The Mercy Mandate (Luke 6:36–38) | The Gospel of Luke (Part 49)

Transcript

JRNT 100
1/18/2026
The Gospel of Luke (Part 49) The Mercy Mandate
Luke 6:36-38
Jesse Randolph

How sweet the tidings, “Mercy’s free!”
Best news by mortal ever heard,
Sent down to earth, as heaven’s decree,
And sure as the eternal world.

How sweet the tidings, “Mercy’s free!”
To high and low, to rich and poor;
For who will His disciple be,
Shall find His word of promise sure.

How sweet the tidings, “Mercy’s free!”
And rebels pardon may obtain;
Since Jesus died upon the tree,
That sinners all might mercy gain.

How sweet the tidings, “Mercy’s free!”
O joyful sound, O wondrous grace;
To Jesus, then, at once we’ll flee,
And rest secure in His embrace.”

Those words were written by William H. Clark, a Methodist pastor in the early 1900’s, back when Methodists were, you know, Methodists. Back when they were still methodical about the things of the faith. Clark’s lyrics here really encapsulate the truth of the Gospel message. Which is that God, who is a God of mercy, showed mercy to rebels like you and me, by rescuing us from the path of sin that we were once on, as He regenerated us, and saved us, through the shed blood of our merciful Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Those lyrics: “How sweet the tidings, ‘Mercy’s free!’” trace back to some treasure truths out of the book of Titus. Titus 3:3-6 reminds us of who we once were, who we now are, and all on the account of the mercy of God. Titus 3:3 reads this way:
“For we ourselves also once were foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another. But when the kindness and affection of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not by works which we did in righteousness, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior .” Well, as we’re going to see in our time together this morning for the follower of Jesus Christ, Mercy is something not only that we’ve been shown, but mercy is something we’re called to demonstrate. As followers of Christ. As children of God, we have a real mercy mandate.

Turn with me in your Bibles, please, to Luke 6, as we resume our study of Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain. Today, we’re going to be looking, really at just three verses Luke 6:36-38; at the core of which is this call from Christ to be merciful. Let’s take a look at Luke 6:36-38, God’s Word reads:
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. And do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure – pressed down, shaken together, running over. For by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you in return.”

Now, the context here, again, is at the front end of His public ministry. After preaching in the synagogue in His hometown of Nazareth. After spending some time in the coastal village of Capernaum. Jesus went off to this mountain to pray. We saw that back in Luke 6:12. It was there on that mountain that He selected those twelve men who would go on to become His apostles: Simon and Andrew, and James and John, and Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, And James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot. Then, after calling those twelve, Jesus came down that mountain to this level area – this plain, where He encountered not only a “large crowd of His disciples”, as we’re told in verse 17 of chapter 6. Those would be the ones who are on “Team Jesus.” But He also met, that same verse tells us: “a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon.” While there might have been, in that latter group, some people who were there for the right reasons, you know, true believers actually, true followers of Christ in that second group. The sense Luke gives us here in verse 17, is that second group, those who came from the whole region these were more so the spiritual window-shoppers. These were those who weren’t really looking to follow Jesus, but instead, were there for a show. Those who wanted to see healings and miracles performed. Those who wanted to come and be wowed. It was to that mixed crowd, made up of both followers and fakes, that Jesus delivered His Sermon on the Plain which runs from verse 20 of chapter 6, all the way to the end of the chapter. You’ll recall that Jesus began with the statements in verses 20-23, which are known as “the Beatitudes” “Blessed are you . . .” “Blessed are they . . .” “Blessed are those . . .” These Beatitudes were for those who were truly following Jesus. Then He pronounced these words of woe, in verses 24-26. Those were addressed to the hangers on, the window shoppers. And to those, Jesus said “woe to you . . .” “woe to you . . .” and “woe to you . . .” These are words of judgment and warning.

Then, last week, we got really into the heart of the Lord’s Sermon on the Plain. Where He said this, starting in verse 27:
“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who disparage you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your garment, do not withhold your tunic from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. And treat others the same way you want them to treat you. And if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount.” Then, we ended with these words last week in verse 35:
“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to the ungrateful and evil.”

