Pittsgrove Presbyterian Church
Sermon Matthew 5: 38-48 “Be Perfect”
February 23, 2020
For several weeks now we have been with Jesus on the side of a hill near Capernaum on the bank of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus is seated near the top of the hill. Around him are his disciples. The poor fisherman and farmers of the community have gathered to listen in. So far we have heard some surprising things about a new kingdom of heaven that is coming. As the advance guard of this coming kingdom, Jesus wants us to publicly, and nonviolently obey the laws of God. To do this Jesus has given us some practical advice which helps us to obey the law. Today we will continue listening to Jesus' teaching, but first, let's pray.
Lord, as I begin this new day, give me understanding, that I may observe your law of love. Lead me in the path of righteousness and teach me to delight in your way. Turn my heart to your word and help me forsake selfish gain. Confirm your promise in my heart and lead me to eternal life with Christ my Lord. Amen.
Let’s begin with Jesus’ teaching from the Old Testament.
Matthew 5:38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’
Jesus is teaching from this passage in Exodus.
Exodus 21:22 When people who are fighting injure a pregnant woman so that there is a miscarriage, and yet no further harm follows, the one responsible shall be fined what the woman’s husband demands, paying as much as the judges determine. 23 If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, 24 eye for an eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
As was Jesus' customary teaching style he started by reminding everyone of the traditional law that all knew. “Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.” To understand this we have to get beyond eyes and teeth. This law deals with the principle of proportionality. For example, someone crashes into your car causing $1500 in damages. Your car was legally parked and you have no-fault. The person who damaged your car is required to pay $1500 no more and no less. The judgment must equal the damage. This is proportionality, an eye for an eye.
The purpose of this principle is to prevent our anger from getting out of hand. Suppose someone hits us. Our reaction, out of anger, is to hit back and hurl an insult. The other person then hits again, hurls his own insult, and takes out his knife. And you are in a vicious cycle that leads to violence and death. But the law demands proportionality, not retribution leading to an ongoing feud. So how would all this work in the context of the Roman occupation?
39 But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; 40 and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41 and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. 42 Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
According to Jesus, the people were not engaging in a proportionate response. Rather, they were resisting. Resisting evil can take many forms. There is passive resistance where you do nothing and suffer the consequence. For example, a Roman soldier tells you to carry his pack for a mile, which Roman law says he can do. A passive resister would refuse to carry the pack and be thrown in jail. The other possibility is active resistance. You could take the soldier's pack and throw it in the river. Then you will find yourself in a fight with that soldier, a fight you will probably lose.
For those engaged in resistance Psalm 139 expresses their feeling well.
Psalm 139:19 O that you would kill the wicked, O God,
and that the bloodthirsty would depart from me—
20 those who speak of you maliciously,
and lift themselves up against you for evil!
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?
22 I hate them with perfect hatred;
I count them my enemies.
But the psalmist realized that hating our enemies is ultimately self-destructive. So she thought about our loving God and changed her tune.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my thoughts.
24 See if there is any wicked way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
Jesus doesn't want anything to do with hating our enemies. He argues for proportionality. But how would this work? Jesus' concern is with a proportional response based on love. God loves us with infinite love. What's our proportionate response? It is to love God will all our heart, soul, and mind. And if we want to be loved by others, then what should we do? We should love our neighbor as we love ourselves. So a proportionate response to evil is to smother it with love.
When a Roman soldier wants you to carry his pack, don't resist. Rather make a proportionate response of love. Gladly offer to help, pick up his pack and carry it for not one but two miles. Imagine how happy that will make the Roman soldier. And imagine how receptive he will be when you talk to him about Jesus as you walk together for two miles. So, according to Jesus, the way to deal with evil is not to resist it, but to overwhelm it with love. Jesus put it this way.
Matthew 5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven;
The traditional law, not in our Bible but in rabbinical teaching, was to love our neighbors but hate our enemies. But the God we follow doesn't hate our enemies. You may have noticed that God sends sunlight and rain to the fields of people we can't stand. This upsets us so much that we pray to God that he will hate them as much as we do. But God doesn't hate our enemies. He loves them.
45b for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
With resistance, we are to perfectly hate our enemies. But Jesus wants us to do is to love our enemies as much as God loves our enemies. And how much is this? How much does God love our enemies? Perfectly! Jesus wants us to love perfectly, with all of our hearts, souls, and minds. The Law of God puts it this way.
Leviticus 19:18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
There is a wonderful story from the author Victor Hugo in his book Les Miserables. This book has been turned into movies and a Broadway musical. In it, there is a character named Jean Valjean. Valjean had just been released from prison and needed a place to stay. A pastor allowed him to stay in a room in the manse. That night Valjean decided to leave the manse and on his way out stole silver candlestick holders used by the church. They were very expensive. In the early morning hours, Valjean was arrested and lied to the police saying that the pastor of the church had given him the candlestick holders. So the police took him back to the manse to ask the pastor if this was true. When they returned to the manse they reported to the pastor that Valjean had been caught. And they asked the pastor if he had given the candlestick holders to him. The pastor had to decide what to do.
The pastor must have hated Valjean for what he did. And he must have prayed that God would punish Valjean for his evil conduct. But the pastor was a disciple of Jesus Christ. He knew that God loves everyone, even sinners. He knew that Jesus wants us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, and has told us to love our enemies. So he lied to the police and told them that he had given the candlestick holders to Valjean. And he allowed Valjean to keep them in order to start a new life.
All of this is called grace. Grace means we love those who do not deserve to be loved. The love we receive from God is certainly undeserved. We have done nothing to merit it. But our gracious God loves us anyway. And we are called to gracious love, loving those who don't deserve to be loved at all.
Valjean took the love he received from that pastor and turned it into love for others. He was given a new life and used it to bring the transforming power of God's love to others.
How could we do any less? We have been so blessed by God's love here in this church. Our mission is to love our families and friends and even our enemies as much as God loves us. So what are we to do? If someone needs something or demands something, give it to them, and go the extra mile publicly displaying God's love to the world.
Let's pray. Lord Jesus, we have heard your teaching this day. We will not resist evil and hate our enemies. We pledge to do as you do, loving our enemies with such extravagant love that your grace is on display to our world. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment