Sunday Sermon Matthew 5:38-42
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Communion
Communion
Here at First Community Church, we do communion the first Sunday of every month and today is that day.
We welcome everyone that has accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior to take with us in remembrance of His sacrifice and its implications.
I will pray us in, and during this time of prayer, I will pause, so we can allow the Holy Spirit to search our hearts, so we take the bread and cup in a worthy manner to the Lord.
To come to the table in a worthy manner, means we do not cling to our sin. It means that we seek forgiveness and even repent.
For to take in an unworthy manner church, means we dishonor the body and blood of Christ and the sacrifice He gave for us.
So please, let us take of the bread and cup, in a way that honors our Lord and Savior, our Father, King, Redeemer, Deliverer, Comforter, Provider, Protector, and Best Friend.
After we pray, please come to the table as the Holy Spirit Leads, grab the bread and the cup and return to your seats and we will take as a family.
Let’s Honor Him Now as we pray
Prayer
Prayer
Gracious Heavenly Father ,
Today we gather together as brothers and sisters in Christ to remember the exsacrifice You made in sending Jesus, Your beloved Son to be with us. We thank You for the grace and love he bestowed, and for his actions and obedience to suffering on the cross for us and for the whole world. Lord, it is our hearts desire here at First Community to take of the bread and cup in a worthy manner, so please examine our hearts now.
PAUSE
Lord, we come to You now to ask for forgiveness for any thoughts, words or deeds that have not honoured Your name. We are also truly sorry for the times we have chosen to live selfishly rather than heed Your calling. We invite you to inhabit our hearts now as we take communion. As we share this meal, come bind us together as one family, filled with Your love. Thank You Lord for Your grace that is at work in our lives.
In Jesus Name, We Love You! Amen.
Here in Mark we Jesus celebrating the passover with his disciples as he is about to be betrayed by Judas and headed to the cross.
Passover is a Jewish festival celebrating the exodus from Egypt and the Israelites’ freedom from slavery to the Egyptians.
Jesus became the Passover Lamb.
Let us read the text:
Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?” And He sent out two of His disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him. Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’
Then he will show you a large upper room, furnished and prepared; there make ready for us.” So His disciples went out, and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them; and they prepared the Passover. In the evening He came with the twelve. Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me.” And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, “Is it I?” And another said, “Is it I?” He answered and said to them, “It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish. The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.”
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
TAKE OF THE BREAD
Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
TAKE OF THE CUP
PRAYER
PRAYER
Lord, we thank you for your broken body and poured out blood for us, because without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. Our desire Lord is to know you more every-time we meet, and every-time we come to the table. Thank you for the cross, for your Word, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Please meet with us now and make us more like Jesus. Fill us with a double portion of your Spirit and grant unto us the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation that Paul prayed for the the church at Ephesus as we study your Word.
In Jesus Name, We Love You! Amen and Amen!
We have come as far as Matthew 5:38, so let’s open our Bibles there.
Read Matthew 5:38-42
Read Matthew 5:38-42
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
We have come to the fifth illustration that Jesus gives with regards to the Law and how the Rabbis of old interpreted it.
Remember, Jesus said that he did not come to destroy the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them.
Why? Well, I would like to suggest that he knew the hearts of the people. He knew that the religious leaders were thinking just this.
If you stop for a moment, or if you have reflected over the last few weeks, you are probably thinking that there is no way that I can do what Jesus is teaching.
And that’s Jesus point, YOU CAN’T!
But He can, and we need to let him.
Judaism was a self-system of external performance, rather that inward obedience church.
This system had become meaningless, it was full of ritual and going through the motions church, but there was no real connection to the Lord, the people were empty!
BUT GOD! Who is rich in mercy, grace, and love, sent Jesus to draw he chosen people back to himself.
And He doing the same for us.
Without the brokenness that Jesus taught when he said:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
We will remain self-sufficient and live a defeated Christian life.
Did you know that brokenness if the avenue that leads to surrender?
It is here that Christ in us, through the power of the Holy Spirit will enable us to keep the commands that Jesus left us here is the greatest sermon ever preached.
And when we fall short, and we will, we can run to the Father because of his great and precious promise he gave here:
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Last week there was a shift from our vertical realtionship, to our horizontal relationships.
And we learned that we must think before we speak and people of integrity and our word.
It means we must be people of commitment and when others ask us to do something that we follow through on our promise.
Should we not fulfill our obligations with others church, there will be a violation of trust and a break down in relationship.
Remember, that Jesus said to not swear falsely, but that we should perform our oaths to the Lord.
