WEBVTT 00:00:13.919 --> 00:00:20.559 Welcome to the Ambassador Church Podcast, a church in the city for the city, on Milwaukee's east side. 00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:27.039 We pray this message meets you where you are, challenges your faith, and draws you closer to Jesus. 00:00:30.879 --> 00:00:32.240 Good morning, good morning. 00:00:32.399 --> 00:00:34.719 If we haven't had the chance to meet yet, my name is Micah. 00:00:34.799 --> 00:00:39.520 I get to serve here on staff at Ambassador with our college ministry, the Salt Company. 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:45.600 Um, we get to leave that with Emily Mac McKinster on the kit back there this morning, multi-talented individual. 00:00:45.759 --> 00:00:48.320 She would hate that I'm saying this right now, and it's on recording. 00:00:48.399 --> 00:00:54.399 So um uh we are going to continue this morning in our series in the Sermon on the Mount. 00:00:54.479 --> 00:00:55.920 We've called it the Summer on the Mount. 00:00:56.000 --> 00:01:03.679 If you've been here for the past, I don't know, six weeks now, um, we've been in the best sermon ever, Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. 00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:09.359 And so uh last week we covered very fun topics, uh, lust, divorce, and oaths. 00:01:09.439 --> 00:01:14.640 So if you want to spend an afternoon being challenged by Jesus, go ahead and listen back to that if you weren't here. 00:01:14.879 --> 00:01:22.319 Um, but Jesus is going to continue on in this sermon uh on the mount, and this week he's gonna transition to a different topic. 00:01:22.480 --> 00:01:31.359 And if you remember last week, Jesus took a common statement that the Jewish people would know in the Old Testament, and he didn't condemn it, but he corrected it. 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:36.239 And this week he's gonna do the same thing with two more statements. 00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:41.280 Uh and this morning we're going to be in Matthew chapter five, verses thirty-eight through forty-eight. 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:45.280 So if you have your Bible with you, you can go ahead and start turning there. 00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:52.159 If you don't have a physical copy of God's word, we have copies of the Bible in your pews uh for you to borrow. 00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:58.719 And if you would like a physical copy of God's word, we'd love to give you one for free back at the Connect table in the cafe. 00:01:58.799 --> 00:02:01.200 So we want to make sure that you have a physical copy of God's word. 00:02:01.439 --> 00:02:03.760 There's just something about it when we read through the pages. 00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:09.120 Um, so uh, but before we get started, what I want to do is I want to start with a question for the room. 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:10.560 Okay, you ready? 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:15.280 What does it look like to live an extraordinary life? 00:02:16.319 --> 00:02:19.599 What does it look like to live an extraordinary life? 00:02:19.759 --> 00:02:23.520 Now, when I ask that question, you're likely thinking of something specific. 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:28.800 Maybe when I say extraordinary life, you're thinking of like the adventurous life. 00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:33.360 Okay, maybe, maybe you're thinking those two words should be synonymous with each other. 00:02:33.439 --> 00:02:48.560 Like, like if you don't go to more countries than you can count and fill up your passport with stamps like climb Mount Kilimanjaro, have like no retirement savings, and own like three shirts and some crunchy Tiva sandals, then you're not really living an extraordinary life. 00:02:48.719 --> 00:02:49.439 Maybe that's you. 00:02:49.520 --> 00:02:51.439 Okay, maybe you're the backpacker in the room. 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:52.080 All right. 00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:55.520 Maybe you're thinking about a talented life. 00:02:55.599 --> 00:03:01.360 Maybe you're thinking that an extraordinary life involves having like an elite-level talent that you can utilize. 00:03:01.599 --> 00:03:01.840 Okay. 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:03.840 Like singing like Whitney Houston. 00:03:03.919 --> 00:03:04.159 Okay. 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:07.759 Maybe you want you, if you don't have the pipes like Whitney, then you can't have an extraordinary life. 00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:12.240 Or maybe acting like Leo DiCaprio, even though he's gotten robbed a bunch of times for Oscars. 00:03:12.319 --> 00:03:12.560 Okay. 00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:14.400 Or maybe shaking your hips like Shakira. 00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:15.039 I don't know. 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:17.680 You know, maybe throwing a football like Tom Brady. 