Now, you’ll notice in your Bibles, whether you’re reading from the LSB or the NASB, or the ESV. There is one more verse which typically gets lumped in with what we covered last week before the editors of these English Bibles inserted a new heading. There are those who think that verse 36 goes with everything up to verse 35, that it’s one continuous thought. I am on the other side. Where I think that verse 36 is not so much what Jesus was tacking on to the end of the section of the sermon that we covered last week. But instead, is a truth that Jesus reveals here, as He opens up an entirely new train of thought within the sermon. So, what we really have here is that everything that follows, from 36, 37 and 38, is all connected. So, when the Lord here is speaking about “be[ing] merciful, just as [our] your Father is merciful.” Those words next, about: not judging, and not condemning, and pardoning, and giving, all flow out of that ultimate mercy mandate in verse 36, to “be merciful as [our] your Father is merciful.” In other words, the lack of judgement, the lack of condemnation, the pardoning spirit, the generosity that we're to show; all stems, ultimately from a heart of mercy. A heart of mercy which shows that we actually know the living God, who is Himself, “merciful” He says, “just as your Father is merciful.”

Now, before we get too far ahead of ourselves. It is important that we define our terms. What is mercy? What does it mean to be merciful? You know that word “mercy” in our English world, our English-speaking world, is one that gets thrown around quite a bit. The word “mercy” is found on the sides of many hospitals, especially those that are of a Catholic or Jesuit persuasion. The word “mercy” is found in youth sports. Right? When one team is getting their you-know-what’s handed to them - they want to make the kids feel good, so they end the game prematurely. They do so by what rule? “The mercy rule.” The word “mercy” even works its way into our vernacular, our slang. I remember one of my Grandparents used the expression “mercy sakes alive.” Which I think was something translated like “goodness gracious” or “Oh my goodness”, that’s what they were saying, “mercy sakes alive.” But the point is, that word “mercy” is used in all sorts of ways in our world. But Biblically speaking, what is “mercy?” There are a lot of definitions that have been thrown around. Some have defined “mercy” Biblically as “the benevolent or compassionate treatment of someone suffering, in distress, or in need.” Others have defined “mercy” as “what might be expected or demanded of fairness or kindness.” Another definition I found was “mercy” as being “a disposition toward pitying offenders, and to be unwilling to punish them for their offences.” Then others define “mercy” simply as “not receiving what one deserves.” Which is contrasted with “grace” which means to receive what one doesn’t deserve.

Now, while I think there are helpful aspects to each of those definitions, as we seek to understand unpack what is “mercy.” The definition of “mercy” I think best encapsulates the Bible’s teaching on the topic, one that is truly theocentric, one that is truly God-focused, is this: “mercy” refers to God, in His lovingkindness, withholding the punishment that we rightfully deserve on account of our sin. “Mercy” is God, in His lovingkindness, withholding the punishment that we rightfully deserve on account of our sin.

Now, before I go any further. Let me ask you all this: are you a recipient of God’s mercy? Are you a recipient of God’s mercy? In one sense, the answer to that question from everyone here in this auditorium this morning has to be “yes.” We are each recipients of God’s mercy. We’re recipients of God’s mercy, simply on account of our existence. The fact that we’re still breathing. That your brainwaves are still functioning. That’s a sign that you’re a recipient of God’s mercy. You know, the old Puritan Thomas Watson said: “with every breath, we suck in God’s mercy.” The reason your circulatory system is transporting oxygen to every part of your body right now. The reason your respiratory system is moving air into your body and through your body right now. The reason your endocrine system is regulating your metabolism right now. The reason your digestive system is helping you break down the food you’ve eaten, the pancakes and the syrup right now, converting them into nutrients, and to energy. The reason your urinary system is helping you to filter blood and remove toxins and waste from your body. The reason your skeletal system is holding you up right now and not allowing you to become this sagging bag of flesh. The reason your nervous system is helping various parts of your body to communicate with each other. The reason your immune system is helping you fight off infections and diseases right now. The reason that any of those systems are functioning in any capacity, even if its in a reduced capacity, on the account of age of illness; is a testimony to the mercy of God in your life.

But God’s mercy goes even further than that. Remember our definition; “mercy” is God, in His lovingkindness, withholding the punishment we rightfully deserve on account of our sin. So, using that definition, I’ll ask the same question: are you a recipient of God’s mercy? The answer to that question, for everyone here once again, is “yes.” But with one qualification attached “for now.” God is displaying His mercy to every single one on you, in this room here this morning, “for now.” Right now, January 18, 2026, none of us is facing the judgment that unrepentant sinners will ultimately face in the fires of hell. That’s the reality – that’s the reality – “for now.” But one day all of that is going to change. For anyone here who has not trusted in Jesus Christ for the salvation of your soul and the forgiveness of your sins that will change. If you haven’t put your faith in Jesus, as Savior and Lord. If you haven’t repented and believed in His Gospel. If you haven’t yet trusted in His death and His resurrection as the source of your hope, your only hope, your eternal hope well, friend, I have to tell you, that you are in trouble. You’re in trouble. Unless you turn to Christ in faith. The mercy that God is showing you, right now, through which He is withholding the punishment that you rightfully deserve on account of your sin. Well, His mercy is going to eventually give way to His justice. And you are going to find yourself suffering the consequences for the lifetime of sins that you committed against Him, in the flames. At that point, there will be no second chance. At that point, there will be no turning back. And at that point, there will be no hope.

