Living By God's Word... When Someone Takes Advantage Of You

Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary (e) Legal Rights (5:38–42)

A willingness to forgo one’s personal rights, and to allow oneself to be insulted and imposed upon, is not incompatible with a firm stand for matters of principle and for the rights of others (cf. Paul’s attitude in Acts 16:37; 22:25; 25:8–12). Indeed the principle of just retribution is not so much abrogated here as bypassed, in favour of an attitude which refuses to insist on one’s rights, however legitimate. Jesus is not reforming the legal code, but demanding an attitude which sits loose to personal rights.

Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary (e) Legal Rights (5:38–42)

The principle here is not primarily the avoidance of lawsuits (as in 1 Cor. 6:1–8, where v. 7 is probably based on this passage), but a radically unselfish attitude to one’s rights and property.

Being Made Into A New Creation:

Making Jesus the Lord of your lives means that your heart is undergoing a radical and eternal transformation.

You are a new creation; the old has passed away, the new has come ()

Your heart of stone is replaced with a heart of flesh ()

You are being transformed by the renewal of your mind ()

Sermon on the Mount examples

Murder // Hatred

Adultery // Lust

Praying on the street corners // Praying in private

Giving as a public spectacle // Giving in secret

Fasting for personal honor // Fasting in secret

Jesus is more concerned with the attitude of your heart than the actions of your hands.

Making Jesus the Lord of our lives means that are hearts are undergoing a radical and eternal transformation.

Read Passage ():

Jesus gives three radical examples of thre

Jesus gives us these radical examples to show us radical attitudes that we are called to pursue in our lives.

Is the attitude of your heart so devoted to Christ that you would respond in these ways?

Three Attitudes:

Paul’s Selflessness ()

Paul faced opposition

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Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned… danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles… -

Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.

24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned.

Paul responded with selflessness

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (2 Co 11:24–25). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.Paul responded with selflessness

Paul responded with selflessness

But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

“But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.” - , NLT

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Joseph’s Generosity ()

Joseph faced betrayal

“… they sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.” -

Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.

Joseph responded with generosity

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” -

Jesus’ Love ()

Jesus faced rejection

Three Biblical Examples:

Rejected by his hometown, Nazareth ()

The rejected Cornerstone ()

Rejected over a criminal ()

Rejected in our sin (

Joseph

Jesus responded with love

Jesus

“I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” -

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you… You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” -

Paul

English Standard Version Chapter 15

12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

Application:

Show selflessness by putting others before yourself, no matter who they are.

Show generosity by giving others more than you’re typically comfortable with.

Show love by being sacrificial with the things you value most.

Allow God to transform your heart so that you would be characterized by these attitudes.

Gospel presentation:

We are not saved by our actions (i.e. going to church, giving to others, loving others, etc.), rather we are saved by receiving a new heart through faith in Christ and making him Lord of our lives.

Our actions are important, but what is eternally more important is our heart.