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:24.879 Like maybe you feel like if you don't have an elite level talent, then you aren't extraordinary and you can't live an extraordinary life. 00:03:25.039 --> 00:03:26.159 Maybe that's you. 00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:32.080 Or maybe you're thinking in order to have an extraordinary life, you have to be incredibly successful. 00:03:32.319 --> 00:03:38.000 Like, like if you haven't made hundreds of thousands of dollars and millions of dollars, you aren't extraordinary. 00:03:38.240 --> 00:03:38.479 Right. 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:45.520 Or if or if you haven't invented something that changed the world, like Truett Cathy and the original chicken sandwich, Chick-fil-A, right? 00:03:45.680 --> 00:03:48.560 The Lord's chicken, then you aren't living an extraordinary life. 00:03:48.719 --> 00:03:49.280 All right. 00:03:50.319 --> 00:03:58.000 Whatever it should look like to you, there's a problem with each of those specific thoughts about having an extraordinary life. 00:03:58.560 --> 00:04:03.759 It's that they aren't lives that Jesus would consider extraordinary on their own. 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:14.400 We all have some sort of idea of what an extraordinary life looks like, but the issue with each of us having these different thoughts is not that those types of lives are bad in and of themselves. 00:04:14.560 --> 00:04:22.240 It's that those lives by themselves aren't what Jesus has in mind when he talks about living an extraordinary life. 00:04:22.560 --> 00:04:29.680 Okay, like Jesus doesn't need you to climb thousands of feet up a mountain to be an extraordinary person living an extraordinary life. 00:04:29.839 --> 00:04:35.199 Okay, Jesus doesn't want you to invent a whole new way to eat chicken with bread in it. 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:36.480 He doesn't need you to do that. 00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:38.079 It's already been done. 00:04:38.480 --> 00:04:43.120 He doesn't need you to sing, I will always love you like Whitney did, to be living an extraordinary life. 00:04:43.279 --> 00:04:44.800 He doesn't need you to do that. 00:04:45.040 --> 00:04:47.360 Literally nobody can, I'm convinced. 00:04:48.480 --> 00:04:54.240 But Jesus has a specific way of living and doing things in mind when he talks about extraordinary living. 00:04:54.480 --> 00:05:00.879 Okay, and this morning we're going to unpack what Jesus sees as ways to live an extraordinary life in two specific areas. 00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:05.600 Okay, now hopefully that was enough time to turn in your Bibles to Matthew chapter five, verse thirty-eight. 00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:07.199 If you got it, say got it. 00:05:07.680 --> 00:05:09.519 I'll go ahead and read it for us. 00:05:10.399 --> 00:05:17.360 You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but I tell you, don't resist an evildoer. 00:05:17.519 --> 00:05:22.480 On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 00:05:22.879 --> 00:05:30.639 As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well, and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him too. 00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:35.279 Give to the one who asks you, and don't turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. 00:05:35.600 --> 00:05:39.680 You have heard it said that love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 00:05:40.160 --> 00:05:46.160 So you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. 00:05:46.399 --> 00:05:51.920 For he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:54.720 For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? 00:05:54.959 --> 00:05:56.959 Don't even the tax collectors do the same? 00:05:57.120 --> 00:06:00.800 And if you only greet your brothers and sisters, what are you doing out of the ordinary? 00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:03.360 Don't even the Gentiles do the same? 00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:08.399 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. 00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:19.120 So Jesus is again, he's taking a statement, multiple statements, from the Old Testament law, and what he's going to do is he's not going to condemn what the statement said. 00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:26.480 He isn't invalidating what God put into the Old Testament law, but he's going to correct the view that people had of it. 00:06:26.800 --> 00:06:27.120 Okay. 00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:33.920 And the first statement that Jesus is going to correct is an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:34.399 Okay. 00:06:34.560 --> 00:06:37.920 Or in other words, he's going to tackle the topic of retaliation. 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:38.879 Okay. 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:41.600 Let's read verse 38 again. 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:47.839 You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:50.480 Okay, does anybody have siblings in here? 00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:51.600 Younger, older? 00:06:51.680 --> 00:06:52.720 Okay, let's see some hands. 00:06:52.800 --> 00:06:53.199 All right. 