Introduction:

In December, nine years ago, tragedy struck Heath High School in West Paducah, Kentucky. Three teenage girls died and five students were wounded as Michael Carneal opened fire following a prayer meeting in the high school lobby.

Regardless of what may have motivated this young man to gun down his own classmates, we know that he was not demonstrating mercy, but desperately needs the mercy of God and the mercy of society! Even though the brave student who urged him to surrender asked for people to forgive Michael, I have not heard that this murderer is praying for mercy. As I mention this old news story we are painfully aware of several similar tragedies since this one.

The scripture that I have chosen for this morning is a portion of a prayer from Isaiah 63 and 64. This passage of the prayer includes remembering God's demonstrations of mercy in the past, for His repentant people. I use this text today because Advent is a season of preparation for the coming Messiah - preparation by repentance and confession and because we are all in need of God’s mercy and forgiveness.

As we look at this prayer for mercy, it might be well to be reminded of just what mercy is. We are deserving of God’s judgment for our sins. Judgment is what we deserve, but God in His mercy choose not to give us what we deserve. Mercy is a form of kindness and love demonstrated toward those who are in a state of need and perhaps suffering. Recipients of mercy may be unworthy or ill-deserving.

I. Personal Prayer

Our personal awareness of our need for mercy may draw us to our Lord in repentance of our sin, pleading for mercy. While we may be undeserving of mercy, we call on our God who has shown mercy to repentant people in the past.

The God who loves us so much sent His own Son to die for us. While He despises our sin and iniquity, he is also a just God. Our sin, our wrong deeds, our impure attitudes separate us from God. He hides His face from us when we turn away from Him. He briefly forsook His own Son, as Jesus bore our penalty for sin on the cross. Apart from God's mercy, we would not have the opportunity to be restored to God and saved from our sin.

Have you personally prayed for mercy? After being born again, have you tried with God's help to live right in His eyes?

Isaiah wrote, "Thou dost meet Him that rejoices in doing righteousness, who remembers thee in Thy ways."

I desire to meet God each day, seeking to do righteousness. I hope that is your desire, too.

Following a personal prayer for mercy is to come a:

II. Public Prayer

What I mean here is not limited to praying in public, but praying for others. Isaiah is not focusing on merely praying for the Christian community, but society at large.

Do you pray for God's mercy for fellow Christians as they seek to live for God in an Unchristian world? Do you pray for God's mercy for the many men, women, and children in our area who do not yet have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? They may be in our families and neighborhoods. They may be co workers, business associates and friends.

Our merciful God wants them to repent and receive His mercy. Are you making that your prayer? Do you speak highly about God, His mercy for us, and His desire to show mercy to everyone who will receive it?

I met the father of a young lady killed in a school tragedy in Colorado that has shown mercy and forgiven the person who took the life of his daughter. He is seeking to transform that tragedy into a blessing as he speaks in school assemblies and churches to tell about God’s love and forgiveness.

Conclusion

Several years ago I was privileged to be one of about a million men gathered on the mall in Washington DC for a sacred assembly. Basically it was an absolutely awesome six hour prayer meeting. There were so many men that we were crowded to find enough room to kneel, to sit, and to stand. One of the major components of that prayer gathering was to pray for mercy, to call out to God for mercy for ourselves, for our communities, for our nation, and for our world.

We, who are personal recipients of God's mercy, have the wonderful privilege and responsibility of sharing this great news of God's mercy to others. During this season there may be some people with whom you may share about your Savior who will respond positively. During this Advent season folks are often interested in the church and things of God. That is why I have already asked you to invite some persons who may have not yet received God's mercy to come to church with you.

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