Charles (Charlie Brown)
and his crew should have died
00:00:24.09\00:00:28.26
a fiery death in the
frozen fields of Germany on the
00:00:28.29\00:00:31.76
20th of December 1943.
00:00:31.79\00:00:34.30
You see, Charlie Brown, a
farm boy from West Virginia, USA
00:00:34.33\00:00:39.80
was the captain of the B-17
Flying Fortress Bomber called
00:00:39.83\00:00:44.17
"Ye Old Pub". During a bombing
run over Germany the plane was
00:00:44.21\00:00:49.41
hit by anti-aircraft fire then
attacked by Luftwaffe fighters.
00:00:49.44\00:00:53.98
The bomber was crippled and
limping back home to England.
00:00:54.02\00:00:58.55
It certainly didn't look like
they wouldn't make it out of
00:00:58.59\00:01:02.02
Germany alive. But their
survival wasn't due to Charlie's
00:01:02.06\00:01:07.90
flying skills, it was
due instead to the mercy of a
00:01:07.93\00:01:11.57
veteran German fighter ace
Franz Stigler who instead of
00:01:11.60\00:01:16.24
finishing off the bomber,
decided to show mercy and
00:01:16.27\00:01:20.28
escorted the plane to safety.
00:01:20.31\00:01:22.34
Charlie Brown's miracle is
one of the greatest examples of
00:01:22.38\00:01:26.92
mercy to come from the
annals of the II World War.
00:01:26.95\00:01:30.69
Unknown to Franz Stigler,
as a result of his act of mercy
00:01:30.72\00:01:35.69
he not only blessed the men
on the B-17 and their families,
00:01:35.72\00:01:39.79
but he himself
received a blessing
00:01:39.83\00:01:43.00
although he wasn't to
know it for many years.
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Join me as we follow the amazing
journey of two men who first met
00:01:45.97\00:01:52.57
in combat in the
skies above Germany.
00:01:52.61\00:01:55.64
Here by the Sea of Galilee
Jesus gave us the Beatitudes,
00:02:14.26\00:02:18.93
they are part of what is
known as the Sermon on the Mount
00:02:18.97\00:02:22.80
where Jesus outlined the
eight principles for living.
00:02:22.84\00:02:26.68
But the Beatitudes aren't
just spiritual principles,
00:02:26.71\00:02:30.58
they've been influential in
developing western civilization
00:02:30.61\00:02:34.98
as we know it today.
Each Beatitude begins with
00:02:35.02\00:02:39.42
the work Blessed. Jesus
means that if you display these
00:02:39.45\00:02:44.73
qualities you will be
blissfully happy, this is the
00:02:44.76\00:02:49.10
happiness that can
come only from God.
00:02:49.13\00:02:52.40
In other words, when in your
life, you have the qualities
00:02:52.43\00:02:57.07
Jesus describes in the
Beatitudes, you will share
00:02:57.11\00:03:00.94
in the joy of heaven here
on earth. It's the only way to
00:03:00.98\00:03:05.81
to truly live. Among the Beati-
tudes He said in Matthew 5:7.
00:03:05.85\00:03:12.19
Like each of the Beatitudes
there is a great truth hidden
00:03:18.09\00:03:22.43
in this radical contradiction
and this great truth
00:03:22.46\00:03:26.63
can be seen played out in the
Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler
00:03:26.67\00:03:31.07
incident in World War II.
00:03:31.11\00:03:32.44
Charles Brown, the
young American bomber pilot
00:03:32.47\00:03:39.31
did his training in one of these
North American Harvard trainers,
00:03:39.35\00:03:44.39
Harvard's were built in
greater numbers than most other
00:03:44.42\00:03:48.96
combat aircraft during World
War II. Over 17,000 of these
00:03:48.99\00:03:54.43
American single-engine
advanced trainers were produced.
00:03:54.46\00:03:58.43
And were used by all of
the allied forces during
00:03:58.47\00:04:01.80
during World War
II as pilot trainers.
00:04:01.84\00:04:04.21
Harvard's were used to train
pilots of the US Army Air Forces
00:04:04.24\00:04:09.41
the US Navy, The Royal Air
Force, and other air forces
00:04:09.44\00:04:13.85
of the British Commonwealth.
