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<v Speaker 1>God wants you to be an agent of mercy in

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<v Speaker 1>the world. There's not enough mercy in this world, and

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<v Speaker 1>God wants you to be a provider. He wants you

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<v Speaker 1>to be an agent. He wants you to be a

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<v Speaker 1>purveyor of mercy in the world. Now, in the fifth

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<v Speaker 1>Key to a blessed life, Jesus says this Matthew five,

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<v Speaker 1>verse seven. God blesses those who are merciful, for they

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<v Speaker 1>will be shown mercy. In other words, what you give out,

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<v Speaker 1>you're going to get back. What you give you're going

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<v Speaker 1>to get. God blesses those who are merciful, for they

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<v Speaker 1>will be shown mercy. This is the fifth key to

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<v Speaker 1>a blessed life. You got to learn to be a

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<v Speaker 1>minister of mercy. You have probably noticed that the verbal

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<v Speaker 1>attacks on Christians are going up in our society. Have

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<v Speaker 1>you noticed this? And it's increased, and people are taking

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<v Speaker 1>slurs at Christians and potshots at Christians and being attacked

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<v Speaker 1>like never a foreign America. And there are a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of groups pushing anti Christian agendas today because we represent

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<v Speaker 1>a barrier, and the barrier is we hold on to

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<v Speaker 1>what God's truth is and we say sorry, God's truth

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<v Speaker 1>is God's truth and we just have to follow God's truth.

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<v Speaker 1>As Peter said, we must obey God rather than men.

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<v Speaker 1>And so these attacks are going up. What are you

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<v Speaker 1>supposed to do with these people, these people who are offensive.

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<v Speaker 1>I remember turning on the TV one time and hearing

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<v Speaker 1>a well known comic, well known comic using very blasphemous

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<v Speaker 1>and very vulgar terms as he read through the purpose

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<v Speaker 1>Driven Life and made fun of God, not of me,

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<v Speaker 1>but of God. And I sat there and I thought, now, Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>what would be my response to this guy? Because you know,

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<v Speaker 1>obviously he's not hurting me, but he certainly is offending you.

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<v Speaker 1>And and it just came in to me. I am

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<v Speaker 1>to be kind to those who are offensive. You see

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<v Speaker 1>the problem today is this whole idea of culture war

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<v Speaker 1>is you got to decide whether you want to win

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<v Speaker 1>the argument or win them to Christ. And and you've

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<v Speaker 1>heard me say this, for you can't. You don't ever

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<v Speaker 1>make a point, you don't get across your point by

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<v Speaker 1>being cross. You've got to just say, I'm more interested

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<v Speaker 1>in winning them to Christ than I am in winning

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<v Speaker 1>the argument. Let me give you an example of why

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<v Speaker 1>we ought to be kind to those who offend us

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<v Speaker 1>one Timothy Chapter one, Paul gives his own life as

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<v Speaker 1>an example. Even though I once was a blasphemer, there

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<v Speaker 1>are plenty of those in our world, and a persecutor

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<v Speaker 1>of Christians and a violent man. He said, I was

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<v Speaker 1>shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelieve. That's

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<v Speaker 1>the key. Realize they're acting in ignorance and unbelief. I

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<v Speaker 1>was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners,

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for

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<v Speaker 1>others who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

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<v Speaker 1>You see, if you'd lived in Paul's days, you probably

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<v Speaker 1>wouldn't want to be very interested in being kind to

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<v Speaker 1>those who offend you. You wouldn't be interested in being

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<v Speaker 1>kind to Paul. He was persecuting Christians, he was attacking Christians,

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<v Speaker 1>he was throwing Christians in jail, and that he said,

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<v Speaker 1>I was shown mercy so that I could come to

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<v Speaker 1>Christ and then my life would be an example to others.

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<v Speaker 1>Jude Chapter one makes it even clearer Verse twenty two

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<v Speaker 1>twenty three show mercy to those who have doubts, and really,

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<v Speaker 1>some translation say, show those who disbelieve he's talking. He

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<v Speaker 1>could say, show mercy the atheist, show mercy to those

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<v Speaker 1>who have doubts, save others by snatching them from the fire.

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<v Speaker 1>One more for Jesus, show mercy to them while being

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<v Speaker 1>careful that you aren't contaminated by their sins. In other words,

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<v Speaker 1>we're to avoid sin, but we are to love everybody.

