God's Mercy: Getting What You Don't Deserve - S2E32

Ever done something you knew was wrong, braced yourself for the consequences — and then received kindness instead? That's mercy. And every single one of us needs it desperately.

In this episode, we're exploring God's mercy — the aspect of his love that looks at our sin and says, "I could punish you, but I choose not to." We'll unpack what mercy actually is, how it's different from grace, why the cross is where God's justice and mercy meet, and how understanding it can free you from shame, transform your relationships, and change how you approach God every single day. If you've ever felt disqualified by something in your past, this episode is for you.

"The cross is where God said to his justice, 'Sin must be punished,' and to his mercy, 'But not on them.' Jesus took what we deserved so we could receive what we don't deserve."

In This Episode, You'll Discover:

• The crucial difference between mercy and grace — not getting the bad we deserve vs. getting the good we don't
• Five aspects of God's mercy — including the stunning truth that his compassions are new every single morning
• Why the throne of heaven is called a throne of grace — not a throne of condemnation

Practical Applications:

• Let God's mercy free you from the prison of shame — the God who sees you fully has already chosen mercy
• Extend mercy to others because you've received mercy — forgiveness isn't optional for the forgiven
• Approach God daily without anxiety — you're not relating to a demanding boss, but a merciful Father

Your Assignment This Week: Do two things. First, think of one thing in your past that you still carry shame about — something you've confessed but haven't fully released. Bring it to God again, not to re-confess it, but to thank him that his mercy has already covered it. Let it go. Second, think of one person you need to extend mercy to — someone who has wronged you and doesn't deserve your forgiveness. Ask God to help you release them, because you've received mercy you didn't deserve either.

💬 Community Question: Is there something in your past that you've confessed but still carry shame about? What would it look like to truly believe that God's mercy has covered it? Sometimes naming our shame out loud can be the first step to releasing it. Your vulnerability might give someone else permission to let go of the shame they've been carrying too. Email us at Charlie@heychurchmedia.com or just hit the "Send us a text" link below!

We're building something important together in Season 2, and YOUR voice matters. Follow the show so you don't miss the next episode, and share this with someone who needs to hear that God's mercies are new every morning!

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

You're tuned into Everyday Theology in Plain English, making sense of God's truth for your everyday life. Here's your host, the man who doesn't deserve the wife he has, but is here to talk about an even better example of mercy, Charlie Miller.

