a former American footballer who played football for the Miami Dolphins,
was asked by Newsweek, he was being interviewed by Newsweek,
and he was asked what motivated him as a footballer to go to university.
Apparently it's a disconnect there in the United States between those two things.
And his reply was,
my father and my uncle were human cannonballs in carnivals.
And one day my father took me aside and said to me,
son, go to university or become a human cannonball.
And he said, I'm working that out.
That decision out which way to go when my uncle came out of a cannon one day,
he missed the net and hit the Ferris wheel, was killed,
and I decided in that moment to go to university.
Seems like a fairly good decision in my mind.
Self-reservation sometimes is a great motive.
But motive, on the best of times, is often quite a difficult thing to work out.
And especially as Christians.
For instance, what's your motive of being here tonight?
Why come to church?
What motive do you have to pursue spiritual disciplines?
What motivates you to give?
What motivates you to serve?
What motivates you to show mercy?
What motivates us to do, as this series is all about,
to love thy neighbour, to love your neighbour?
You see, when secular people claim that moral behaviour is possible without God,
when secular people say it's possible for us to love our neighbour,
they are absolutely right.
From a Christian point of view,
someone who does not believe in God
is capable of loving their neighbour
and doing things that God's laws requires.
So what is it about the Christian faith that drives us to care for those in need,
for us to love our neighbour?
Is it just simply a sense of duty or a load of guilt?
What is the real dynamic that's behind the Christian pursuit of loving your neighbour?
Two weeks ago, first message of this series,
Sam took us to the parable of the Good Samaritan.
John read out a little bit of it to us just a moment ago,
from Luke chapter 10.
And there we were confronted by this legalistic law expert
who wants to narrow down the definition
of what it means to love your neighbour.
He wants to narrow down, in fact, who my neighbour is,
and therefore the smaller definition of who it is that I'm required to love.
And he wants to do that in order that he can justify himself,
declare himself righteous.
He's a self-justifier.
He believed his own moral efforts could earn favour with God.
And so Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan
to help him see his insufficiency.
Jesus put before him a picture of the love that the law of God requires.
And it's an incredible picture.
You see, you could as well imagine a Taliban fighter
putting his life on the line for a US Marine
gunned down on the side of a road.
Or a Palestinian freedom fighter
putting his life on the line to assist an Israeli commando.
Or a member of ISIS putting his life on the line
to come to the aid of a Christian in desperate need,
as you could imagine a Samaritan helping a Jew.
But this is what the law of God requires.
Luke 10, 27.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your strength,
with all your mind,
and love your neighbour as yourself
all the time.
No failings, no gaps,
no minimising,
all the time.
You see, what Jesus' goal was here
is to show this law expert
who believed that he was spiritually rich,
that he was, in fact, spiritually bankrupt.
That was Jesus' goal.
That he wanted to help him see
that he didn't actually have the resources
to make good on his debt.
He was in a desperate state,
and yet Jesus says
that the person who comes to that state
of understanding about themselves,
that desperate state of need.
Jesus says earlier in Matthew's Gospel
that they are blessed.
And so Jesus' true goal
was to show this law expert
that he was poor
to prepare him
to seek spiritual riches
in the mercy of God.
What is the mercy
that Jesus is preparing this law expert for?
This is in a nutshell.
In a nutshell.
That all of humanity,
us included,
me included,
is like that man beaten on the road.
We're lying in our blood,
waiting for death.
We are spiritually bankrupt.
We are spiritually lost.
We are not capable of helping ourselves.
We need a rescuer.
And yet in that position,
God has provided spiritual health
and wealth
and healing and life.
And he did that
by putting his son
on the side of the road.
He impoverished his son,
Jesus Christ,
on a cross
so that all of his riches,
all of his health,
all of his righteousness,
all of his wealth
and life
could be given,
transferred to those
who trust in him.
2 Corinthians 5, 21
reveals this
incredible,
merciful transaction.
so clearly
when it says,
God made him,
that's Jesus,
who had no sin
to be sin for us
who are sinful
so that in him,
Jesus,
we might become
the righteousness
of God.
We might have
a clear standing
of right standing
before God.