00:06:53.439 --> 00:07:01.279 If your sibling, let me ask you this: if your sibling poked you in the eyeball, okay, what would be the first thing that you would want to do back to them? 00:07:01.519 --> 00:07:01.839 Poke them. 00:07:02.319 --> 00:07:03.920 Poke them in the eyeball. 00:07:04.399 --> 00:07:07.199 Like you'd want to return the favor, right? 00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:10.800 Like if your sibling pushed you down, what's the first thing that you would want to do back to them? 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:12.480 Push them back. 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:13.279 Okay. 00:07:14.079 --> 00:07:19.360 Or maybe it wasn't physical and you were ordained from God not to have physical conflict with your sibling as a kid. 00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:20.959 If so, teach me your ways. 00:07:21.040 --> 00:07:23.680 My kids are a little, you know, they're getting a little pushy with each other. 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:24.560 Three and one. 00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:26.079 It starts early. 00:07:26.639 --> 00:07:32.879 But maybe for you, it was your sibling or even your friend that like shared a secret that they weren't supposed to. 00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:37.839 Like, like maybe they told your crush that you liked them, but you explicitly told them not to tell anybody. 00:07:37.920 --> 00:07:40.240 Like maybe it wasn't physical, but it was like verbal. 00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:40.720 Okay. 00:07:40.959 --> 00:07:42.000 Retaliation. 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:52.720 Maybe you were bullied by a bigger, stronger, more insecure kid, and they made your life in school a nightmare. 00:07:52.959 --> 00:07:55.920 And maybe all you wanted to do was make theirs even worse. 00:07:57.360 --> 00:08:04.399 It's not even just your siblings or your friends from childhood or a bully at school, but maybe you have someone who is hurting you today in some way. 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:07.839 And maybe all you want to do is hit them back. 00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:11.360 Make their life as miserable as they've made yours. 00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:22.399 And this idea of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, the idea of retaliation when wronged, it's the ordinary way of living when someone wrongs you. 00:08:23.600 --> 00:08:30.800 It's this way that everybody naturally wants to respond when someone wrongs you. 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:38.399 Ordinary living would say, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, pay them back for what they did to you. 00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:43.200 But Jesus isn't calling his audience to live an ordinary life. 00:08:43.519 --> 00:08:47.039 He's calling them to something that might seem unconventional. 00:08:47.360 --> 00:08:54.320 Okay, verse 39, it says this But I tell you, don't resist an evildoer. 00:08:54.879 --> 00:09:02.000 On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 00:09:05.120 --> 00:09:12.240 Jesus says, if someone slaps you on the cheek, turn and give them the other one to slap to. 00:09:13.919 --> 00:09:14.559 What? 00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:22.000 Like I don't know about you, but if someone slaps me in the face, I am not naturally gonna go, here, here's the other. 00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:24.399 That's not my natural reaction. 00:09:24.639 --> 00:09:26.480 Especially if they got me good, right? 00:09:26.559 --> 00:09:28.000 Like I want to get them back. 00:09:28.240 --> 00:09:31.759 Like people don't just do that in the world today. 00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:34.000 People love to retaliate. 00:09:34.320 --> 00:09:38.320 Okay, the norm is to give that person a slap right back on their cheek, too. 00:09:39.440 --> 00:09:44.559 But Jesus isn't calling people to normalcy or to living in an ordinary way. 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:49.759 He's trying to get his audience to realize that following Jesus is anything but ordinary. 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:58.720 Verse 40 says this As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your cup as well. 00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:02.960 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:09.200 Give to the one who asks you, and don't turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:30.559 Jesus doesn't just want this to be about physical retaliation and turning that ordinary statement upside down, but he's actually going to extend this into the area of lawsuits and of theft and of labor and even giving and lending, all of these other areas. 00:10:30.799 --> 00:10:38.559 Jesus does not want his audience to think that they can retaliate in any of these ways and be living an extraordinary life. 00:10:40.320 --> 00:10:48.000 Jesus is taking this ordinary living concept of retaliation and he's saying, that's not how I roll, and neither do my followers. 00:11:02.639 --> 00:11:07.679 Give them your coat, go the extra mile and generously give. 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:12.000 That is what extraordinary living says about should you retaliate? 