CoL: Love Your Enemies Matthe 5:21 20240803

Matthew 5:21-24 38-48

Reading

The Old Testament. One of the law that is given down.

"Thou shalt not kill."

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If a command forbids something, at the same time, it enjoins the opposite.

Have no other gods before me -> I should be the first priority in your life.

Thou shalt not kill -> human life must not be destroyed

The opposite: love and forgive.

What did Jesus call us to do in response on this?

Turn the other cheek. It is radical. And this is often dismissed, disregarded. Not because it is too low or unworthy. But it is because it is too high.

Dallas Willard in his book, Divine Conspiracy talk about this in the context of the reality of the Kingdom. When one responded according to the kingdom reality, that is to turn the other cheek, it transformed the dynamics of the interaction. What does a person do who has been offered the other cheek? Keep on slapping? for How long?

Imagine if everyone in the world can live in such reality, that will give mankind hope. In fact, as we see later, this is the only hope that we all have. The radically altered relationships in the Kingdom of God.

Christianity is often seen a religion. Even though today, we have seen that religion is getting more and more about an identity, culture, or lifestyle, at the core, religion is related in defining human relationto God. In a sense it is. Over the Bible we see the world that God created in the lense of relationship. It is a relationship blueprint. Just like we often get this blueprint from our culture. How we treat our parents, children, our friends, our enemies. In marriage, how we love one another, whether the relationship is exclusive or open.

This is even more relevant in the world today, where people think that everything is good, that you can just do whatever you think is right. The world has lost its blueprint today. And yet people wonder why we end up in this place of chaos and emptiness.

But here, we are blessed that God has given us this blueprint. The relationship blueprint. We see the original relationship of us and God, how and why the relationship is broken, how through Christ God reconcile with mankind, we have peace, and how it will look like when it is restored.

But it doesnt stop there. Through that lenses, we understand our identity as Christians, not only the outer actions such as what is written in our identity card, what ritual we do, what circles we belong to. But through the lens of our relationship.

Christian is someone who have come into the new relationship with God.

-> Because you have come into that new relationship with God, it creates a new relationship with yourself.

-> because you have entered into a new relationship and attitude toward yourself, it results a completely new relationship to the world and people around you.

New relationship with God creates a new relationship with yourself, creates a new relationship with others. It is a package, a set. You cannot have new relationship with God and still in a bad relationship yourself or the world. That is why, in verse 23 we can understand Jesus' point, if your relationship with your fellow man is out of sync, you shouldnt be worshiping, because your relationship with God and yourself, and the world fit together.

Brokenness in the lower level will also indicate brokenness on the higher level. They go up and go down together. It is precisely in Jesus, because of the new relationship with God, you have the ability to love not only the people who love you, but also your enemies, to turn the other cheek, to live in this new reality.

It is like we are moving into a totally new world, a dimension based on the new relationship with God, you, and the world. A new kingdom of God.

What is this new dimension? First,

Self:

Verse 21-22:

You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

For me, this is a deeply hurtful verse. Personally, anger is one of issue I have. Dallas Willard, when discussing on this particular section, broke down Jesus dealing with sins into five part. And he argues that Anger and contempt (penghinaan) form the primacy in the order of evil.

When we trace (menelusuri) a lot of the wrongdoings in the world is rooted in the anger in the human's heart. As I prepared for today, I have been made painfully aware of my own struggle and shortcoming in this area. First, I am made painfully aware when I am angry with my daughter. Second, I witness the anger in my cat when they fight. As I tried to make peace between them, I see how anger create a separation.

Third, if you recall, at the olympic opening, there was a scene where they allegedly enact the scene of the last Supper. I can safely say that almost all of my Christians friends, myself included, was outraged at the news. More on that later. And I hope just as the word has sliced my heart, punctured deep, it can do the same with you.

The Old Testament -> what the Pharisee says:

If you do not murder, then you are not the subject of this judgement

What Jesus says:

You dont get it, the meaning of the law is not only about killing a person. Anyone who is angry with his brother is guilty.

The term anger that Jesus used here is the slow burn anger.

