In Matthew's Steps: No Sacrifice Needed. Just Mercy.

The First Steps: Read Matthew 9
Focus Verse: “On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what theis means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:12-13

The Devotion: “No Sacrifice Needed. Just Mercy.”

It’s a fact of winter. You can never throw just one snowball. Imagine it’s wintertime and you’re in Montana, enjoying the snow. It’s right after a big snowfall, and you’re outside with your kids playing. You reach down and make a snowball, just for fun. And, just for fun, you toss it at your oldest son who gets this surprised look on his face.

You think: That’s the end of it, right? Things will go back to normal. It’s only one snowball, why should it be that big of a deal...

That is... until your oldest reaches down to the snow himself and makes his own snowball to throw at YOU. Until your other two kids get in on the action and, before you know it, you’re in a typical snowball fight that doesn’t stop until someone calls a truce and another person shows mercy. Even when you try to stop it, the snowballs keep flying and the fighters grow more and more cold the more snow hits them where their outer clothing isn’t covering. Truce is only achieved when mercy is granted to the first thrower and grace brings both parties together.

That is precisely what Jesus hopes to bring to life in this chapter of Matthew. Mercy... grace... a truce! Jesus says it best in verse 13.

“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’”

Throughout this chapter, Jesus shows what it means to show mercy. Over and over again, Jesus is running around being merciful to those who need mercy and compassionate to those who need compassion.

He shows mercy to the men bringing the parayltic to him...and forgives his sins, raising him up from his mat to walk.
He shows mercy to Matthew, at tax collector, and calls him to be one of his disciples.
He is merciful to a dead girl and to a sick woman who touches his robes to be healed.
He is merciful to a blind man who calls out for mercy and heals him “according to his faith.”
He is merciful to a demon-possessed mute and drives out the demon to spare him.
And he is compassionate and merciful as he heals the crowds coming to him “beacause they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Over and over again in this chapter, Jesus shows great mercy and compassion to those who come to him in need. He doesn’t treat them as they deserve. He doesn’t keep throwing snowballs at them either. He calls a truce! An end to the conflict, a cease to sacrifice and suffering, and a renewal of mercy and compassion in their lives. In his compassion, Jesus becomes mercy, offering up the healing and peace that only mercy can bring. Mercy that brings forgiveness. Mercy that brings healing. Mercy that brings life and salvation. This is Jesus’ mercy chapter...and he does mercy here quite well.

We too are called to share mercy with others. To reach out in a spirit of love and compassion to those around us. Imagine if our lives were ruled by this thought: “I desire mercy...not sacrifice.” So that when we see the homeless on the streets, we do not just pass them by or offer our sacrificial offering someplace else, but we find a way to show mercy to them. Or when we see our neighbors struggling next door, we don’t just turn a blind eye to their problems, but we reach out in mercy to help them. Or when others are warring against us or when we have conflicts with them, we don’t just give them the silent treatment and imagine they just don’t exist, but we love and care for them, despite our differences in opinions.

Mercy was important to Christ. So important that, if the choice is between offering a sacrifice to God and showing mercy to your brother or sister, Jesus says choose the mercy route!

"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift." Matthew 5:23

Mercy is more important than sacrifice to God. Sacrifice itself is rather easy. It’s easy to go out and purchase whatever is required or fulfill whatever requirement is necessary to sacrifice on the altar to God. It’s easy to do just what is expected of us, no more and no less. It’s easy to extend our lives only as much as its convient to us and "required" by God. But to show mercy? Where does that end? Where can we say we’ve “had enough” of mercy? Or that we’re “taking a break” from being merciful? Where is the line we draw between us and them? If mercy is the rule of the day, when does it stop?

Recently we’ve experienced some rather disturbing events here in Montana. One of them in the town where we live, where a good friend of mine committed suicide. And the other in Tuscon where a young man went shooting up a group of people at Safeway. Where is mercy shown in both of these cases? Where is the grace? What would it mean to put off sacrifice to God here and replace it with mercy to our neighbor? How might we extend ourselves out to those in need? I wonder if we would put aside our own worship of individuality and reach out in mercy, love, and compassion to those crying out quietly in need. I wonder how many tragedies might be averted? I wonder how it would change our lives too.

The good news in all this is both simple and profound. God has shown mercy to us. Christ Jesus is the mercy of God in the flesh. We have been shown mercy at great cost to God. God hasn't treated us as we ought to be treated. Instead, he has been merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. If we are God's children(and we are!)...shouldn't we be treating others the same way? Amen.

Quesitons to Ponder...
1. Look up the word “mercy” in the dictionary. What are the other meanings of this word? Which meaning will you follow?

2. Think of people in your own life who could use a “Jesus-style” of mercy and compassion. How might you become the mercy and grace for them now? How might you set aside the sacrificial knife you hold over their lives to embrace them for who they are now?

3. Some people think the church is too judgmental and hypocritical. How might a look at this passage in Matthew change that view? What does God want?

A Prayer to Pray...
Holy God, through the eyes of your Son we see what a holy life looks like and how we should live. Teach us your mercy, grace, and compassion that we might look at others and see them as you do. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.