This message is Part 6 of the series “The Miracle Of Mercy” by Pastor Chuck Bernal. In this message Pastor Chuck talks about how we can help people move “From Misery To Mercy”. One of the most important things we can do as Christians is to pass on the mercy we have received from God to others, especially in tangible acts of kindness and compassion. Mercy is unearned kindness - literally "LOVE IN ACTION". Using the story of The Good Samaritan, Pastor Chuck talks about why and how we should show tangible kindness to others and how we can help to move people "From Misery To Mercy". This message was delivered at LifePointe Church on Sunday, October 23, 2016

2. Turning Misery Into Mercy

3. Question 1:

4. Just then a scholar of the Hebrew Scriptures tried
to trap Jesus. Scholar: Teacher, what must I do
to experience the eternal life?
(Luke 10:25 – Voice)

5. Answer 1:

6. Jesus (answering with a question): What is
written in the Hebrew Scriptures? How do you
interpret their answer to your question?

7. Scholar: You shall love the LORD your God with
everything you have: all your heart, all your soul,
all your strength, and all your mind – and love
your neighbor as yourself.”

8. Jesus: Perfect. Your answer is correct. Follow
these commands and you will live.

9. The scholar was frustrated by this response
because he was hoping to make himself appear
smarter than Jesus.
(Luke 10:26-29 –
Voice)

10. Question 2:

11. Scholar: Ah, but who is my neighbor?
(Luke 10:29 – Voice)

12. Answer 2:

13. Jesus: This fellow was traveling down from
Jerusalem to Jericho when some robbers
mugged him.

14. They took his clothes, beat him to a pulp,
and left him naked and bleeding and
in critical condition.

15. By chance, a priest was going down that same
road, and when he saw the wounded man, he
crossed over to the other side and passed by.

16. Then a Levite who was on his way to assist in
the temple also came and saw the victim lying
there, and he too kept his distance.

17. Then a despised Samaritan journeyed by. When
he saw the fellow, he felt compassion for him.

18. The Samaritan went over to him, stopped the
bleeding, applied some first aid, and put the poor
fellow on his donkey. He brought the man to an
inn and cared for him through the night.

19. The next day, the Samaritan took out some
money—two days’ wages to be exact—and paid
the innkeeper, saying, “Please take care of this
fellow, and if this isn’t enough, I’ll repay you next
time I pass through.”
(Luke 10:30-35 – Voice)

20. Question 3:

21. Which of these three proved himself a neighbor
to the man who had been mugged?
(Luke 10:36 – Voice)

22. Answer 3:

23. Scholar: The one who showed MERCY to him.
Jesus: Well then, go and behave like that
Samaritan.
(Luke 10:37 – Voice)

24. MERCY: undeserved forgiveness
& unearned kindness

25. MERCY: “Love In Action”
(Rick Warren)

26. Loving God and loving people
are inseparable

27. If anyone says “I love God,” but keeps on hating
his brother, he is a liar; for if he doesn’t love his
brother who is right there in front of him, how can
he love God whom he has never seen?
(1 John 4:20 –Living Bible)

28. Religious activity devoid of love
is worthless

29. If I gave everything I have to poor people, and if I
were burned alive for preaching the Gospel but
didn’t love others, it would be of no value
whatever.
(1 Corinthians 13:3 – Living Bible)

30. Brothers and sisters, it doesn’t make any sense
to say you have faith and act in a way that
denies that faith. Mere talk never gets you
very far, and a commitment to Jesus only in
words will not save you.

31. It would be like seeing a brother or sister without
any clothes out in the cold and begging for food,
and saying, “Peace, friend, you should get inside
where it’s warm and eat something,” but doing
nothing about his needs—leaving him cold and
alone on the street.

32. What good would your words alone do? The
same is true with faith. Without actions, faith is
useless. By itself, it’s as good as dead.
(James 2:14-17 – The Message)

33. There are hurting people all around us,
we just have to see them

34. I’m telling you to open your eyes and take a good
look at what’s right in front of you. These
Samaritan fields are ripe. It’s harvest time!
(John 4:35 – The Message)

35. Mercy Axiom: We will go out of our way
to hide or out of our way to help

36. Mercy treats others exactly like we
want to be treated

37. Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for
behavior: Ask yourself what you want people
to do for you, then grab the initiative and
do it for them.
(Matthew 7:12 – The Message)

38. Complacency is always the enemy of
compassion

39. Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we
ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers,
and not just be out for ourselves.

40. If you see some brother or sister in need and
have the means to do something about it but turn
a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to
God’s love? It disappears.
And you made it disappear.
(1 John 3:16-17 – The Message)

41. Mercy is often
inconvenient & costly

42. Never walk away from someone who deserves
help; your hand is God’s hand for that person.
Don’t tell your neighbor “Maybe some other time”
or “Try me tomorrow” when the money’s right
there in your pocket.
(Proverbs 3:27-28 – The Message)

43. I will not make an offering to the Eternal One,
my True God, that has cost me nothing.
(2 Samuel 24:24 – Voice)

44. November 12-13
Helping Lee Cranford

51. Mercy Axiom: If you are too busy to
help people, you are too busy.

52. Mercy blesses the giver more than
the receiver

53. If you feed those who are hungry and take care of
the needs of those who are troubled . . .
The LORD will always lead you.

54. He will satisfy your needs in dry lands and give
strength to your bones. You will be like a
garden that has much water, like a spring
that never runs dry.
(Isaiah 58:10-11 – New Century
Version)

56. You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-
colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept.
We’re going public with this, as public as a city on
a hill.

57. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m
going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m
putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you
there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine!

58. Keep open house; be generous with your lives.
By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people
to open up with God, this generous Father
in heaven.
(Matthew 5:14-16 – The Message)

59. Know
Show

60. Let’s Pray