Listening to Jesus Pt. 3

In the last couple of weeks we’ve been talking about listening to God’s voice. At this point I imagine I sound like a broken record, but repetition is the best way to memorize things. So we’ve learned that God has a voice, we want to listen to his voice, IF we are His sheep.

Last week we learned that if we want to know about God we can read the Bible. The Bible will teach all sorts of things that God has done for us and for others. But if we want to truly know who God is, we must obey Him. So, what does it mean to obey God?

God has a lot of things he wants us to do, but everything that we should do is summed up into one verse, we talked about some on Wednesday:

Luke 10:27 NIV

27 He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Everything we will find in the Bible, that God will ask from us, will be summed up into this one verse. Love God with everything you’ve got, and love your neighbor too. So for the next couple of Sundays we will look at some examples of what it looks like to love God and to love your neighbor.

In the Book of Matthew we find one of Jesus’ first sermons. Jesus was a great preacher, way better than I am, and He used to preach God’s Word to everyone. In Matthew 5 we find a sermon called the Sermon on the mount. It’s called the sermon on the mount because Jesus sat at the side of a mountain. People gathered around him to hear him speak and let’s read some of what He said:

Matthew 5:38–42 NIV

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 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. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

You know, Jesus has a way of talking to people in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable. This part of the Bible always makes me feel uncomfortable. Jesus stands up front of all these people and He says: if anyone slaps you, let them slap you again. if anyone wants to take your shirt, give them your closet. if anyone forces you to go one mile, go two. Give to anyone who ask from you, and don’t turn away from anyone who wants to borrow from you.

why is this uncomfortable? Because Jesus is asking us to do things we don’t like to do. More than anything, Jesus is telling us that revenge is not godly thing to do. We live in a world that if someone were to hit me across the face, I am going to fight back. But Jesus says that God doesn’t want you to do that. If someone offends you, our reaction is to offend them back. If someone takes my seat, I am going to take their back.

I’ve seen in happen before, if someone goes into your room to break a toy, your instinct might be to go back and break one of theirs. Why? because we want justice, and I will get justice for what happened to me. did you know, that that is not justice? as a matter of fact, if you take revenge on someone God says that that means you are imperfect.

Matthew 5:43–48 NIV

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 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. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

What if God took revenge on people who were mean to him? The Bible says He makes it rain over the good people and the evil people. The rain that God so graciously gives would only fall on the people who are good, and if we are people who take revenge, do we deserve the rain? the sun shine? the good weather? the roof we live under? how about the pool we all get to be a part of every week?

How can we know about God?

Reading the Bible

How can we truly know God?

Obedience

Who are we are supposed to love?

God and others

God makes it rain over who?

Evil and good people