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Just What is Mercy?
Sermonette by Clyde FinkleaIt is impossible to become perfect without having mercy or compassion. Jesus' command to become perfect includes showing compassion to our enemies.
Conduct of the New Life
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsDriving out the evil must be followed by cultivating goodness and righteousness. An antidote to depression is to get our hearts focused on someone else.
The Beatitudes, Part 5: Blessed Are the Merciful
'Personal' from John W. RitenbaughMercy is a virtue that has gone out of vogue, though it is sometimes admired. Jesus, however, places it among the most vital His followers should possess.
Boundaries, Incursions, Migrations, and God (Part Two)
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)Even though the way God exercises His sovereignty is inscrutable to us , calling the foolish to confound the wise, all He does fits perfectly into His plan.
Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment!
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsMisery arises when people suffer either because they have broken God's law or because of circumstances beyond their control. God addresses this condition through mercy, the aspect of His love that prompts active help for the miserable rather than the mere withholding of deserved punishment. Such mercy extends beyond suspended judgment to include tangible relief, as seen especially in the life of Jesus Christ, who healed the blind, cleansed lepers, and restored those afflicted by sin and need. Mercy is defined as aid given to someone who is miserable or needy, especially one in debt or without any claim to favorable treatment, and in a broader sense it means helping those who cannot help themselves. This response flows from compassion and is to be practiced with cheerfulness, not criticism or superiority, so that the offender or sufferer is lifted rather than further demeaned. The same mercy that God shows the miserable becomes the standard for human conduct, requiring believers to love enemies, lend without expectation of return, and forgive without demanding repayment. In this way mercy connects directly to justice by tempering it with compassion, fulfills the royal law of loving one's neighbor, and ensures that those who show mercy will themselves receive mercy when they stand before God.
Judgment Is a Merciful Blessing
Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Martin G. CollinsGod is patient and tender-hearted to late bloomers, forgiving sincerely repentant individuals, but will not budge an inch on rebellion or sin.
Back to Life (Part Four)
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsGod's love does not shield us from sickness, pain, sorrow, or death. There are several scriptural contexts in which Jesus shed tears and expressed grief.
Parables of Luke 15 (Part Three)
Bible Study by Martin G. CollinsThe three illustrations in Luke 15 justify Christ's conduct in receiving sinners, and show that to rejoice over their return is good and proper.
Another Look at the Book of Job
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeWhere did Job's righteousness come from? Was his character a product of evolution, or was it intelligently formed out of nothingness like the rest of creation?
Christian Optimism
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughPaul wrote some of his most optimistic letters from prison, under the possibility of execution, but absolutely convinced that ultimate victory was imminent.