WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

[Lineman]

What is the difference between mercy and grace? 

[Lineman]

What is "GRACE"?

[Tom Wetmore]

Grace and mercy are part of the same thing. Grace is love in actions reaching out beyond oneself. Mercy is the turning point of grace.

[Lineman]

I wrote this some time ago thinking it would help me discribe the difference, but this does not fit with what dgrimm60 wrote.  ??

 

"The Gift"   (aka:  "God's Amazing Grace" Skit)

Genre:  Done with a mix of awe & humor
Length:  15-30 minutes
Point:  God's Grace Really is Amazing!

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Scene 1 – Justice

(5-10 minutes, very serious & somber mood)

 
Props needed:  chairs, desk & robe for judge, "gavel", handcuffs (rope), prison clothes
People needed:  5 (defendant, judge, prosecutor, public defender, bailiff)
The scene:  A courtroom
 
 
Bailiff:  (loud voice) "All rise!  The Honorable Judge B. Wright presiding."
 
Judge:  (hitting the desk with gavel, stern voice) "You may be seated.  This court is now in session. 
Judge: (continues, looking at defendant)
Mr./Miss _________ , you are being accused of  premeditated murder.  How do you plead?"
 
Public defender: (with defendant, standing)  "Your Honor, the defendant pleads GUILTY of all charges.  He admits that he did kill ________ and that it was premeditated and was not done in self-defense."
 
Judge:  (Looking at the public defender)  "Is your client aware that the mandatory sentence for premeditated murder is DEATH?"
 
Public defender:  (Public Defender looks at Defendant who nods and then looks back at Judge.  Both still standing.)   "Yes, your Honor."
 
Judge:  (looking at the defendant) "Mr./Miss _________, do you have anything you would like to say?"
 
Defendant:  (looking at the judge, looking very hopeless and ashamed)  "Yes, your Honor.  I want you and all those that are here in this courtroom to know that I am VERY sorry that I killed ________.  Please forgive me!"
 
Judge:  (looking at the defendant, very sad)  "Mr/Miss ________, I see.   You admit to committing this terrible murder, and you regret that you did it.  I am very sorry to have to do this, but it is the law and the law cannot be changed.  I hereby sentenced you to death by firing squad as soon as it can be carried out."
 
Judge:  (looking at the bailiff)  "Bailiff, remove the prisoner and see to it that he/she is shot to death as soon as possible.
 
(Bailiff removes defendant from the room.  All others rise and the judge leaves, followed by everyone else)
 

End of Scene 1


 

Scene 2 – Mercy 

(5-10 minutes; mood: complete hopelessness, then relief and total amazement)

 
Props needed:  sticks, broom handles (or whatever for rifles)
People needed:  prisoner, firing squad (2 or more), captain, The Judge (the Volunteer who takes the place of the prisoner)
The scene:  outside getting ready to shoot the prisoner by firing squad
 
Captain:   (places the prisoner way off, then speaks to the firing squad)  "Alright men, take your places.  ...   Ready!  Aim!"
 
Judge:  (yelling at the top of his lungs)  "Wait, Wait, Don't shoot!!!!!  Kill me instead, then the law will be satisfied and this man can be forgiven."
 
Captain:  (not sure he has heard correctly, speaking first to his men, then to the judge)  "Hold your fire!"  "Judge, what did you just say?"
 
Judge:  (speaking to all, but looking at the captain)  "I want you to shoot me instead of shooting him.  Of my own free choice I will take his place." 
 
Captain:  (in amazement)  "But sir, the prisoner deserves to die.  He is the one who committed the crime, not you!"
 
Judge:  (in a very sincere tone)  "I know what I am doing, captain.  Let it be done, and let it be done right now."  (the judge then whispers something to the captain)
 
Captain:  (in total amazement)  "OK sir.  Gentlemen, you heard the Man."  (The captain places the Volunteer where he can be shot and gives the order.)  "Ready...  Aim...  Fire!"  (The Judge falls dead.)
 
(Everyone is in total awe and cannot understand what they have just witnessed.)
 
Captain:  "Come with me."  (takes the prisoner back to his cell)
 
 

End of Scene 2

 
 
 

Scene 3 (final scene) – AMAZING GRACE

(10-15 minutes; mood:  lots of joy, great excitement and humor)

 
Props needed:  desk, 2 chairs, map, new ID cards (drivers license), wallet, credit cards & a checkbook, keys,, title to house, title to jet, title to the yacht, title to cars, and lots of play money.  You should provide clothing, at least a coat, that could be put on over the prison clothes.
People needed:  prisoner, captain, guard
The scene:  This scene takes place in the police station.
 