Dislike -> distaste -> resentment -> bitterness

This is the slow burn. Anyone who is angry with his brother is guilty.

Then Jesus proceeds, in the ESV version, whoever insults his brothers. On ASV, it is made clearer. Whoever shall say to his brother, Raca.

Now, Raca in a word that means "you are a nobody". It is a word that is used to belittle a person, to put them in a lowly position. It is not about using certain words, but the attitude of the heart that is condescending toward others. To treat others as non-person and inconsequential.

What if today we go to president's son and insult him? Why we don't do that? Because we understand the weight and the relationship that the president has with his son. No matter how bad the son is, we will think carefully not to insult him. We know that God loves everyone. That everyone is created in the image of God. That no matter how broken, how damaged a person is, God loves him. The next time we react with scorn toward others, it will be best if we can remember this, we are attacking and insulting the image of God.

On the next part, "Anyone who says, you fool", basicly says what it is there. You moron. You fool.

This is probably reflected in our Indonesian culture. " Lu tau siapa saya ga?". "ga punya otak". "goblok". Even though sometimes it is not insulting other, but we put ourselves is such as high position to belittle others. It is a sin of scorn. Saying that You are less important than me. That is the problem. That is what leads to murder. That is what preventing love. Because to love means to consider other's needs as more important that ours.

And the sin of anger, the sin of scorn prevents exactly that. It eats up our ability to love.

What is a difference between a real Christian and someone who is just religious here?

A Christian understands that inwardness of sin. Jesus' message here is not about expanding the "not-to-do" list as a Christian. He is not adding do not insult, do not scorn, to the list that already contain the do not kill. He is expanding the spectrum. He is asking what is the difference between you and a murderer? It is the quantitative difference.

Imagine someone who has a dislike, slowing growing into distaste, resentment, desire to see someone fail, and finally grow into the murder. It is like a seed and a tree. They are the same thing on the different stage of growth. A seed in the right condition, being watered and cared, will grow and blossoms to a huge tree.

There is a quote in Stanley Tucci's movie "inside man", he said, "everyone's murderer. You just have to meet the right person".

What then, is a difference between you and a murderer? A Christian answer to that is, it is the matter of quantitative, qualitatively, there is none. A murderer might be in a condition where is fertile for him. Maybe its the family, maybe it is the environment. But that got him planted, watered. That is the only different between me and a murderer. A Christian realize that. A religious person might say, oh, i dont steal, i do not kill, i dont lie, and i dont disregard the law, i am pretty good.

But Christian is someone who says, I see the sin in me, I see how I am selfish, and I see how it eats the ability of love. I am in need, I am a sinner. This is the conviction of a sin. When you see it, you have crossed over the line into what every Christian has to experience in order to be born again.

This might be surprising for some. After all, we are surrounded by people who comes from different walk of life. A lot of them are far below my socio-economic, culture, education. But the difference is marginal. Keller use this very nice analogy.

When we are looking through a microscope, we are looking down at these so-called in consequential being, the one-celled animals. And we see this one cell that is twice as big as another cell. That one cell might feel pretty great, he can push the other around, but to us, they are all microbes. It is silly for you that the cell can boast about his size. They are all so small in relation to you.

When God look at us, and others, he doesn't see much difference. We all have fallen short of his standard.

Unless we understand the seed of the worst sins live inside our heart, unless we have that humility, unless we begin to understand that we are not so much different than other people, we will never be able to come into the radical dimension that Jesus is talking about. We will never be able to love.

Going back to the scene in the Paris Olympic. If we take a step back, how should we respond? I realize that when I am enraged, there is a sense of self-righteous. A sense of scorn toward others. How dare you do that. In a way, I dont think that is a Christian way to respond. If you look at the media, the Christian response, it is so unChristian, and no one pointed this out. Our response do not reflects our identity in God. When do we began to feel so insecure that a simple insult brought out so much of our self-righteousness out? Christians have been insulted since Jesus walked on this earth, it is not a new thing.

Upon self-reflection, I ask myself, how then should we response. It is not outrage; we are already secure, God doesnt need us to defend Him.