00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:13.759 That's the answer. 00:11:14.080 --> 00:11:19.120 This is not an ordinary way to live when it comes to retaliation. 00:11:20.320 --> 00:11:25.600 See if you're a Christian, you're not called to be an ordinary person who retaliates in an ordinary way. 00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:27.679 Even if that's your gut instinct. 00:11:27.840 --> 00:11:35.679 Like we have this idea that we can just retaliate like everybody else and sort of twist our own version of retaliation into some form of justice. 00:11:35.840 --> 00:11:40.960 Like we are God Himself, the ultimate judge, but that is not our job. 00:11:42.320 --> 00:11:48.799 Now, I'm not saying we can't help like keep the peace and help the literal justice system be better and do the job that it's supposed to do. 00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:49.840 That's not what I'm saying. 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:59.519 But what I am saying is that we can't just use our own anger and retaliation back at others and twist it into something that God is cosigning on as justice. 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:06.799 God will judge every single person on this planet in the end. 00:12:07.039 --> 00:12:18.320 And whatever retaliation we have in mind for the person who wronged us is absolutely nothing in comparison to the judgment that God can bring down on those who are not on his side in the end. 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:29.759 Our job is not to bring justice or retaliate the same way as every other person on the planet, but our job is to be more like Jesus. 00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:34.240 And if you call yourself a follower of Jesus, you aren't called to be like everybody else. 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:36.000 You're called to be like him. 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:43.200 Jesus was the ultimate example of turn the other cheek in his life. 00:12:43.840 --> 00:12:46.399 Jesus wasn't exactly a big retaliator. 00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:48.399 Okay, not exactly his M.O. 00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:50.000 and the way that he lived. 00:12:50.480 --> 00:13:04.480 And because of this, among many other reasons, the Jewish people, the Israelites, most of his audience, when he is preaching this message, are sitting there listening to him, and they doubted whether he was the Messiah, the promised savior of their people. 00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:20.639 They thought that when the Messiah came, he would come as a retaliator, or more specifically, someone who would come with military strength and might to overthrow the Roman Empire who was oppressing the Jewish people and liberate them. 00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:23.120 That's what they thought. 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:28.159 But Jesus doesn't arrive like that, and he definitely doesn't live like that. 00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:34.480 So the people have doubts about Jesus, even though they've they've heard him preach. 00:13:34.639 --> 00:13:36.399 They're in the middle of the best sermon ever. 00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:48.320 They've seen him perform miracles and do the unexplainable, extraordinary things that he does, but they still aren't sure because Jesus hasn't exactly retaliated like they expected him to. 00:13:50.159 --> 00:13:55.759 See, Jesus, he doesn't come with military might, he comes as a baby. 00:13:57.519 --> 00:14:08.480 He doesn't come to overthrow the Roman Empire in a literal battlefield, but Jesus came with spiritual might to overthrow the kingdom of darkness in the battle for our souls. 00:14:10.639 --> 00:14:16.320 And if we are followers of Jesus, we shouldn't be retaliating against others like we're in a military battle. 00:14:17.120 --> 00:14:24.480 But instead, we should be calling on Jesus to help us in this spiritual battle that's being waged for the hearts of people all over the world. 00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:31.440 Like we shouldn't be clenching our fists when someone wrongs us. 00:14:31.840 --> 00:14:36.240 We should be folding our hands and bowing our heads when someone wrongs us. 00:14:37.759 --> 00:14:47.200 Like if we believe what Jesus says is true about retaliation, we need to leave ordinary living and retaliation where it belongs in our pasts with our old selves. 00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:57.679 And what we need to do is we need to embrace extraordinary living and the way that Jesus has called us to live as our new selves in Christ. 00:14:58.399 --> 00:15:05.279 Okay, but Jesus isn't going to just address one Old Testament statement in our passage when it comes to this idea of extraordinary living. 00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:12.000 He's going to address another, and this statement might seem like it doesn't really need correcting when we read it out loud. 00:15:12.320 --> 00:15:14.320 But Jesus has a different view. 00:15:14.720 --> 00:15:15.919 Verse 43. 