WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:00.719 Well, good morning. 00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:01.439 Good to see you. 00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:07.200 I'm sure you've been keeping up uh with the Taylor Swift Kanye um issues. 00:00:07.360 --> 00:00:13.279 If not, I'm gonna catch you up to speed this morning and we find it very important as a church to be up to speed on these very important matters. 00:00:13.439 --> 00:00:17.199 So just to backtrack so I can catch you up, because like I said, very important. 00:00:17.359 --> 00:00:18.559 You know, we'd be involved here. 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:30.239 In 2009, Taylor Swift she won a VMA award, and maybe you remember this, and she gets to get up on stage to receive the award, and then Kanye just kind of goes for it and steals the mic and belittles the moment. 00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:35.679 And we think there's gonna be this huge fallout, and she, you know, Taylor Taysway, right? 00:00:35.759 --> 00:00:36.320 Everyone would love her. 00:00:36.399 --> 00:00:37.200 How do you not love her? 00:00:37.359 --> 00:00:41.920 You can act like you don't love her, but you still sing along with her music, and we know you do. 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:46.880 So she kind of graciously deals with it, and we think there's not a big fallout out of this. 00:00:46.960 --> 00:00:54.240 And a few years later, she's with um she's with Kanye and Kim, and they're at the MTV Awards and they're hanging out. 00:00:54.320 --> 00:00:55.600 It looks like everything's good. 00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:56.880 It looks like everything's good. 00:00:56.960 --> 00:01:00.320 And 2015, uh, it looks like things are good. 00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:06.719 They're seen at parties together, they're friends, they're smiling, they're dancing, all is forgotten. 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:12.159 A circle of healthy celebrity relationships are going on here. 00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:16.640 And then this year, Kanye releases a song that degrades Taylor. 00:01:16.879 --> 00:01:19.040 I will not read those lyrics in church. 00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:20.799 It's that that rough. 00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:22.879 And a cycle begins. 00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:28.000 And that's why I'm mentioning this absurd story because there's always a cycle. 00:01:28.159 --> 00:01:56.560 So then the internet goes crazy, and then Kanye says that Taylor approved the lyrics, and she says she didn't, that they had a phone call, but she didn't approve of the lyrics, and then she wins another Grammy, and then in that speech, she takes a shot at Kanye, and then Kim has an interview with GQ, and she takes a shot at Taylor, calling her a liar, and then Taylor responds back via social media, and then all the friends of all the people join in, and it's back and forth and back and forth. 00:01:56.799 --> 00:01:59.680 Maybe it's all publicity, which it's really working, right? 00:02:00.079 --> 00:02:00.879 It's actually working. 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:03.920 I'm mentioning it in church, is how well it's working. 00:02:04.159 --> 00:02:10.960 But the point is, the point is, is it all started with one thing, and then a cycle begins. 00:02:11.599 --> 00:02:16.000 He did this, so she did that, so he did this, so she did that, so he did this, right? 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:20.639 It's the cycle you strike me, so I strike you. 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:32.479 Now, if that's too pop culture for you, it's it's kind of interesting, in July of this year, the official Twitter accounts for the governments of Denmark and Sweden got into it. 00:02:32.639 --> 00:02:33.680 I mean, it is crazy. 00:02:33.919 --> 00:02:40.879 The official foreign ministry Twitter accounts for two countries of this world got into it. 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:52.479 So Denmark tweeted something about the two countries not liking wall-to-wall carpeting, and I didn't understand why a government needs to say things like this, or maybe even why a government needs a Twitter account. 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:54.240 Um, that's up for debate as well. 00:02:54.319 --> 00:03:23.199 And I don't understand that joke, maybe it's a culture thing, but apparently Sweden didn't like being compared to Denmark in any way, and so they fire back on their Twitter account, official foreign ministry Twitter account, they fire back that Denmark's basically the size of one of their lakes, and then you know Denmark didn't like that, and they start making fun of each other's languages and like something about moose and something about the fertility rate of men in Denmark, and like back and forth, back and forth, right? 