What we get wrong III

[As we continue to explore the ways that we misunderstand or fail to fully understand the sermon on the mount, our Pilgrims student worship service is thrown into a bit of quandary because more than half of our students are in Kyiv at the protests. We won't have any music this week, and it will just be a short sermon and prayer time before we head together to the central square to join the rally.  Today is the day that a trade agreement with the EU was to be signed - a trade agreement that would have injected hundreds of billions of dollars into our economy and infrastructure over the next few years.  This is a sad and a hard day for many - and a day of protest for many many more.]


Matthew 5:38-48
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.  And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.  Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. Love for Enemies

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

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It is easy to forget that Jesus was speaking to a crowd of occupied people and their occupiers.  These people were not free to do as they pleased, their tax system was filled with corruption, and the soldiers roaming the streets were free to force them to do anything they wanted.

These are people with a great big enemy.

The Old Testament was written as a law book.  An eye for an eye was a progressive law.  The earliest law had been the law of revenge.  If someone pokes out your eye - you should kill their child.

The Old Testament taught that rather than revenge, there should be justice - and that it is not yours to take, but for society to give.

Jesus takes this one step further.  We go from the law of revenge to the law of justice to the law of love.

Jesus tells us to love our enemies.

But it's interesting.  Jesus doesn't say that these people will stop being our enemies.  Jesus doesn't say that we shouldn't have enemies.  If we live out our Christian faith well, we will certainly acquire many enemies.  Everyone who wants to make more money off the backs of the poor will hate us.  Those who hate freedom and human rights will hate us.  Those who stand against progress will hate us.
 

It is our response that must be better.  We must love them.  This is easy to say, but nearly impossible to do.

We are never called to back down or retreat or cower in fear - we are not called to be pushovers so that we won't have enemies.  If you stand up for what is right, you will be surrounded by enemies.

Jesus tells us to turn the other cheek.  Could anything be more courageous to do and more humiliating for your enemy.  It's like getting punched and asking if his grandma is done punching you and if he will be punching you next.

Jesus calls us to be courageous in our response.  Jesus calls us to love them. Nothing takes more courage than to love someone who hates you.

Jesus calls us to pray for our enemies.  You can't hate someone that you lift up to God day after day.  When I realize that I hate someone, I make myself pray "Lord, bless them."  day after day.  It's a terribly painful prayer to pray - but I realize that my hate for that person goes away after only a few days.

Jesus doesn't call us to do the smallest amount that we can, Jesus calls us to step up and to do real things that really prove our love.  When Jesus calls us to "give our robe as well" he is talking about the outer robe - the most important item of clothing.  For many it was their only cover at night and their only protection from the cold. If you gave it to your enemy, you are signalling that your enemy is perhaps even taking your very life.

Dear friends, we are called to respond in love.  We are called to stand up against all that is evil.  More fire can't put out a fire.  Only water puts out a fire.  More hate doesn't put out hate.  Only love puts out hate.

Now we are going to spend some time in prayer for our enemies.  For our country.  For a just and peaceful resolution for these protests.  And after that, those who wish to can go together to the rally.  Our biggest challenge is to show what true love looks like in the face of hatred.  If we can show that, it will be contagious.

Amen.