2024-04-14 Anger & Revenge

Alright, we are continuing our series, which I finally have a title for… misunderstood! This is of course from Jesus saying, as we looked at last week, “do not misunderstand why I have come…” which they continually did. And here in Matthew 5:17-48 it is matters of the Law & Righteousness, of course in the greater context of the Sermon on the Mount.

Last week we did our introduction to this series, and talked through some foundations that will frame the next few weeks. The reality is, Matthew 5:17-48 covers a variety of topics that are incredibly relevant and important for our lives right now. Things like Anger, Marriage, Divorce, Revenge, Loving our Enemies. These are things that matter now. These are things that have immediate real-world application.

Talking about anger and revenge when you’re in an election year in the US is probably one of the most important things you can and should be talking about.

Talking about loving your enemies when there are wars happening, when allies of our country are being attacked, while governments are playing with people’s lives, using soldiers as pawns in whatever game it is they are playing.

Talking about loving enemies that seem to embody pure evil.

That’s the world we live in right now, isn’t it? We are surrounded by people we don’t agree with. We are constantly being pushed toward division and separation of people groups, whether that is based on thought, race, lifestyle, religion, you name it, we are being pushed to be against other people. The narrative exists all around us. If you just simply think about how the media talks about people that vote differently than the party their network endorses. It seems like it’s not enough anymore to simply say that we don’t agree and we think differently and therefore we vote differently, but it’s this constant need to vilify the other side and cause this deep separation.

Can I say this to you this morning. As we are in this season, moving toward an election this fall. Don’t let yourself get caught up in that narrative. Don’t hate the “other side”. Don’t talk down to people because they think differently than you do. Ask God to work in you and through you toward reconciliation with God - regardless of who you and someone else vote for. There is so much more at stake than what we can see and what we deal with on this earth. I know, we still have to live, and we still want what we want and politics are important. But don’t let eternity be clouded by the temporal. Let eternity inform and direct how you live in the temporal.

Think about what Jesus is directing us towards in this Sermon on the Mount:

You are an ambassador of a kingdom that will have no end.

You are a representative of this kingdom that is built on a foundation of love and self-sacrifice.

You are a citizen of God’s kingdom, living in His redemptive grace.

We should have no place for hate. We should have no place for division.

Now, I say all of that, knowing that it is not easy. Knowing it’s actually increasingly difficult in today’s world to maintain all of those things. And living like Jesus requires a whole lot of sacrifice, which is not easy. Which is exactly why we are looking at these things within the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus gave us direction. He gave us his instruction on how to live. He’s inviting us to do the same as He did.

And we talked about this last week. Jesus starts this segment of teaching in Matthew 5:17, / / “Don’t misunderstand why I have come…” and then he talks about the law, the rules and regulations, the things that Israel had been trying to adhere to and uphold for nearly 1500 years. It’s good for us to think of the context here. The Exodus of Israel from Egypt took place roughly around 1450 BC, Jesus gives the sermon on the mount best guess between 25-30AD. So, Israel has almost 1500 years of trying to live according to the law of Moses.

I don’t think we can even live in that kind of frame of mind. 1500 years. That’s a LONG time.

Think of America. This year we turn 248. that’s it. This country is only 248 years old, and it took our forefathers 12 years before they had written the constitution. So we have been living under one set of rules for only 236 years, and less if you look at when the Bill of Rights was adopted.

What’s my point. Well, look at how much people argue over the constitution now. Look at the lengths some will go to over the differences we have. Look at the small and large things. How one particular point can change so much. How people argue that some things are no longer relevant, that back then they meant something different than now, so it needs to be changed, or done away with.

And think of some of the more heavily divisive “hot topics” that come up, especially during election years.

Take abortion for instance. And let me just give you this thought. It’s all too easy to find yourself in arguments over these types of things. So, if you find yourself in a situation where someone is arguing with you, or the topic comes up and you feel it leaning that way. Do your best to find out what the person believes about the moment of “life”. Here’s why I say that. Because most people don’t actually advocate for murder, and so what ends up being more important is understanding if the person actually thinks the child inside the womb is actually a living human being. If they don’t, no amount of arguing about murder or morality, or sanctity of life will matter to them.

