A Radical Experience of Mercy
40 Gifts of Lent | Gift 11
Reflections on Luke 9 – 12
When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them.” Luke 9:51 – 55 (ESV)
Why didn’t the fire come down on the Samaritans? Because of His radical mercy, they (you and me) are not consumed.
His face is set towards Jerusalem where he will take the fire upon himself…he will be immersed in the judgement of God. He got what we deserved.
He came to take it. He came to bear it. Luke 9:22 says, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected…and on the third day be raised to life.” They rejected him, shouldn’t they be rejected?
A radical mercy means that he’s rejected for us. The Son of Man came to be rejected and to be killed. He is the living mercy. And because of his mercy..we have a new priority in life and a new identity through Christ.
The judgment we unquestionably deserved, He completely exhausted on the cross. [1]
You have to be melted and amazed and astounded that he took the fire, the punishment, for you and that’s the key to everything else. You cannot have a new identity without a radical experience of mercy. Without a radical experience of grace. Without a radical experience of love. [2]
The gift for us is living this radical mercy toward others when we are rejected.
[1] Scotty Smith quote | [2] Tim Keller quote
I am anticipating the arrival of Easter and celebrating the most amazingly good gift I’ve ever received. I want to focus my heart on the fulfilled expectation of Christ’s first coming and the glorious expectation of His second coming. To continue reading, please go here: 40 Gifts of Lent
Donna Harris‑More Grace 
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Beautiful!
🙂 Thank you!