This means that our profession should match our lifestyles.
Are we the same here as at home and in the community?
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’
Jesus knew the thoughts and the intents of the hearts of his listeners.
So here, we see him address another law that actually comes out of Exodus 21, Leviticus 24, and Deut 19.
This was a Law that every Jew was familiar with and Jesus decided to correct the wrong interpretation of it by sharing God’s heart on what He meant when he gave this to His people.
The Pharisees were a back to the Bible movement that lost it footing and created loop holes in the Law, to convince themselves they were righteous.
And we need to be careful that we do not do the same thing.
The concept of “an eye for eye,” sometimes called the lex talionis which is Latin and it means the “Law of Retaliation” ,
This is part of the Mosaic Law used in the Israelites’ justice system.
It was meant to be used in civil law and to be administered by the judges of the day
The principle behind the law is the punishment must fit the crime and there should be a just penalty for evil actions.
The punishment matched, but was not to exceed the damage done church.
But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
Justice should be equitable; excessive harshness and excessive leniency should be avoided.
“An eye for an eye” was intended to be a guiding principle for lawgivers and judges; it was never to be used to justify vengeance or settling grievances personally.
The reason why Jesus is correcting the teaching of the day is because the Pharisees and scribes had taken the “eye for an eye” principle and applied it to everyday personal relationships.
They taught that seeking personal revenge and retaliation was acceptable.
If someone punched you, you could punch him back; if someone insulted you, he was fair game for your insults. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day ignored the judicial basis of the giving of that law.
Theses were the scholars church and they misinterpreted the Law, BUT GOD who is rich in mercy came to correct them, just like he does US.
So what Jesus is teaching us is that we do not have the right to retaliate, in fact he is teaching we do not have any rights at all if we are crucified with Christ, because is no longer I who lives, but Christ lives in me! Amen!
Personal self-sacrifice displaces personal retaliation; for this is the way the Savior himself went, the way of the cross. And the way of the cross, not notions of “right and wrong,” is the Christian’s principle of conduct.
D. A. Carson
In the remaining verses Jesus teaches on relationships and how we should behave and respond to those who mistreat us, to those who take from us, and treat us wrong. he teaches us that we do not retaliate.
Know that He is not teaching being a pacifist or allowing people to walk all over us, but helping us understand how to share His kingdom with others.
He gives us 4 examples in the text to come, but before I expound these I wanted to share the Apostle Paul exposition of this text:
Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
I remember the story of Hudson Taylor who, standing on a riverbank in China one evening, hailed a boat to take him across a river. Just as the boat was drawing near, a wealthy Chinese man came along who did not recognize Hudson Taylor as a foreigner because he had dressed like the Chinese. So when the boat came the wealthy Chinese man pushed Taylor aside with such force that the Hudson fell into the mud. Hudson Taylor, however, said nothing; but the boatman refused to take his fellow-countryman, say, “No, that foreigner called me, and the boat is his, he must go first.” The Chinese traveler was amazed and astounded when he realized he had blundered. Hudson Taylor did not complain but invited the man into the boat with him and began to tell him what it was in him that made him behave in such a manner. It was the love of Christ that constrained him. Needless to say, Taylor had a wonderful opportunity to witness for Christ to this wealthy Chinese man.
Can you see that Paul taught that we are not to retaliate? But to bless our persecutors and feed our enemies?
Let’s see what Jesus has to say:
But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.
What does Jesus mean to no resist and evil person? What does he mean to turn the cheek?
He is not teaching us to not protect ourselves church, but rather to go the way of the cross.
Which for us to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Resist- anthistēmi-(anth-is'-tay-mee)-to set one's self against, to withstand, resist, oppose.
In using this word, Jesus isn't saying that we become passive victims to evil. He doesn't meant that we are to refrain from defending ourselves or our family if someone seeks do physical harm to us. It certainly doesn't mean that we should refrain from call the police in such a case.
What Jesus is saying that we we are not to position ourselves as that evil person's enemy combatant.
We are not to "set ourselves up" as the enemy of a person who seeks to do us evil.
If we refuse to be their "enemy", that automatically negates the "revenge" motive in justice; because I cannot take revenge on someone who I do not set myself up against as an enemy.
I read how one preacher thought this might be applied. If a man broke into his house, he believed he was to show loving hospitality to the burglar and make him a sandwich while the police were on their way.
With regards to the cheek statement the Jews believed this was a great insult, and it was not a slap but rather a backhand church.
