1 Peter 1:3-5 "His Amazing Grace in a Sentence"

1 Peter 1:3-5.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade - kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time." NIV

I don't think there are many sentences in the Bible that stretch out over three verses. And I don't think there are many sentences in the Bible packed with as much richness to ponder as this one. I could spend all day meditating on this one sentence and not fully grasp the power and graciousness packed into these words.

First, look at "His mercy." We were dead in our sins. Hopelessly bound for eternal punishment for the selfish and destructive choices we had allowed to infiltrate our lives. Then He not only graciously gives us a new birth, raised up out of our dead state, but also toward a living hope. Because of Jesus Christ's power to overcome sin and death, we are freed from present bondage, and given hope for a bright future.

Then on top of that, we have an inheritance. And not just any inheritance. We have the hope of heaven - a place kept especially for me. And no one can take this inheritance away from me. There's no probate or inheritance tax. I have a mansion and streets paved with gold illuminated by the glory of God waiting for me. Now we are really into something our minds cannot even wrap around.

And as if that is not enough, until Christ comes again, we are, by faith, "shielded by God's power." Can we even begin to understand the meaning of that in its fullness? God is our protector, provider, advocate, guide and guard. If we surrender to His covering, there is nothing and no one that can get to us. The enemy has no power over me that I do not give him because I have the Almighty Creator of the Universe as my Jehovah-Jireh and Jehovah-Nissi. My heart is full of praise.

Further Thoughts:

1. List ways in your life you experience God's mercy, inheritance, and shield. Support with Scripture.
2. Read through the passage a couple more times and meditate on the amazing gift our Lord has given us. What should be our response?

Matthew 27:27-44

Read Matthew 27:27-44.

"Those who passed by hurled insults at him...." NIV

The flogging, the mockery, crown of thorns and taunts. He endured them all silently. Did He ever want to call down the armies of heaven and command the natural forces of the earth to take revenge on these ignorant people? Did He want to destroy them with a single word? Did God have to look away or could He? The same people that were tormenting Jesus were the ones He was sacrificing for. Could they not see that? Did they ever taunt and torment the lamb they had layed on the altar of sacrifice? Do they not see the tremendous gift of grace and mercy He is giving them? Do we?

My heart is grieved over the blindness that sin brings on humanity. And we've allowed it to happen.

Lord, open the eyes of man to see Your sacrifice in all it's horrendousness and beauty.

Further Thoughts:

1. Imagine the punishment you should have received for your sins. Then take some time today thanking Him for His sacrifice.

Matthew 20:29-34 "Cry Out to the Lord"

Read Matthew 20:29-34.

"....they shouted, 'Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!'" NIV

When was the last time I sincerely cried out to God for His mercy? And I don't mean because I can't find my keys and I'm already 10 minutes late. I mean really needed Him immediately. I'm sure it was in a moment of complete frustration and hopelessness. It was probably a time that I had tried every other avenue possible, or it was where I had no control over the situation. I called out to Him in last resort desperation because I had no other recourse.

But these men weren't calling for Jesus because they needed food, although I imagine they were probably beggars. And yes, they did have a huge need -- they wanted to see. But they tenaciously shouted for Jesus because they believed He could help them. Even when the crowd tried to stop them, they wouldn't be silenced. They needed the supernatural power that only Jesus could provide, and nothing was going to stop them from asking the Son of David for help.

I'm blessed to have good eyes, but I should never stop crying out to the Lord to give me sight. I need Him to open my eyes to the needs around me. I need Him to direct my every step and my every word so that I am doing what He would have me to do. I want to serve Him as He would have me to serve. And the desperation for Him to intervene must pour forth from the depths of my soul. I cannot do anything without His hand upon it, and I cannot be the person He would have me to be without His healing touch.

Only the Master can transform me into Him image, and He waits for me to ask. But I don't have to shout. He's always as close as a whisper.

Further Thoughts:

1. The Psalms are full of David crying out to God. Read through them and see exactly what David is asking of God?
2. Look up Scriptures for "call," and "cry." "Shout" is another interesting word. Read what we are supposed to be doing with our shouting.
3. Do you need a miracle from the Master? Do you need guidance and direction? Call out to Him first, not as a last resort. He is waiting to hear from you and wants to show you mercy.

Matthew 18:21-35 "Grace Giving"

Read Matthew 18:21-35.

"Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?" NIV

This is such a difficult lesson to keep in the forefront of my thinking. When someone has sinned against me, unfortunately, the last thing I think of first is that I should show mercy. My first inclination is to be angry, hurt, lash back. And I'm certainly not considering the mercy God showed me at that moment. Again, this is worse with those closest to me. If I don't know someone and they sin against me, I tend to have a lot more mercy and grace.