So, my appeal to you. Is that if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. That if you don’t hear anything else this morning, hear this: God is being merciful to you. He’s being patient toward you. But don’t presume upon His patience. II Peter 3:9 says:
“The Lord is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” Did you catch that last word? “Repentance.” God is calling on you to repent. To turn from your sins, and to turn to Him through faith in His Son. Until you do so, you will not have the ability to live out these words here in Luke 6, about “be[ing] merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” And you can’t be merciful as your Father is merciful, because He’s not your “Father.” Rather, you’re a spiritual orphan. You’re out there in the cold. Only those who have called on God as Father. Only those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ. Only those who are saved, in the family of God are capable of truly being “merciful.”

Back to our text and this command that Jesus gave His disciples – to “be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Note that Jesus here was offering a measuring stick for His disciples. As He charged them to be merciful, He was doing so on the basis of the mercy they had been shown by the Father. “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

How has God the Father been merciful? Well, let’s run through some of the basics. Turn back with me, if you would, to the second book of the Bible, the book of Exodus, the second book of the Scriptures. Exodus 34, this is where we’re going to start with this Old Testament survey of the mercy of God. Exodus 34:6:
“Then Yahweh passed by in front of him and called out, [this is Moses, Mount Sinai] ‘Yahweh, Yahweh God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.’”
Now, back in verse 6, you saw that word “compassionate.” God is “compassionate”. God’s “compassion”, His raham – in Hebrew, is mentioned all throughout the Old Testament.
You see His compassion mentioned in various places. You can jot a few of these down.
Deuteronomy 4:31 – “For Yahweh your God is a compassionate God.”
Psalm 145:8-9 – “Yahweh is gracious and compassionate; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. Yahweh is good to all, and His compassions are over all His works.”
Lamentations 3:22 – “The loving kindnesses of Yahweh indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”
Then there are these other passages from later in Israel’s history. As we get into the days of the prophets. Those days where Israel, having been so wayward and so wicked, was eventually shipped off into exile. But even then, God was unrelenting in His compassion toward them.
Joel 2:13 – “Now return to Yahweh your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness, and relenting concerning evil.”
Micah 7:18 – “Who is a God like You, who forgives iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance? He does not hold fast to His anger forever because He delights in lovingkindness. He will again have compassion on us; He will subdue our iniquities. And You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.”

You may have noticed, that in each of those passages I just read from, whether Deuteronomy or all the way up to Micah, God’s “compassion” is what’s being singled out, His raham. Now, how does God’s “compassion” tie in with our topic for this morning? Back to the SERMON ON THE PLAIN in Luke 6, where Jesus is speaking about mercy. How do compassion and mercy work with one another? How does this go back to this command from Christ, to “be merciful, just as Your Father is merciful?” I’m so glad you asked. You can think of this relationship between God’s “compassion” and our duty, our command to be “merciful” in this way. Mercy simply is compassion in action. Mercy is compassion in action. One feels compassion. One acts mercifully. You know, mercy isn’t a sentiment or a feeling. Rather, mercy is a demonstration. A demonstration of the compassion that one feels toward another.

God is a compassionate God. A God who, in His compassion, as a result of His compassion, has consistently acted mercifully, not only toward His people, but toward the world. So, He’s a God of compassion. But He has acted with mercy. I mean, for millennia now, God has poured out His unacknowledged mercies on the billions of people who have populated this planet, for thousands of years now. Though they fail to acknowledge or honor Him as the hand from which their blessings come. Though they fail to thank the Giver for His giving many good gifts. He continues to provide – mercifully – and in abundance: food and water, rain and sunshine, a roof over our head. The fingerprints of our compassionate and merciful God, are all over His creation, and all over our lives.

God’s mercy was not only recognized in the Old Testament, in the days of Moses and then into the prophets. But His mercy and compassion was recognized by the New Testament authors, as well. For instance, the Apostle Paul would say in II Corinthians 1:3 -
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.”
James acknowledged in James 5:11, that – “. . . the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.” Amen. I mean, His compassions, they fail not, His lovingkindness endures forever as does His mercy. And so ought it be with anyone who claims to be in the family of God. Anyone who claims to be a child of God.