A couple of chapters
a little bit later
in Romans,
Paul puts that
in economic terms.
He says,
for you know
the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ
that though he was rich,
yet for your sakes
he became poor
so that you
through his poverty
might become rich.
And so the foundational
core element
of the Christian faith
is that though poor,
we're being made rich
through the mercy of God.
we are
human race
living
in a rubbish tip,
scrounging around
for scraps
to try
to keep ourselves
alive.
And his grace,
in his grace,
God has
taken us
from the rubbish tip.
He has clothed us
in his kingly robes.
He has sat us down
at his royal
banqueting table
never ever
to get up again.
And there are
a multitude
of powerful effects
that the grace of God
has on the recipients
of his mercy.
And the one
that I want to focus on
today
is that those
who receive mercy
while an undeserving
enemy of God
will have a heart
heart
of love
and mercy
for the most
ungrateful
and the most
difficult of people
even
their enemies.
You see,
when a Christian
sees
prostitutes
and alcoholics
and prisoners
and drug addicts
and the homeless
and refugees
and the broken
and the destitute,
when they see them,
they're face to face
with them,
they know
that they are looking
in a mirror.
That's the heart
of the Christian.
They know
that they're looking
in a mirror
at that moment.
It is irrelevant
if that Christian
has spent
their entire life
as a respectable
middle class person,
they look at the broken,
they look at the outcast,
and they say,
spiritually,
I was that person.
Even if physically
and socially,
I've never been
where that person is
right now,
they are
in desperate
need
of mercy
and I
was in desperate
need of mercy.
God gives mercy
to the ungrateful
and the wicked.
That is what we were
and the powerful effect
of his mercy
and his grace to us
is we become
like a merciful God.
That's what we become like.
His mercy
makes us more merciful
and the parable
in Matthew 18
that John read out
for us a moment ago
makes this principle
really clear.
It shows the principle
with a great deal
of force.
It's a parable
which helps us
to see
how grace
motivates
a life of grace.
Jesus has been
talking about
Matthew 18.
You've got your Bibles,
go to Matthew 18.
Jesus has been
talking about
how to handle things
when someone sins
against you
and particularly
when a brother
or sister sins
against you
but really
it's to everyone.
And Jesus
asks a question
in verse 21.
Sorry,
not Jesus,
Peter asks a question.
He's always the guy
who comes up first.
He's always the guy
with the first question.
And Peter
asks this question.
He says,
Lord,
how many times
should I forgive
my brother
or sister
who sins against me?
Up to seven times?
Now you see,
the attitude
of the rabbis
in the first century
around Jesus' time
is that you would
forgive your brother
or your sister
three times.
That's where we get
that's the tradition,
that's what lies behind
the statement
when we say
three strikes
and you're out.
It goes right back
to that Jewish heritage
which says
you could forgive
your brother or sister
no more than three times.
Three strikes
and you're out.
And so Peter
who suffers
from foot in mouth disease
is thinking,
you know,
I have come up short
so many times
with Jesus.
Jesus asks a question,
I give an answer
and it's always wrong.
So this time
I'm going to get the three,
I'm going to double
and add one
just for sure.
You know,
seven's a perfect number,
it must be seven
so let's go with that.
And so
Jesus gives
this stunning response
in verse 22.
I tell you,
not seven times
but 77 times.
And Peter goes,
not again.
You know,
back to the back
of the line.
You know,
John,
say something.
You know,
Barnabas,
what do you guys
say something?
And
some people say
that Jesus meant
77 times.
Others say,
well actually he meant
70 times 7,
that's the better translation
so he meant
490 times.
either alternative
is simply
missing the point
of what Jesus
is saying here.
Jesus
is saying
do
not go into
pedantic
calculation
of forgiveness
and mercy.
Forgiveness
and mercy
is unlimited.
That's the point
that Jesus is making.
That's what God's
grace is to us.
It is unlimited.
Limited.
And to make
the point clear,
Jesus goes on
and tells his story.
There's a man
who owes a king
10,000 bags
of gold.
Translation
that John said
said 10,000
talents.
It was a debt,
as verse 25
says,
that was not able
to be repaid.
That's an
understatement.
10,000
talents.
The talent
was the highest
unit
of currency.
