Every time Jesus told a parable about mercy in the Gospels, He was talking to religious people who resisted His message.

The self-righteous, opposers of grace, and “God-you’re-going-to-accept-what-I-say-about-who-deserves-your-attention” crowd hates mercy.

Their first thoughts on mercy are usually, “Why does God need to do this mercy gig? That’s only for people who aren’t good enough to measure up.”

Their second thought about mercy is always, “But if there’s going to be mercy, it ought to be for those of us who do measure up.”

The enemies of Christ can’t stand it that Jesus insists that God loves sinners.

And, sadly, His mercy passes them by.

Question: Do you ever find yourself begrudging God’s mercy to other “sinners”?

It just doesn’t add up.

The God of the Universe sent His only Son to die for me so that He could give me His life, care for me, teach me, and encourage me to follow Him.

It just doesn’t add up.

I’m a failing failure.

I was a totally hopeless failure when it came to holiness before I met Jesus.

And even with all the growth and healing Jesus has brought into my life, I continue to fail Him.

Just last week I told Him I felt like my life was a hopeless, sinful, joke. I told Him it was a mistake to ever give me eternal life. I told Him I didn’t think I could go on and that He should find some other follower to represent Him.

I mean, really, how does He tolerate someone who’s been a Christian so long and still has these nights of deep depression, these bouts with anger and doubt, these envious-of-other-Christians’-better-deal-in-life pity parties, and this less-than-I-really-want-to-be-for-you life?

Guess I’ll just have to give up and receive His love, and risk it that He’s telling the truth when He says that I’m His special concern.

Despite all my sinfulness and the messiness of my stumbling steps of following Him, I don’t have anyone else to go to.

He has the words of eternal life.

I’m just going to go ahead and keep risking everything on Jesus.

Turn, Turn, Turn

You gotta turn from this, and from this, and from this, and from this…if you really want to be a Christian!That’s what I hear too many Christian leaders saying today. “If you’re really serious about God, you’re going to turn from your sin and start living right!”

Two Problems With That

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Life on earth was a hopeless cycle of misery and pain.

Men and women were helpless to do anything about it.

Then, something happened.

God broke through the pain and misery by sending His Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus called it “mercy.”

And when someone calls out to Him crying, “Have mercy on me,” He always does.

That cry for help characterized the Jesus Movement. We knew we needed mercy.

Every parable illustrating mercy in the New Testament occurs when Jesus is talking to self-righteous people. His message is consistent: Your confidence that you don’t need Me is your undoing. It’s the whores and tax-collectors who know they need Me who receive God’s mercy.

Maybe that’s why they called us “Jesus Freaks” in the 60s.

Question: Do you remember the day God’s mercy broke through the pain and misery of your life?

There’s a definition of faithfulness I absolutely reject:

It’s the idea that a faithful man or woman is that Christian who has sinned a little less, hasn’t embarrassed Jesus as much, and has generally measured up a little more to churchy standards of “faithfulness” than others by giving more money, coming to more meetings, and looking good on Sundays.

Two Problems with That:

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I vividly remember riding my bike home after an adolescent sinfest and promising God I would never do it again, if He just wouldn’t send me to hell.

Of course I didn’t keep my promise. A few years and about a million broken promises later I figured, “What the heck? I mean if I’m going to hell anyway, the best plan is to have as much fun as possible along the way!”

But the guilt and shame just got worse.

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