00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:22.639 It says, You have heard that it was said, love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:28.879 Okay, when you first read this, you might be immediately thinking of a neighbor you either have or have had. 00:15:29.039 --> 00:15:29.360 Okay. 00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:33.519 Some of you are maybe thinking about that one neighbor who was like really awesome and cooperative. 00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:35.360 Like maybe you were even buddies with them. 00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:38.080 You talked over the fence, like home improvement style. 00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:40.799 Okay, you guys got together for family dinners, stuff like that. 00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:42.240 Maybe you're thinking of that neighbor. 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:48.799 Okay, some of you are thinking of that one neighbor you were convinced had like a full-time job of like messing with you and your family, right? 00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:49.679 Have you ever had that? 00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:50.639 We've all had that thought. 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:51.759 Be honest with yourselves, guys. 00:15:51.840 --> 00:15:54.720 If you've ever lived in an apartment, you for sure have had that thought. 00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:55.279 Okay. 00:15:55.679 --> 00:15:57.200 Mine was our neighbors in Madison. 00:15:57.279 --> 00:16:00.799 If they ever listen to this, I'm sorry for thinking you were sabotaging us 24-7. 00:16:01.039 --> 00:16:01.360 Okay. 00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:03.679 But if you were, just know I won't retaliate. 00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:06.639 I'm a good Christian boy, but God will get his justice. 00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:07.600 You know what I'm saying? 00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:10.720 You keep doing that to other people, he's gonna get you in the end. 00:16:10.799 --> 00:16:11.120 Okay. 00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:12.960 Anyways, back to the message. 00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:14.000 Sorry about that. 00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:29.759 Um, but the interesting part about this statement of love your neighbor, okay, is that that word neighbor is the Greek word plagian and is often not translated as a literal neighbor next door, but is often actually translated as friend. 00:16:31.919 --> 00:16:38.639 So Jesus is essentially saying, you've heard that it was said, love your friend and hate your enemy. 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:43.120 Pretty easy to nod along to that one, right? 00:16:43.840 --> 00:16:47.840 Like, love your friends, check, hate your enemies, double check. 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:49.840 Not hard to do. 00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:50.799 We all naturally do it. 00:16:50.879 --> 00:16:52.559 It's a pretty universal viewpoint. 00:16:52.799 --> 00:16:55.679 But Jesus being Jesus, he has to correct this view. 00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:57.440 Okay, verse 44. 00:16:58.159 --> 00:17:05.839 It says, But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. 00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:08.880 What? 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:12.319 Timeout. 00:17:12.559 --> 00:17:16.640 Jesus, are you saying that I'm supposed to love the people who hate me? 00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:19.920 Why in the world would I do that? 00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:22.400 Where's the incentive? 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:24.480 Verse 45. 00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:32.400 So that you may be children of your father in heaven. 00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:42.240 For he causes his son to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:53.599 You love your enemies and pray for those who are persecuting you, so that you may be children of God. 00:17:56.160 --> 00:17:56.720 Whoa. 00:17:58.319 --> 00:18:01.039 That seems pretty extreme, Jesus, doesn't it? 00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:15.839 Like loving the very people who hate you and want to destroy you, let alone praying for those who are actively persecuting you in your life so that you may be God's children. 00:18:16.640 --> 00:18:19.039 Like I thought we were already God's children. 00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:20.880 Now we have to do that? 00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:24.640 Here's the thing. 00:18:25.440 --> 00:18:30.000 Jesus isn't telling you that you lose your salvation or something if you don't do this word for word. 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:31.279 He isn't saying that. 00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:45.759 But what he's trying to get his audience to see is that if you are a child of God, if you are saved by grace through faith in Jesus, then you should be living and loving others like Jesus and God the Father Himself. 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:49.759 Like, did you catch that at the end of verse 45? 