10,000
the highest
Greek numeral.
It's meant
to convey
the largest
sum
imaginable.
It's what I
say to my kids
when they say
how much is that?
Oh,
it's
squillions
of dollars.
You know,
just
a lot
is what
that's meant
to convey.
In actual
fact,
the debt
was
10,000
was 1,000
times
the annual
revenue
of Galilee,
Judea,
Samaria,
and Edomia
collectively.
And it's
like taking
all the
foreign debt
and lumping
on one
man with
the responsibility
to pay
it back.
It's
totally
beyond
imagination
for those
who first
heard it.
It's
like,
that
dude's
bankrupt
several
times
over.
And yet,
this servant
here in this
passage still
has a sense
of pride.
In verse
26,
it says,
this servant
fell on his
knees before
him.
Be patient
with me,
he begged,
and I will
pay you
back everything.
See,
he hasn't
grasped the
totality
of his
debt.
Hadn't
quite understood
that there
is no way
he could
pay back
no amount
of time,
no amount
of patience
would ever
allow him
to pay
back this
debt.
He is
utterly
bankrupt.
He is
powerless.
He is
helpless.
He has
no ability
to trade
out the
situation,
which is what
bankruptcy
is.
It's what
genuine
bankruptcy
is.
Someone else
has to come
in on your
behalf and
take over
your affairs
to help you
trade out
of this,
help to
deal with
it.
This is
what this
law expert
in Luke
10 failed
to understand.
It's what
this gentleman
here,
this first
servant,
fails to
understand
here.
But what
they fail
to understand
is that
they are
both the
men on
the side
of the
road,
beaten,
helpless,
dying,
destitute,
and they
need a
rescuer.
Neither
of them
could say
it.
Ephesians 2
says that
that's all
of humanity.
We are
dead in
our
transgressions
and sins.
Dead
people don't
cut deals,
they don't
pay back
loans.
That is
our state
before God.
all of
humanity.
Now of
course,
the king
who represents
God here
understood
completely
the plight
of his
servant.
Verse 27,
servant's
master took
pity on
him,
which is
the exact
same word
which is
used
above the
Samaritan.
In Luke
10,
he had
pity on
him and
he cancelled
the debt
and he
let him
go.
Again,
it's a
story about
God and
the way
he has
graciously
treated
us.
We who
are
bankrupt
before
God
with
a
debt
of
sin
that
we
could
never
repay
have
been
forgiven.
Our
sin
against
God
has
been
piling
up
load
of
bad
load
debt
after
debt
hour
after
hour
day
after
day
week
after
week
year
after
year
but
God
in
his
gracious
action
in
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
has
come
in
and
wiped
it
all
clean.
He's
not
just
wiped
it
clean
not
just
taken
it
away
but
he's
also
given
us
Jesus
bank
account
of
pure
righteousness
he has
loved
our
bank
account
so to
speak
with
squillions
of
dollars
the
words
here
be
patient
with
me
and
I
will
pay
you
back
everything
is
pitifully
untrue
for
me
for
you
and
for
all
of
humanity
no
amount
of
good
activity
no
good
amount
of
good
Christian
activity
no
amount
of
pulling
up
your
socks
and
rolling
up
your
sleeves
and
trying
a little
bit
harder
to be
a bit
more
moral
will
actually
do
it
our
debt
against
God
is
phenomenal
we
are
bankrupt
we
don't
have
the
power
or
the
ability
to
trade
out
of
it
but
God
comes
along
and
he
says
I
release
you
from
that
debt
man
I
wish
the
heritage
bank
would
do
that
to
me
that
would
be
awesome
let
me
tell you
if
you're
someone
who's
here
tonight
and
is
anything
happening
in your
heart
right
now
to
say
that
is
news
that
I
need
to
discover
more
I
need
to
know
about
I
need
to
embrace
because
I
don't
know
what
it
is
to
have
my
guilt
and
my
shame
cancelled
all of
my
sin
or my
debt
against
God
cancelled
to be
able to
walk
away
totally
free
if
you
don't
know
that
then
I
would
love
to
talk
to
you
tonight
that's
what
we
exist
for
as a
church
we
want
people
to
know
Jesus
and
treasure
Jesus
because
it's
the
greatest
now the twist
in the story
comes
when this
servant
who's been
forgiven
this
enormous
debt
goes out
and makes
sure that
this other
guy
who owes
him a
few
dollars
pays
him back
right down
the last
sentence
verse 28
but when