That doesn’t mean it’s right. It’s just what it is.

My belief is that the child in the womb is a life. And by taking that life you are committing murder. That’s my take on things. I don’t say that to get political or argumentative, I say that as a personal understanding of the moment of life. And that is informed both by scripture and science. If scripture says that God knits us together in our mother’s womb, that is a process I don’t want to stand in the way of. And I believe scripture is clear and so morality on this is that every child, regardless of how they come into this world, even the most horrendous and terrible stories, every child is meant for redemption. And no child, even if the product of a horrible sin, deserves to be thrown away. That doesn’t mean there’s not a lot of trauma, and a lot of healing needs to take place, and that there is consequence for the actions of guilty people.

That is also not to say that if you, or someone you know has had an abortion, that there is not redemption for you. There is. 100%. There is nothing that Jesus didn’t cover on the cross.

Now, take one topic like that. It’s a heavy one, and people have deep feelings about it. And my approach to it is seen as hate by some because of their beliefs on the subject.

And we’re living in a society that is only 236 years old. That’s my point.

After 236 years we are at each other’s throats about certain things.

So when Jesus comes in and says, “Don’t misunderstand why I have come, I’m about to bring correction to you on the law you’ve been trying to live by for 1500 years…” it’s a big topic.

And maybe now we can see why the Pharisees and religious leaders, the teachers of the law, might be a bit bent out of shape by this rabbi Jesus and his rag-tag crew of disciples, new on the scene, teaching dramatically different ways of living.

When Jesus says he’s come to accomplish the purpose of the law, he’s saying big things. He’s challenging their 1500 year way of life. Especially the pharisees and religious leaders, he’s challenging how they live, how they teach, what they stand for and their social status in society.

So, I’m going to try to get through two sections of this scripture this week, and I’m also trying to wrap it up a bit quicker, so we’ll see how this goes. I don’t want to give you too much, and at the same time, I don’t want to short-change the importance of scripture. And listen, I also understand that sometimes I’m talking more than you can listen. If that’s the case, or if something doesn’t make sense, or if you’ve got questions, please please please come to me, let’s get together, have coffee and talk through what your questions are. The intent of me preaching every week is not for me to hear my own voice, and it’s not just so you can sit there and listen. My intent is to be faithful to what God has given us through the Scriptures, faithfully represent Jesus, and hopefully give you insight and instruction that helps you in your personal journey of discipleship to Jesus, and our purpose as a body of believers. So, if that’s not happening for you, or you’re hung up with questions, then we should talk. Don’t let them slide. Don’t think, “Oh, he’s too busy.” I WANT to be of the most help I can be for your life.

Also, and I don’t say this because of what or how I teach, but simply the fact that we are reading scripture, you should take notes. You should have a pen and pad of paper to write down things that catch your attention, because God wants to continue to work in and through you during the week on what we look at together as a community.

Ok. The two sections we want to get through today are / / Matthew 5:21-26, and then a little further ahead to vv. 38-42. The first section Jesus talks about Anger, and the second he talks about Revenge. So they go together a little bit.

Now, we talked on this second section not too long ago, so I’m not going to go too into detail on it, but we do need to look at it, and it will help as we look at the other section as well. So we’re going to start on the second segment of Scripture, Matthew 5:38-42:

Jesus speaking about revenge, / / “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.”

The reason we covered what we did last week, is because each of these topics we are going to look at follow after the foundation that Jesus sets when he says, / / “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.” (Matthew 5:17)

If Jesus had indeed come to wipe out the law and prophets then there would be no further conversation necessary, right? If the law no longer matters, we can stop talking about it. But what is the first thing Jesus does after saying, “I didn’t come to abolish the law…”

Well, Matthew 5:21, which we’re going to get to in a moment, starts with, / / “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder.’”

What is that? It’s the law. It’s literally the 6th of the 10 commandments. You must not murder.

And what about what we’ve just read. Matthew 5:38, / / “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.’”

Ok, this is actually in the law a few times. First in Exodus 21:22-25, which says, / / “Now suppose two men are fighting, and in the process they accidentally strike a pregnant woman so she gives birth prematurely. If no further injury results, the man who struck the woman must pay the amount of compensation the woman’s husband demands and the judges approve. But if there is further injury, the punishment must match the injury: a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise.”