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<v Speaker 1>That's the way we show mercy. Now let me give

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<v Speaker 1>you two more. And these last two you have probably

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<v Speaker 1>never ever considered as acts of mercy, but Jesus taught

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<v Speaker 1>that they were acts of mercy, and even quotes Oaiah

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<v Speaker 1>six to six and both saying the reason you don't

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<v Speaker 1>get this is keys. You don't understand the full meaning

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<v Speaker 1>of mercy. So let me give you two more. A

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<v Speaker 1>sixth way that you can practice your ministry of mercy

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<v Speaker 1>this week is this, build bridges of love to the unpopular.

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<v Speaker 1>Build bridges of love to the unpopular. There are people

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<v Speaker 1>in your circle, people who live on your street that

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<v Speaker 1>nobody wants to hang out with, people who you work

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<v Speaker 1>with that everybody tells the joke behind their back. They

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<v Speaker 1>may have those quirks, or they may have a different lifestyle,

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<v Speaker 1>or they may have a different belief system. Or they

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<v Speaker 1>may have a different religion, or they may dress differently

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<v Speaker 1>because of their culture or whatever. But they're not on

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<v Speaker 1>the in crowd. They're not popular. They're the outcast. And

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<v Speaker 1>this is a facet of your ministry that's often overlooked.

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<v Speaker 1>Building a bridge of love to the unpopular is what

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<v Speaker 1>I call premeditated mercy. Now, you often think when I

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<v Speaker 1>say premeditated, you think a premeditated murder. But I'm saying

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<v Speaker 1>premeditated mercy involves intentionally building friendships with people who don't

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<v Speaker 1>have friends, and intentionally building friendship with people who are unbelievers,

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<v Speaker 1>and intentionally building friendships with people who seem on the edge,

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<v Speaker 1>are not as loved or as accepted in the mainstream

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<v Speaker 1>because of their religion, their lifestyle, their looks, or whatever.

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<v Speaker 1>And why does God want us to build bridges of

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<v Speaker 1>love to the unpopular and specifically the unbelievers. Because you

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<v Speaker 1>cannot win your enemies to Christ. You can only win

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<v Speaker 1>your friends. And before somebody's going to accept Christ, they've

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<v Speaker 1>got to have a bridge to Christ. And before they

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<v Speaker 1>want to know is Jesus credible? They want to know

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<v Speaker 1>are you credible? And before they know Jesus is their

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<v Speaker 1>friend they want to know, will you be my friend?

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<v Speaker 1>And long before anybody comes to Christ, it's somebody's got

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<v Speaker 1>to befriend that person. You cannot win an enemy to Christ.

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<v Speaker 1>You must win them to yourself. Before you win them

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<v Speaker 1>to Christ, you must become a friend. That's an act

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<v Speaker 1>of premeditated mercy. Here's a good example of it. Matthew.

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<v Speaker 1>Chapter nine the Bible says Matthew, who was one of

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<v Speaker 1>the twelve Disciples, Matthew invited Jesus and his disciples to

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<v Speaker 1>be his dinner guest. Nothing wrong with that. But then

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<v Speaker 1>it says, along with his fellow tax collectors and many

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<v Speaker 1>other notorious sinners. Now, if you're in the irs, I

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<v Speaker 1>apologize to you today. So a little bit different today.

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<v Speaker 1>You may be unpopular, but you aren't a notorious sinner

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<v Speaker 1>if you are a tax collector. But in those days,

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<v Speaker 1>here's why tax collectors were considered notorious sinners. They were

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<v Speaker 1>allowed to skim whatever they could get. So a tax

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<v Speaker 1>colector for Rome could come in and say, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>maybe you know Pharaoh, I mean Caesar would say I

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<v Speaker 1>want one denari from every household, and the tax collector

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<v Speaker 1>could come in and say, I need ten denari from you,

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<v Speaker 1>and you had no recourse, there was nobody to appeal to.

