Greetings. Before we get started let me tell you that I will be referring to a lot of verses. And from now on I will not be giving too many specific references. It makes for a better flow in the lesson. But, if you want the verses, if you need the verses, you can find them in the transcript.
If you are listening on an app like Deezer or some other, you may not have the transcript. But the transcripts to all my lessons are on my website. So, if that would be helpful, find it and use it.
Repentance [1:13]
In our last episode we learned about the meaning of repentance in the preaching of John. What is your definition of repentance? To turn away from doing this and turn to doing that. Like the Thessalonians. Paul said they had turned away from the worship of idols and turned to the worship of God. (1 Thess. 1:9) A very good illustration of repentance.
But John uses a different word for repentance (metanoia). And this word means to have a change of heart. A change of perspective. Well, the people really did not understand what John meant. How do we show this change of heart?
And John’s answer was to be merciful. If you have two shirts give one to someone who needs a shirt. If you have food, share it with someone who doesn’t have enough to eat. Help those who are in need. Be merciful. Today we are going to learn about mercy.
Mercy in Luke [3:02]
The Gospel of Luke is filled with mercy. Jesus showing mercy. Healing lepers and casting out demons. The blind see. The lame walk. Jesus feeds bread and fish to the 5,000.
And Luke has parables about mercy. The good Samaritan took the priest, poured wine and oil on his wounds, and covered them with bandages. He took him him to an inn and cared for him. That is mercy. And Jesus said, You go and be merciful like the Samaritan was merciful (Lk. 15:25-37).
And the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man was in torment in hell because he showed no mercy to Lazarus, the beggar. (Lk. 16:19-31). The rich man showed no mercy and he received no mercy.
Well, you know what mercy is. You know what mercy looks like. And you know what it comes from. It comes from repentance that is a change of heart.
Repentance Leads, Mercy Follows [4:50]
The first teaching in the Gospel of Luke is John’s sermon about repentance and mercy. And, the last words of Jesus in the last chapter of Luke: repentance will be preached. Beginning in Jerusalem. And to all nations. To the Gentiles.
Listen carefully to this. Mercy follows repentance. Mercy follows repentance. John taught that repentance, true repentance, is a change of heart. And the change of heart shows itself in mercy. Giving shirts and food to those in need. Mercy follows repentance. Where repentance goes, mercy will follow close behind.
When Jesus says repentance will be preached in Jerusalem, that means that we should see mercy in Jerusalem. Repentance brings acts of mercy. Repentance will be preached in Jerusalem, so the men and women who repent, should become merciful. Merciful like Jesus was merciful. Merciful like God is merciful.
The last words of Jesus to the apostles before he ascended were that they would receive power from the Holy Spirit. And they would be his witnesses in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and Samaria, and to all nations. The Gentiles. And that is how it went. The gospel was preached to Jerusalem first. Then Judea. Samaria. The Gentiles.
Mercy Spreads to Jerusalem [7:57]
After Peter commanded the Jews on the day of Pentecost to repent—change their hearts—they were baptized and their sins were forgiven. About three thousand people repented. And then Luke tells us that all the believers had everything in common. They were even selling their possessions. They were selling their property. (Acts 2:44)
And what were they doing with all of this money? They gave it to those who were in need. (Acts 2:45). This is Luke’s way of saying they have new hearts. They are doing what John commanded his disciples to do. Show mercy.
It has begun in Jerusalem, just like Jesus said. Repentance was preached first in Jerusalem. And mercy was first shown in Jerusalem. On full display, for the whole city to see.
And then to Judea. Then then to Samaria. And even to the gentiles. Where the gospel goes, people repent. Where people repent, their hearts are changed. Where hearts are changed, people show mercy to others.
The first sermon in the New Testament is this sermon of John in Luke 3. And the first sermon in Acts is the sermon of Peter in Acts 2. And when we compare the two there are strong similarities. Both told the people to be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. And both demanded repentance, metanoia—a change of heart.
There is another connection. Acts of mercy. The people asked John what to do he said repent, be baptized, be merciful. Give your extra shirt to the poor. Share your food. That kind of thing.
So being merciful is evidence of a change of heart. Wherever people repent—we should see acts of mercy. So as repentance spread throughout the world, acts of mercy should spread. That is simple enough. Where repentance goes, mercy follows.
In the Great Commission in the last few verses of Luke, told his disciples that repentance, change of heart, would be preached to all nations (Lk. 24:47). To all the Gentile nations. And in Acts he said that it would start spreading from Jerusalem, then to Judea, then to Samaria, and from Samaria to all nations (Acts 1:8). To the gentiles.
