Brethren,

I trust this meets you well?

Have you been in a situation where you knew that your only hope was mercy? I have, countless times. And about mercy, we all know that God is merciful. But today’s topic is not just about God’s mercy, but His lavish (abundant) mercy!

Key Learning points:
1. God’s mercy is a mystery that many struggle to understand. (Romans 11:25)
o Mercy was part of God’s redemption plan from the very beginning.
o Even those we consider as innocent need God’s mercy (Genesis 39:21)
2. Salvation rather than being our right, is a product of God’s Mercy.
o All saved souls owe the debt of gratitude to God whose choice and decision has provided saving Grace for the believer.
o The salvation of Jews and Gentiles, alike, flows from God’s abundant mercy, not merit. It is an expression of God’s sovereign and generous grace.  Both Jews and Gentiles alike are guilty of disobedience and are both saved by God’s mercy (Romans 3:23; 11:25-32)
3. The abundance of God’s mercy can only be properly understood in Christ (Romans 11;33-36; Ephesians 2;4-6; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3)

See attached outline for your further reference.

Your brother who has tasted God’s lavish mercy.

Brethren,

How are you doing today?

We conclude this quarter’s theme on a very interesting note: Chosen by God’s Mercy!

The truth about God’s grace and mercy continue to pose a stumbling block for many; just as it did in the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry, as well as that of the Apostle Paul. But that truth cannot be swept away, no matter how hard anyone tries: We are chosen by God’s mercy.

Key Learning Points:
1. The fact that God created every human does not automatically make every human a child of God. Romans 9:7-8
2. God is God (Sovereign) and has the right to do as He likes and wills with His creations. Although He is answerable to no one, yet He is just, and no injustice is found in Him. The condition for who will receive mercy is God’s prerogative.
a. We see that principle in God choosing Jacob over Esau even before they were born and have done anything good or bad. He did not give Jacob the privilege to choose which of his sons will be the chosen one.
b. The potter has the right to make out of the same lump of clay, some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use – Romans 9:21; Jeremiah 18:3-6

3. Though He chooses to be merciful to one person over another, yet His action to the other is not unjust.
a. Those Jews and Gentiles alike who are unsaved are unsaved because of their unbelief, not because of God’s unfaithfulness to his promise. They insist on their own way to earn righteousness before God and reject the only way of righteousness (faith in Jesus Christ) established by God – Romans 9:1-5 (Paul’s anguish) 10:21 (God holding out His hand to the disobedient); 11:20-23 (unbelief -reason for their exclusion).

See attached outline for your further reference.

Let us not stumble over Jesus!