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The Message for Feb 23, 2020Matthew 5:38-48Do What? That’s Crazy!321564016891000Rob Miller, PastorToday we wrap-up our 4-week worship series on (picture) Say What!? Crazy Things Jesus Said. Throughout this series we’ve been looking at the crazy things Jesus said in his sermon on the mount. We’ve also looked at the crazy things Jesus did not say, even though many people live their lives today as if Jesus did say these things. Here are 7 things that Jesus did not say… (picture) 105918010604500Jesus would never say any of those things. Here are three more to round up our list to ten.Here are 3 more things that Jesus never said, even though people live their lives as if he did…The end justifies the means. Jesus never said that…?The first would be first, the last would be last, so look out for yourself. Jesus never said that… Follow me and you will have success, fame, and fortune. Jesus never said that…You get the idea. Throughout this series we’ve considered how some people are guilty of twisting Jesus’ words around to fit their preconceived notions and their personal convictions. Jesus did say some weird things, crazy things. No wonder people twisted his words around for their own purpose. Let’s not do that.Instead, let’s take a look at the crazy things Jesus did say in our reading or today and let’s strive to live by them. Warning: What we are about to read is radical stuff, dangerous stuff, crazy stuff. Seriously, it can change your life for good because Jesus offers a different way of seeing and living life.Matthew 5:38-48 (printed out)Jesus said at least two crazy things in our reading for today. First, he said… You have heard it said – An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say – Do not resist an evildoer. Turn the other cheek.Say what!?Second, Jesus said…You have heard it said - Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you – Love your enemies and pray for them.Say what!?The punishment should fit the crime, right? That’s what we call justice. When you do something wrong, you should get what you deserve. This “eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” talk sounds brutal and barbaric. But deep down, we really like that approach to justice. It was originally meant to be merciful.? It provided a way for fairness. It comes right out of the Old Testament in the book of Leviticus… Anyone who injures their neighbor is to be injured in the same manner:??fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth.? The one who has inflicted the injury must suffer the same injury. (Leviticus 24:19-20)That’s fair, right!?This was called “the law of retribution” and was established to provide fairness. It set limits on retaliation, thereby restricting any kind of “getting even or else” approach. This law had a twist to it in Exodus 21:26 where ‘evenness’ could be achieved through financial compensation in place of a ‘matching item for item’ exchange.? The Torah (the Law, the first five books of the Bible) leaves no room for vengeance on a personal level. St. Paul confirms this in Romans 12…Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)The question the people in the early church may have been asking was this: How are we, the people of God, supposed to live when somebody wrongs us?Jesus seems to suggest a way that goes like this… When someone is wronged, we in the church are to handle the situation in a way that reveals God’s kingdom at work in that very moment.Say what!?Consider this: ?In times of crisis and violence – we humans tend to operate with a “fight or flight” approach. Jesus encourages us to do neither one of those. He shows us a third way. And it is not “I don’t get mad, I get even…” Jesus says in so many words, Don’t react violently against someone who is evil. Don’t become like your aggressor. You are a child of God.Let that sink in for a minute… Jesus is saying, look at it this way, The striking on the cheek is intended to be a put down or a challenge for a fight. Don’t take the bait.It might be helpful to know that this was a right-handed culture, where a blow to the face was done what the back of the hand. It was a put down or a challenge to a fight. In that culture the left hand was only used for unclean tasks. To make any kind of gesture with the left hand brought a penalty of 10 days penance.To strike someone on the other cheek, as Jesus suggests, is with an open hand with a slap of endearment. When Jesus says “turn the other cheek” he is saying turn a fight or a put down into an insult towards your aggressor. Show your willingness to be loved. Jesus is saying, “Don’t run. Don’t fight. Stand firm. Show love.” And when you do that, you will be saying to your opponent that your blow failed to achieve its intended effect. I am not going to fight you and I deny you the power to humiliate me. Say what!?Turn the other cheek reveals the truth to the abuser of who they really are, while also revealing the kingdom’s way of living in that moment. Let shame and guilt and anger be with the one who does the wrong. Don’t take the bait. Jesus gives a few more examples about how to live together in community. He says…And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.This is kind of funny when you realize that this was a two-garment society. In that culture you had a shirt and you had a coat. That was probably all the clothing you had. Jesus is saying, turn the law against your adversary by obeying it. Follow the letter of the law. Expose your opponent’s greed by revealing their ruthlessness. Giving all your clothing would have been an insult to one’s adversary. If you are going to take my shirt, take my coat too. It may seem weird to us but that how it was in those days.Then Jesus says, If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.A Roman soldier could force any civilian to assistant them. If summoned, you were required by Roman law to accompany the soldier for 1 mile helping him carry his stuff. Jesus is saying, go beyond the law. Instead of being bitter about Roman domination and occupation, go 2 miles with him. Show your enemy some love.Imagine how that would have changed one’s relationship with the enemy. That soldier would relate to you in one way during the first mile, but in the second mile, he would look at you with great curiosity. He would wonder what kind of person you are to do more than what is expected. That is what the kingdom of heaven looks like. Jesus is saying. God does a lot more for us than what is expected.Then Jesus says, Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.Many of us have a tough time with this one. Myself included. Jesus is simply encouraging us to be generous. We are blessed by God to be a blessing to others. No matter what.You don’t have to give your whole life savings. But consider this, it is better to risk giving to someone who doesn’t need than to risk not giving to someone who does need. This too is what the kingdom of heaven looks like. Jesus is saying.The second crazy thing Jesus said was this, Love your enemies and pray for them.Say what!?During the U.S. Civil War, there was a deep-seated hatred between the North and the South. President Abraham Lincoln was criticized for suggesting that the North should show kindness and loving treatment for those in the South. His critics reminded Lincoln that there was a war going on, the South was the enemy, and they should be destroyed. Lincoln wisely responded, “I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends.”Lincoln’s statement reflects Jesus’ crazy teaching about loving our enemies and praying for them.We will certainly encounter difficult people in our lives—some of whom we will need to set boundaries and limits for their sake and for ours. But as children of God, we ought not give into the temptation to undermine them or hurt them or get even in some way. That is not God’s way. Instead, we are to pray for them, and seek ways to show God’s love towards them, and maybe, just maybe our enemies can be turned into our friends. Not everyone will respond positively to us and what we say and do, but we can pray and work towards more civility and harmony in all of our relationships.These saying from Jesus are radical, dangerous, down-right crazy, because Jesus is calling us, his disciples to live by a higher standard. Will you? I hope so because Jesus has the words for life now and forever. Amen ................
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