22 Sermon Illustrations on Mercy Of God

A merchant that keeps a book of debit and credit writes both what is owing him and what he oweth himself, and then casteth up the whole. But God doth not so: his mercy is triumphant over his justice; and therefore he wipes out what we owe him, and writes down that only which he owes us by promise. Spencer.

When God, in his eternal counsel, conceived the thought of man's creation, he called to him the three ministers who wait constantly upon his throne, — Justice, Truth, and Mercy, — and thus addressed them: "Shall we make man?" Then said Justice, "O God! make him not; for he will trample upon thy laws." Truth made answer also, "O God! make him not; for he will pollute thy sanctuaries." But Mercy, dropping upon her knees, and looking up through her tears, exclaimed, "O God! make him: I will watch over him with my care through all the dark paths which he may have to tread." Then God made man, and said to him, "O man! thou art the child of Mercy: go and deal with thy brother."

— Crittenden

The daughter of a poor widow had left her mother's cottage. Led astray by others, she had forsaken the guide of her youth. Prayer was the mother's only resource; nor was it in vain. Late one night, the daughter returned home. It was near midnight; and she was surprised to find the door unlatched. But she was soon told in the fulness of the mother's heart, "Never, my child, by night or by day, has that door been fastened since you left. I knew that you would come back some day; and I was unwilling to keep you waiting for a single moment."

A woman arraigned before Alexander the Great, and condemned, said, "I appeal from thee, O king!" Alexander said, "Thou art a mad woman! Dost thou not know that every appeal is from a lower judge to a higher? But who is above me?" She answered, "I know thee to be above thy laws, and that thou mayest give pardon; and therefore I appeal from justice to mercy, and for my faults crave pardon." So must sinners do. Cawdray.

A soldier in our army heard of the severe sickness of his wife. He applied for leave of absence, but was refused. He left the army; but, before he got away, was retaken, and brought in as a deserter. He was tried, found guilty, and summoned before the commanding officer to receive his sentence. He entered the tent, saluted, and stood perfectly unmoved while the officer read his fearful doom, — "To be shot to death with musketry on the next Friday." Not a muscle of his face twitched, not a limb quivered. "I deserve it, sir," he replied respectfully: "I deserted from my flag. Is that all, sir?" — "No," replied the officer: "I have something else for you;" and, taking another paper, he read aloud the doomed man's pardon. The undaunted spirit which severity had failed to move was completely broken down by clemency. He dropped to the ground, shaking, sobbing, and overcome; and, being restored to his regiment, proved himself grateful for the mercy shown him, and was soon promoted for good conduct.

Let me tell thee that the mercy of God flows freely. It wants no money and no price from thee, no fitness of frames and feelings, no preparation of good works or penitence. Free as the brook which leaps from the mountain-side, at which every weary traveller may drink, so free is the mercy of God. Free as the sun that shineth, and gilds the mountain's brow, and makes glad the valleys, without fee or reward, so free is the mercy of God to every needy sinner. Free as the air which belts the earth, and penetrates the peasant's cottage as well as the royal palace, without purchase or premium, so free is the mercy of God in Christ. It tarrieth not for thee: it cometh to thee as thou art. It waylayeth thee in love: it meeteth thee in tenderness. Spurgeon.

Mercy hath but its name from misery, and is no other thing than to lay another's misery to heart. — Binney. — The depths of our misery can never fall below the depths of mercy. — Sibbes. — The plaster is as wide as the wound. — Henry. — The mercies of God will be loadstones to draw us to heaven, or millstones to sink us to perdition. When Thomas Hooker was dying, one said to him, "You are going to receive the reward of your labors." He replied, "I am going to receive mercy."

It is related, that during the first few days of the reign of Queen Victoria, then between nineteen and twenty years of age, some sentences of a court-martial were presented for her signature. One was death for desertion. A soldier was condemned to be shot; and his death-warrant was presented to the queen for her signature. She read it, paused, and looked up to the officer who had laid it before her, and said, "Have you nothing to say in behalf of this man?"—"Nothing: he has deserted three times," said the officer. "Think again, my lord," was her reply. "And," said the gallant veteran as he related the circumstance to his friends (for it was none other than the Duke of Wellington). "seeing her Majesty so earnest about it, I said, 'He is certainly a bad soldier; but there was somebody who spoke to his good character; and he may be a good man for aught I know to the contrary.'"—"Oh, thank you a thousand times!" exclaimed the youthful queen; and, hastily writing "Pardoned" in large letters on the fatal page, she sent it across the table with a hand trembling with eagerness and emotion.

When Alexander encamped before a city, he used to set up a light, to give notice to those within, that, if they came forth to him while that light lasted, they should have quarter: if otherwise, no mercy was to be expected. God sets up light after light, and waits year after year, and even invites men to come unto him, that they may have life.

It is his free compassion to cast all our sins, into the depth of the sea (Micah vii. 19). Now, the sea, by reason of its vastness, can drown as well mountains as mole-bills: the boundless ocean of God's mercy can swallow up our mightiest sins much more. It is his merciful power to blot out our sins as a cloud. Now, the strength of the summer's sun is able to scatter the thickest fog as well as the thinnest mist; nay, to drive away the darkest midnight: the irresistible beatof God's free love, shining through the Sun of Righteousness upon a penitent soul, to dissolve to nothing the most desperate work of darkness, and most horrible sin, far more easily.

— Bolton

One evening, as the Rev. William Wilson of Perth was passing along the streets of that town, three soldiers, then quartered in it, happened to walk behind him, who were indulging in the utterance of the most profane and blasphemous language. One of them, on some frivolous account, declared it to be his wish, that God Almighty might damn his soul in hell to all eternity. Mr. Wilson immediately turned round, and, with a look of dignity and compassion, said, "Poor man, and what if God should say amen, and answer that prayer!" Mr. Wilson passed on. The man seemed to stand petrified, and, on going home to his quarters, was in such distraction of mind and feeling, that he knew not whither to turn for relief. He was soon afterwards seized with fever, under which he continued to suffer the most awful forebodings of eternal misery. His case was so singular, that many Christians went to visit him, to whom he invariably said he was sure of being beyond the reach of mercy, and that God had sent his angel to tell him so. One of them asked him to describe the appearance of the person who had pronounced this doom on him. He did so, and the visitant at once perceiving that it must have been Mr. Wilson, inquired if he would wish again to see him. "Oh," said he, "I would wish above every thing to see him, but he will not come near a wretch like me." Mr. Wilson was soon brought, and told him of the way of salvation through Christ crucified, and encouraged him to flee for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before him. His words being accompanied by Divine power, the poor soldier was enabled to believe in Christ, and thus found peace and comfort to his troubled soul. He soon afterwards recovered, and became a very exemplary Christian; and, as he felt the army unfavorable to a religious life, Mr. W. at his request used influence, and procured

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