GPS ENG: The Mercy We Have Received and Must Show

Read: James 2:5-9 James reminds them that God does not view people the same way we do. God has chosen many who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and heirs to His Kingdom. But these people were doing the opposite: They honored the rich but humiliated the poor. They placed importance on money and forgot that everyone has equal value in God’s sight. James 2:5-9 teaches us that we cannot claim to love God while treating people based on their wealth, appearance, status, or importance.

Observe: Let’s read James 2:10–13.

1. What does James say happens when a person keeps (follows) all of the law except for just one?

2. What two commandments does James mention in verse 11?

3. What words does James use to describe how we should speak and how we should act?

4. By what law does James say we will be judged?

Discover:

James 2:10–13 leads us to a deeper understanding: we have all sinned, and we all need God’s mercy. We cannot measure our sin by comparing it to someone else’s in order to feel better or more righteous.

Questions for Reflection:

1. Why do we tend to compare our sins with those of others?

2. What makes us think, “I’m not as bad as that other person”?

3. What does James 2:10 teach us about sin and our need for mercy?

4. If we have all fallen short, what should change in the way we view others?

5. What is the difference between knowing what the Bible says and actually living it out?

6. What is mercy?

Mercy is seeing another person’s need or suffering, feeling compassion, and responding with love, help, and kindness—even when that person cannot repay us and even if we do not think they deserve it. The mercy we show to others begins with the mercy we ourselves have received from God. We are merciful because we have first received mercy. Since we have all sinned and we all need God’s mercy, How should that change the way we treat people who have failed?

Now let’s read a very powerful story: Luke 10:25–37. To fully understand the power of this story, we need to know a little about the context. The Jews and the Samaritans had a deeply strained relationship. There were differences related to their history, religion, places of worship, traditions, national identity, and past wounds.The Jews believed that the Samaritans practiced their faith incorrectly and viewed them as a different, inferior, and separate group. That is why, when Jesus made a Samaritan the hero of the story, his listeners were probably surprised. Jesus wasn’t just saying, “Help people in need.” He was teaching something much deeper. What else was Jesus trying to teach through this story and these characters? (Think about James 2:5–9.)

James reminds us that we all need mercy, and Jesus teaches us that this mercy must not remain only in our hearts: it must be evident in the way we treat others.

Live It Out:

1. How does the way we help change when we know that the person can’t give us anything in return—or even when we feel that they don’t deserve it?

2. How can we show mercy to someone without justifying or condoning what they did?

3. Who might represent our “Good Samaritans” today?

4. If someone were to observe only how we treat people—without hearing our prayers, songs, or sermons—what would they learn about our relationship with God?

5. Am I showing others the same mercy that I have received from God?

6. Is there anyone to whom God is calling me to show more mercy? Why?

7. What specific steps can I take to show that mercy?

A TRUTH TO REMEMBER!!

God does not show favoritism, and neither should we.