Matthew Jesus Teaches About Retaliation / 5:38–42 / 56
According to Jewish law, the one who slapped another faced punishment and a heavy fine. Thus, the law was on the side of the victim, and the victim would have every right to take this offense to court. Jesus said not to take the legal channels, however, but to offer the other cheek for a slap as well. Jesus did not ask his followers to do what he would never do—he received such treatment and did as he had commanded (26:67; see also Isaiah 50:6; 1 Peter 2:23). Jesus wanted his followers to have an unselfish attitude that willingly follows the way of the Cross instead of the way of personal rights. They should entrust themselves to God who will one day set all things right.
I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.
Jesus Himself was slapped in His face (Matt. 26:67; John 19:3).
He literally had this happen to Him.
Now this is not a challenge to let someone beat you up. In fact, there are instances in Scripture when one was slapped and they actually challenged the reason for being slapped. This was true for Jesus (John 18:23) and for Paul (Acts 23:3).
There were many times in the life of Christ in which He actually moved away from dangerous situations:
Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.
After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him.
Church, Jesus is not laying down a challenge to allow people to beat us up, but rather is is teaching us that we are to surrender our dignity.
Dignity- the state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect.
The context here is against retaliation.
The principle is when our personal dignity is attacked, don’t seek revenge.
We are to leave the defense of your dignity to God.
In order to “turn the other cheek,” we must stay where we are and not run away.
This demands both faith and love.
It also means that we will be hurt, but it is better to be hurt on the outside than to be harmed on the inside.
But it further means that we should try to help the sinner.
Psychologists tell us that violence is born of weakness, not strength. It is the strong man who can love and suffer hurt; it is the weak man who thinks only of himself and hurts others to protect himself. He hurts others then runs away to protect himself.
There have been those throughout history who have found that what Jesus was saying was potent and dynamic—that turning the other cheek actually puts one in control. The entire subcontinent of India was freed from the powerful British rule because Ghandi read this verse, and although he was not a believer, he believed in what Jesus said. He inspired an entire nation to turn the other cheek, and it blew the Brits away. After all, what can you do if someone won’t fight back? You can beat them with clubs, you can fire guns on them, but the morale of your own army is destroyed in the process. So eventually, the British got on their ships and sailed home.
If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.
Often debts could be paid by clothing.
The court could not demand that a person give him a coat; but if the believer wanted to do right that is what he should do.
Under God’s law, no one could take your cloak church.
Jesus is saying to give it away, if they sue your for your tunic.
The tunic was an undergarment church and the point here again is that we are to go to the cross, and die!
We are to not hold tightly onto our possessions, but rather Christ.
And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
Under Roman law, a Roman soldier could demand that a citizen carry his pack a Roman mile, which is a little less than our present mile.
Jesus said if you are asked to do this, carry it two miles.
Every Jew hated the Romans and had a bitter and revengeful spirit against them.
Christ tells his disciples not to balk at this law but to go two miles for the Roman officials.
NOTE: Church, the first mile was for Caesar, the second mile was for God.
POINT: Real righteousness goes the extra mile and seeks a way not to have a revengeful spirit.
Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.
What would you do if you were socially persecuted on your job, school, home, or by your neighbors, or those your serve for his name sake?
Would you go the second mile?
‘It is when the unsaved man sees this spirit of no revengefulness that he begins to see his need of Christ.”
Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.
In Our forth illustration, Jesus speaks of our right to personal property.
He says, "Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away."
Don't hold on to what belongs to you with a tight fist; because it really doesn't belong to you anyway, but to the Lord.
We should have a generous spirit.
While people should not blindly give away their money or possessions, we must be discerning and make sure that the Lord is telling us to give and not our emotions.
Enabling is not helping church, but rather harming!
Jesus is teaching us that we must be willing to put the needs of others before our own.
In Closing, I wanted to share a text that encompasses everything we talked about:
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
What Jesus has said in our verse today is that we have no rights, he was the Son of God and he did not, what makes us think we do? PRIDE
Church, God wishes not one should perish, but that all would come to Him.
When we are mocked, slandered, and battered by words, how do we respond?
Jesus says love them, because I first loved you!
How have your responded to those that have hurt you? Those that come against you? Do you fight evil with good?
Prayer
Prayer
Gracious Father, you have given us much to us to chew on today, teachings that are impossible for us to keep without you in our lives and hearts. We ask that you would forgive us for retaliating against those that have come against us and for thinking we have rights. Help us to remember that the way of the cross is death and that this death to self through brokenness and surrender, produces the abundant life you teach about.
In Jesus Name, We Love You! Amen!
Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
THE LORD BLESS YOU!
YOUR MISSION STARTS NOW!