Gracy and Mercy

"The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor His anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us" ~ Psalm 103:8-12

King David, who wrote the above Psalm, committed some of the most egregious sins known to man. Sexual immorality, adultery, lies, manipulation, and even murder, all in an effort to satisfy his flesh and then cover his tracks. Despite his sins and the consequences he received, the Lord refers to him as "a man after my own heart". How can this be? Well, it doesn't mean that David was perfect. But to be after God's own heart is to understand weakness, sin, brokenness, repentance, and mercy. Unlike his predecessor, Saul, who made excuses for his sins, when David was confronted about his sins, he repented. He sought God in his brokenness and failure, and what he received was mercy, followed by grace to continue on. His understanding of what his sins deserved compared to the mercy and grace he received from the Lord helped him continue to pursue God's heart. This week at Friendship, we'll talk about "Grace and Mercy", two separate things that are often coupled together. How are they different and why do we desperately need them both? We'll answer these questions and also talk a little bit about which laws from the Old Testament still apply, even as we have been saved by grace. Join us for this message which speaks to the heart of God and of His salvation!