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<v Speaker 1>You had to pay it. It was like extortion. Then

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<v Speaker 1>he could pocket nine and pass on one. And so

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<v Speaker 1>the worst job, the most unpopular job, because they were

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<v Speaker 1>all cheats, they were crooks, they were swindlers, were the

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<v Speaker 1>tax collectors, and they were right out there along with

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<v Speaker 1>you know, prostitutes and lepers. And they didn't have drug

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<v Speaker 1>pushers in those days, but that kind of a level

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<v Speaker 1>of people that everybody despised. So it says Matthew invites

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus and his disciples to his dinner as his dinner guest,

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<v Speaker 1>along with all of these people of the ill repute,

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<v Speaker 1>his fellow tax collectors, and many other notorious sinners, the Pharisees,

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<v Speaker 1>that's the religious leaders. They were indignant. Why does your

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<v Speaker 1>teacher eat with such scum, they asked his disciples. And

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<v Speaker 1>when he heard this, Jesus replied, healthy people don't need

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<v Speaker 1>a doctor. Sick people do. Go learn the meaning of

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<v Speaker 1>this scripture, and he quotes HOSEA six six. I want

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<v Speaker 1>you to be merciful. I don't want your sacrifices, for

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<v Speaker 1>I've come to call sinners, not those who think they're

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<v Speaker 1>already good enough. Now follow me on the logic. On this,

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<v Speaker 1>the Pharisees are attacking Jesus for hanging out with the

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<v Speaker 1>wrong clock crowd, and Jesus says, you know what your

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<v Speaker 1>problem is, guys, you don't understand the true nature of mercy.

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<v Speaker 1>Why because they thought mercy was simply forgiving people and

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<v Speaker 1>helping people who need help. No, no, forget. Mercy also

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<v Speaker 1>includes building bridges of love to the unpopular. And Jesus

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<v Speaker 1>says it here. He says, I'm going to a party,

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<v Speaker 1>and I'm going to a party with people that nobody

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<v Speaker 1>wants to hang out with, the ill repute, the unpopular,

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<v Speaker 1>the fringe, the negative, the criminal, the riff raft. I'm

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<v Speaker 1>going to go to a party. Jesus says, why because

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<v Speaker 1>I understand mercy and you don't. And you don't, and

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<v Speaker 1>he says, go learn the meaning of HOSEA six to six. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>I want you to notice this because it's got a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of truth in here. It says Matthew invited circle.

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<v Speaker 1>That word invited. Question, when was the last time you

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<v Speaker 1>invited unbelievers for dinner? That's an act of mercy. When

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<v Speaker 1>was the last time you invited. Have you ever had

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<v Speaker 1>any notorious sinners in your home besides you? Besides you?

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<v Speaker 1>You want to be merciful. Now we're getting where the

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<v Speaker 1>rubber meets the road. Do you even have any close

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<v Speaker 1>unbelieving friends? Do you? If you don't, you're not like Jesus.

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<v Speaker 1>The problem is, the longer you are a Christian, the

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<v Speaker 1>more you tend to hang out with other Christians, and

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<v Speaker 1>the fewer non believing friends you got. How do you

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<v Speaker 1>expect the good news to get out if you don't

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<v Speaker 1>have any friends who are unbelievers and you're not inviting

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<v Speaker 1>them over for dinner. If you're not, you don't understand

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<v Speaker 1>what mercy is all about. Jesus says, go learn the scriptures. Now.

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<v Speaker 1>Notice it says Matthew invites these quote riff raft, these unpopular,

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<v Speaker 1>the non loved people of society over for dinner, and

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<v Speaker 1>it says the religious people are indignant. I want to

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<v Speaker 1>warn you that if you truly listen, if you truly

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<v Speaker 1>begin to live a life of mercy, the moral and

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<v Speaker 1>the political legalists will criticize you. They will attack you,

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<v Speaker 1>and they will get mad at you. Why because they

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<v Speaker 1>did with Jesus. Today. I want to invite you to

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<v Speaker 1>join me in something that's very close to my heart

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<v Speaker 1>fulfilling the great commission of Jesus Christ. Sharing the good

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<v Speaker 1>news is the most important thing we do when we

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<v Speaker 1>work together. There's nothing that God cannot do to us.

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<v Speaker 1>When we're unified through Daily Hope. The message of Jesus

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<v Speaker 1>Christ is now reaching nearly every country in the world.

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<v Speaker 1>That's one hundred and ninety seven nations. We're going to

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<v Speaker 1>even places where it's difficult or dangerous or illegal to

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<v Speaker 1>talk about Christ openly. We're sharing the certain hope of

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus and it's changing lives every single day. Right now.