00:03:23.680 --> 00:03:28.000 Official, official, official uh government um language coming out here, right? 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:30.960 They said this, so I will say this. 00:03:31.120 --> 00:03:33.759 So they say this, so I'll say this, and it's a cycle. 00:03:33.919 --> 00:03:35.360 A cycle begins. 00:03:36.159 --> 00:03:37.759 And we know cycles. 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:49.599 We we know cycles more seriously in Syria, we know cycles this week in Charlotte, we know cycles in hallways, we know cycles in break rooms, we know cycles in our families. 00:03:49.840 --> 00:03:53.759 We know cycles in the most prized relationships we have. 00:03:55.199 --> 00:04:09.520 Because that person said that thing, and so I'm gonna say that next thing, and then they're gonna say the next thing, or we were forgotten by that person, so we secretly, maybe not actively, we secretly, passively withdraw. 00:04:10.479 --> 00:04:18.959 Maybe we actively seek to harm that person, or maybe we passively just wait and sort of enjoy when something happens to them, right? 00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:21.120 You should sort of rejoice inside of yourself. 00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:27.680 You never tell anybody, but inside of you, you're sort of thinking, serves them right. 00:04:29.519 --> 00:04:30.879 Had it coming. 00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:43.040 And then we have this text, this teaching from Jesus in Matthew 5, this Sermon on the Mount, the core of his teaching, he's taking us into the core of our beings in Matthew 5, 38 through 39. 00:04:43.199 --> 00:04:50.639 You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye, and tooth for a tooth, but I say to you, do not resist the evil one who is evil. 00:04:51.040 --> 00:04:55.279 But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 00:04:55.600 --> 00:05:05.439 So another way to read Matthew 5.39, the first part there is do not respond in kind to those who do evil to you. 00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:07.360 Don't do the same thing back. 00:05:07.759 --> 00:05:15.120 Now, the historical context of this eye for an eye is about controlling and limiting punishment for something done. 00:05:15.199 --> 00:05:23.519 And then Jesus comes into this issue and he says, Oh, the perfect path forward in relationships is to break the cycle. 00:05:24.639 --> 00:05:26.079 Don't you wonder? 00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:38.160 Don't you wonder how free your inner life would be if you only broke cycles and didn't spend energy perpetuating cycles? 00:05:41.040 --> 00:06:01.600 So that person thinks whatever about you or said whatever about you, and they sit in judgment over you, or they leave you, or they say something, they pass you over, they break the promise, they steal the money, they said words they shouldn't have said, or they didn't say words they should have said, and Jesus is saying, don't respond in kind to them. 00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:07.120 Maybe you build boundaries, maybe you leave, but don't respond in kind. 00:06:07.199 --> 00:06:10.959 Because listen, when you do it, you never end it. 00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:11.839 Right? 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:14.480 We can actually learn something from Kanye and Taylor. 00:06:14.639 --> 00:06:14.959 Amazing. 00:06:15.040 --> 00:06:16.560 We never guess it, but we can. 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:19.759 That it doesn't stop it. 00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:24.000 Now, author and counselor at the University of Chicago, Dr. 00:06:24.079 --> 00:06:27.519 Alex Lickerman on psycholytoday.com, an article. 00:06:27.600 --> 00:06:29.680 He wrote, here's what he says. 00:06:30.079 --> 00:06:37.199 When someone attacks us, abuses us, or even disrespects us, no one benefits by our turning the other cheek. 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:57.199 Turning the other cheek meaning in the biblical sense that upon being struck, we should offer our attacker our other cheek to strike as well, a way of representing our commitment to an extreme form of pacifism in which we willingly allow ourselves to come to harm rather than taking measures to protect ourselves that require us to harm someone else. 00:06:57.439 --> 00:07:00.240 Okay, so this guy isn't buying into it. 00:07:00.319 --> 00:07:01.120 Like he doesn't buy it. 00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:02.399 He doesn't buy his teaching. 