's talking about gifts and then he goes on to talk about different kinds of gifts, but notice what he says in the context of speaking about different kinds of gifts. He says a little later, he who gives with liberality, he who shows mercy with cheerfulness. So there is a sense in which some people are especially gifted. To Mercy Ministry, but that does not negate the fact that we are all to be engaged in Mercy Ministry.

And Paul will go on to address that if you look immediately thereafter at Romans chapter 12 verse 9, just a section right after dealing with gifts, he says, let love be without hypocrisy, Romans 12:9, let love be without hypocrisy, and then he goes on to explain some of the ways in which love is gonna be manifesting itself, but a little later in verse 13, he says, contributing to the needs of the saints. And this is something that all believers are to be engaged in, all believers are to be loving, and part of what that involves is contributing to the needs of the saints.

And so while Paul acknowledges that some are specially gifted for mercy ministry, everyone is to be involved in it at some level. Number 21, mercy ministry is to be exercised towards both believers and the unsaved.

And again, going back to Romans 12:9, Paul is basically saying that all of the people of God should be involved at some level in mercy ministry, but later in Romans 12:20, notice what Paul says, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. And so Mercy Ministry can be extended to your enemies. To, to those who just aren't good friends of yours, God would say, be, be willing to extend ministry if they're hungry. Feed them.

If they are thirsty, you give them a drink. Number 22, mercy, ministry can be hindered by the love of money. Mercy ministry can be hindered by the love of money and you can go all over the place to figure this out, but consider Paul to Timothy. First Timothy, for example, there are a number of things that Paul says in relation to money, in relation to materialism.

And it becomes very clear that money and materialism can actually serve as a hindrance to one's godliness, to one's ability to be merciful and to be involved in effective ministry and whatnot. Notice what Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:9-10 to the women. Essentially he says women are to focus on good works, they are not to focus on dressing themselves up in an expensive manner. OK, I'm paraphrasing, but you get the point.

He goes on to talk about the qualifications of an elder in 1 Timothy 3:3, and he says, elders are to be free from the love of money. And then later on in 1 Timothy 6:7, he's talking about materialism in general, and he says, we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. And if we have food and covering with these, we shall be content. The people of God should be content with the fact that their basic needs are Being met if we have these things, we shall be content.

And then he goes on to say, but those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction for the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith. And pierced themselves with many a pang. Clearly, the love of money can interfere with one's one's ability to be engaged in effective mercy ministry. In the same book, Paul later on goes on to instruct Timothy, Remember Timothy is a pastor and he's telling Timothy, Timothy, this is what I want you to teach the people, this is what I want you to teach your flock.

and, and in, in 1 Timothy 6:17, this is what Paul says to Timothy. Timothy, instruct those, teach those who are rich. Timothy, I want you to find those who are rich. among your congregation, there's gonna be some who have extra, find those people, find those who are rich and instruct them.

In this present world, not to be conceded or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. See, wealthy people are called to enjoy their wealth, but notice the way in which they are called to enjoy it. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future. So that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.

And what a blessing that God does call some people, there are believers out there even in the context of our own church, there are some people whom God has blessed exceedingly with wealth and, and God has given to them through Paul speaking to Timothy by way of extension to us. He has given to them instruction in terms of how they are to be in relation to their wealth. They have a special, ability to be able to give to meet needs that maybe the poorer people don't, but nevertheless, as I've said before, even the poor and now the rich included and everyone in between or on the opposite ends of it everyone is called to exercise a ministry of mercy.

As we continue on 23, number 23.

Mercy ministry is to be performed by the wealthy. Again, that goes without saying, moving on to 24. Mercy ministry results in thanksgiving and praise to God. 2 Corinthians 9:12, Paul says, for this ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God.

In my care group, I can say as the care group leader, I was extremely thankful to God as a result of what I observed him do in my care group for this one family in need. It resulted in my thanksgiving to God and some of you have experienced that as well that when you see needs being met and you see the people of God motivated to give and to meet needs and you see this generosity and this love being expressed. It, it causes your heart to rejoice. It causes you to lift your hands to God.

Paul himself. He no doubt. It's just lifting his hands in praise to Almighty God, because of the work he is doing in the lives of his people. Thank you, God, for the Macedonians.

Thank you for the Corinthians, thank you for those in Aaa, thank you for these churches through whom you are expressing your mercy as they are willing to give to meet pressing needs. As I see them being mobilized for mercy ministry, no doubt Paul is just thankful to God. Because of these things. 25 Mercy ministry results in winning the hearts of other believers.

2 Corinthians 9:13, Paul says, because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ. He's associating their giving to the Jerusalem poor with their, with their confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all, while they also by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you. Because of the surpassing grace of God in you. The apostle Paul is basically saying, you're winning them over, you are making friends.

These are just not brothers and sisters in theory. Now they are brothers and sisters in practice. These ones, because of your generosity to them, they're gonna respond by that and they're praying for you. They are yearning for you.

I want to see the Corinthian believers. I want a fellowship with those people who have met our needs. I give praise to God for them and I want to be with them. And in fellowship, so mercy ministry results in winning the hearts of other believers.