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<v Speaker 1>We have an incredible opportunity. That's why I'm saying this

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<v Speaker 1>to you personally. There's some very generous friends that have

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<v Speaker 1>offered to match every single gift given to Daily Hope

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<v Speaker 1>dollar for dollar. That means whatever you give today is

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<v Speaker 1>going to be doubled in impact. So I'm asking you.

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<v Speaker 1>I want to encourage you to give as God leads

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<v Speaker 1>you today, and I want you to pray this prayer, God,

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<v Speaker 1>what do you want to give through me? Not say God,

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<v Speaker 1>what should I give? Say God? What do you want

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<v Speaker 1>to give through me? That's called giving by faith giving

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<v Speaker 1>by revelation, and your gift will go twice as far

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<v Speaker 1>to share the certain hope of Jesus Christ and make

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<v Speaker 1>disciples all around the world. God bless you.

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<v Speaker 2>You know when you give a gift to Daily Hope,

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<v Speaker 2>you're helping share the hope of Jesus with people everywhere.

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<v Speaker 2>And right now your gift will be doubled by the

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<v Speaker 2>fifty thousand dollars matching grant. Just scan the QR code

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<v Speaker 2>or go to Daily Hope tv dot com.

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<v Speaker 1>If you truly begin to live a life of mercy,

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<v Speaker 1>the moral and the political legalist will criticize you. They

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<v Speaker 1>will attack you, and they will get mad at you.

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<v Speaker 1>Why because they did with Jesus. It wasn't It wasn't

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<v Speaker 1>the riff raff of life that disliked Jesus. It was

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<v Speaker 1>the religious people because he hung out with the wrong crowd.

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<v Speaker 1>It's like a Democrat hanging out with Republicans, or a

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<v Speaker 1>Republican actually having Democratic friends for dinner, or another religion

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<v Speaker 1>or another lifestyle, or someone who is involved in some

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<v Speaker 1>kind of sin you totally just agree with. If you

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<v Speaker 1>begin to live a life of mercy, you will be criticized.

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<v Speaker 1>This is a motivation behind much of the criticism that

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<v Speaker 1>I get. Why because I make friends with a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of different people. I have friends who are Muslims, and

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<v Speaker 1>I have friends who are Jewish and Mormon and Buddhists.

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<v Speaker 1>I have friends who are atheists. I have friends who

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<v Speaker 1>are gay. I have friends who are all kinds. I

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<v Speaker 1>spend when I'm not at saddleback, I spend most of

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<v Speaker 1>my time usually speaking to groups that I totally disagree with.

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<v Speaker 1>Why Because I'm practicing the ministry of mercy and Jesus

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<v Speaker 1>hung out with people who were different than him. This

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<v Speaker 1>is the motivation. Now they come to him, the pharisee say,

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<v Speaker 1>why do you hang out with this scum? You know,

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<v Speaker 1>let me ask you who's the socially unacceptable group in

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<v Speaker 1>your circle? By the way, they called him scum. Anytime

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<v Speaker 1>you use a put down or humor against somebody else,

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<v Speaker 1>you are being unmerciful. Now, Jesus wasn't afraid of guilt

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<v Speaker 1>by association for two reasons. He knew who he was,

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<v Speaker 1>and he knew what his mission was. He knewho he was.

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<v Speaker 1>He didn't need the approval of pharisees. He knew exactly

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<v Speaker 1>who he was, and he knew his mission to seek

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<v Speaker 1>to save that which is lost. And if you know

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<v Speaker 1>who you are, you don't need the approval of the legalist.

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<v Speaker 1>You don't need the approval of the critics. You don't

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<v Speaker 1>need the approval of the self righteous who set them

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<v Speaker 1>out as jury and judge on your life. You do

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<v Speaker 1>what Jesus did. You go have parties with people in

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<v Speaker 1>order to win them and love them, and share the

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<v Speaker 1>good news and show mercy. Jesus says to all these guys,

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<v Speaker 1>go learn the meaning of mercy. When they accuse him

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<v Speaker 1>of guilt by his sad association, then number seven one more,

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<v Speaker 1>and this one's going to surprise you too. Jesus taught

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<v Speaker 1>that to have a ministry of mercy, you must value

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<v Speaker 1>relationships over rules. You must value relationships over rules. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>if you're a rule keeper that just creates all the

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<v Speaker 1>wrong ways, and particularly if you're in the HR department

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<v Speaker 1>and you have policies and procedures, Jesus would say, put

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<v Speaker 1>people before policies, put people's needs before procedures, Put relationships

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<v Speaker 1>before rules and regulations. He would say, choose love over law.

