Matthew 5:39
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Matthew 5:25
Agree with thine adversary quickly…
Matthew 5:44
‘But I say unto you, Love your __________’
Luke 4:8
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
The Sermon on the Mount, Part III: The Okey Doak
My former pastor used to say, “Free confession is good for the soul.” I’ll go first. For those of you that know Eric, he had the best angle I’ve heard on this passage in a while. Put simply, it was “Love your __________’ (you fill in the blank). Husband, wife, sister, brother, son, daughter, co-worker,,, you get the picture. You see, what that verse speaks to is our natural defense mechanism. If someone hits us, we hit back… reflexively. And that’s normally ok, isn’t it? After all, it really is reflexive. We are born with it. Touch something hot, we withdraw. Touch something sharp, we recoil. It’s a natural reflex. Additionally, we learn to respond to people in the same way at a very early age. If someone hits us, we hit back. If someone speaks harshly to us, we retort with the same tone and fervor or worse. With all of this in mind, who then is my enemy? At a situational level, it’s whoever my opponent is at any given moment. If I argue with my wife or my children, for a few moments, they are my enemy. The same holds true for whoever else fills in that blank, right? Move this to a deeper level. What about people who don’t look like me, don’t worship like me, don’t live where I live or work where I work? What is my ‘natural’ response to them?
Beloved, our loved ones, co-workers, neighbors, or the people from that other religion are not the adversary, not even for a moment. Jesus wants us to Expect, Think and Do Differently (Shout out to PedroJ).No longer are we to respond to every situation reflexively (“Lions, tigers and bears. Oh my!”). Not as emissaries of God. After all, He (God) causes it to rain on the just and the unjust. He loves everyone, not just his own. We were born in sin and shaped in iniquity. His love for us started there. Love has to guide us. It starts at home. It has to carry over into our workplace, into our community. At some point, as we mature, we should be able to ask ourselves, almost rhetorically, “Who is my enemy?” The answer: no one. Not one person. After all, they (we) are all created in God’s image and in His likeness. Jesus was affirming this on the mountain that day. The law instructed: ‘Love your neighbor’. Jesus let us know that that bar was too low. In fact, where he was setting the bar was beyond our ability to comprehend. And again, by doing so, He condemned us, and showed us how badly we needed Him (did you get that?).
Nothing is too hard for God though, is it? We have seen in our lifetimes those that have endured insufferable torment forgive their tormentors, have we not? This ‘God kind of love’; Agape, is possible. And when we see it displayed we marvel. We praise God. This Agape, this unconditional love is available to every believer, but it will require practice. You’ll really will have to turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, give someone your coat after they’ve sued you for your shirt. It can be done, but you must, we must act against our nature, and yield to the Spirit of God within us.
Let me close with a brief testimony. Both of my children have had issues that could have had serious legal consequences in the last several months. The details are personal and private, but here’s the notable circumstance in each case. The people who forgave them were of a different religion and or nationality and in both cases; those people testified that their religious convictions would not allow them to pursue the individual matters past the point of an apology from my children. Christians.. Brothers and Sisters.. Who is my enemy? Praise the Lord. Love everyone.
.wb
(Whew! This was cathartic. Thank you Lord.)
Matthew 22:37
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Romans 13:10
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
1 John 3:18
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
1 John 4:17
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear:
Petra
Love
Words and music by Bob Hartman
Based on 1 Corinthians 13
Love is patient, love is kind
No eyes of envy, true love is blind
Love is humble, it knows no pride
No selfish motive hidden inside
Love is gentle, makes no demands
Despite all wrong, true love still stands
Love is holy, love is pure
It lasts forever, it will endure
(Chorus)
Love knows when to let go
Love knows when to say no
Love grows in the light of the Son
And love shows the world that the Son of Love has come
Love is loyal, believes the best
It loves the truth, love stands the test
Love is God sent in His Son
Love forgives all we have done
In this world where hatred seems to grow
True love goes against the flow
And becomes so hard to show
In this world where push turns to shove
We have strength to rise above
Through the power of His love
Lord, we need to know the power of Your love
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