Let’s head back over to our text. Back to Luke 6:36, where Jesus was teaching His disciples out there on the Plain, that they were to “be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” What Jesus was saying here, with that “just as” language in verse 36 is that “just as” God has demonstrated His own compassion toward us and is being “merciful” to us. His followers are to emulate Him. The Father is merciful and so His children, those who have experienced the new birth through Christ, should make it their aim to do the same. Note, that when Jesus said those words – “be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” to His disciples. You know, He was doing so as One who, during His life and His ministry on earth not only taught on mercy, but exemplified mercy, demonstrated mercy.
Let’s spend some time looking at both aspects, both of our Lord’s teachings on mercy and also His demonstration of mercy.

Turn with me, if you would, to Luke 10, where we’ll start by considering at least one of our Lord’s teachings on mercy. Luke 10, this is the account of the Good Samaritan. The whole scene starts developing in verse 25. The background here in Luke 10:25, and the account of the Good Samaritan, is that this lawyer, this “scholar of the Law” attempts to put Jesus to the test and he asks Him in Luke 10:25, “Techer, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And then Jesus turns around and asks this scholar, ‘Well, what is it that the Law of Moses says? What does the Law of Moses reveal?’ The man goes on to cite the two great commandments loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And then, loving your neighbor as yourself. Then Jesus replies: “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” Then the man, it says: “wishing to justify himself” asks Jesus a question. He says, verse 29 – “. . . who is my neighbor?” Pick it up in verse 30:
“Jesus replied and said, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. And a priest happened to be going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise, a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him, and when he saw him, he felt compassion. And he came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them, and he put him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And on the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, when I return, I will repay you.’ Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” Now look at the answer that the lawyer gave in verse 37, “And he said, ‘The one who showed mercy toward him.’ Now look at Jesus’ reply, end of verse 37. “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do the same.’”

Now, it’s a simple observation, but I do think it’s an important one. Which is this: That at the heart of this well-known account of the Good Samaritan is this demonstration of mercy. Meaning, this story is being told by Jesus to teach on the importance of showing mercy. To “be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

Well, not only did Jesus teach on mercy. But as I mentioned already, He demonstrated mercy throughout His ministry on earth. He interacted, we know, with a variety of different individuals, with a variety of different afflictions, and showed mercy to them in various circumstances. The Gospels are rich with these accounts of these individuals hurt, in need of healing, confused, afflicted in various ways and He not only felt compassion toward them, but then He would demonstrate His mercy toward them.
We’re told this, for instance, in Mark 1:40 –
“And a leper came to Jesus, pleading with Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, ‘If You are willing, You can make me clean.’ And moved with compassion, He stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’”
Or this account in Luke 7:12, which says:
“Now as He approached the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a sizeable crowd from the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her and said to her, ‘Do not cry.’ And He came up and touched the coffin, and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, ‘Young man, I say to you, arise!’ And the dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother.”
Again, Jesus felt compassion, and then, in these instances, He’s demonstrating mercy. He expected His disciples on the Plain, back here in Luke 6, and He expects His followers today, to do the same. Those who have received mercy will demonstrate mercy. “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

Moving on. As I mentioned earlier, some have taken the position that the next few words, here in verses 37 and 38, represent this independent unit of thought. Meaning, Jesus was sort of addressing “mercy” as this free-standing concept, back in verse 36, what we just covered and then he completely switches topics in verses 37 and 38, and now starts speaking of judgment and pardon and the like.

Again, I don’t see that as the natural breakdown of this passage. Rather, I believe that the words that we’re about to get into, in verses 37 and 38, flow out of that central idea in verse 36. The idea that we just addressed, about the importance of the centrality of being merciful. In other words, the conduct that Jesus was commending to His disciples here: to, “not judge” to “not condemn” to “pardon” to “give.” They ultimately will find their source in a merciful heart. One that seeks to “be merciful.” One that has been shown mercy by God who Himself “is merciful.” The Father has demonstrated His mercy toward us in not giving us the punishment that our sin deserves. And now He wants us to demonstrate mercy to others, by not judging them, not condemning them, pardoning them, and giving to them.