00:04:13.88\00:04:15.65
Brown completed his bomber
training course by the time
00:04:15.68\00:04:20.32
he was 21 years old and was soon
thrust into the heat of battle.
00:04:20.36\00:04:24.89
On the 20th of December 1943
he found himself over Germany
00:04:24.93\00:04:31.00
struggling to keep his plane
flying, only one of its four
00:04:31.03\00:04:36.17
engines was still working.
00:04:36.20\00:04:38.47
They were returning from their
first combat mission together
00:04:38.51\00:04:42.51
as a crew on the B-17 Fortress
Bomber called "Ye Old Pub"
00:04:42.54\00:04:47.78
their mission had been the
bombing of targets near the
00:04:47.82\00:04:51.42
German city of Bremen but
on the way back to the RAF
00:04:51.45\00:04:55.92
Airfield in England, Brown's
B-17 had been attacked by
00:04:55.96\00:05:00.53
fifteen German fighter
planes and left for dead.
00:05:00.56\00:05:04.07
Brown had been knocked
out in the assault regaining
00:05:04.10\00:05:08.24
consciousness in just enough
time to pull the plane out of a
00:05:08.27\00:05:12.84
near-fatal
nosedive. Of his crew members,
00:05:12.87\00:05:16.64
one was dead and six wounded
and II Lieutenant Brown was
00:05:16.68\00:05:22.52
alone in his cockpit. The three
uninjured men were tending to
00:05:22.55\00:05:27.19
the others. At first Charlie
Brown didn't notice the German
00:05:27.22\00:05:32.63
fighter plane to his right,
he was desperately trying to
00:05:32.66\00:05:36.87
work out what he had to
do he had six wounded men
00:05:36.90\00:05:40.40
in the back. The chances that
he would make it back to England
00:05:40.44\00:05:45.11
were very slim, some of his men
were strong enough to parachute
00:05:45.14\00:05:50.51
but the critically injured would
never survive the experience.
00:05:50.55\00:05:55.02
Brown's co-pilot Pinky
re- entered the cockpit
00:05:55.05\00:05:59.69
we're staying he
said, the guys all decided,
00:05:59.72\00:06:03.36
you're going to need
help to fly this girl home.
00:06:03.39\00:06:07.30
But suddenly Brown wasn't
listening, he was looking past
00:06:07.33\00:06:13.67
Pinky frozen, Pinky turned
to his right and saw the German
00:06:13.70\00:06:19.44
Messerschmitt 109 near
them. Brown finally spoke,
00:06:19.47\00:06:23.85
he's going to destroy us
he said. The pilot of the
00:06:23.88\00:06:29.48
Messerschmitt 109 fighter plane
was German Ace Franz Stigler
00:06:29.52\00:06:34.72
he had every reason to shoot
down the American B-17 bomber
00:06:34.76\00:06:39.73
in front of him. Enemy forces
had already killed his brother
00:06:39.76\00:06:44.07
early in the war and they
were now bombing German cities
00:06:44.10\00:06:48.27
Not only that but if
Stigler shot down this bomber
00:06:48.30\00:06:53.64
he would reach the demanding
number of kills to be awarded
00:06:53.68\00:06:57.75
the Knight's Cross, the
highest honor for bravery for a
00:06:57.78\00:07:01.98
German soldier in World
War II. But as Stigler prepared
00:07:02.02\00:07:05.99
to squeeze the trigger,
the thought occurred to him
00:07:06.02\00:07:09.12
that it was strange that
the bomber wasn't firing back at
00:07:09.16\00:07:12.59
him. He went in for a closer
look and he saw that the plane
00:07:12.63\00:07:16.90
had no tail guns blinking, no
tail gun compartment and no less
00:07:16.93\00:07:22.30
left stabilizer, in fact,
Stigler could see straight
00:07:22.34\00:07:27.24
through the middle of the plane
where the skin had been blown
00:07:27.28\00:07:30.51
apart by shells. Then he could
see the terrified young crew
00:07:30.55\00:07:34.82
trying to tend to their wounded,
even the nose of the plane had
00:07:34.85\00:07:39.22
been blown away.
00:07:39.25\00:07:40.59
How was this
plane still in the air?