So with Peter’s preaching, the first Jews in Jerusalem repented. Change of heart. Give your extra shirt to someone in need. Share your food with the hungry.
Repentance has started in the city of Jerusalem. And so there are acts of mercy. Where repentance goes, mercy follows. The heart that changes becomes a merciful heart.
And it continued. Later in Acts we see that the disciples are still sharing their possessions. None were needy. And Barnabas sole some land and gave the money to the apostles. That would help a lot of people. Generous man. (Acts 4:32-37)
Mercy Spreads to Antioch [13:43]
And now to the Gentiles. The first Gentile church was in Antioch. There was a big persecution in Jerusalem. And the Christians fled the city. Those who fled to Antioch preached to the Gentiles. And a great number of these Gentiles believed in Jesus. And not only did they believe in Jesus, they turned to the Lord. (Acts 11:21) Two different things. Believing in Jesus is one thing. Turning to the Lord for salvation is the next step.
The Gentiles repented. And they were merciful to the Jewish Christians in Judea. Was their repentance genuine? Do we see acts of mercy? We do.
A prophet named Agabus prophesied in Antioch that there would be a famine that would spread throughout the entire Roman world. (Acts 11:28). We know about this famine from history. It started in 45 AD and lasted until 63 AD. It may have been shorter in Judea. But it was a very severe famine. It was in England. And there were riots in Rome. Poverty in Judea.
There was a wealthy proselyte who bought food in Egypt and sent it to the Jews in Judea.
What did the Christians do? What did the church at Antioch do? Each disciple gave money to send to Judea. And Paul and Barnabas delivered the money to Judea. Where repentance goes, mercy follows.
Mercy Spreads to Greece [16:40]
And right after that Paul began his first missionary journey. He established a lot churches on those journeys! A lot of Gentile churches. And many years later, about ten years, at the end of this third journey, Paul brought a another collection for the poor in Jerusalem. The first had been from the church at Antioch. But this one was from the churches he started on his mission trips. And it was a lot of money! It was dangerous to travel with the amount of money Paul would have had.
We read about it in 1 Corinthians (16:1-4) and 2 Corinthians (chapters 8 and 9). In Romans Paul says he is on the way to Jerusalem with money for the poor. (Rom. 15:25-27)
Money given by the churches in Greece. That would be Thessalonica, Philippi, Corinth, and others.
Mercy in the Second Century [18:10]
Everett Ferguson gives good historical information in Early Christians Speak. What was going on in the second century? What acts of mercy? Different church fathers give different examples.
Christians would fast for a few meals during the week, take the money they saved on food, and give it to a widow or orphan, or the poor. (Hermas, Similitudes, 5.2.7).
And Irenaeus had this to say. Instead of tithes which the law commanded, the Lord said to divide everything with the poor. (Against Heresies, 4.14.3). Tithes are not required. But Paul told the Corinthians that giving was not compulsory. It was not commanded. (2 Cor. 9:7).
And then there are the slaves. There were a lot of slaves in the Roman Empire. Some, were fortunate. They were domestic slaves. They served families. House-hold work.
But the most miserable slaves with the hardest lives worked in the mines. Government mines. The hours were very long. The work was very hard. And some slaves died working in the mines. Poor men.
Clement of Rome says that some Christians would sell themselves as slave to work in the mines, take the money and give it to feed the poor. (Clement of Rome, First Epistle, 55.2) Wow. That is amazing.
And others sold themselves as slaves to work in the mines and would use the money to buy another slave’s freedom. I cannot imagine. I cannot imagine selling myself as a slave to set another man free. I guess it would be a good deal for the government which owned the mine.
I get a healthy, fresh slave in return to someone who is worn down.
I cannot imagine someone selling himself as a slave to set me free from slavery. You are free to go. I have bought your freedom. I will take your place. But that is how it was in the second century.
Maybe I will just start a food pantry. Of collect some clothes.
Well, enough of that. You get the idea.
The kind of repentance John demanded was a change of heart. Not just putting away this sin or that sin. Not just focusing on this virtue or that virtue. It was about an entire change of heart. And the change of heart shows itself by acts of mercy.
So, where is repentance, true repentance, acts of mercy follow. Where the gospel goes people repent. Where people repent mercy follows. In Acts we can trace repentance as it went from the Jews to the Samaritans to the Gentiles. And we can trace mercy as it went from the Jews to the Samaritans to the Gentiles. And into the second century.
Repentance leads the way and mercy follows.
So, share your shirt, and share your food.
Rick Walker
Vinogradar church of Christ
The Vinekeeper congregation
Kyiv, Ukraine