In the next part, we are told how to respond to the world. In verse 38, you have heard it was an eye for an eye. This refers to the justice system that is given to the Israelis. At first, it seems quite gory, but in the midst of the pagan, this is an extremely merciful system. In the world with this kind of system, the retaliation begets larger retaliation. If you come and poke me, and I punch you in the face. If you kill my son, I will kill your whole family. In few years, small poke at the pack will destroy entire nation. We have seen how this playing in real time in the Middle east.

The justice system given by the Israelis limits the retaliation. And yet, Jesus offers another way to respond. To turn the other cheek.

If a person slap you, you turn the other cheek. Now, some people might argue that this is a case for non-violence, that you do not fight for yourself, or justice. But when you want to beat someone, you do not slap. You hit them, you punch them. A slap is an insult. Here, Jesus is saying if someone insults you, it is alright, you do not need to save your face.

Instead of saying, "Do you know who i am?" Instead of threatening, trying to seek justice, we forgive.

This also comes up in verse 40. Is someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. It doesnt mean that when someone rob you, you told him that, hey you miss this wallet.

The reason we give the other cheek, to give the tunic, why we go the second mile is we do not close the door on a relationship. I am giving you the chance to do it right.

A non-Christian, when faced with the hurt and insult, will say, what you did to me was awful, I will not give you a chance to do that again. We withdraw. I want nothing to do with you. We shut them down.

A Christian? What you do is wrong, but I am not going to let you sin against me. But anytime you want to be friends, I am ready. Turning the other cheek means we have no worries about and insult, and to say, "listen, you slapped me on this cheek, anytime you want to come back and kiss this one, I am ready."

The removal of the necessity of defending our honor means we have such secure idenity in our relationship with God. That comes out from our relationship with God.

That leads to the next part, our relationship to others.

Loves your enemies. As simple as that. To love people and forgive them. Some mention that if we keep forgiving people, they will keep stepping over us. Therefore, this is impractical, therefore stop trying anyway. How many Christians you know that really put an effort to this? And people whom we know that is able to do this, are people whom we considered meek, not able to defend themselves. People who dont have position or work that is consequential enough for them to have enemies.

But this is not to say as Christian we let other people walk over us. In fact, we dont let people do that. And keeping our heart open for forgiveness? It is impractical for the non-Christian exactly because they do not have the foundation to do that kind of action. For us, Christian? We have to do that, because we are in the different dimension, we have the foundation of our restored relationship with God. Because of that we can say,

"Wait a minute, i was an enemy too. I did the wrong things. I sin against God. But God has forgiven me, and if I dont keep my heart open, if I dont forgive, how can look at God who has forgiven me, his enemy, all of the sins I have?

This is practical. In fact, as a Christian, this is the sensible response in the new dimension. God has taken away the needs of vengeance. the needs of honor. What is impractical? To do what we often does, which is to curate all our life, making our circle tighter so we can not be hurt. So that no one can wrong us. That is impractical.

The only way we have the power to turn the other cheek is if we have the new self-image that change our attitude to other people.

Toward at the end of his earthly ministry, Jesus was captured by the enemies. He has given himself to be taken, to be slandered, be tried in the unfair trial. He was blameless, but the enemy cornered him anyway. Blameless man, who knew no sin. At the cross, he didnt resent the enemy. He didnt hate them. He said, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing."

We are the enemy. We are the one who have put Him on the cross. We, the enemy, we dont even know the extend of the sin in our heart. Our scheme against God, our rebelious heart. If you are surprised that we are able to do such horrendous action, to put God, whom we profess we love, on the cross, this is exactly why Jesus said, we do not even know what we are doing.

He is the only one who saw the depth of the enemy's heart, in our heart, every single thing that we are ashamed of. Things so bad, sometimes that we dont even realize. He tore that open, he opened our eyes. Laid it bare, open to us. We are the enemies of God. And yet, he loves us to the death.

Paul says in Roman 5: we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his son.

If you are convicted of your sin, if you receive Him as a Savior, all is forgiven. The relationship with God restored and we are able to turn the other cheek. This is the Gospel. Let us pray.

The kingdom lifestyle starts with a heart that cannot look down on other people.

While the world teaches us to retaliate,