Let’s start with the first one of these. We have this command that we, who have been delt with so mercifully by God to “not judge.” It says: “And do not judge, and you will not be judged.” I’m not sure there is a more quoted verse or misquoted verse, than this one. In, not just the world, but in certain pockets of Christendom – “. . . do not judge.” Or as Jesus said it in His Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 7:1 – “Judge not.”
When you question your adult daughter about her decision to move in with her boyfriend.
When you tell your adult son that it would be a sin for him to divorce his wife.
When you approach your friend about her disengagement from church life.
When you challenge your friend on the ungodly influences he’s allowed into his life.
When you encourage a church member to resolve their conflict Biblically, rather than to let if fester and brew.
When you confront your classmate about cheating on a text in order to obtain a good grade.
When you take a stance in the public square on the sin of abortion.
When you say something which in any way might be taken to be a threat to a person’s sense of autonomy.
When you suggest something that doesn’t reflexively rubber-stamp whatever sinful path they’ve chosen to go down.
What’s the Bible verse you will continually get thrown back at you? 100 times out of 100? What’s the Biblical bullet that they’ve got locked and loaded and ready in the chamber, to fire back at you? This one “Do not judge.” “Judge not.” One author I read this week, said that “this verse has become the emancipation proclamation of our generation.”

That’s dead on. That means that we have some work to do, in thinking through this matter of “judgment.” Because, sadly, to the average person here in Lincoln, who isn’t regularly fed a diet of God’s Word, in a Bible-teaching context such as this one. They are going to think, naturally, by way of worldly influence, that Jesus’ entire ministry, and Jesus’ entire message boils down to these words: “Judge not.” Or “Do not judge.” When you start asking them questions about their life, or their lifestyle, or their choices, or their sin. They quote these words back to you – “do not judge”, what are they saying? Well, they are saying, ultimately: “You have no right to have an opinion about my conduct.” “And even if you have an opinion, you have no right to share that opinion with me.” “And even if you have an opinion, you best keep that opinion to yourself.” Going back to what Mom or Dad taught you at the breakfast table, “If you don’t have anything nice to say to me, you better not say anything.” “Judge not.”

But was Jesus, in His Sermon on the Plain or His Sermon on the Mount, for that matter outlawing, prohibiting all forms of judgment? Of course not. No way. I mean, you and I are required to exercise judgment all day long! Simply as a function of existing. I mean, think of the number of judgments that you had to engage in between now in this moment, just today. You had to set an alarm. You had to decide when the alarm went off, if you were going to answer it. You had to decide if you were going to hit snooze. And if you were going to hit snooze, how many times were you going to hit snooze. You had to decide which route you were going to take on the way to church this morning. You had to decide if a squirrel darted in front of you, if you were going to jerk left or right, or rev it up and take it out. You had to decide if you were going to go to Pancake Palooza. You had to decide how many pancakes you were going to stack on your plate. You had to decide during the music time whether your hands were going to go into your pockets or not. You had to decide whether you were going to open your mouth to sing those lyrics. You had to decide during greeting time if you were going to walk over to so-and-so and shake their hand or avoid them. You’re even deciding right now whether you’re going to listen to what is being preached or instead, you’re going to work on your grocery list, off to the side. We make judgments all the , all day long minute by minute.

Now, even more compelling than our experience though, is Scripture, what God has revealed to us about judgment in His very Word. Scripture has much to say, not only about the judgments that we do make, but the judgments that we should make and the judgments that we have to make. I mean, for time’s sake, run through all of these, I can’t be exhaustive, but I do want us to consider a few places in the Bible, where we are told that not only can we judge, but we must judge.

In fact, just look down the page here in Luke 6. We’ll start here at verses 41 and 42. We’ll actually cover these next Sunday, Lord willing. Luke 6:41-42, we’re still in the Sermon on the Plain and Jesus here says:
“And why do you look at the speck that in is your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.”
But note what Jesus is commending there in verse 42, “seeing clearly” so that what? So that you might “take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.” So, what is He describing there, ultimately? What is Jesus commending there? What is He approving? Judgment. One can determine that a speck is, in fact, in one’s brother’s eye. One can determine whether a speck is, indeed, a speck, by judging, determining, deciphering, deciding if that is the case, truly.