that servant
went out
he found
one of his
fellow servants
who owed
him a
hundred
silver
coins
he grabbed
him began
to choke
him pay
back
what do
you owe
me he
demanded
his fellow
servant fell
on his
knees and
he begged
him please
be patient
with me and
I'll pay
you back
but he
refused
instead he
went off
and had the
man thrown
into prison
until he
could pay
the debt
it's ludicrous
isn't it
this second
servant
debt against
the first
servant is
one
six
hundred
thousandth
of the
first debt
that's how
ludicrous it
is it's
like I
don't have
a mortgage
this big
but if I
bought a
house I
would
bigger in
fact
is it
it's like
the bank
rings me
and says
Steve
lucky day
we had
this sort
of spin
the wheel
at the
office today
and your
debt's
being cancelled
six hundred
thousand dollars
boom you're
done
white free
it's all
yours
the paperwork's
in the mail
woohoo
and I go
immediately to
John
John remember
last week I
lent you that
dollar for
that stamp
or for
whatever else
that you
bought
not much
ice cream
cheap ice cream
McDonald's
and I
just
and John
said I
don't have
it on me
right now
and I
just leapt
on him
and started
choking him
John
pay me
back
and I
ring the
cops and
cart him
away
it owes me
a dollar
it's ludicrous
isn't it
ludicrous
that's
nuts
you see
any
limitation
of grace
or forgiveness
or mercy
that this
first servant
shows
is
inconceivable
second
servant
here
pleads for
mercy
be patient
and I
will pay
you back
and he
could have
paid him
back over
time
he did
have a
job
he did
work
he did
get money
but the
moment
that first
servant
threw him
into prison
his livelihood
is taken
away
and he
can't
pay
him
back
and so
he
will
hold
that
debt
against
him
forever
the one
who had
been shown
mercy
refused
to show
mercy
it is
a totally
unthinkable
response
to God's
grace
and it's
not unlike
what Paul
teaches in
Romans 6
I'll read
it to you
verse 15
it says
what then
shall we
sin
because we
are no
longer
under the
law
but under
grace
by no
means
don't you
know
that when
you offer
yourselves
to someone
as obedient
slaves
you are
slaves to
the one
you obey
whether you
are slaves
to sin
which leads
to death
or obedience
which leads
to righteousness
but thanks be
to God
that though
you used
to be
slaves
to sin
you have
come to
obey
from your
heart
the pattern
of teaching
that has
now claimed
your allegiance
you have
been set
free from
sin
and it
becomes
slaves
to
righteousness
so what
Paul's
doing here
in Romans 6
he's quoting
this person
and he's
trying to help
this poor
individual
who doesn't
understand
the essence
of the
Christian life
and this
person
listens to
Paul
about
and what
Paul's
teaching
is that
we have
a right
standing
with God
by God's
grace
through faith
apart from
any effort
on our
behalf
this person
hears
that
hears
it as
good
news
and they
respond
with
well
if I
have a
right
standing
with God
by trusting
in his
merciful actions
towards me
and the
Lord Jesus
and if
all of my
sins
past
present
and future
are all
forgiven
I might as
well go
on sitting
then
I might as
well enjoy
that
and enjoy
doing
whatever I
want
keep on
sitting
and what
Paul says
is that's
the way
a person
talks
whose
Christianity
is simply
a group
of ideas
and not
an experience
of the
precious
mercy of
Christ
it's a
person
whose
Christianity
is all
truth
no treasure
all choices
no cherishing
all logic
about Christ
no love
for Christ
all decisions
and no delight
he says
it's not
genuine
Christianity
it's not
genuine
faith
a grasp
and an
experience
of mercy
gives rise
to a life
of mercy
and we see
that in
Matthew 18
leading verse
32 onwards
then the
master called
the servant
in the first
servant
in that is
he says
you wicked
servant
I cancelled
all that debt
of yours
because you
begged me
shouldn't
you have
had mercy
on your
fellow servant
just as I
had on you
that is
logical
reasonable
application
to mercy
is that
you would
immediately
have mercy
you have
not understood
mercy
if that's
not your
response
so the
master says
throw him
in the