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<v Speaker 1>Let me give you a very important and sightful incident.

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<v Speaker 1>Matthew chapter. By the way, look at this verset up

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<v Speaker 1>on the screen. Romans thirteen ten says love is the

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<v Speaker 1>fulfillment of the law. So if you're doing the loving thing,

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<v Speaker 1>it's genuinely for their benefit, not yours. For their benefit,

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<v Speaker 1>you're doing the right thing. Now look at Matthew chapter twelve.

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<v Speaker 1>Here's another time Jesus has a run in with the

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<v Speaker 1>legalist the Pharisees. Another time, Jesus was talking walking through

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<v Speaker 1>some grain fields on the Sabbath, and his disciples were hungry,

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<v Speaker 1>so they began to pick some grain and eat it.

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<v Speaker 1>Now some Pharisees saw this, these religious leaders, and they protested,

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<v Speaker 1>your disciples are breaking God's laws by harvesting grain on

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<v Speaker 1>the Sabbath. Okay, they're rule keepers. But Jesus said, haven't

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<v Speaker 1>you ever read what King David did when he and

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<v Speaker 1>his soldiers were hungry. He went into the House of God,

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<v Speaker 1>that's the Temple, and there he ate the holy bread,

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<v Speaker 1>the consecrated bread reserved for the priest. Then Jesus says

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<v Speaker 1>to the Pharisees, you would not have judged these innocent

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<v Speaker 1>men talking about his disciples if you knew the real

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<v Speaker 1>meaning of scripture. I want you to be merciful. I

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<v Speaker 1>don't want your sacrifices. There it is again, He quotes

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<v Speaker 1>Hosiah six six for the second time, for I am

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<v Speaker 1>the Lord of the Sabbath, and he's saying, here, I

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<v Speaker 1>put love before the law. I put people before procedures.

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<v Speaker 1>I put relationships before rules and regulation. He says, You

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<v Speaker 1>guys don't get it because you don't understand the meaning

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<v Speaker 1>of mercy. He says, I want you to go and

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<v Speaker 1>read that scripture. If you knew the real meaning of

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<v Speaker 1>the scripture. I don't want your sacrifice, I want your mercy.

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<v Speaker 1>Then you wouldn't have a problem with the disciples picking

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<v Speaker 1>some grain on the Sabbath. They're hungry. Dare you to

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<v Speaker 1>do something very risky this week? Not pitt grant on

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<v Speaker 1>the Sabbath, But I want to dare you to commit

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<v Speaker 1>an act of premeditated mercy with one of these categories.

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<v Speaker 1>Yes there is at tension. Yes there is a tension

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<v Speaker 1>between mercy and personal responsibility. Yes there is. But I

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<v Speaker 1>have personally decided that if I'm going to air, I'm

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<v Speaker 1>going to air on the side of being too gracious,

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<v Speaker 1>too merciful, and too forgiving, Because if you're gonna air.

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<v Speaker 1>That's the side I would rather err on. Does that

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<v Speaker 1>makes sense? Let me see Wait a minute, Rick, can

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<v Speaker 1>you go can't you just go overboard on mercy? Absolutely

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<v Speaker 1>you can. Jesus did. It's called the cross. On the

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<v Speaker 1>cross with arms outstretched, he says, I'm doing this to

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<v Speaker 1>be merciful. Father, forgive them. They don't know what they're doing.

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<v Speaker 1>That is the most over the top example of mercy ever.

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<v Speaker 1>He let them beat him, whip him, scourge him, spit

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<v Speaker 1>on him, put a crown of thorns on him, and

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<v Speaker 1>he never retaliated. He absorbed every one of the blows.

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<v Speaker 1>And then what's his response? Father, forgive them? They don't

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<v Speaker 1>know what they're doing. Like Paul says, I was ignorant

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<v Speaker 1>and unaware of what I was doing. Can you go

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<v Speaker 1>overboard on mercy? Yes, you can. Look at the cross.

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<v Speaker 1>It's way way way overboard. Maybe you've never accepted God's

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<v Speaker 1>mercy to you, the Bible says and Titus three five.

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<v Speaker 1>It is not by works of righteous as we have done.