00:07:40.62\00:07:44.43
It was then that Stigler
remembered the words of his
00:07:44.46\00:07:48.30
first commanding
officer Lieutenant Gustav Rudall
00:07:48.33\00:07:51.87
who had told him.
00:07:51.90\00:07:53.23
Stigler had been taught
that if he survived the war,
00:08:13.59\00:08:18.16
he needed to know that he
fought with honor and humanity.
00:08:18.19\00:08:22.90
Now, let's go back to
Charlie Brown, he thought he was
00:08:22.93\00:08:28.40
hallucinating, the German
had flown over to Brown's left
00:08:28.44\00:08:33.01
and was frantically pointing
and saying words that Brown
00:08:33.04\00:08:36.88
couldn't understand.
Stigler was trying to tell Brown
00:08:36.91\00:08:40.68
to land his plane at a
German airfield and surrender or
00:08:40.72\00:08:44.72
divert to nearby Sweden.
But Brown and his crew didn't
00:08:44.75\00:08:50.33
understand what Stigler was
trying to say so Stigler just
00:08:50.36\00:08:54.83
stayed flying
beside the stricken B-17.
00:08:54.86\00:08:57.83
Stigler had flown beside
the B-17 over German-occupied
00:08:57.87\00:09:02.97
territory and all the time
Brown was anxiously wondering
00:09:03.00\00:09:07.61
what was going on.
00:09:07.64\00:09:08.98
Eventually, it all got too much
for Brown who craned his neck
00:09:09.01\00:09:14.88
and yelled back at his
top gunner, screaming at him
00:09:14.92\00:09:18.45
to get back into his turret
and shoot this German down.
00:09:18.49\00:09:21.99
But before the gunner could
bet back there to take a shot,
00:09:22.02\00:09:26.53
the German looked Brown in
the eye and gave him a salute,
00:09:26.56\00:09:31.37
then he peeled away. Stigler
had escorted the plane so that
00:09:31.40\00:09:37.54
the German anti-aircraft
guns wouldn't shoot it and
00:09:37.57\00:09:41.11
he had seen it safely
all the to the North Sea
00:09:41.14\00:09:44.85
Eventually against all odds
Brown managed to land his B-17
00:09:44.88\00:09:50.62
back in England. Stigler
never mentioned this incident
00:09:50.65\00:09:55.06
as he could have been Court
Marshaled, he lived in fear
00:09:55.09\00:09:59.16
he'd be found out and he
was unable to ever feel at home
00:09:59.19\00:10:04.47
in Germany again.
00:10:04.50\00:10:05.83
He eventually immigrated to
Canada in 1953 where he became
00:10:05.87\00:10:11.11
a successful businessman.
Stigler often wondered if the
00:10:11.14\00:10:15.64
crew of the B-17 had made
it safely back to England.
00:10:15.68\00:10:19.21
Although Brown had reported
to his commanding officers
00:10:19.25\00:10:22.88
how a German pilot had
saved their lives, they told him
00:10:22.92\00:10:27.69
not to tell anyone so as
to not encourage any positive
00:10:27.72\00:10:31.66
feelings toward the
enemy, Brown said...
00:10:31.69\00:10:42.27
Charley Brown served in the
US forces right up until the
00:10:42.30\00:10:46.44
beginning of the Vietnam
War and eventually settled with
00:10:46.47\00:10:50.11
his wife in Miami
before moving to Seattle.
00:10:50.15\00:10:53.95
But the question of what
had happened over Germany
00:10:53.98\00:10:58.35
always haunted him. So
aside from telling their wives
00:10:58.39\00:11:03.66
the men had rarely
spoken of that encounter.
00:11:03.69\00:11:06.56
Brown in particular had
been deeply traumatized by
00:11:06.59\00:11:10.97
the incident. In 1996 the now
retired Lieut. Col. Brown was
00:11:11.00\00:11:18.34
asked to speak at a
reunion for combat pilots called
00:11:18.37\00:11:21.88
A Gathering of the Eagles.
00:11:21.91\00:11:23.95
Someone asked him if he had
flown any memorable missions
00:11:23.98\00:11:28.32
during World War II,
well he thought for a moment
00:11:28.35\00:11:32.55
and recalled the story of
Stigler's escort and salute
00:11:32.59\00:11:36.69
and that was the first
time that Brown spoke publicly
00:11:36.73\00:11:41.26
about the incident.