00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:04.959 So what are the scriptures calling us to? 00:07:05.040 --> 00:07:06.800 What is Jesus calling us to? 00:07:06.959 --> 00:07:10.959 Well, he's not calling, it's very clear he's not calling us to be bulldozers. 00:07:11.040 --> 00:07:14.240 But what also is clear, he's not calling us to be doormats. 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:16.560 There's a third way. 00:07:17.040 --> 00:07:23.199 And the third way is about being secure and self-assured and breaking cycles. 00:07:24.079 --> 00:07:27.759 Remember Samson, Old Testament, it's a story in the Old Testament. 00:07:27.839 --> 00:07:28.879 Maybe you haven't heard the story. 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:30.879 It's a crazy story. 00:07:31.040 --> 00:07:32.959 It's some crazy stuff. 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:37.839 This guy's in Judges 15, he has long hair, he's super, super strong. 00:07:38.160 --> 00:07:40.319 He is a force to deal with. 00:07:40.480 --> 00:07:45.519 So the story in Judges 15, it goes like this: that Samson was headed toward his wife's room. 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:50.480 Okay, this is code language for he's gonna have some quality time with his wife. 00:07:50.560 --> 00:08:02.959 So he's on his way to his wife's room, and the father of the wife steps in, and the father says, Oh, I was so sure you didn't like her, that I gave her to your friend. 00:08:03.199 --> 00:08:05.519 Isn't her younger sister more your type? 00:08:05.680 --> 00:08:10.480 So right away, the the horror of ancient views of women, it's there. 00:08:10.639 --> 00:08:17.920 We know that that's a mess, and now we also have the mess of a wound, the father-in-law on Samson. 00:08:18.480 --> 00:08:20.079 And a cycle begins. 00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:27.199 Because Samson says, This time I have a right to get even with the Philistines. 00:08:27.439 --> 00:08:30.480 So that was his wife's family, was a part of the Philistines. 00:08:30.639 --> 00:08:32.720 I will really harm them. 00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:40.639 Like this has been building up, and now you've wounded my right and my pride, and I deserve to strike back. 00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:43.360 So a few points as we work our way through the story. 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:47.679 Point number one is this retaliation is about wounded pride. 00:08:48.159 --> 00:08:54.399 When we want to retaliate, that that desire is coming out of a wounded pride. 00:08:55.600 --> 00:08:58.080 How dare you say that to me? 00:08:58.320 --> 00:08:59.600 How dare you do that to me? 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:03.039 You took away my rights, you wounded me, you strike me, I will strike you. 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:07.600 So Samson goes and he catches 300 foxes. 00:09:08.240 --> 00:09:11.679 I don't know how long it takes to catch 300 foxes. 00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:14.879 I tried to catch a lightning bug this summer and I tripped. 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:19.600 You know, he's catching 300 foxes and he ties them tail to tail. 00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:22.639 He puts a torch in between the tails. 00:09:23.120 --> 00:09:24.480 He burns the fields. 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:26.879 He lets these foxes go in the fields of the Philistines. 00:09:27.039 --> 00:09:32.960 So he burns, he burns their grain and their olives, he burns their food, he burns their livelihood. 00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:35.279 This is this is crazy. 00:09:35.679 --> 00:09:38.240 And so then the people say, Who did this? 00:09:38.480 --> 00:09:39.679 Who did this? 00:09:42.879 --> 00:09:45.600 And so they say, Well, Samson. 00:09:46.399 --> 00:09:50.080 Because his wife was given to his companion. 00:09:50.159 --> 00:09:56.799 So then the people, the Philistines, they go up to the wife, they go get the wife, and they'll go get the father-in-law, and they burn him to death. 00:09:57.120 --> 00:09:59.200 So now it's not just between Samson and the family. 00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:04.000 Now it's Samson and the family and all these people, and now we have two people dead. 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:06.399 And if you're reading the story, you're just going, stop. 