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<v Speaker 1>We talked about that last week. According to his mercy,

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<v Speaker 1>he has saved us. The Bible tells us in Hebrews

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<v Speaker 1>four sixteen, let us approach the throne of Grace with confidence,

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<v Speaker 1>for there we will find mercy, mercy and grace to

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<v Speaker 1>help us in our time of need. If you haven't

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<v Speaker 1>accepted the grace and mercy of God, you need to

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<v Speaker 1>do so today. Now I want us to close a

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<v Speaker 1>little bit different way today. I want you to bow

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<v Speaker 1>your heads right now, but I want you to keep

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<v Speaker 1>your eyes open. Okay, So if you'll bow your head

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<v Speaker 1>and keep your eyes open so you can look at

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<v Speaker 1>your message notes. And what I want to do is

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<v Speaker 1>I want to end by asking you to consider some

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<v Speaker 1>personal application questions and then doing something about it in

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<v Speaker 1>these seven areas of how do I be merciful? So

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<v Speaker 1>I'm going to ask you a question, and next to

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<v Speaker 1>each of these numbers, I want you to write down

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<v Speaker 1>an initial, just the first initial of a person that

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<v Speaker 1>you're thinking about. Okay, So number one, how do I

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<v Speaker 1>be merciful? Be patient with people's quirks? I want you

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<v Speaker 1>to write down who has irritating quirks that I need

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<v Speaker 1>to be patient with this week? Now, nobody's going to

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<v Speaker 1>see this except you, but you can just write down

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<v Speaker 1>the first letter of their name. Who has irritating quirks

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<v Speaker 1>that I need to be patient with this week? Write

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<v Speaker 1>down a name? Number two, who around me is obviously

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<v Speaker 1>hurting that I could help? This week? Can you write

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<v Speaker 1>down a name? Can you write down an initial? If

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<v Speaker 1>you can't think of anybody who's obviously hurting around it

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<v Speaker 1>means this you're not paying attention. It means you're so

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<v Speaker 1>wrapped up in yourself you can't even see the people

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<v Speaker 1>around you who are hurting. Okay, how about number three?

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<v Speaker 1>The third one? Give people a second chance? Who do

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<v Speaker 1>I need to give a second chance to? This may

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<v Speaker 1>be tough for you, but this is the ministry of mercy.

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<v Speaker 1>Who do I need to give a second chance? To

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<v Speaker 1>write down an initial, first initial of somebody? You can

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<v Speaker 1>use this later on this week. Number four, do good

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<v Speaker 1>to those who hurt me? Who has hurt me? That

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<v Speaker 1>I could do good to? Who has hurt me? That

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<v Speaker 1>I could do good to? Number five. I am to

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<v Speaker 1>be kind to those who offend me. Who offends me?

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<v Speaker 1>Maybe it's a comedian, maybe it's a politician, maybe it's somebody,

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<v Speaker 1>But you can write down a name, maybe somebody close

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<v Speaker 1>to you, who offends me? That I should start praying for?

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<v Speaker 1>Who offends me? That I should start praying for rather

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<v Speaker 1>than just being offended by them. Maybe if you're close enough,

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<v Speaker 1>you could be kind to them. Number six, build bridges

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<v Speaker 1>of love to the unpopular. Who's the outcast? Who's the

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<v Speaker 1>unpopular person that I could build a bridge of love to?

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<v Speaker 1>Who is the outcast or unpopular person I could build

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<v Speaker 1>a bridge of love to at work in my community,

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<v Speaker 1>at the soccer games, here, at church anywhere. And then

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<v Speaker 1>number seven, who is an unbeliever I could invite over

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<v Speaker 1>for dinner in the next two weeks, just like Matthew did.

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<v Speaker 1>Who's an unbeliever that I could invite over for dinner

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<v Speaker 1>in the next couple weeks, then invite them to church. This, friends,

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<v Speaker 1>is your ministry of mercy, Heavenly Father, your word convicts

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<v Speaker 1>all of us. And as I look at these seven things,

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<v Speaker 1>I think of lax and false weaknesses in my own life.

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<v Speaker 1>And I pray that, rather than just hearing the word,

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<v Speaker 1>we would do something about it. Give us the courage

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<v Speaker 1>to be merciful, Give us the courage to this week

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<v Speaker 1>to do radical, premeditated acts of mercy in Jesus' name. Amen,