jail
too
see
Jesus
purpose
of the
parable
of Matthew
18
is to
teach the
principle
of unconditional
forgiveness
and especially
you do not
understand the
forgiveness of
God if your
life is
bulging with
resentment
towards other
people who've
treated you
badly
and I want to
suggest to you
that the
ministry of
mercy has the
same motivation
and rationale
that is the
grace of God
to us is the
rationale behind
love your
neighbour
the grace of
God is dynamic
and life
changing
God's grace
his compassion
his love
his mercy
his forgiveness
is meant to
motivate in us
grace
compassion
love
mercy
forgiveness
the only
true
and enduring
motivation to
love our
neighbour is an
experience and a
grasp of the
grace of God
if we know
that we are
sinners saved
by grace
alone
we will both
be open
and generous
to the
outcast
the unlovely
and even
even
our enemy
so it's a
little ironic
for me
that our
secular society
is in
many ways
more committed
to social
justice
universal
benevolence
and human
rights than
any other
civilisation
has ever
been
things like
suffering and
death through
famine
flood
earthquake
pestilence
war
can awaken
wide
movements
of sympathy
and practical
solidarity
in ways
that have
never been
known before
in the history
of humanity
it's a little
ironic for me
because
secularism
has its
foundation
in theories
like evolution
which is
by and large
things like
the survival
of the fittest
and
and also
the purposes
of life
and so
technically
for the true
secularist
human life
should be
cheap
individuals
count for
little
and that
is represented
in vast
slabs
of our
world
human life
is cheap
individuals
count for
little
it's simply
survival of
the fittest
and if I
live and you
die
that means
my genes
are stronger
than yours
that means
not these
my genes
you know
we want me
to keep
producing people
now I think
the Christians
should be
grateful
that this
is not
broadly the
case in
the secular
west
that
we're not
handed over
to the
extremes
of the
secularist
theories
I mean
certainly
in large
slabs
of
you know
the communist
world
that has
been the
case
so what
motivation
could there
be for
secular love
and mercy
and this
question
dumb
founds
philosophers
because there
appears to be
no motive
for it
whatsoever
one motive
and I want
to suggest
this applies
to religious
people as
well
one motive
philosophers
are suggesting
and these are
non-Christian
philosophers
suggesting
is the feeling
of superiority
us secular
people
have done
what other
people are
not able
to do
and we've
abandoned
all that
religion
stuff
and we've
been able
to formulate
in our
own
human
wisdom
how to
run
the world
and so
we just
want to
help you
poor
religious
types
and you
backward
people
around the
world
to see
that we
have good
values
and you
really
need to
learn from
us
and so
it's a
big brother
little brother
sort of
patriarchal
kind of
come over
the top
and let
me just
show you
how to
live life
that's
one way
that philosophers
say
that is
what it
does is
it pumps
up our
fragile
egos
that's
one reason
why
we want
to
love
people
and I
think
that
applies
to
the
religious
person
who
believes
that
God
will
favour
them
because
of
their
morality
and
because
of
their
respectability
ultimately
you push
deep
down
and
those
kind
of people
who have
that as
their
motive
have a
contempt
for the
outcast
of the
unlovely
and certainly
for their
enemies
they say
things like
I've worked
really hard
to get to
where I
am
and frankly
those people
can do
exactly the
same
that's the
language of
the moralist
that's the
language of
the legalist
another
motive
to act
in mercy
is the
exact opposite
of that
according to
the philosophers
and that is
that it is
a simple
anger
over
injustice
in the
world
and these
people
who are
keen
for
injustices
to be
resolved
are moved
by a
burning
indignation
against
racism
and oppression
and sexism
good things
to get rid
of
don't
hear me
wrong
and what
ultimately
does
it means
is that
they inevitably
it inevitably
requires them
to demonize