00:11:41.30\00:11:42.63
The response about
Brown's presentation was strong
00:11:42.66\00:11:46.57
although it seemed such
and unlikely story that some
00:11:46.60\00:11:50.41
questioned whether it had
happened the way that Brown
00:11:50.44\00:11:53.54
remembered. Even Brown
him- self-wondered whether his
00:11:53.58\00:11:58.41
memories of that day were
accurate and that's why after
00:11:58.45\00:12:02.12
giving his talk Brown decided,
he would try to find the
00:12:02.15\00:12:06.59
unknown German Pilot.
For four years Brown searched
00:12:06.62\00:12:11.43
through Air Force records
in both the USA and in Germany
00:12:11.46\00:12:15.66
to try to find a clue to
the identity of the other pilot,
00:12:15.70\00:12:20.14
but nothing turned up.
00:12:20.17\00:12:22.14
Eventually in 1990 when living
in Seattle, Brown placed an add
00:12:22.17\00:12:29.11
Brown placed an ad in a
Combat Association newsletter.
00:12:29.14\00:12:32.28
At home in Vancouver
Stigler saw the ad, he yelled to
00:12:32.31\00:12:38.35
his wife, this is him, this
is the one I didn't shoot down.
00:12:38.39\00:12:43.29
Immediately he wrote a
letter to Brown and that's how
00:12:43.32\00:12:48.86
five decades after that fateful
December bombing run Brown
00:12:48.90\00:12:53.77
received a letter from Stigler
who wrote "I was the one"
00:12:53.80\00:13:00.01
But Brown was too impatient
to actually read it, he looked
00:13:00.04\00:13:03.68
for the phone number and
called Stigler immediately.
00:13:03.71\00:13:07.05
Tears were streaming down
Brown's face as he realized
00:13:07.08\00:13:11.99
from Stigler's detailed account
that he was indeed finally
00:13:12.02\00:13:16.83
speaking to the man who had
saved his life so many years
00:13:16.86\00:13:21.00
ago. Amazingly Franz Stigler and
Charlie Brown had been living
00:13:21.03\00:13:26.63
just over 300 kilometers
from each other for many years.
00:13:26.67\00:13:30.81
In gratitude for his act
of mercy, Brown made Stigler
00:13:30.84\00:13:36.31
the guest of honor at a reunion
he organized with his crewmen
00:13:36.34\00:13:40.62
from "Ye Old Pub". The
crewman showed Stigler a video
00:13:40.65\00:13:45.19
of their children and grand-
children people who would not
00:13:45.22\00:13:48.82
have been alive if it
were not for his act of mercy.
00:13:48.86\00:13:52.79
In fact, Franz and Charlie
became close friends for the
00:13:52.83\00:13:57.97
rest of their lives. both men
felt that together they should
00:13:58.00\00:14:02.70
tell their story to as many
people as possible to help them
00:14:02.74\00:14:07.28
that there's always another
way, a better way that the world
00:14:07.31\00:14:13.85
could be
infinitely better than it is.
00:14:13.88\00:14:17.65
They both died of heart
attacks within a few months of
00:14:17.69\00:14:21.42
each other in 2008,
Stigler was 92 and Brown was 87.
00:14:21.46\00:14:28.03
In their obituaries, each
was listed as a brother of the
00:14:28.06\00:14:34.60
other. We live in a world where
mercy seems to be an exception
00:14:34.64\00:14:42.61
rather than the rule.
When we hear of stories of
00:14:42.64\00:14:47.02
mercy such as the story of Franz
Stigler we're impressed because
00:14:47.05\00:14:53.62
we experience and hear
so much of the opposite.
00:14:53.66\00:14:56.32
We are used to hatred,
cruelty, violence, and revenge
00:14:56.36\00:15:01.86
yet, when Jesus said blessed
are the merciful for they will
00:15:01.90\00:15:06.67
be shown mercy. He was
describing the standard rule of
00:15:06.70\00:15:11.44
God's kingdom, (the norm).
Christ teaching here about
00:15:11.47\00:15:15.74
mercy isn't just an isolated
random teaching in the Bible,
00:15:15.78\00:15:20.08
it's a principle which
runs consistently all the way
00:15:20.12\00:15:25.09
through the New Testament.