(Captain sitting at the desk and the prisoner is escorted in by the guard.)
 
Guard:  "Captain, you asked to see the prisoner.  Here he is."
 
Captain:  (speaking to the guard)  "You may go now."
 
Guard:  "Are you OK sir?  This man is a murder!"
 
Captain:  "Not according to this paper.  Please leave us alone."
 
Guard:  "OK sir, but I think there must be something wrong upstairs."  (The guard leaves pointing to his head and making the "crazy" sign with his hand.)
 
Captain:  (speaking to the prisoner)  "Please, have a seat.  You might recall that before the Judge took your place and was killed he whispered something to me.  Well, what he said was that he had written out his will and he told me where I could find it, but that you had to accept it before it was yours.  
 
I would like to read it to you now:
 
 
To whom it may concern:
 
This is my last will and testament, written by my own hand and under no pressure what-so-ever.  Because the prisoner whom I died for has asked for forgiveness, I hereby grant him total forgiveness.  I also grant him his freedom. 
 
(The prisoner cannot believe his ears..)
 
Prisoner: "I accept!"   (said with excitement and gets up to leave)
 
Captain:  "Wait there's more.  Sit down please." (and he continues to read the will)
 
It is my desire and great privilege to give Mr./Miss________ my personal cars and my entire collection of antique cars.  (The prisoner jumps up pumping the air and yelling and dances around.  The captain tells him to sit down and hands him a photo of the cars.  He also hands him the keys and titles to the fastest, most beautiful cars anyone has ever seen)
 
It is also my desire that Mr./Miss _________ be given my private island and mansion.  You will find the island marked on this map.  (The captain tries to calm the ex-con down, and hands him the map, the keys to the mansion and the title.)
 
And because I want Mr/Miss ________ to be happy beyond their wildest dreams I am also giving my yacht, my jet and all my other "toys".  (The captain, shaking his head, tries to calm down the ex-con and gives him/her the keys to all the other toys.)
 
I do not want him/her to be known as an ex-con and so I am allowing him/her to use my name, and ID cards as needed.  He/she is to be given anything they could ever want and to make sure that happens I am leaving them my entire bank account of 20 billion dollars. (The captain hands him a checkbook and several credit cards.)
 
And in order for them to get to my (their new) home I am providing a private plane and $10,000 in cash just in case they should need or want something on the way.  (The captain gives the man the ticket and cash.)
 
Judge B. Wright
 
 
 
(The freed prisoner falls on his knees before the captain crying.)
 
Prisoner – "I don't deserve this, how can I ever hope to repay this?  I cannot possibly make this up to him.  What am I to do?"
 
Captain – "This was His gift to you because He loved you.  There isn't any way to repay HIM, and if you tried to it would be like a slap in His face.  He has a few rules that He has written down, and He has asked that you adopt those rules too, but they are all based on LOVE and if followed will make you a great person too.   Do not dishonor the name of the One who died so that you could live. 
 
All you have to do is accept this.  If you accept this entire gift you may go.  You will be a free and wealthy man/woman.  
If you choose to refuse this gift, you will remain a prisoner and someday you too will die.

Do you accept?"

Prisoner – "I would be a fool to refuse!  Yes!!!  I accept!!!"
 
(The captain puts a new coat on the man/woman and the freed man leaves with awe on his face, money hanging out of his pockets, keys and papers everywhere.)
 
 

Narrator - "Even before you could ask for forgiveness Jesus died so that YOU could live.  He wants you to use His name, and He has even made it possible for you to live in His house and eat His food.  All He asks is that you accept His gift and live by 1 little rule, LOVE.  

[Stewart (SDA)]

A simple definition that I sometimes use is this :

Mercy is when you do not get something [bad] that you deserve.

Grace is when you get something [good] that you do not deserve.

[thx4mercy]

A simple definition that I sometimes use is this :

Mercy is when you do not get something [bad] that you deserve.

Grace is when you get something [good] that you do not deserve.

I was just getting ready to type what you have here.  I learned it years ago from somebody in our church.

[JoeMo]

Grace is unmerited, undeserved favor given freely as a gift.  That doesn't mean that the intended receiver ever uses it for the purpose intended.

 

Mercy is a specific by-product of grace for those that accept the gift, along with unconditional divine love, joy, freedom from guilt, forgiveness, prosperity, etc., etc, etc.