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b'SERVICE VIDEO (LINK)TEXT: Psalm 136; Exodus 34:1-9; Luke 10:30-37\\n\\n\\n\\nSo far in our \\u201cWhat is God Like?\\u201d series we\\u2019ve talked about God as holy and as just. We\\u2019ve also considered how God\\u2019s followers are supposed to reflect the character of God, so also be holy and just. Today we are talking about God\\u2019s mercy, God\\u2019s compassion. We\\u2019ve touched on that before back when we looked at key words in the original languages of the Bible. The word that is translated as mercy and compassion is the Hebrew word hesed.\\n\\n\\n\\nHesed shows up nearly 250x in the Old Testament. In the NASB that I use for sermons and in our services it is often translated as \\u2018lovingkindness\\u2019 a curious word that kind of mixes together \\u2018love\\u2019 and \\u2018kindness.\\u2019 The Hebrew and Old Testament word hesed corresponds to the Greek word for mercy or compassion in the New Testament.\\n\\n\\n\\nAs we have in previous weeks, I want to look at what God is like, how God\\u2019s followers are to reflect God\\u2019s character, and what that might specifically look like for us today.\\n\\n\\n\\nGod\\u2019s Lovingkindness is Everlasting!\\n\\n\\n\\nPsalm 136\\n\\n\\n\\nWe read part of Psalm 136 for the Call to Worship. Those verses are part of a long list of actions and characteristics of God, with each statement followed with the declaration that God\\u2019s \\u201clovingkindness (hesed) is everlasting.\\u201d This might be THE defining characteristic of God in scripture. And interestingly, if you look at all of Psalm 136, it is the refrain when God is simply being God, it is the refrain when God saves and delivers, and it is the refrain when God judges against evil. God\\u2019s hesed \\u2013 mercy, compassion, lovingkindness \\u2013 are the heart of everything God does, even when it may seem otherwise to us!\\n\\n\\n\\nThis is not as hard to understand as we might think. I remember disciplining our children when they were small and even times when they shouted out \\u201cyou hate me!\\u201d Discipline, consequences, and the like can feel like anything but lovingkindness, but being a parent has taught me just how necessary \\u201ctough love\\u201d can be, even how merciful it can sometimes be to the overall well-being of my children.\\n\\n\\n\\nExodus 34:1-9\\n\\n\\n\\nOur scripture from Exodus this morning described the scene where God gave the Ten Commandments to Moses. Verse 6 describes God as \\u201ccompassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.\\u201d Verse 7 goes on to say that God \\u201ckeeps lovingkindness for thousands, and forgives iniquity, transgression and sin.\\u201d And here\\u2019s the hard part\\u2026 that verse goes on to say, \\u201cYet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.\\u201d That\\u2019s a lot to reconcile for us, yes? And yet Moses responded to that \\u2013 not just the lovingkindness, but also the justice \\u2013 with worship. Moses \\u201cmade haste to bow low toward the earth and worship.\\u201d (v.8) And he went further and asked the Lord to come alone with them in their midst, EVEN THOUGH the people are so obstinate\\u2026 and to pardon our iniquity and sin, and take us as God\\u2019s own possession. (v.9) There you see the whole thing; God\\u2019s Lovingkindess meets God\\u2019s justice in this: He DOES forgive sin. God just doesn\\u2019t ignore it if we continue persistently in it. Said another way, God doesn\\u2019t say to our sin, \\u201cIt doesn\\u2019t matter.\\u201d It matters a great deal. That has to do with holiness and justice. But God also says, \\u201cYou matter a lot and I will forgive your sin, and at great cost.\\u201d That\\u2019s God\\u2019s lovingkindness.\\n\\n\\n\\nLamentations 3:22-23\\n\\n\\n\\nOne of my favorite passages about God\\u2019s lovingkindness, or \\u201csteadfast love,\\u201d is Lamentations 3:22-23, which states:\\n\\n\\n\\nThe steadfast love of the Lord never ceases\\n\\n\\n\\nHis mercies never come to an end\\n\\n\\n\\nThey are new every morning, new every morning\\n\\n\\n\\nGreat is thy faithfulness, O Lord, Great is thy faithfulness!\\n\\n\\n\\nThis is extra-good news for me and my obstinate, sinful self. God\\u2019s not a one-chance God, but extends His mercy day after day after day after day. And I need that! I am grateful'