Bible Study: Blessed are the merciful

1. For starters: Try and come up with a definition of the word ‘mercy’.
2. Can you think of a time in your own life when someone showed you mercy? What
happened – and how did you respond?

Read Matthew 5:7. Mercy is one of the defining characteristics of God in the Old Testament.
For example:
• Exodus 33:19
• Deuteronomy 4:31
• Micah 7:18

3. Can you think of examples in the Bible when God shows mercy to his people?
4. Why is it such good news for us that God is a God who delights to show mercy?
(Optional: see Eph 2:1-5)

5. Jesus tells us here that the people who show mercy to others are those who will
receive mercy from God. Why do you think a sign of a true Christian is that they will
show mercy to others?

Read Matthew 18:21-35 for a parable Jesus told, explaining this to his disciples.
6. What does Jesus want us to understand about God’s mercy here?
7. Why should we show mercy to one another, according to this parable?

Look at Matthew 5:38-48.
8. How do you naturally respond to someone who wrongs you? How does Jesus say
we should respond as his people?
9. Did Jesus practice what he preached here? See Luke 23:34...

10. What impact would it have on the people around you if you chose to show mercy to
people who insult you or hurt you?
11. Have a look at Romans 12:17-21. What encouragements are there here to show
mercy to those who oppose us?

12. Pray for one another – that you’d have a deeper understanding of God’s great mercy
towards us in Jesus, and that in response, you’d be able to show mercy to others.