So, a lot more than what Jesus mentions, and also, as a side note, look at the value of a child in the womb or premature labor. God says that the law demands life for life.

This is also mentioned in Leviticus 24:19-20 and says the same thing but this time without the inclusion of a pregnant woman, so simply, / / “Anyone who injures another person must be dealt with according to the injury inflicted - a fracture for a fracture, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Whatever anyone does to injure another person must be paid back in kind.”

And then the third time it’s mentioned is in Deuteronomy 19:21, which says it in response to someone accusing you of something falsely. If someone brings you before the judge and accuses you of something, but you didn’t actually do it, then Deuteronomy says that the accused person must get the punishment they were seeking for the person they accused. And finishes with this thought, / / You must show no pity for the guilty! Your rule should be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

And so Jesus comes in after saying, “Don’t misunderstand why I’ve come, I didn’t come to remove the law…” And then he says, “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.’” and everyone around would know what he’s not saying as well, hand for hand, life for life, foot for foot, fracture for fracture, bruise for bruise etc…

We have to understand that a big part of the law was how to live in a civil society. Remember, Israel had been in slavery for 400 years. They have never governed themselves as a nation. And look at those rules. Even if they sound harsh, what is it. It is fair. If you take something from me, I should get the same in return. And that should be true for everyone. It can’t be different each time. Oh, you cut his arm off. give him 20 bucks. Oh, you killed his brother. Give him an ox. No. Fair, which means, impartial and just, without favoritism or discrimination, means we must all get the same thing, and it’s got to be the same for everyone, all the time. What you took will be taken from you. That is what is fair.

This is why it’s so important to see what Jesus was saying in the first part. He came to accomplish the PURPOSE of the law. And the purpose of the law is to lead to life. Now, as we said last week, through the infilling and leading of the Holy Spirit we have the promise of the law inside of us, and Jesus leads us as a good shepherd to life. / / We don’t follow the law, we follow the savior.

So, what’s Jesus saying here? Because he’s still talking about the law. Well, part of this is in the title. If your bible has titles, what does it say? It says that in Matthew 5:38-42 Jesus is / / “Teaching about Revenge”.

And he says, / / You’ve heard it said, eye for eye etc… and then the all important twist… / / But I say…

Jesus is bringing correction here. See, the law, the eye for eye bit, let’s call that the worst case scenario, but at least it’s final, it’s fair. If someone takes your eye, you can’t demand MORE than their eye. It’s the appropriate punishment, right? You punch me, I punch you, now we are even. But is that what God wants? For everyone to just simply exact revenge on their friends and family and neighbors, or even enemies every time someone gets hurt? No, of course not.

But what does a fair law have to say: In the realm of a judge and a decision that needs to be made, you can’t demand more than the same that was done to you. This was at least a way to put an end to any feud that might arise. You can’t demand more than has been taken from you - but you can demand up to that, if you want. But it’s certainly not the best way. What has Jesus already covered in the Beatitudes? Matthew 5:7, / / Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

At some point someone has to be willing to give mercy. If we talk in terms of breaking the law, what can God demand of us for every wrong turn we’ve made? And yet, what does he do, offers mercy.

Jesus says to the pharisees in Matthew 9:13, / / “I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.”

James, the brother of Jesus would later write James 2:13, There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you. Or the ESV says it this way, / / Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Are you wrong in saying an eye for an eye. You’re not. Is there a better way, there is.

You can demand justice if you want. But Jesus will teach later in his ministry that we have to choose what we want. You can not demand justice and be shown mercy. We are judged by the way we judge. So if we desire mercy, we must learn to live by showing mercy. If we want judgement, we will be judged for our actions.

So, Jesus gives three examples of different scenarios, all of which are misunderstood if you don’t understand the times and why he’s saying them. First one:

/ / If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.