And then 26, finally, this is the last piece of buckshot. Mercy ministry results in heavenly reward. Think about what Paul says to the Philippians and so much more could be said, but as far as Philippians 4:15, I love this verse. Notice what Paul says.

And you yourselves also know Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel after I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone, and he's talking about receiving through them financial blessing. He says, for even the Thessalonia, you sent a gift more than once for my needs. And listen to his attitude, not that I seek the gift itself. It's not so much that my needs were met.

But I seek for the profit which increases to your account. See what Paul is observing is their willingness to give to him is essentially that says something about them. And he wants them to know that that he is grateful for what they have given, but at the end of the day there is a heavenly reward. You do have an account in heaven and your mercy ministry towards me is resulting in your heavenly account getting bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger and in a sense he's saying the day will come.

When you meet your Lord face to face, and he opens up the account, and he's going to reveal to you all that you have stored up in there. And so when we think about mercy ministry, we need to think in terms of the eternal. We need to think in terms of the fact that the day will come when we will see him face to face someday and we so much wanna hear, well done. Cornerstone Fellowship Bible Church.

Well done. We have performed an operation on the heart of the apostle Paul. We have discovered 26 things that we learned from Paul about Mercy Ministry. There's more, but 26 will suffice for now.

And at the end of the day, it becomes very clear that he had a passion. For mercy ministry. And even as he calls us to follow him as he follows the Lord, so we too ought to grow in our passion. For Mercy Ministry, and as I said at the beginning, This church has been tremendously blessed.

The leaders of this church, I can speak on behalf of the staff, tremendously blessed by your response thus far to this series. And I want to encourage you to continue to exercise Mercy Ministry. In the context of care group, if you're not in a care group, I urge you to get involved so that you are at a place in which you can observe the type of thing. taking place that took place in my care group.

Care Group is a wonderful arena in which you can experience the ministry of mercy. I want to encourage you to continue to minister to those within the context of this local church. Hopefully some way, somehow we can figure out a way to where maybe. If there's a care group and they're unable to meet the needs of someone that maybe we can go cross care group and, and utilize another care group and, and that care group can actually help to meet the needs of another care group where there's someone, with this type of fellowship is the type of fellowship that we want to experience in this body.

want to encourage you to continue to give to the food pantry as the Lord leads and as the Lord blesses you. Continue to give to the Agape Fund. perhaps you might even, be at a place where you might want to ask an elder, are there any particular needs that maybe I can help to, to meet? approach one of the elders, maybe Pastor Milton or Pastor Mike, they tend to know a lot of what's going on.

The other elders do too, but they're like good guys to ask and I ask them, is there a way in which I can help, do, do of any ways that I can be used in order to meet the needs of people in this body. You see, Mercy Ministry in, in many ways is all about the fact That we are a family. Bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. And the people in front of us, behind us, to the left and to the right, they are our blood bought brothers and sisters.

And God is glorified. When his people treat one another. As precious. In the ways in which we are talking about here.

I also want to encourage you to continue to minister to the needs of those outside this church, maybe our missionary brothers and sisters. Or brothers and sisters in general. I got this from Eileen Payne. Just some examples of things that could be done.

They just came back from their missions trip to Africa and listen to some of the things that Eileen Payne shared with me. She says $100. Buys enough medicine for a church-based medical clinic in the remote village of Cassega to deworm approximately 70 people. $100 will deworm 70 people.

Some adults have never been dewormed in their life. They are full of parasites and whatnot. She said that in order for children to attend a Christian or government school in Uganda, all must pay school fees. Currently $360 pays room and board for a high school student for one school year at Bethel Covenant.

$225 pays for an elementary aged student. And she lists other ways in which Mercy Ministry can be extended to some of these brothers and sisters in Africa as well. But I just use that as an example of something that could be done. I want to encourage you to continue in your positive response.

To Mercy Ministry and, and here's what I wanna end with. Here's the last thing I wanna say my prayer yesterday when I was in the sanctuary and I'm spending time with God and I'm just pleading with him and I'm praying through the sermon. I'm asking him to continue to work on everyone who is going to be present here. My prayer is that 50 years from now.

100 years from now. This church will not grow weary in doing good. And that those standing on our shoulders. will point back to this series.

As being as best as they can tell. One of the most significant periods in the history of this church. My prayer is that we are laying a foundation. Upon which those who go after us will be able to stand to where people looking in at Cornerstone Fellowship Bible Church would say they were given over continually devoted.

To the apostles' teaching, to the breaking of bread, to fellowship, to prayer, to mercy, ministry. Pray with me, please. My dear Heavenly Father, we just come before you, Lord, and we present this topic to you, this topic of mercy ministry, and we ask that you would weave it into the fabric of our lives. We do pray, Lord, that 100 years from now, people looking back as best as they could tell, will note this sermon series.

As being Foundational and instrumental, and perhaps even to some degree, a turning point. In the history of Cornerstone Fellowship Bible Church as it learns what it means. To experience the gospel in all of its fullness. The gospel being worked out in mercy ministry.

We pray these things in Jesus' name. Amen.