someone
in order to
help someone
else
they have
to do
that
they have
to demonize
someone
in order
to help
someone
else
in other
words
one of
their
neighbors
they have
to hate
in order
to love
another
neighbor
you have
to do
that
and
as
Friedrich
Nietzsche
said
who was
no friend
to Christianity
whatsoever
he says
strangely
these acts
of benevolence
and mercy
are really
powered by
hatred
and contempt
for people
that is
you've got a
real hatred
and contempt
for this
dictator
or these
governments
or these
pharmaceutical
companies
or you
know
whatever
you hate
them
and you're
going to help
the people
who have
been treated
so badly
by them
people
he says
it's driven
by hatred
and contempt
Christians
motivation
for the
alleviation
of poverty
and equality
and just
and suffering
is the
extension
of the
radical
love
and mercy
of God
that we
have received
I am
only
where I
am
by the
sheer
and unmerited
mercy
of God
I am
completely
equal
with all
other people
that is
the language
of the
person
who has
grasped
and experienced
the grace
and mercy
of God
God's
love
motivates
our love
by doing
the exact
opposite
of the
secular
motive
and that
is
it
actually
humbles
us
that's
what it
does
God's
grace
actually
humbles
us
showing
us
that we
are in
fact
loved
sinners
so that
spending
ourselves
for others
is not
based on
a sense
of
superiority
it's
not
based
on
hating
certain
people
because
we're
commanded
to love
all
people
but it's
based on
God
showing us
our
lack
our
need
Christians
know that
all things
wrong
will be put
right
this is
another
powerful
motive
all things
wrong
will be put
right
by Jesus
it's
an
impowerful
incentive
to love
even
our
enemy
that is
what the
secularist
that is
what the
legalist
that's
what the
moralist
there's
good things
that they
will do
and I
praise God
for the
good things
that they
do
they
cannot
give
their life
for their
enemy
that's
what they
cannot
do
but that's
what Jesus
done
and that's
what he
motivates
us to
do
you see
Christians
not only
have a
deeper
motivation
to love
their
neighbor
but they
also have
a much
stronger
hope
when they
do
that's
why you
can
give
your
life
blood
that's
why you
can
give
your
life
because
you
have
a
much
stronger
hope
and that
is
according
to this
Bible
this world
in the
end
will be
renewed
and
the promise
of the
resurrection
of Jesus
is that
we too
will be
raised
with him
with new
and perfect
bodies
all injustice
all suffering
all disease
all death
is going to be
wiped out
that's our
hope
that's why
we can expel
ourselves
for the sake
of others
because that
is our
hope
and so
that's why
Jesus
and Isaiah
and James
and John
and Paul
use this
ministry of
mercy
of love
for your
neighbor
as the
test case
as to
whether
a test
case
between
what is
true
and false
Christianity
you see
a sensitive
social
conscience
and a
love
a life
poured out
in deeds
of mercy
to the
needy
is an
inevitable
sign
of a
person
who has
grasped
the grace
of God
a heart
for the
poor
the needy
I believe
lays
dormant
in every
true
Christian
until
someone
comes
along
and
preaches
on the
connection
between
God's
mercy
and the
mercy
that he
motivates
us to
give to
all
people
if you
like
a message
like
tonight
and the
message
you've been
hearing
last couple
of weeks
pushes a
button
deep in
your soul
that begins
the process
of waking
us up
to a
fuller
grasp
of God's
grace
and the
outworking
of it
in our
lives
now in
case that
button
hasn't been
pushed for
you
let me
give you
another
example of
this kind
of preaching
Scottish
minister
Robert
Murray
Mishane
preached
this
to
Scottish
Christians
living in
Scottish
cities
in
1838
he said
I fear
that there
are some
Christians
among you
to whom
Christ
will not
be able
to say
in the
last
day
well
done
good
and
faithful
servant
he's
referring
to
Matthew
25
he says
your
hardy
dwellings
referring
to your
nice
houses
your
hardy
dwellings
rise
amongst
thousands
who have
scarcely
a fire
to warm
themselves
at
and have
but little
clothing
to put
out
the
bright
frost
