Luke 1:67-77
Then his (John’s) father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us.
He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant—the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live.
“And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins.

Luke 1:78-79
Through the bottomless mercy of our God, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”

Grace – God giving you a blessing that you don’t deserve.

Mercy – God withholding a consequence that you do deserve.

Exodus 34:6
The LORD God is merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…

Mercy isn’t something that God gives. Mercy is who God is!

Lamentations 3:22-23
The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.

One reason we struggle to RECEIVE mercy is because we struggle to EXTEND mercy.

God is JUST.

Our iniquity causes inequity.