Living in the Mercy of God
David Wilkerson's sermon highlights the transformative power of living in God's mercy and extending that mercy to others.
David Wilkerson shares a message of hope about living in the mercy of God, emphasizing that understanding God's merciful nature is essential for Christians who desire to be kind and gracious. He highlights Psalm 119:76, which reassures believers that God's mercy and compassion are sources of comfort in times of failure and weakness. Wilkerson reminds us that God's promises of mercy are meant to encourage us, especially when we feel unworthy or judged. He stresses that experiencing God's mercy allows us to extend that same mercy to others, creating a cycle of compassion and grace. Ultimately, living in the mercy of God transforms us into merciful individuals who can comfort those around us.
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Beloved, this message is not meant to rail on you or lecture you. Rather, I believe I have a word of hope for you. Let me explain why you may find it so hard to be the kind, gracious, merciful Christian you want to be.
We find the key in Psalm 119. The psalmist makes a powerful statement here: "Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant" (Psalm 119:76). The meaning here is, "Lord, Your Word tells me I am to be comforted by the knowledge that You are merciful and full of compassion to me. Let me draw comfort from that great truth."
If you were to look up the words "merciful" and "mercy" in a concordance, you would find hundreds of references. God's Word overwhelms us with numerous promises of His marvelous grace, lovingkindness and compassion. He wants to impress upon us that He is merciful, longsuffering and slow to anger about our failures, weaknesses and temptations.
"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy" (Psalm 103:8).
All God's promises of mercy are given to comfort us in our trials. When we fail God, we think He is mad at us, ready to judge us. But, instead, He wants us to know, "I will see you through. Simply repent. I am not mad at you. I am merciful, full of grace and love for you. Draw comfort from this." It is comforting to know that His mercy will never be withdrawn from us. How comforting to know that when we sin or fail, His love toward us grows even stronger.
Unless we draw comfort from the mercy God shows to us, we are in no position to give mercy that offers comfort to others. Only when we experience the absolute mercifulness of God will there be an overflow of mercy to everyone around us. We become merciful people because we ourselves are living in the mercy of God!
Sermon Outline
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I
- Understanding God's Mercy
- The Comfort of God's Word
- The Nature of God's Compassion
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II
- The Role of Repentance
- God's Response to Our Failures
- The Assurance of His Love
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III
- The Importance of Experiencing Mercy
- Extending Mercy to Others
- Living as Merciful People
Key Quotes
“Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.” — David Wilkerson
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.” — David Wilkerson
“Only when we experience the absolute mercifulness of God will there be an overflow of mercy to everyone around us.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- Reflect on God's mercy in your life to find comfort during trials.
- Practice extending mercy to others as a reflection of the mercy you have received.
- Embrace repentance as a pathway to experiencing God's unwavering love and support.