SPEAKER_01 0:16

Hey there. Welcome back to Everyday Theology in Plain English. I am so glad that you're here. Today we're talking about something that might just bring tears to your eyes if you really let it sink in. The mercy of God. Let me start with a question. Have you ever done something you knew was wrong, something you were ashamed of, and then waited for the consequences to fall? You know that sick feeling in your stomach? The dread, the uncertainty, the certainty that you're about to get exactly what you deserve. But then nothing happened. Or at least not what you expected. Instead of punishment, maybe you received kindness. Instead of condemnation, you got a second chance. Instead of what you deserved, you got what you didn't deserve. That's mercy. And here's the thing: every single one of us needs it desperately. Because if we're honest, we've all done things that deserve consequences. We've all fallen short. We've all hurt people, broken trust, violated what we knew to be right. If God gave us exactly what we deserved, none of us would stand. But God is merciful and that changes everything. Here's what I want you to know right up front. God's mercy means you don't get the punishment you deserve. And that mercy is available to you right now, no matter what you've done. Today, we're going to discover together what mercy is, why we need it, and how it transforms both how you see God and how you treat others. So, what exactly is mercy? Here's a simple definition: mercy is God withholding from us the punishment that our sins deserve. It's closely related to grace, but there's a distinction. See, mercy is not getting the bad we deserve. Grace is getting the good we don't deserve. Both are essential, both flow from God's character. But today we're focusing on mercy, the aspect of God's love that looks at our sin and says, I could punish you, but I choose not to. The Hebrew word most often translated mercy is Hesed. It's sometimes translated as loving kindness or steadfast love. It appears over 240 times in the Old Testament. It speaks of God's faithful covenant love that endures despite our unfaithfulness. Psalm 103, verses 8 through 10 is one of the most beautiful descriptions of God's mercy in all of Scripture. It says, The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. Did you catch that last line? He does not treat us as our sins deserve. That's mercy. So here's the stunning reality. If God treated you as your sins deserve, you would be lost. But he doesn't. The word compassion comes from a root that means womb. It speaks of deep motherly tenderness. When God looks at you in your sin and in your brokenness, he doesn't feel disgust. He feels compassion. His heart is moved toward you. Isaiah 49, 15 says, Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has born? Though she may forget, I will not forget you. Second, God's mercy is demonstrated throughout Scripture. Think about it. Adam and Eve sinned and deserved death, but God clothed them and promised a savior. David committed adultery and murder, but when he repented, God forgave him. Peter denied Jesus three times, but Jesus restored him and used him to build the church. Paul persecuted Christians, but God transformed him into the greatest missionary in history. The Bible is full of people who deserved judgment and received mercy instead. Third, God's mercy is ultimately demonstrated at the cross. This is where mercy and justice meet. God's justice demanded that sin be punished. God's mercy desired that sinners be saved. How can both be satisfied? Well, the answer is, of course, Jesus. At the cross, God's justice was satisfied. Sin was punished, and God's mercy was extended. We don't bear that punishment ourselves. Jesus absorbed the wrath so that we could receive the mercy. The cross is where God said to justice, sin must be punished and to his mercy, but not on them. Jesus took what we deserved so we could receive what we don't deserve. Fourth, God's mercy is available to all who ask. Now this is the good news. Mercy isn't just for super saints or people who've mostly gotten their act together. It's for anyone who comes to God honestly, acknowledges their need, and asks. Hebrews 4.16 invites us: let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. The throne is the throne of heaven is called a throne of grace, not a throne of condemnation. You can approach it with confidence, not cowering, because the God who sits on it is merciful. And fifth, God's mercy is new every morning. Lamentations 3, 22, and 23 say, the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness. You don't use up God's mercy. It's not a finite resource that runs dry. Every morning there's a fresh supply. No matter how badly you failed yesterday, mercy is waiting for you today. All right, quick pause. I just want to make sure this is all clear and making sense so far. Feel free to drop a comment and let me know or ask a question if you have one. Now you might be thinking, okay, Charlie, I understand what mercy is, but how does this actually affect my life? Well, let me give you three practical ways understanding God's mercy transforms how you live. First, God's mercy frees you from the prison of shame. Picture someone named Danielle. Danielle became a Christian years ago, but she carries a secret, something she did before she knew Christ, something she's never told anyone. And even though she believes God has forgiven her, she can't forgive herself. Shame follows her like a shadow. Every time she tries to draw close to God, that voice whispers, If people knew what you really did, if God knew who you really are. She lives with a constant low-grade sense of unworthiness. But here's the truth that Danielle needs to hear. God knows. He knows everything she's done, and he's already chosen mercy. Her shame is lying to her. The God who sees her fully has already decided not to give her what she deserves. She doesn't need to hide anymore. And maybe that's you. Maybe you're carrying something you've never told anyone. Maybe shame has convinced you that you're disqualified from God's love. Here's what I want you to know there is no sin too great for God's mercy. The cross was enough. Whatever you've done, if you've brought it to God and asked for forgiveness, it's been dealt with. You don't have to carry that shame anymore. God's mercy has already said, I'm not giving you what you deserve. Second, God's mercy empowers you to extend mercy to others. Let me paint you another picture. Imagine a man, we'll call him Russell, who was deeply wronged by a business partner. He was cheated, lied to, and left holding the bag. And honestly, Russell wants the guy to suffer. He wants justice. He wants payback. But then Russell encounters Jesus' parable about the unmerciful servant, the man who was forgiven a massive debt, but then he refused to forgive someone who owed him a tiny little amount. And Jesus' words to that man hit him. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you? Here's the principle we extend mercy because we've received mercy. When you understand how much God has withheld from you, it becomes harder to withhold from others. Forgiveness isn't optional for the forgiven. Third, God's mercy changes how you approach Him daily. Some Christians relate to God like they're walking on eggshells. They're always worried about messing up, always trying to stay on his good side, always anxious about whether they've done enough. But when you understand mercy, that anxiety dissolves away completely. You're not relating to a demanding boss who's keeping score. You're relating to a merciful father who has already decided not to give you what you deserve. You can breathe, you can rest, you can come to him honestly, without pretense, knowing that mercy is waiting. As we wrap up today's episode, here's what I want you to remember: mercy is not getting the punishment you deserve. And God is rich in mercy. He doesn't treat you as your sins deserve to be treated. His compassions are new every morning. And his mercy is available to anyone who asks, including you, right now, no matter what you've ever done. Let mercy free you from shame. Let mercy empower you to forgive others. And let mercy change how you approach God, not with anxiety, but with confidence that his throne is a throne of grace. So here's your assignment for this week. Do two things. First, think of one thing in your past that you still carry shame about, something you've confessed but haven't fully released. Bring it to God again, not to reconfess, but to thank him that his mercy has already covered it. Let it go. Second, think of one person you need to extend mercy to, someone who has wronged you and doesn't deserve your forgiveness. Ask God to help you release them because you've received mercy you didn't deserve either. And now here's our community question. Is there something in your past you've already confessed, but you're still carrying around? What would it look like to truly believe that God's mercy has covered it? Sometimes naming our shame out loud, even anonymously, in a comment, is the first step to releasing it. Your vulnerability might be exactly what someone else needs to receive permission to let go of the shame that they've been carrying too. Don't forget, we have a companion guide for our season that goes deeper into each week's topic. You can check out the link in the show notes. Next episode, we're exploring the flip side of mercy, grace. If mercy is not getting the bad that you deserve, grace is getting the good that you don't deserve. Understanding God's grace can truly change your entire relationship with Him. Until then, remember, His mercies are new every morning. Whatever you did yesterday, mercy is waiting for you today. Run to it. Thanks for joining me on Everyday Theology in Plain English. I'm Charlie Miller, and I am so grateful that you're part of this community. I can't wait to continue this journey with you.