and yet
you
don't
darken
their
door
you
heave
a sigh
of
relief
perhaps
sorry
not
relief
you
heave
a sigh
perhaps
at a
distance
but you
do not
visit
them
my
friends
I'm
concerned
for the
poor
but I'm
actually
more
concerned
for you
I don't
know
what
Christ
will say
to you
on that
great
day
you
say
you
follow
Christ
but you
don't
care
for
his
poor
I
fear
that
there
may
be
many
hearing
me
who
now
know
well
that
they
may
not
be
Christians
at
all
because
they
don't
love
to
give
now
dear
Christians
some
of you
pray
night
and day
to be
branches
of the
true
vine
you
pray
to be
made
all
over
in
the
image
of
Christ
if
so
you
must
be
like
him
in
giving
though
he
was
rich
yet
for
your
sakes
he
became
poor
answer
Christ
might
have
said
my
blood
is
my
own
my
life
is
my
own
another
person
objects
the
poor
are
undeserving
answer
Christ
might
have
said
frankly
they're
all
wicked
rebels
should
I
lay
down
my
life
for
these
no
that's
not
what
he
said
he
left
the
99
and
came
after
the
lost
he
gave
his
blood
for
the
undeserving
and yet
another
objects
the
poor
might
abuse
it
oh
man
I
mean
let me
just
pause
there
how many
times have I
ever heard
yourself
say that
if I give
this person
they're probably
going to go and buy
alcohol with
it
he says
the poor
might abuse
it
another
answer
Christ
might have
said the
same
yes
we far
greater
truth
Christ
knew that
thousands
would trample
his blood
under their
feet
that they
would despise
it
that they
would make
an excuse
for sinning
even more
and yet
he gave
his blood
oh my dear
Christians
if you would be
like Christ
give much
give often
give freely
to the
vile
the poor
the thankless
and the
undeserving
Christ
is glorious
and he is
happy
and so
will you
be
it is not
your money
I want
it's your
happiness
remember
his own
words
it is
more
blessed
to give
than to
receive
so
friends
is the
spirit
of God
waking you
up from
your deep
slumber
the power
of the
good
Samaritan
is the
pattern
of God's
mercy
and his
mercy
generates
a life
of mercy
and so
I urge
you
to lay
aside
any
remnant
of self
goodness
that you
think
you
might
still
have
to
admit
your
total
spiritual
bankruptcy
to drink
deeply
from his
infinite
grace
and mercy
and then
in deep
awareness
and appreciation
of what
you have
received
to live
a life
of grace
and mercy
I think
it's really
appropriate
that we
move
immediately
on to
the Lord's
Supper
and in
doing that
the first
thing I
want us
to do
is just
to pause
and to
confess
just to
just have
a think
is your
button being
pushed at
this point
is there a
connection
between
a life
of mercy
because of
mercy
that's been
shown to
you
because having
heard the
grace of
God we
get to
experience it
together
in these
elements
which are
a visceral
representation
of what we
have in
Christ
so let's
just pause
silence
and we're
going to
say together
a prayer
up on the
screen in
just a
moment
and then
I'm going
to lead
us into
the Lord's
Supper
and we're
going to
drink of
his grace
to us
and eat
of his
grace
to us
let's
just
pause
so
together
up on
the
screen
merciful
God
our
maker
and our
judge
we have
sinned
against
you
in
thought
word
and
deed
we
have
not
loved
you
with
our
whole
heart
we
have
not
loved
our
neighbors
as
ourselves
we
repent
and are
sorry
for all
of our
sins
father
forgive
us
strengthen
us
to love
and obey
you
in
newness
of life
through
Jesus
Christ
our
Lord
Amen
let's
pray
we
thank you
our
father
that in
your
love
and your
mercy
you
gave
your
only
son
Jesus
Christ
to die
on the
cross
for our
salvation
and by
his
offering
himself
once
and for
all
he
made
a
full
perfect
and
sufficient
sacrifice
for the
sins
of the
entire
world
and
he's
commanded
us to
continue
a
remembrance
of his
precious
death
until
he's
coming
again
hear us
merciful
father
and grant
that we
who receive
these gifts
of your
creation
this bread
and this
wine
according to
our
saviour's
command
in remembrance
of his
suffering
and his
death
Gottes
on his
sons
all
that the
bad
moment
on my
shared
and
all
life
happened