So how do I keep from lashing out and start showing the same mercy to others that God showed to me? I believe it comes from spending time with Him. I thought I'd had almost daily devotion times for the last 13 years. But after I started this blog in April, I realized how many days I would miss. The blog has become a sort of accountability for me to be consistent in my times with the Lord. Now, if for whatever reason I miss a day or two, I feel it deep within me. I yearn to get back to Him. Part of this is because I am more acutely aware of my sinfulness and dependence on God's presence and instruction in my life. The longer I spend with Him, the more glaring my faults. You can't sit at the feet of perfection day after day and not start seeing your flaws stand out in stark contrast. Therefore, I do believe that in the last seven months, I have grown in grace and mercy. Still a long way to go -- but making progress. Even an inch worm makes progress over time.

Further Thoughts:

1. I always come back to Joseph as such an example of grace and mercy. Have you noticed He's my favorite OT mentor. Can't wait to meet him someday. What were some ways that Joseph exemplified grace and mercy?
2. Do you feel you have to have justice in every situation? Why is that? Maybe one act of grace is letting some hurts just roll off your back.
3. Look up Scriptures on "grace" and "mercy." What is the Lord saying to you about these two virtues? What active steps is He leading you to take?

Matthew 12:1-14 "A Balancing Act"

Read Matthew 12:1-14.

"For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." NIV

We have to see this passage in light of Jewish law. Nothing was allowed to be done on the Sabbath -- from sun down the night before to sun down the next night. Even all their food had to be prepared in advance. This was a very strict law for these people. And for the Pharisees, the law had definitely come above people and the mercy they needed.

Jesus here reestablishes that the law is not abolished, but that mercy reigns higher. By doing so He is stating again His authority to be above the law which totally enrages the Pharisees. What Jesus is saying is blasphemy in their eyes. Christ is placing Himself in a position to change hundreds of years of tradition, and they will not tolerate it. By hiding behind the law, they justify their own hypocrisy.

Christ is calling for a clearer form of the law -- one that sees people before the legality. One that places His children as a priority. Maybe we in the 21st century have taken it a bit too far the other way. We could use more respect for the Sabbath -- one that respects rest and refreshing, worship of God, and time for renewal.

Surely we can find a balance. Is Jesus saying abolish the laws of the Sabbath? Absolutely not. The Sabbath was created as a day to rest and renew ourselves. It is the only way we can continue to be able to work the other six days. If God does it as an example, then we should follow His lead, not only because it is commanded, but because He has demonstrated the value of a Sabbath rest.

But when we get caught up in legalism that sacrifices human decency and compassion, we have destroyed all the safeguards that God has established. The law was made to guide us, not to imprison us. And if we sacrifice others for the law, we are not living as Christ lived. We have come to make the law a ritual that has become a religion of its own. Jesus says to follow the law, but not worship it. See people more than the law and meet their needs.

Further Thoughts:

1. Do research on the Sabbath. What is its purpose? How did the Jews' strictness of the law undermine the purpose? How have we today destroyed the
   Sabbath?
2. Some people work on the Sabbath and some play all day. Which one is not keeping the Sabbath holy? Support your answer with Scripture.
3. Do you take a Sabbath rest? If no, why not? Do you believe you should make a change?
4. Do you lean toward legalism or mercy in your life? Which is more valued by God? Does He expect us to throw out the law and just be merciful? If not, how do we find a balance?

Matthew 7:7-12 "Ask...Seek...Knock...."

Read Matthew 7:7-12.

"For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." NIV

I really hate when this verse is misused to expect prosperity and riches here on this earth. I can't believe that God works that way. Money is just money and some people use it well and others do not. Riches are a temporal pleasure and sometimes a curse.

Christ always rises above the temporal to teach us a much greater truth while at the same time meeting our earthly needs. Much of this passage takes us back to 6:9-13 in Jesus' lesson on how to pray. This passage is showing the result of praying in that vein.

ASK: If we ask according to God's will with a humbled, surrendered heart to His direction, we will receive what we ask for. Now, granted, sometimes the Lord blesses us with excess, but that is a free gift. It's not something we've earned or even deserve, but receive out of His great mercy. We also must see the answers He gives to our requests through His eyes. For example, I pray that my child will recover from a serious illness. I pray believing that God can heal. But that may not be according to the Lord's plan, and we must keep in mind that this is a temporal existence. Death is not the end, but for the believer, only the beginning -- the perfect healing. Our grief here is but for a short time compared to eternity. Those answers from the Lord may seem harsh and unloving, but that is where our surrender and faith in Him must prevail -- even in the harshest circumstances.