Let’s consider another example of a proper form of judgment. Turn with me over to I Corinthians 5. Of course, the church at Corinth had all sorts of issues going on. Paul had to exercise all sorts of judgment, as he was determining who to root out, who to take out, who to approve of, and the like. But look at I Corinthians 5:1-2. He says:
“It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and sexual immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife. And you have become puffed up and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.”
Now, look at verse 3:
“For I, on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged him who has so committed this, as though I were present.”
Did you catch that? You have the Apostle Paul, this specially appointed Apostle of Christ, to be explicit in saying: “I judged him . . .”
Or, look down the page, chapter 5 still, now verse 11. Still on this topic of immorality, he says:
“But now I am writing to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is a sexually immoral person, or greedy, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler – not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Are you not to judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God will judge. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.”
So, far from buying into what the world might think “judge not” means. You know, we just overlook everything, we ignore wrongdoing, we’re just cool with everyone. We love everyone, their truth is our truth, my truth is my truth. Everybody’s copacetic. He [Paul] is saying no. It is right to judge someone’s behavior in the church as immoral. It is right to judge that conduct as crossing that line of morality or immorality. Crossing that line into sinful conduct. I mean, think about it. On what basis otherwise, could we, or would we as a church practice church discipline? I mean, in the ultimate sense, of course, church discipline is practiced on the authority of Christ, on the authority of His Words, specifically in Matthew 18. But that exercise of church discipline is rooted in the judgment of the elders of the church that so and so is in unrepentant sin. And that so and so, their time has come to be put out of the church. So, we’re called to exercise judgment according to Scripture, on these matters of morality and sin.

Another area that we are called to exercise judgment, is in the area of Biblical truth and discerning Biblical truth from error. We live in a time where God’s Word continues to be watered down in various places. As countless ears are being tickled in different churches. Where Biblical truth is being sacrificed on the altar of being more loving and tolerant and welcoming. The result of this trend is that there’s a lot of error that’s masquerading as truth, and it’s making its way into churches. This is how you get liberal denominations which deny: The reality of a literal six-day creation. Or deny the doctrine of penal substitutionary atonement. Or deny the Biblical doctrine of hell. How did we get to that point? How have we gotten to this point in Evangelicalism broadly? Well, it was a whole lot of weak-minded, weak-kneed, jelly-legged men. Who fell prey to the idea that all opinions about the Bible are equally valid. Then they go knocked over by a feather, when someone who approached them with an unbiblical position through these words “judge not” at them and suddenly they’re off a cliff.

But we are to exercise judgment, sound judgment, strict judgment when it comes to the truth of God’s Word. Consider just a few of these passages. As I read these, you tell me whether these men, as they wrote these words, as they were moved by the Spirit to write these words, were being judgmental. Ok?
Romans 16:17 – Paul says: “Now I urge you, brothers, to keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and stumblings contrary to the teaching which you learned . . .”
Galatians 1:9 – “. . . if any may is proclaiming to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be accursed!”
Philippians 3:2 – “beware of the dogs.”
Paul sounds pretty judgmental to me there. Like he’s judging. That’s right. We’re called to judge between the sound and the unsound. Between the true and the false.

How about the Apostle John? The Apostle John was not only the Apostle whom Jesus loved. But he’s known as the Apostle of Love. So, surely John didn’t have anything judgmental to say. Right?
II John verses 10-11, John says this:
“If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting, for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.”
So, what John was commending there, as the apostle of love, is that if someone comes into your house, and they are false teachers, they’ve got their doctrine wrong, they are holding onto false teaching; and they are teaching false teachings. Don’t even give them a dinner invite. Don’t even let them across the threshold of your house.

There’s a famous story from church history, told by Polycarp, went on to Irenaeus. Polycarp was John’s disciple. That John was one day cleansing himself in a Roman bathhouse, that’s how you got clean back then. No running water, no pipes, no plumbing like we have. The heretic, Cerinthus, a man who was preaching a false gospel back then. John didn’t realize that he was in the same bathhouse as Cerinthus, because it was all foggy and misty. Picture-like a sauna kind of experience. Well, eventually, the smoke clears, John realizes he’s sitting right across from Cerinthus, this heretic, and what does John do? He takes off. He goes running out of the place, because he was afraid that the judgment of God was going to fall on the bathhouse, because Cerinthus was sitting there. I would say that John was exercising judgment there, on Cerinthus, for his false teaching in that moment. The Biblical data points to history, what they point to is that there clearly will be occasions where it is both ok to judge, and not only ok to judge, but we’re commanded to judge.