The apostle James wrote...
00:15:25.12\00:15:28.59
And Jesus said...
00:15:34.76\00:15:36.90
Since mercy is so
important what precisely are the
00:15:44.57\00:15:50.48
characteristics of mercy?
00:15:50.51\00:15:51.85
Well, Jesus told a story
to answer that very question.
00:15:51.88\00:15:55.95
It's the story of the good
Samaritan in the 10th chapter
00:15:55.98\00:16:00.49
of the Bible Book of Luke.
00:16:00.52\00:16:02.26
There was once a Jewish
man traveling from Jerusalem to
00:16:02.29\00:16:06.56
Jericho, on the way he
was attacked by robbers,
00:16:06.59\00:16:10.53
they stripped him of his clothes
beat him up and left him for
00:16:10.57\00:16:14.94
dead by the side of the road.
Luckily a priest was on his way
00:16:14.97\00:16:19.94
down the same road, but when
he saw the man, he ignored him
00:16:19.97\00:16:24.61
and crossed to the
other side of the road.
00:16:24.65\00:16:26.98
Then a respectable
temple assistant came along,
00:16:27.02\00:16:31.05
he walked over and looked
at the man lying there but then
00:16:31.09\00:16:35.26
he also crossed to the other
side of the road and avoided
00:16:35.29\00:16:38.86
the injured man. Next, a hated
Samaritan, a people who had been
00:16:38.89\00:16:44.40
the despised enemy of Jews
for generations came along.
00:16:44.43\00:16:48.97
When he saw the man's condition
his heart went out to him,
00:16:49.00\00:16:53.91
he gave him first aid, soothed
his wounds and bandaged them.
00:16:53.94\00:16:58.71
Then he lifted him onto his
donkey and led him into an Inn
00:16:58.75\00:17:02.78
and made him comfortable.
In the morning the Samaritan
00:17:02.82\00:17:06.92
took out two silver coins
and gave them to the Innkeeper
00:17:06.96\00:17:10.53
saying take good care of
him, if it costs any more,
00:17:10.56\00:17:14.86
put it on my bill,
I'll pay you on my way back.
00:17:14.90\00:17:18.50
After telling this story, Jesus
asked a very pointed question.
00:17:18.53\00:17:23.91
Which of the three
men was a good neighbor?
00:17:23.94\00:17:27.88
The third one, the
one who showed him mercy
00:17:27.91\00:17:31.88
his audience responded.
00:17:31.91\00:17:34.12
From this story, we see that
first, a merciful person sees
00:17:34.15\00:17:39.49
the distress of another. He
or she doesn't ignore it for any
00:17:39.52\00:17:43.49
reason, whether for religious
reasons, cultural, or political
00:17:43.53\00:17:47.86
reasons, or for
reasons of self-interest.
00:17:47.90\00:17:51.00
Second, a merciful person
responds internally from a heart
00:17:51.03\00:17:56.81
of compassion
for another in need.
00:17:56.84\00:17:59.37
A merciful person
feels compassion for another
00:17:59.41\00:18:02.84
because they are able to
put themselves inside the skin
00:18:02.88\00:18:06.92
of the one who is suffering.
00:18:06.95\00:18:08.35
Third. A merciful person
doesn't just feel for another,
00:18:08.38\00:18:13.89
they actually do
something for them.
00:18:13.92\00:18:16.49
They make a practical
effort to relieve the suffering.
00:18:16.52\00:18:20.73
They don't just respond
internally, but externally
00:18:20.76\00:18:24.93
through their actions.
00:18:24.97\00:18:26.43
Fourth. A merciful person
doesn't discriminate between
00:18:26.47\00:18:31.51
people, they respond with
mercy even when the person
00:18:31.54\00:18:35.44
in distress is an enemy.
Right in the heart of the Lord's
00:18:35.48\00:18:39.45
Prayer are these words...
00:18:39.48\00:18:41.62
So, how do we become
merciful? Well, Jesus didn't say
00:19:01.40\00:19:07.98
"Blessed are the
merciful without any context"
00:19:08.01\00:19:11.68
Try to this here taught...