This has been used to make Christians weak, and that’s not what Jesus is saying. He’s not saying you can’t defend yourself. And as much as it sounds like he is saying if someone hits you, let them hit you again, he’s not saying that. N. T. Wright, in his commentary on this scripture says, / / “Better to have no vengeance at all, but rather a creative way forward, reflecting the astonishingly patient love of God himself… To be struck on the right cheek, in that world, almost certainly meant being hit with the back of the right hand. That’s not just violence, but an insult: it implies that you are inferior, perhaps a slave, a child, or (in that world, and sometimes even today) a woman. What’s the answer? Hitting back only keeps the evil in circulation. Offering the other cheek implies: hit me again if you like, but now as an equal, not an inferior.”

It’s almost a reverse insult by way of saying, “I could exact an eye for an eye. I could hit you back. And then we would be even. And I could just forgive you and walk away. But what I’m going to do is show you that we are the same, you and I. We are equals. I choose not to retaliate. I choose not to take revenge. And if you want to hit me, you need to hit me while looking me square in the eye knowing that you’re not better than me and you had no right to hit me in the first place.”

That is VERY different than, “I’m a christian, and i’m not allowed to hit, so I’ll just take the beating. You can hit me again if you want.” That’s just weak, and that’s not what Jesus is saying. But Jesus also is not saying that strength is shown by hitting back. Strength is actually shown by knowing who you are, knowing who they are and affirming your God given status as equals, created in His image.

And the next two are similar as well, but we don’t need to get into them today. The point is the same. There is a better way. You don’t need to take revenge. You don’t need to demand an eye for an eye. But you don’t have to be weak either, or walk away and not deal with it. You are allowed to show mercy and instruction at the same time. Walk with your head held high. You are a child of God. And God loves you AND the person who hit you. So don’t try to one up them. Just show them a better way. Jesus teaching on revenge: if you want, but it’s not worth it.

Now, let’s go back and read the first passage. Matthew 5:21-26:

Again, Jesus teaching the crowd, this time on anger, / / “You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgement! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.

“So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.

“When you are on the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly. Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. And if that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the last penny.”

Alright, again, we gotta remember that Jesus just said, Don’t misunderstand why I have come, I didn’t come to do away with the law… you’ve head it said (in the law) that you must not murder.

Ok, we’ve covered where that comes from, right, it’s the 6th commandment, covered in the book of Exodus and again in the book of Deuteronomy. So, Jesus does a little corrective teaching, and then he gives two examples.

First, the correction which of course comes after the, “But I say…” and he brings three thoughts.

/ / if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgement.

/ / if you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court.

/ / if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.

So, with each of these Jesus is pushing the thought, and really, I think if he kept going he would have only had two more places to go.

if you hit someone in your anger…

if you kill someone in your anger…

Because, what has he said here. He’s gone from if you are angry…but don’t do anything.

Then he says, If you are angry with someone, and call them names.

And then, If you are angry, and curse them, meaning, with your words, you are invoking harm…

What other place is there to go than to physical violence. And he’s bringing something new. The law already talks about physical violence. Jesus is trying to get people do deal with things BEFORE that happens. He’s explaining that you have to deal with the things within your heart that cause you to get to that point. People aren’t generally violent to start. There has to be something else going on inside of them to get to that point. No one just walks around hitting people unprovoked. Well, some people do, but we generally admit them for mental issues.

Let’s say it this way, “No person in their right mind starts with physical violence.”

/ / Violence starts in the heart long before it gets physical.

And what is Jesus trying to do? He’s trying to teach a better way, a way that brings true freedom and life.

Yes, it’s true, the law says do not murder. But let’s talk about maybe some of the ways that we end up thinking about murder, so that we can deal with those things, and then we never have to worry about the murder.

When we hear about violent murders in the news, or real tragedies, one of the things I end up saying, and have heard many others say as well is, “Wow, what that person had to go through to get to that point. I wonder what their upbringing was like. I wonder where their parents were. I wonder how they go so far off track.”

Why? Because we recognize that no one just wakes up, having been perfectly fine and well adjusted their whole lives and goes out and commits murder.

Any tragedy we see in the news, what is the first thing they are looking for? Where’s the manifesto? Who can we talk to to figure out why this person was so internally broken to the point of this violence.