SEEK: Recently I was having a discussion with a couple friends about the theology of a worship song that was asking God to come closer to me. The fact is, He can't be any closer to me than He is right now. He never moves. I'm the only one who walks away from Him or shuts Him out of an area of my life. If I seek Him, He is ALWAYS there. Never failing, never ignoring. Granted, we've all experienced periods of God's silence. Sometimes our prayers feel like they are hitting the ceiling and going no further. But the Lord has not left. He will reveal Himself in His own time for His own purposes and glory. Meanwhile, our faith must remain strong and sure through the waiting.

KNOCK: Christ's grace and mercy are always available to us. We will never be turned away. His love is never ending. If we refuse to live in that grace-filled life, we will suffer consequences. Some of them can last a lifetime. But when we humbling, repentantly fall on our knees at the throne of Christ, we are received with open arms every time. It doesn't matter what we've done; where we've been, He will take us as we are and show us the potential of where we can go. The door will always be opened if we simply have faith and choose to knock.

Isn't His mercy and love absolutely amazing?! Thank you, Father, that you care about the minutest part of my life, and the big life-changing moments. You amaze me, and I praise You with all my heart, soul, mind, and spirit as my Lord and Savior, Master and King. Amen.

Further Thoughts:

1. Where do our blessings come from? Read James 1:17.
2. Have you been asking for something, but not received it? Re-examine your asking. Is it in line with God's Word. Maybe it's not His will or the right timing. Sometimes, His answer is "no."
3. Are you in a place that you feel like God has left you? Turn around, He's right there. What in your life is hindering you knowing His presence? Are you spending time in His Word, solitude, prayer and meditation? Are you giving Him a chance to talk to you or do you take up all the time talking to Him? Maybe you need to give Him some conversation time and do so with an open heart to His will. Read Deuteronomy 31:6 and Luke 21:37.
4. Have you yielded to temptation and sinned against God? He's waiting at the door to extend His forgiveness through grace and mercy. He's never stopped loving you and is waiting patiently for your return. Read Romans 3:23, 6:23, 2 Peter 3:9, and 1 John 1:9.

Matthew 5:7 "Blessed" Part 5

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." NIV

A few years ago a movie came out called, "Pay It Forward." It was about a 12-year-old boy given an assignment in school to develop an idea that would change the world. He came up with "pay it forward." He would do something unexpected and helpful for three people. In return for his kindness, he asked them to pay it forward by doing something kind for three more people. And so on and so on. I won't give away the movie for you, but in the end, we learn that he had touched thousands of people through his project of mercy.

Mercy is a gift we have received from our Lord, something we completely do not deserve, and He asks us to give it out freely to others. In fact, He commands it. In forgiving those who have offended us, in Matthew 6:14-15 He says that we must forgive others, or we will not be forgiven by our Father. For the needy, we are to help them. For our enemies, we are to love them. Mercy is to be given to all others around us and comes from the righteousness that we are being filled with as written in verse 6. Mercy given out on our own is rote duty; mercy coming from the Father's Spirit empowering us is a choice made out of love and a desire to walk in His path.

Lord, help me to be more merciful. I am a sinner saved by grace, and I want to share that grace and mercy that You showed me with others. Teach me and fill me, Precious Lord.

Further Thoughts:

1. Read about David's acts of mercy in 1 Samuel 24 and 26.
2. Read Jesus' parable of the unmerciful servant.
3. Do you struggle with showing mercy to the needy? your enemies? those who have hurt you? Who do you need to work on showing more mercy to? Choose by the power of the Holy Spirit to be merciful.

Ephesians 2:4-7

"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions -- it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus." NIV

Don't you just love the word, "but"? I was a sinner destined for hell and destruction, BUT, God showed me mercy and made me alive in Christ! (The reality of that overwhelms me even as I type.) Stop and reread that sentence again..... A simple compound sentence that describes a 180 degree shift in my eternal destiny. And it's all because of "God, who is rich in mercy." Oh, how I take that for granted. I was raised a preacher's kid, at the church every time the doors were open. I never did anything too horrible -- never took drugs, never stole anything, never murdered -- and yet in my sin I was as destined for hell as everyone else. BUT, out of God's rich mercy and my repentance, I am raised up through Jesus Christ and am eagerly awaiting the day when I will see Him face to face. It doesn't matter what I've done in the past, I am a child of God, co-heir with Jesus Christ, and I have an eternity to show him my gratefulness. I better get started.

Further Thoughts:

1. Through our salvation, how do we symbolically live out Christ's resurrection daily?
2. What does it mean to be co-heirs with Christ? Support with Scripture.
3. Find examples of/verses on God's mercy in the Old and New Testaments.
4. Read Psalm 25:1-7 and 1 Peter 1:3-5 and praise Him.