00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:58.720 It says, For he, God, causes his son to rise on the evil and the good. 00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:04.400 He sends rain, his rain, on the righteous and the unrighteous. 00:19:05.759 --> 00:19:15.359 See, ordinary living says, love your friends or love your neighbors and hate your enemies, but the one true God of the universe is anything but ordinary. 00:19:16.960 --> 00:19:19.200 God doesn't just love certain people. 00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:22.559 It may seem like that, it may feel like that. 00:19:23.759 --> 00:19:26.240 But God doesn't just love the people who love him. 00:19:27.119 --> 00:19:29.599 God loves all people. 00:19:31.119 --> 00:19:32.640 Even the people who hate him. 00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:44.160 Verse 46. 00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:49.920 For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:53.279 Don't even the tax collectors do the same. 00:19:53.599 --> 00:19:57.119 And if you greet only your brothers and your sisters, what are you doing? 00:19:57.279 --> 00:20:00.000 Here it is, out of the ordinary. 00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:04.319 Don't even the Gentiles do the same. 00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:17.200 Okay, we need to know that tax collectors and Gentiles were some of the least liked, the lowest of the low, didn't want to be them type of people to this audience in Israel. 00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:25.119 Like, like think about something you not not that you like hate them, because we're Christian, okay, but someone you really don't like. 00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:28.160 Okay, my mom used to have this phrase, she's probably gonna listen to this. 00:20:28.319 --> 00:20:30.160 She used to say, they're on our list. 00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:33.359 Your mom ever tell you that? 00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:35.759 Come on, that's code for hate, okay? 00:20:36.000 --> 00:20:37.359 Sorry, mom, love you. 00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:40.799 But think about that kind of person for a minute. 00:20:41.920 --> 00:20:48.079 This would be like saying, doesn't your least favorite politician even love those who love them? 00:20:49.759 --> 00:20:54.720 Like, doesn't your ex who wronged you even greet their brothers and sisters? 00:20:57.200 --> 00:21:07.680 If you are just like those people who are the lowest of the low and your eyes, Jesus says, What are you doing out of the ordinary? 00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:16.720 This phrase that Jesus uses out of the ordinary, it comes from this Greek word parasos. 00:21:17.119 --> 00:21:25.839 And parasos literally means this it means uncommon, above and beyond, or extraordinary. 00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:36.640 Jesus is trying to say, if you're doing everything that everybody else is doing, how are you any different? 00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:47.200 Or in other words, he's saying, if you're living an ordinary life, how can you live the extraordinary life that I have called you to? 00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:55.279 Because extraordinary living doesn't just display love for those who love you. 00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:59.759 Okay, but extraordinary living says not only should you love those who love you. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:03.359 You but you should love the people who hate you. 00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:12.400 Not only should you love the people who hate you, but you should pray for those who actively hate you, even for following Jesus. 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:18.079 Sounds like a pretty daunting task, doesn't it? 00:22:19.519 --> 00:22:21.359 Seems downright impossible, right? 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:25.759 I mean, Jesus Jesus even goes on to say this in verse 48. 00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:27.200 Did you catch that at the end? 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:30.079 It says, be perfect. 00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:34.960 Therefore, as your heavenly father is perfect. 00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:38.319 Be perfect? 00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:40.400 What? 00:22:41.599 --> 00:22:43.279 How are we supposed to do that? 00:22:43.440 --> 00:22:45.839 How are we supposed to be just like God? 00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:50.160 Like, don't you know that we're just humans, Jesus? 00:22:50.880 --> 00:22:55.279 Like, this way of living is impossible to achieve. 00:22:58.799 --> 00:22:59.759 Exactly. 00:23:01.839 --> 00:23:04.799 Jesus knows that we are not perfect. 00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:08.960 Jesus knows that we will never be perfect on this side of eternity. 00:23:09.200 --> 00:23:15.839 Jesus knows that we can't do everything that he's asking us to do, and yet he asks us anyways. 