A GOOD Weekend: UPDATED

This would be my fourth consecutive weekend going back to SF. Although it took some time of contemplation to see if whether or not I wanted to go back, I am glad I did so. And Steph Wong graciously drove me back and blessed me with the conversations (even though I knocked out the first thirty minutes). We departed on Friday and we made some stops by Costco and Michael's. I am so excited to make some more cards using the glitter I had bought at Michael's. After the detour, we made it just in time for Friday night fellowship time at SFBC. During worship, one of the vocalists read verses from Psalm about creationism. After worship, Kathyrn and Jeanie from LIGHT fellowship led us into a lesson about jealousy (more on it later! ;). It felt so good just to be back!

If I were to use one word to sum up my Saturday, it would be: reunion. I have not really kept in touch with my friends from high school. These friends are a special bunch, because we had gone to the same school since third grade. It was extremely nice to catch up with them to see how they are doing. They are such a blessing in my life. After spending time at one of my friend's house, we went to watch How to Train a Dragon. Although we didn't get to see the movie in 3-D, it was a really good movie! So if you have the chance to see it, I recommend it! After movies, we went to a Japanese restaurant to grab some dinner and Tutti Melon for some Froyo. OH, and I FINALLY won a game of Apples to Apples for the first time late at night. After a game of Apples to Apples, they went home. I was so sad as we departed, but I will definitely make the effort to hang out more.







Sunday, I went to SFBC Sunday School -> Church -> Brief family dinner -> Back in Merced
Even though the Sister's retreat was canceled, this weekend felt equivalent to a retreat because I learned so much! It is truly by God's grace that I am receptive to what He had in store for me over the weekend. :)

Sunday School- We studied the book of Judges 3-9

The Israelites were under the cycle of: rebellion, retribution, repentance, and rest. Other common terms for the cycle are the 4 S: sin, servitude, supplication, and salvation. Another way to describe the cycle: apostasy, oppression, penitence, and deliverance.

Cycle, Judge, Tribe, Opp (yrs), Opp, Rest (yrs)
1, Othniel, Judah, 8, Mesopotamia, 40
2, Ehud (lefty), Benjamin, 18, Moab, 80
-, Shamgar, Levi, -, Philistines,-
3, Deborah, Ephraim, 20, Canaan, 40
4, Gideon, Manasseh, 7, Midian, 40
to be continued

We can identify a pattern regarding the amount of oppression and rest years. Their rebellion drew their relationship with the Lord at a distance.

Application:
-Judges from cycles 2-4. God uses those who were "out of the norm" and those who displayed or were known to be "weak" to help the Israelites. God uses our weaknesses and turns them into our strengths in situations.

PA's Message on Blessed Mercy

Blessed Mercy
Matthew 5:7
PA

Communion Sunday- Communion is our saving death of our Lord, Jesus and of His resurrection. It is the remembrance, because we are forgetful people. We forget the cross often times. When we partake of this communion not to just go through the motions. God commands that we examine our life and ourselves. 1 Co. 11

Having compassion is showing mercy to the poor.
Sample verses where God calls us to show mercy: Deut 15:7, 10:8, Isaiah 58:6, Luke 12:33, 1 Timothy 6:18, James 2, Galations 2:22, 6:10

We, at times make it as an option to care for the poor.
Christians MUST practice mercy.

Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall recieve mercy.
How? Why? We should be merciful- in practicing mercy
Why? We are not called to live a comfortable life.

1. How do we respond? Sometimes we close our hearts to the poor and we are contempt
2. We see the poor and poverty to combat to end social justice (material goods.. than Biblical)

The Lod has given us parameters on how to practice MERCY.

1. THE PROGRESSION OF MERCY
Where does this call of mercy come from?
Jesus identifies the kingdom- The Beatitudes: gentle, meek, poor, mour
It is logical- mercy is dependent on the first four
For an example, 10 commandments: The first four of them are commandments that is based on our relationship with the Lord. After that the last six commandments is towards others.

1. Prioirty of mercy ministiry- how we relate to God.
Comes with the Gospel of Jesus Christ
They want to isolate God and of affects themselves.
The greatest issue is NOT external, but an internal condition.

2. Mercy of others- is dependent on God
We CANNOT show mercy unless we know of God's mercy to us.
There is a connection on how we love God and others.
If we can't love others or struggle to then we don't love God enough.
Mercy IS DEPENDENT ON GOD.

2. THE PRINCIPLE OF MERCY
Mercy can sometimes be vague- feel sympathy towards someone.
Compassion in action
love and serve those in misery.
Fathers determined the life of their child, slaves, husbands - determined the life of others- Merciless.
Jews become calloused in their legalism -> they don't feel mercy
not to have a moraless heart, but to have a compassionate heart.
We have to be careful in regards to it.
Misery became because of sin.
Some homeless need help in their terms. We feel that they don't deserve mercy because of that.
But in God's eyes, we don't deserve mercy.
We deserve wrath, but HE GIVES US MERCY!

3. THE PICTURE OF MERCY
A picture of mercy is an inspired picture- Luke 10:25 (Leviticus 18:5) -The Good Samaritan
Luke 10:27- Love the Lord your God...
v. 29 Justify himself (the laywer) and asks who is my neighbor?
The Good Samaritan story them comes in
Background: Jerusalem is about 300+ sea level. Jericho -300 sea level- hence it is a windy road.
It is also known as the bloody way- barren/mountains a perfect place to be robbed.

A man was robbed .. left him to be dead. Christ describes this situation as hopeless.
v. 31 a priest comes down the road and it is expected of him to help
Then a levite, which is associate to the priest, for he knows the lawy of mercy, and is a man of God
However, both passed by the other side, because they didn't want to be involved
Just because you do religious things, it doesn't mean that you'll love our neighbors

Samaritans and Jews- worst of neighbors
-John 8:48
But the good Samaritan felt compassion and came to him. Compassion caused him to act
Samaritan not only felt compassion for him, he also poured out expensive oils on the man and bandaged him up.
Another great sacrifice. Samaritan brought him into an inn. He continued to watch over him v. 35 NEVER ENDING MERCY

Total strangers, but his heart was full of love. The Samaritan never questioned the man of where he came from, because it doesn't matter. He didn't just do the minimum, but he went above and beyond. The lawyer asked question v. 37 The one who showed mercy- Jesus replied- GO and do LIKEWISE.

Mercy is about0 I will love this person without limits
^Isn't hard to understand, but HARD to do- it drives us back to the GOSPEL
Limitless love- we only love ourselves and we don't love others majority of the time

God wants us to say, "I fall short. I consciously disobey. I am the one who needs mercy."
We don't earn salvation, we earn hell. We deserve condemnation.
Jesus sees us in our misery. He acts, because God's law demands blood. From Glory of heaven to the cross.
He becomes our sacrifice, the LORD grants US MERCY. Raised on the third day. And offers salvation. Confess that Jesus is LORD, and we will be saved.

-We can receive his mercy today if we have not yet done so.
-For those who have received His mercy, they we must remember the gospel ourselves.
We are saved by grace, we are kept by grace
God extends His mercy to us- Picture draws us to the gospel. -Mercy Ministry