00:19:11.71\00:19:14.05
These first four Beatitudes
reflect our total dependence
00:19:24.13\00:19:29.50
on God. The last four represent
how this dependence is reflected
00:19:29.53\00:19:35.84
in our lives. This Beatitude
about mercy is the first
00:19:35.87\00:19:41.24
in this last set of four.
You see mercy comes from a heart
00:19:41.28\00:19:47.35
that has first felt
its spiritual bankruptcy.
00:19:47.38\00:19:50.32
A heart that grieves sin, a
heart that has learned to wait
00:19:50.35\00:19:54.69
meekly on the Lord. It comes
when we hunger and thirst for
00:19:54.72\00:19:59.49
the righteousness that we
know that we need ourselves.
00:19:59.53\00:20:03.67
When we have walked
the road of the Beatitudes,
00:20:03.70\00:20:06.43
then we will be merciful to
others. Mercy comes from mercy,
00:20:06.47\00:20:13.17
the mercy we show to each other
comes when we have understood
00:20:13.21\00:20:17.95
and accepted God's mercy to us.
As a sequence of the Beatitudes
00:20:17.98\00:20:23.25
tells us, the key to becoming a
merciful person is to recognize
00:20:23.28\00:20:28.92
our brokenness and our total
dependence on God and His mercy.
00:20:28.96\00:20:33.60
Notice what the Bible
says here in Hebrews 4:16...
00:20:33.63\00:20:39.37
And then it says
this in Ephesians 2:4,5...
00:20:50.51\00:20:55.42
Yes, mercy comes from mercy.
The mercy we show to each other
00:21:12.17\00:21:17.51
comes when we have
experienced God's mercy to us.
00:21:17.54\00:21:22.04
Jesus said that the
merciful will receive mercy.
00:21:22.08\00:21:27.12
The citizens of the kingdom
of God will reflect in their own
00:21:27.15\00:21:31.52
hearts how every
perfectly the heart of God.
00:21:31.55\00:21:35.72
They are recipients of God's
mercy and therefore they are
00:21:35.76\00:21:40.80
dispensers of mercy,
they've received God's mercy and
00:21:40.83\00:21:45.23
therefore they show and share
00:21:45.27\00:21:47.77
God's mercy. It's
the natural process.
00:21:47.80\00:21:51.57
Being merciful is a
characteristic that is contrary
00:21:51.61\00:21:56.78
to human nature, mercy
doesn't come naturally.
00:21:56.81\00:22:00.35
For someone to be merciful
requires them to have a new
00:22:00.38\00:22:04.75
heart which only God can
provide. This is ultimately why
00:22:04.79\00:22:10.56
showing mercy to others
isn't a condition of receiving
00:22:10.59\00:22:14.46
God's blessing. Rather it's
a result of having been blessed
00:22:14.50\00:22:19.73
by God, this is why it is the
merciful who will receive mercy.
00:22:19.77\00:22:25.24
Jesus isn't saying it is
because they are merciful
00:22:25.27\00:22:30.08
that God will show
mercy to them, no, instead,
00:22:30.11\00:22:34.42
He's saying that showing mercy
to others demonstrates that we
00:22:34.45\00:22:38.92
are Christians,
followers of Christ.
00:22:38.95\00:22:41.39
There is no better evidence that
we have been forgiven by God
00:22:41.42\00:22:46.06
than our
willingness to forgive others.
00:22:46.09\00:22:49.43
Throughout the Bible God gives
us six different ways in which
00:22:49.46\00:22:55.44
we can show mercy. When we
forgive others, we are showing
00:22:55.47\00:23:00.04
mercy as we've already
seen. When we show compassion
00:23:00.08\00:23:04.68
for others, we are showing
mercy, we are not to look down
00:23:04.71\00:23:08.92
on the suffering, but to
identify and embrace the fallen
00:23:08.95\00:23:13.32
and the downtrodden.
00:23:13.36\00:23:14.96
Another way to show mercy is
by giving ultimately everything
00:23:14.99\00:23:21.00
we have belongs to God and we
demonstrate His mercy to others
00:23:21.03\00:23:26.33
in the way that we give to meet
the pressing needs of others.
00:23:26.37\00:23:30.11
Mercy doesn't mean that
we throw away our resources
00:23:30.14\00:23:34.54
But rather that we use them
wisely in helping to meet the
00:23:34.58\00:23:39.41
needs of others in distress.