00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:17.359 Why? 00:23:18.400 --> 00:23:24.880 Because he knows that we will need him to be able to live this extraordinary life he's calling us to. 00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:42.640 But with him, but with Jesus, we can be as extraordinary as he wants us to be. 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:51.759 But what that extraordinary life looks like, it's a whole lot different than what we started this morning talking about. 00:23:53.279 --> 00:23:59.359 Okay, Jesus' definition of extraordinary is actually a little bit backwards to most people. 00:24:00.240 --> 00:24:13.440 See, even after hearing all this and looking at what Jesus has to say about extraordinary living, there are likely a lot of you who still just think that extraordinary living looks like an adventurous, a successful, or a talented life. 00:24:13.680 --> 00:24:18.319 Like you maybe are hearing what Jesus has to say, and that doesn't sound extraordinary at all. 00:24:19.519 --> 00:24:31.359 And while some of those aspects of those lives that we talked about might be true about your life, they aren't what makes a life truly extraordinary, according to Jesus. 00:24:32.640 --> 00:24:37.440 This extraordinary living that Jesus is calling us to can be defined as this. 00:24:37.519 --> 00:24:39.599 It's going to pop up on the screen. 00:24:40.559 --> 00:25:02.000 Extraordinary living is living a life by grace through faith in Jesus that is distinctly uncommon, that goes above and beyond for Jesus and for others, and strives to reflect the life of our extraordinary Savior. 00:25:05.119 --> 00:25:11.759 We cannot live an extraordinary life without an extraordinary savior to emulate. 00:25:13.039 --> 00:25:23.599 We can't possibly be extraordinary, uncommon, above and beyond people without a savior who is the literal embodiment of extraordinary. 00:25:24.640 --> 00:25:28.240 It was Jesus who turned the other cheek first. 00:25:29.039 --> 00:25:33.279 Okay, it was Jesus who first gave generously to evildoers. 00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:38.400 It was Jesus who first went the extra mile for those people who pushed him to. 00:25:38.799 --> 00:25:47.279 It was Jesus who first not only loved those who loved him, but that he loved his enemies and he prayed for his persecutors. 00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:51.119 Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do. 00:25:53.839 --> 00:26:00.880 It was Jesus who first embodied this extraordinary life that Christians are now called to live. 00:26:02.079 --> 00:26:12.160 Like if you're a Christian in the room, you, no matter who you are, you are called to have a truly extraordinary life. 00:26:14.079 --> 00:26:29.920 Like whether you think Jesus' definition of an extraordinary life makes sense or not, whether you think it's worse than your idea of extraordinary or better, Jesus is calling you to live in this way so that you can be God's child like he's called you to be. 00:26:33.119 --> 00:26:48.799 We have the ultimate example to learn from, to emulate, to model our lives after, but you have to rely on him and not yourself to do it. 00:26:52.160 --> 00:26:59.440 If you aren't a Christian in the room, well, bit of bad news for you on the front end, turned into good news. 00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:08.240 If you aren't a Christian, you cannot live a truly extraordinary life according to Jesus. 00:27:09.279 --> 00:27:10.799 You can't do it. 00:27:24.799 --> 00:27:29.680 You cannot live an extraordinary life apart from an extraordinary savior. 00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:38.240 But here's the beautiful thing about our extraordinary Savior Jesus. 00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:51.279 The kind of life that makes you stop and wonder, who is that? 00:27:53.599 --> 00:27:56.559 But he didn't stop there at living the perfect life. 00:27:56.799 --> 00:28:10.079 He faced an extraordinary death, willingly absorbing the weight of all our mess and the wrath that we deserved that we couldn't carry on our own, so we wouldn't have to. 00:28:11.359 --> 00:28:21.519 And if that wasn't enough, he rose from the grave in an extraordinary way, shattering the finality of death and breaking the power of the grave wide open. 00:28:23.279 --> 00:28:27.200 Like he didn't just make a way, he became the way. 00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:33.519 Like Jesus isn't just a historical figure to study. 00:28:33.599 --> 00:28:35.359 That's not what we're doing here. 00:28:35.759 --> 00:28:40.480 He isn't just a moral teacher to emulate, he is a living savior. 00:28:40.559 --> 00:28:48.079 And he's inviting you to stop striving to live an extraordinary life without him and start living the extraordinary life he has called you to. 00:28:50.960 --> 00:29:00.400 And this morning, if that's you, if you're not a Christian in the room, you today can be saved by our extraordinary Savior. 00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:11.759 If you do as Romans 10 9 says, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved. 00:29:13.680 --> 00:29:15.200 It's that simple. 00:29:16.880 --> 00:29:19.359 That doesn't make it any less extraordinary. 00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:36.799 This leads us to our key takeaway this morning, and it's this Jesus lived an extraordinary life to be an extraordinary savior, so that you could answer his call to extraordinary living. 