Have Mercy
Thank you for joining us as we kick off our 'MOVE' series. Ps Aaron unpacks the Mercy element of our focus this year, 'Love is on the Move'.
To dig deeper, read Luke 10:25–37.
The key to understanding this parable is the interaction between Jesus and the religious teacher. When the religious leader asks “Who is my neighbour?”, he is asking, Jesus, where can I draw the line? The good Samaritan is a story that tests our understanding of love. It confronts and unmasks any false limits we have put on love that would restrict our ability to release love and mercy into our world. Mercy is love moving in response to human need in an unexpected and undeserved way.
Our task as followers of Jesus is to ruthlessly attend to any structures in our heart or mind that would prevent us from following Jesus’ command to “go and do likewise”, to go and show mercy to those in need. Psychologist James Hollis says every day when a man or woman wakes up two shadows are standing over their bed, fear and apathy. These two shadows limit mercy, the flow of love in our life. In our world fear often looks like suspicion or mistrust and has the power to shape the way we see others, and how we react to moments of injustice. Fear, turns our hearts inwards and limits our ability to extend mercy but love moves through a heart that has learnt to turn outward.
Spiritual apathy isn’t inaction, it is this idea of being numb to the meaningful, but “alive” to the trivial. The word the early church fathers used to describe this was “acedia”, and it is spiritual resistance to spiritual progress. Acedia seeks to distract you from those things that will bring us life, stealing your joy, and reducing your faith to a passionless grind. How do we confront the limits put on our love and mercy by fear and apathy? The gospel is our cure. The parable of the good Samaritan humbles us with the mercy God requires so we can receive the mercy God offers. The Gospel will re-posture our hearts from facing inward to outward. The gospel will awaken our hearts with a fiery and holy zeal.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
To what degree has fear limited our ability to love? To what degree is fear shaping the way we see others?
Where does apathy show up most in my life? How does it hinder me from living a full, kingdom of God kind of life? How does apathy limit love from moving in and through my life?
Has fear and apathy turned you “inward”? Do you need to repent?
If the gospel is the cure for fear and apathy, what can you sing, watch, listen to, read, talk about, and celebrate that will remind you of the gospel and its power and turn your heart outward?
Thanks again for joining us. We pray you were blessed.
Connect with us on:
https://www.instagram.com/dayspringchurch/
https://www.facebook.com/dayspringchurch
https://www.youtube.com/@DayspringChurchAU
Listen to Dayspring Worship
https://open.spotify.com/artist/331972RySiV4WcoYTTJHeB?si=4b8N7CVQT2ysAeBiMGr1BA
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/dayspring-worship/1035339614