Back to our passage, Luke 6:37, when Jesus said here in His Sermon on the Plain, “do not judge.” Knowing that Scripture, being that it’s God’s Word, does not contradict itself, what type of judgment is He referring to? When He says, “do not judge, and you will not be judged.” What kind of judgement is He talking about? Well, again, context matters. These words, “do not judge”, they came across the lips of our Lord in this Sermon on the Plain. As He was communicating this over-arching principle, about the importance of His disciples being merciful as their Father is merciful. He was telling His disciples that they were to put their compassion into action, by demonstrating mercy, as those who have been shown mercy by God. And so, with that as the context, with the umbrella idea here being that of mercy, His commandment here to “not judge”, is really a divine prohibition on merciless judgment. It’s really a divine prohibition on that merciless attitude of self-righteous hypocrisy that He saw in the Pharisees that could work its way into our judgment of other people. What He’s really calling out here is that mercilessly critical and fault-finding spirit. He’s calling out this judgment, which is mercilessly swift to condemn, without knowing all the facts of the situation. So, when Jesus here said in His Sermon on the Plain, “do not judge.” He’s calling out that form of judgment. From a judgment that is short-sighted, that’s forgetful which neglects to remember the great mercy that we’ve been shown by God. That sort of judgment. Merciless judgment will ultimately bring down God’s judgment. For the believer, at the Bema seat, as they lose out on eternal rewards. For the unbeliever, when they face Christ, not only not as their Savior, not as their friend, but as their Judge.

Still in verse 37, our Lord said this next, in His Sermon on the Plain. After saying “do not judge, and you will not be judged”, He says:
“And do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.”
Now, those words really serve to enhance all that we just covered about judgment. What it means to “not judge” so as not to “be judged” by God. Jesus here is building on this thought. He’s expanding on His previous point. The word here, “condemn”, means to determine another’s ultimate status. To determine another’s ultimate status. Since that word has this inherently negative connotation, it really means to determine one’s ultimate condemnation. To determine one’s ultimate damnation. What Jesus says here, when He says “. . . do not condemn”, what He’s really saying , “You have no right to be judge and jury.” “You have no right to impose a sentence.” “You have no right to play executioner.” “That role is reserved for God and God alone.” “Your call as My disciple, He’s saying, is to be merciful as God our Father is merciful.” “And while you can be, like we discovered, a concerning truth seeker, it is not your role to determine or to dictate, as thought you could, the eternal fate of your fellow man.” “That judgment is reserved for God alone.” “Condemnation rests with God alone.” Well, as is true of the type of “judging” that Jesus was calling out here, when He said, “do not judge”, to be “condemning”, when He says, “do not condemn”, ultimately is to be unmerciful. Ultimately, when we’re unmerciful in our dealings with others, we invite the judgment of God. Again, for the believer, at the Bema seat. For the unbeliever, at the bar of God’s justice. James 2:13 tells us that – “. . . judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy.”

On the opposite side of the scale from condemning, is pardoning. Which Jesus addresses here at the end of verse 37, where He says, “. . . pardon, and you will be pardoned.”
Turn with me, if you would to Matthew 18, where Jesus taught Peter and His other disciples a really important lesson on forgiveness. Matthew 18:21, is where we’ll pick it up:
“Then Peter came and said to Him, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. For this reason, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made.
Therefore, the slave fell to the ground and was prostrating himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ And feeling compassion, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the dept. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him one hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ So, his fellow slave fell to the ground and was pleading with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. So, when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your hearts.” Now, note the connection in this parable of the forgiven slave, between forgiveness and mercy. And note those words again in verse 33, “Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?”

Now, in this parable in Matthew 18, Jesus was using the Greek word – aphiemi, which means “to forgive.” But back in our text, in Luke 6:37, He’s using a different word to tie back our obligations to others, as those who had been shown mercy. In our passage, in Luke 6:37, He’s using the word apolus, which means “to pardon.” While those two words aphieme and apoluo,“forgive” and “pardon”. While they have many connections, they are very close in meaning. They are not identical in meaning. You know, to “forgive” = aphiemi, means to release any thoughts or feelings of animosity, bitterness, revenge toward someone who has wronged you. That’s forgiveness, aphieme. To “pardon”, apoluo, that means to release the person of any further obligations in the matter that they have wronged you. It means not holding the matter against them. It means letting things go. It means, not only acquitting them, but granting them amnesty. It will never come up again between the two of you.

It was a full pardon that Jesus had in view in our passage, in Luke 6:37, where He said, “pardon, and you will be pardoned.” Having been mercifully pardoned by God, as a follower of Christ, we are to be quick not only to forgive others, but to pardon them. Not only granting them acquittal but granting them amnesty. We do so because of the pardon that we have received. We do so, not to earn a pardon. That pardon was already paid for at the cross. But when we pardon what it does, it reveals a heart of faith. The faith of one who has, because of that faith, already been pardoned by our merciful God.

