INTRODUCTION
There once was a man who was self-centered, misery and cruel. Though he was wealthy he never gave to the poor nor did he care for his own children. He drank a lot and was abusive to his wife, his children, and to those who worked for him. Then one day the Lord changed this man’s heart from stone to that of melted butter. He began to show love to those around him. He was compassionate to his wife and family. He even gave away all his wealth to the poor. Seeing the great change that had taken place in this man’s spirit: Change his wife had prayed for. Change his children longed for. Change, however, that none believed was ever really possible. His family had the man committed to an asylum for the mentally ill. For clearly they thought, the man had lost his right mind.
“But I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from him who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to every one who begs from you; and of him who takes away your goods do not ask them again. And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.
Ya...Right.....! What are you thinking Jesus? Do you think we all want to have a sign on our foreheads that reads, “sucker?” If we try to live like this, you know what will happen. Every Tom, Dick and Harry will show up at our church door looking for a hand out. And if we try saying “no” their response will be, “You’re not much of a Christian.” Is Jesus serious here? If any of us tried to live like this our families would probably commit us for be out of our right minds. How can Jesus possibly expect us to live like this. I mean this is serious stuff. Love my enemy? I can understand loving my neighbor, I need to get along with them. But loving my enemy. What good does that do me? Do good to those who hate me? Why can’t I just avoid them? I don’t like being hated. “Bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also.” Now Jesus how am I suppose to give this advice to those caught-up in an abusive relationship? Isn’t that what the women’s shelter is for?
GOING TOO FAR?
B.D. Prewer 1989
"This time, Jesus, you’ve gone too far! Loving enemies is folly, blessing those who abuse us just rewards the bully!
It’s asking for double trouble to turn the other cheek! I’ll give the thug a bloody nose and give the meek a break!
As for the bloke who steals my coat, in jail I hope he rots. He’ll get no bonus shirt from me to show off to his mates.
Jesus, your idealistic words don’t work in this real world. Those who try to live that way will end up in the cold."
Do you ever feel like B.D. Prewer when hearing these words of Jesus? Do you feel like asking “Is Jesus Crazy?” How can he possibly expect us to live like this. All our attempts to live this way by our own abilities fall short of the mark. Even the apostle Paul declared, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” We are caught between a rock and a hard place. We are beckoned by Christ to follow Him yet we find we just don’t have the capacity. We can’t simply ignore these words because it is Christ who spoke them. It is Jesus who bids us, “come and follow me.” So how are we as followers of Jesus Christ to hear and obey this sermon in the plain?
A young man told his father that he was going to open a department store. His father, experienced in this business gave him the following advise. “Remember my son, when you go looking for a place for your new business let this be your guiding principle, "Location, location, location.” As your pastor I have had many years of experience tackling difficult passages in God’s Word and so from that experience let me share with you this guiding principle, “Context, context, context.” To gain insight into any given passage you must first understand the context in which it was written. Jesus is explaining to those who have chosen to follow him the expectations for a Christ-like disciple. He is laying out the standards of conduct for any disciple who wishes to be a representative of the Son of God.
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
Jesus isn’t willing to except the status quo or social norm for daily living. No business as usually for those who would follow the son of man.
“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return;
and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High;
for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish.
Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
GOING TOO FAR?
B.D. Prewer 1989
"What’s that you now want to add? Ah. Well, yes Lord, I do see;
loving enemies is the way you always deal with me.”
As God has been merciful to us so are we to be merciful towards others since now we represent the God of all mercy.
“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you; good measure,
pressed down, shaken together, running over, will it be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”
Following the Christ. Living the Christ-like life has never been about what we can do for Christ but has everything to do with what Christ wants to do through us in His name. Do you remember as a child how you couldn’t wait for the first freeze of winter so you could run out and check to see if the ponds or rivers we frozen over so you could skate. Do you recall how you would test the ice to see if it was hard enough to take your weight. One step at a time you would inch out onto the ice. Praying the whole time for the ice to hold. And it wasn’t enough that the edges were hard. There would always be some hearty soul who wanted to see how far out they could go. Was the ice hard enough to hold them up all the way to the center of the water? Jesus Christ is calling out to all of us to step out beyond our own abilities and to test the strength of God’s mercy. To see how far out will God’s grace bear us up. The more we are willing to give, the more we will receive. The more we attempt to live the life that Christ has called us to live in His name, the more the Holy Spirit will empower us to live that very life. For the same apostle who declared, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” also said, “I can do all things in Christ,
who strengthens me.”
Saint Fracis of Assisi understood that it was only by the transforming power our divine maker that we are empowered to live the Christ-like life. So with the intent of letting God have more and more control over his life Saint Francis would pray this prayer,
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
CONCLUSION
A person would have to be out of their minds to think that they could live as Christ commands us in the sermon in the plain. And we are out of our minds. We have turned away from our way of thinking to take on the mind of Christ. We have been with Jesus. We have accepted His call to follow Him. We have been touched by His words and transformed by the power of His life, death and resurrection. And we will never be the same again.
Acts 4:13
"When they saw the courage of Peter and John
and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men,
they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. "