In “The Merchant of Venice," William Shakespeare wrote, "The quality of mercy is not strained. It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blest: It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.” Mercy is the quintessential character trait of a Christian because it is born out of our own reception of mercy from God. Having received mercy, Jesus says we are blessed because we are merciful and we will in turn continue to receive mercy as we give it—a perpetual motion machine of mercy. It is a deeply Christian ability to forgive great atrocity and extend love to one’s enemies. When it happens the world takes notice. How can we lean more and more into this blessing that belongs to us by faith in Jesus Christ? Join us this week, as we continue our study of the Beatitudes.
The Gospel of Mark is known for its quick pace. Jesus, as Mark tells it, does everything “immediately.” The picture of Jesus we get from Mark isn’t of a languid guru, but of a man on a mission. As we return to our spring sermon series in the Gospel of Mark, we’ll give special attention to the picture of Jesus Mark is conveying to his readers. For in Jesus, God’s king and God’s kingdom has come…and nothing can ever be the same again.