We also show mercy in how we
00:23:39.45\00:23:45.12
speak to others. Someone has
said that mercy is giving other
00:23:45.15\00:23:50.06
a piece of your heart
and not a piece of your mind.
00:23:50.09\00:23:53.36
Of course, an important way
in which we show mercy to others
00:23:53.40\00:23:58.23
through what we say is by
sharing with them the good news
00:23:58.27\00:24:02.60
about Jesus. About the
for- givness and mercy that is
00:24:02.64\00:24:06.61
found in Him. The Bible
also tells us to show mercy by
00:24:06.64\00:24:11.61
praying for others,
we can intercede with God
00:24:11.65\00:24:15.02
for their needs, and we
can pray for their conversion.
00:24:15.05\00:24:19.22
So there they are six
different ways to show mercy.
00:24:19.25\00:24:24.53
Of course the source of all
mercy and the supreme example
00:24:42.58\00:24:46.68
of mercy is found in
how God has treated us.
00:24:46.72\00:24:50.55
He didn't come to humanity
as a remote and lofty God,
00:24:50.59\00:24:55.32
but in human flesh, He came
as a man, "The Word made flesh."
00:24:55.36\00:25:01.46
God truly walked in our shoes
and He experienced our suffering
00:25:01.50\00:25:07.07
and our struggles. He came to
us not just as a great teacher,
00:25:07.10\00:25:12.64
but as an
example of how to live.
00:25:12.67\00:25:16.18
Christ's redeeming death
on the cross of Calvary is the
00:25:16.21\00:25:20.38
greatest demonstration of
mercy the world has ever known.
00:25:20.42\00:25:24.35
This Beatitude is a
challenge to everyone.
00:25:24.39\00:25:28.46
If you are bearing a
grudge looking for revenge or
00:25:31.09\00:25:35.73
maintaining bitterness
in your heart, let it go,
00:25:35.76\00:25:39.53
it is as simple as that because
the mercy you show to others,
00:25:39.57\00:25:45.47
reflects the mercy you
yourself have accepted from God.
00:25:45.51\00:25:50.18
If you would like to
accept the goodness and grace
00:25:50.21\00:25:54.22
that God freely offers you,
if you would like to experience
00:25:54.25\00:25:58.12
the mercy of God that
will allow you to be merciful
00:25:58.15\00:26:02.06
and forgiving towards
others and have peace,
00:26:02.09\00:26:04.83
then I'd like to recommend a
free gift we have for you today.
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It's the book "Thoughts
From .the Mount of Blessings"/
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This amazing book shares
the wonderful details of the
00:26:13.54\00:26:17.81
Beatitudes in more depth
and is our gift to you and
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is absolutely free. I
guarantee there are no costs or
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Phone or text 0436.333.555
in Australia or 020.422.2042
00:26:35.96\00:26:45.97
in New Zealand, or
visit our website at TIJ.tv
00:26:46.00\00:26:51.11
or simply scan the QR code on
your screen and we'll send you
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today's free offer totally
free of charge and with no
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obligation. Write to us at
GPO Box 274 Sydney NSW 2001
00:26:58.71\00:27:05.69
Australia or PO Box
76673 Manukau, Auckland 2241
00:27:05.72\00:27:12.79
New Zealand. Don't
Delay, call or text us now.
00:27:12.83\00:27:16.46
If you've enjoyed our
journey through the Beatitudes,
00:27:16.53\00:27:24.97
and our reflections on the
blessings of being merciful,
00:27:25.01\00:27:28.58
then be sure to join us again
next week when we will share
00:27:28.61\00:27:32.61
another of life's
journeys together.
00:27:32.65\00:27:35.55
Until then, let's pray together.
00:27:35.58\00:27:38.65
Dear Heavenly Father, We
thank you because you are
00:27:38.69\00:27:43.99
a God of mercy despite our
mistakes, our failures and,
00:27:44.03\00:27:48.40
our sins, you extend
your kindness and compassion
00:27:48.43\00:27:52.30
toward us. Help us
because you have shown us mercy
00:27:52.33\00:27:57.31
to be merciful to
others and find peace.
00:27:57.34\00:28:00.51
In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen!
00:28:00.54\00:28:04.71