So Jesus decides to confront the issue. Don’t wait until you want to kill someone, and then tell yourself, “ya, but the law says I can’t kill.” No, / / start with where murder starts, which is long before murder is the only option you feel like you have.

I know, you’re all thinking, “Pastor Rob, do you think we’re there. we’re all sitting here thinking about murder…” No, of course not, but also, Jesus wasn’t either. I’m assuming. He’s talking to normal people, dealing with normal life things, about murder.

Again, I am speaking outside of mental issues. But even the deeply disturbed are not always mental issues, but long brought on mental problems because these things have gone unchecked. People often think the way they think because they’ve been allowed to think that way, or grew up in environments where that was the sort of conversation and thinking that happened.

By way of an example - Have you ever heard the saying, “kids aren’t born racist, it’s something they learn”, meaning, someone has to be taught hate. Someone is allowing anger to grow and develop. And that’s not just a racism thing, but anger against anyone. Or the way some men treat women. We aren’t born, in the image of God, thinking men are better than women. That’s a lie that is taught.

So, N.T. Wright says of this passage, / / “Jesus takes the commands of the law and shows how they provide a blueprint for a way of being fully, genuinely, gloriously human. This new way, which Jesus had come to pioneer and make possible, goes deep down into the roots of personality and produces a different patter of behavior altogether… Every time you decide to let your anger smolder on inside you, you are becoming a little less than fully human. You are deciding to belittle yourself.”

Jesus is challenging the thing that would get us to the point of murder. He’s not undoing the law that says don’t murder, and he’s not upping the judgement either. He’s not saying, “Ok, it used to be that you weren’t allow to murder, and that was the bad thing, but now you’re bad even if you think it.” that’s not what he’s saying, he’s saying, “Don’t you see that if you don’t stop yourself all the way back here, you’re already losing the battle. I came that you might have life, and life happens on THIS side of anger, not that side. It happens on THIS side of taming your tongue, not that side. It happens on THIS side of thinking and speaking negatively and cursing people instead of that side.”

You gain nothing by holding on to anger, you gain nothing by holding on to hatred. Or in the other verses we talked through, you gain nothing by holding on to hopes for revenge. All those do is produce death and judgement.

One of the things we need to recognize about sin and judgement is that sin judges us just fine on its own. Paul says in Romans 6:23, / / For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Notice that he doesn’t say, “The punishment for sin is death.” He says “the wages”… meaning, sin and it’s consequences will ruin your life.

Let’s define sin again, call it out, what does sin mean? Missing the mark…

If the law is God’s way of showing us how to live. And if Jesus, in the sermon on the mount is correcting, or expanding, or bringing a greater ability to us to follow those things that lead to life, then what happens when we step outside of that path and choose something that goes against the invitation to life? We miss the mark of life, and we hit the mark of death.

Deuteronomy 30:19, / / I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!

If you choose murder, of course that is going to produce death, but not just for the person you kill.

Jesus is saying, I WANT YOU TO LIVE!!! Which means let’s stop this before it gets anywhere near that. If you want life in your heart, body and home, choose to challenge the smallest of things that try to bring up anger. Don’t let yourself talk negatively about people. Don’t let yourself curse them, spouting judgments on them.

Watch your heart, watch your mind, watch your tongue.

Jesus would later say in Matthew 15:19, / / …from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. These things don’t just happen. They start somewhere deep inside of us, and if we allow them to fester, to grow, we give place for them to happen in our lives.

So, let me ask you this morning, where are you at in that?

Where are you at in way of your heart? Are you quick to anger? Or do you allow things to fester? Even if you don’t think you’d ever act on it, do you allow anger and revenge to have a place in your heart? And do you think God maybe wants to work on that in you?

What about your mind? Do you dwell on the wrongs being done to you? Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13 that / / [love] keeps no record of being wronged. Are you able to forgive and let go? Doesn’t mean you won’t walk cautiously, or with more wisdom in the future around certain people, but can you forgive them and not hold their past against them?

And what about that tongue of yours? Do you easily speak life over death? Or do you find yourself muttering curses? Even if it’s just in the round-about. I was talking with a friend the other day and in a real moment of honest he said, “I can tell when my heart is getting out of sorts by how I react when I’m driving. The more angry I am in the car, the more of an indicator that I need to go see my therapist.”