Last, back to Luke 6, we come to these words in verse 38, where Jesus said:
“Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure – pressed down, shaken together, running over. For by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you in return.”
Now, the picture here is of a man with a large, apron-like fold in the front of his garment which he’s using to carry seed, and ultimately, scatter seed. The more widely he distributes that seed, from that fold in his garment, the more he shares with others. The principle here is that at harvest time, he will recover even more in return. He’ll have more grain now, to fill that fold with, than he had seed to scatter initially. He’ll be rewarded it says with “a good measure.” That’s referring to a harvest of grain. Which will be “pressed down, shaken together, and running over.”

So, the scene here, the picture is that the more grain that is pressed down into that folded pocket in the front of his garment. The more that things are shaken, so that more grain can sink to the bottom, leaving even more space in that compartment, in that fold so that more grain can get poured in. What’s being depicted here is an overflowing abundance. You know, we’ve heard the expression, “my cup overflows.” Here the idea is one’s pouch overflowing with grain. All because of how much has been poured out and scattered to begin with.

And the key takeaway is this. Those who have been shown mercy by God, in light of the mercy that they have been shown; it’s reflected in the generosity they show others. They will give much and in return, the Lord, it says, will reward generously for their generosity. Now, at times that reward will come in this life but more importantly, those rewards, we know, come in the life to come. Look at end of verse 38: “For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” You know, it’s this very idea that Paul would draw from in Galatians 6:7, where he says:
“. . . whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.”
Or, in II Corinthians 9:6, Paul said, “. . . he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows with blessing will also reap with blessing.”

Now, this can be taken in a very dangerous direction. You know, the principle here is not about having prosperity in this life. The idea here is not sowing seed into some charlatans’ evangelistic ministry and praying that a $50,000 check will fall from the sky like manna from heaven the next day. No. The principle, rather, is that as unworthy recipients of God’s mercy, a mercy that’s been shown to us, mercy that’s been given to us. We are to give to others as a natural response to the mercy that we’ve received. When we do so, God will demonstrate, not only His mercy to us. He’s already done that, ultimately at the cross. But He’ll show His goodness to us as He causes to be poured into our “lap a good measure – pressed down, shaken together, running over.”

We’ve made it through three verses today, as we considered Jesus’s “mercy mandate.” Next week, we’re going to go deeper into the Sermon on the Plain. In this next section, we’re going to see the Lord leans heavily into illustration. Illustrations about: blind men and pits, and students and teachers, and specks and logs, good trees and good fruit, bad trees and bad fruit, grapes and figs, and thorns and bramble bushes.
I just want to give one last word of encouragement though, before I close here. You know, a few months ago, I did announce that every week we put together these discussion questions for you to work through, the truths that you received from the Word and from the sermon. I write these every week when I preach. Others write them when they preach. I can assure you that we have a lot to do here at the church. We don’t write these for fun. It’s not like we’ve got a few extra hours to write some discussion questions. They are written to help you, to equip you to get the Word in your life all week long. Praise God, I get reports of folks who are working through the questions. Whether individually or in group settings and that’s wonderful. I would encourage you if you haven’t yet started doing those, this would be a good Sunday to start. Because these questions this week have some really pointed application about mercy. You know, thinking and reflecting Biblically on the mercy we’ve been shown. How we can grow through the Spirit’s help and demonstrating mercy toward others. I would even go so far as to say that it’s wonderful that we have structure and programs here at the church and those are good. But to keep us on track, to keep us plowing forward. But even if you mess with the routine this week a little bit and get some time to go through these questions with an open Bible. I would encourage you to do that. I mean, ultimately what we’re all about here is preaching God’s Word. But of course, preaching God’s Word is to the end of glorifying God and growing in likeness to Jesus Christ our Savior. What are we doing here this morning but going through His very Words and He’s telling His disciples first, on the Plain but us today, how He expects us to live. These questions are just a tool to start putting some of those truths into practice. If you haven’t yet, these questions are available at different stations on your way out. You can pull them off our website, online. But I would encourage you to get into this study. Get into the Word that way. It doesn’t have to look any particular way, or any specific way. But just get the Word into your heart. Not just this morning, but all week long.
I’ll get off my soapbox. Let’s pray.

Lord, thank You for this morning, to work through a really important text, about how we are to live as followers of Christ. To demonstrate the mercy that we’ve been shown by You, our Father. To have that merciful attitude trickle down into our various relationships. Ones in which we do not show improper judgment, and do not condemn. We pardon, we forgive and also, we give. Help us God to, from this text this morning, really understand more of the heart of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ and seek to emulate Him and grow in His likeness through our time together. Thank You for this dear body of believers. Thank You for their love for You and for one another. I pray You would strengthen us for Your service this week, all for Your glory. In Christ’s name. Amen