00:29:39.359 --> 00:29:43.839 So the question is: will you follow Jesus' call? 00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:48.480 Will you take your next step towards extraordinary living? 00:29:50.160 --> 00:29:58.240 Like for the Christian, next step probably looks like remembering that you have already been called to live this extraordinary life. 00:29:58.559 --> 00:30:01.039 Like we are a forget forgetful people. 00:30:01.599 --> 00:30:07.759 Okay, but the grace of the one true God, we serve a forgiving savior. 00:30:08.960 --> 00:30:19.279 So remember the call that you have from Jesus and don't just let the words sit on a on a notebook page or on an Apple note or whatever the Android thing is, equivalent, I don't know. 00:30:19.519 --> 00:30:22.559 Or maybe a thought in your head until you forget it at lunch. 00:30:22.640 --> 00:30:23.759 Don't do that. 00:30:24.240 --> 00:30:28.000 But actually take a step towards extraordinary living today. 00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:32.240 Okay, maybe it's not retaliating when someone attacks you. 00:30:32.799 --> 00:30:33.119 Okay. 00:30:33.440 --> 00:30:37.759 Maybe it's loving that person who hates you in some way. 00:30:38.160 --> 00:30:39.519 Make them cookies, I don't know. 00:30:39.599 --> 00:30:41.680 Whatever you, whatever you have to give. 00:30:42.079 --> 00:30:48.240 Maybe it's even praying for that person who is actively trying to hurt you right now, however hard that is for you. 00:30:49.920 --> 00:30:56.400 Whatever it is, make it a point to take that next step, not tomorrow, not tonight, but right now. 00:30:58.640 --> 00:31:03.279 And for the non-Christian, you have one step and one step only here. 00:31:04.480 --> 00:31:16.160 Stop trying to live the world's version of an extraordinary life and surrender your life to your extraordinary savior who's called you to something so much greater. 00:31:18.000 --> 00:31:21.759 This extraordinary life that Jesus has for us. 00:31:23.119 --> 00:31:27.039 Because the truth is, you only get one life. 00:31:28.240 --> 00:31:29.920 How will you live it? 00:31:30.799 --> 00:31:35.119 Will you live it the world's way, or will you live it Jesus' way? 00:31:36.880 --> 00:31:41.519 Like if you decide to follow Jesus, then I got great news for you. 00:31:42.000 --> 00:31:48.640 You are free to live the extraordinary life that Jesus has called you to live. 00:32:00.319 --> 00:32:06.000 Now imagine what happens if we actually live this out when we leave this room. 00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:13.039 Like, what if we were people who, when wronged, stopped the cycle of retaliation instead of fueling it? 00:32:13.680 --> 00:32:19.519 Like, what if we were the people who chose to actively pray for our enemies instead of gossiping about them? 00:32:21.359 --> 00:32:23.759 This isn't just nice, okay? 00:32:23.920 --> 00:32:27.519 This is the extraordinary love of Jesus in action. 00:32:29.599 --> 00:32:31.519 Kind of love that's magnetic. 00:32:32.319 --> 00:32:36.480 Okay, it's what our city and our campuses are starving for. 00:32:37.920 --> 00:32:51.440 It's the kind of love that stops division in its tracks, that breaks the chains of hatred and points every single peer person watching directly to the Savior who loved them first, even when they didn't love him. 00:32:54.559 --> 00:33:00.720 So let's pray that we would be people who live an extraordinary life to reflect our extraordinary savior. 00:33:00.880 --> 00:33:02.160 Would you pray with me? 00:33:04.400 --> 00:33:07.119 God, thank you for this room. 00:33:08.640 --> 00:33:12.240 God, thank you for bringing each and every one of these people here. 00:33:12.400 --> 00:33:17.759 Lord, thank you for creating each and every one of these people in your image first. 00:33:18.880 --> 00:33:25.839 God, thank you for giving us the ability to be called to live an extraordinary life. 00:33:26.480 --> 00:33:30.559 God, thank you for giving us the way in Jesus. 00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:44.400 God, thank you for empowering us through Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross and his resurrection from the grave to go and live the extraordinary life that you've called us to live. 00:33:45.599 --> 00:33:59.279 God, I pray that as we go from this place, that we don't just leave these words of yours on the pages of our Bible, that we would actually take them and that we would implement them into each of our lives as we go from this place. 00:33:59.839 --> 00:34:05.279 Lord, that we would see campuses change, that we would see our neighborhoods change, our workplaces changed. 00:34:06.960 --> 00:34:11.280 God, I pray that we would be people living the extraordinary life you've called us. 00:34:12.559 --> 00:34:14.079 I pray all this in your name. 00:34:14.320 --> 00:34:14.960 Amen. 00:34:21.519 --> 00:34:24.559 Thanks for listening to the Ambassador Church Podcast. 00:34:24.719 --> 00:34:31.199 To learn more, visit ambassadormke.org or follow us on Instagram at AmbassadorMKE. 00:34:31.360 --> 00:34:36.320 And if you're in the Milwaukee area, we'd love to see you this Sunday at 9 or 11 a.m. 00:34:36.639 --> 00:34:40.239 at 2308 East Bellevue Place. 00:34:40.480 --> 00:34:42.000 Grace and peace.