Talk about revelation! Do you have indicators in your life that say, “Hey, red light on over here, you’re letting anger move to spite which is leading to judgment and cursing… It’s not long you’re going to go home and verbally fly off the handle at your wife or kids, or worse…”

How’s your heart doing? How’s your mind doing? How’s your tongue doing?

So Jesus brings in a few practical moments here.

First scenario - if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar and you remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person.

It’s better to be reconciled to your friend, your spouse, your brother, your sister, your coworker, than it is to come and offer sacrifice. Remember what Jesus said to the Pharisees, “Go learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’” Meaning, fix your relationships with people, then come worship me.

Think of it this way. God would rather you go repent to the person you hurt and reconcile that relationship, than you hurting them and coming to church to ask forgiveness from Him.

Listen to what John says? 1 John 4:20, / / If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?

Ok, that’s heavy, but true. A lot of people say they love God, and also can’t seem to stand people.

And we come up with clever little sayings like, “God said we have to love them, doesn’t mean we have to like them.” I think we might have missed the point.

Now, that doesn’t mean you have to hang out with everyone, if someone provokes you to anger all the time, maybe keep your distance for a while, But also, work on yourself, don’t just blame them.

God cares about your relationships. He wants to see them reconciled.

Second scenario Jesus brings, / / when you are on your way to court with an adversary, settle your differences quickly, other wise your accuser may hand you over…

to the judge, to the officer, to prison!

The interesting thing here is that in the first scenario Jesus says, you suddenly remember that someone has something against you. The CEV says, / / you remember that someone is angry with you. They’re some way toward you. They are angry at you, they have something against you. Now, this could mean you did something to hur them, but I think it could equally mean they don’t like you. They’ve got something against you. Now, what would the solution be there, If someone doesn’t like you, and are treating you different - it would be / / forgiveness. You are going to someone who has done something against you and you are forgiving them for what they did to you, or for how they are treating you.

Now, it seems a bit ambiguous, but no matter how you look at it, this relationship is broken and needs some forgiveness.

But then his second scenario, I think he flips it, and makes it very clear. If you’re on your way to court, and you are the one that is going to get thrown into jail as a result. That means you’ve clearly done something against the other person. THEY have the upper hand, so to speak. The fear is that YOU are on your way to prison. So what does that involve? / / Repentance. right? You’ve done something wrong to the other person and Jesus is saying, listen, if you’re on the way to court you better run ahead and get to the person before they get to the steps of the court, throw yourself at their mercy, repent and ask for their forgiveness and do whatever you can to reconcile with them so that they don’t carry through with judgment against you!

So, Jesus talks about / / Anger & Revenge:

The law is clear. You can exact your revenge if you want to. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth is totally fair. And as long as you’re not killing someone in your anger, you’re good.

Except, there’s a better way. And they both start in the same place - your heart.

Jesus is saying, I Don’t want you to just follow the law, I want you to truly live, and if you are going to truly live you have to become free from anger. Your heart must become free and your relationships healed.

And here’s the path forward. To be free in your relationships, to truly be free from anger and revenge, you must employ these two things: / / Forgiveness and Repentance.

Forgive when someone has wronged you. Show them mercy.

Repent when you have wronged someone else, so they will show you mercy.

I want you to take a moment this morning. Why don’t we just bow our heads, or close our eyes, just for a moment, ask Jesus if there’s anyone in your life that is on either side of those scenarios. Maybe you have someone that you know has something against you, and maybe if you’re willing to forgive you’ll experience some healing in that relationship. But as long as you are holding on to revenge, you are holding yourself prisoner to that situation.

Or maybe you are clear. You’ve wronged someone else. You’ve done something to hurt someone, or offend them, or you just know there’s a rift in your relationship and it’s because of your actions. Maybe it’s time to repent. Yes, toward God, but to the person as well.

Jesus wants to restore relationships. That is the way of the kingdom. To be genuinely human with each other and toward God.

Yes there’s prayer to be made before God. But what’s the redemptive homework that the Holy Spirit wants to highlight to you this morning? Who is it that God wants to heal that relationship with you?