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:07.759 Just somebody stop. 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:08.320 Right? 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:10.320 Just stop. 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:10.960 Leave. 00:10:11.120 --> 00:10:12.320 Leave town. 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:13.759 Build a boundary. 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:14.799 Take off. 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:16.559 Walk away. 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:17.519 Turn the cheek. 00:10:17.679 --> 00:10:18.960 Shut your mouth. 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:22.320 But they struck him, and so he's going to strike back. 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:26.799 And at some point, this is kind of point number two, retaliation is about a wounded heart. 00:10:27.120 --> 00:10:29.679 I mean, they they really struck him deep. 00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:31.600 I mean, it was his wife. 00:10:32.720 --> 00:10:39.759 And then point number three is retaliation is often blind to our faults and always blind to the cycle we were caught in. 00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:46.799 Retaliation is often blind to our faults, what we had to do with this, and always blind to the cycle we were caught in. 00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:53.440 So 3,000 of Samson's men, his own tribe, they come to him and they say, Sam, you've got to stop this. 00:10:53.600 --> 00:10:55.840 These people, they're crazy, these Philistines. 00:10:55.919 --> 00:10:56.320 They're crazy. 00:10:56.399 --> 00:10:57.440 You've got to stop. 00:10:58.720 --> 00:11:01.200 And he says, I just did to them what they did to me, right? 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:01.919 I mean, you hear it? 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:03.600 I just did to them what they did to me. 00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:06.879 He's caught in the cycle and he's blinded by the cycle. 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:13.840 And then they come to Samson and they say, We're going to tie you up and we're going to turn you over. 00:11:14.399 --> 00:11:15.519 We're going to stop this. 00:11:15.679 --> 00:11:16.720 So they tie him up. 00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:19.039 Samson, he breaks free. 00:11:19.360 --> 00:11:26.080 He gets a donkey's jawbone, and he goes Rambo on a thousand men. 00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:28.320 He kills a thousand men. 00:11:29.360 --> 00:11:39.759 So it went from him and his father-in-law to the fields being burned, to those people coming back and killing his wife and father-in-law. 00:11:40.559 --> 00:11:43.200 And now Simpson's killed a thousand men. 00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:47.519 I mean, this story is extreme and graphic, it was profound, right? 00:11:47.679 --> 00:11:52.159 Like revenge always escalates and it never satisfies. 00:11:52.720 --> 00:11:56.639 It's a cycle that gets faster and faster and faster, and you can get caught up. 00:11:57.039 --> 00:11:59.519 And more power will not stop the cycle. 00:11:59.679 --> 00:12:02.240 The next comment does not stop the cycle. 00:12:02.639 --> 00:12:04.480 If you're married, you know this. 00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:07.279 The next comment doesn't do it. 00:12:08.480 --> 00:12:10.720 Stopping stops the cycle. 00:12:10.960 --> 00:12:13.519 Turning the other cheek stops the cycle. 00:12:13.759 --> 00:12:15.840 And it doesn't mean you're weak. 00:12:16.799 --> 00:12:18.480 It means you want to be free. 00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:23.519 It means you want to be obedient to what Jesus calls us to, to be people of peace. 00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:26.639 So point number four. 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:31.759 When we turn the other cheek, we are blessing the other person. 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:36.000 But then we discover we are freed in the process. 00:12:36.240 --> 00:12:42.399 When we turn the other cheek, we are blessing the other person, but then we discover we are freed in the process. 00:12:42.639 --> 00:12:55.759 Relational violence between me and you, and you and your friend, and you and your classmate, and you and your coworker, and you and your spouse, and you and your kid, and the kid to the parent, that relational violence does not bring peace to the core of your being. 00:12:56.159 --> 00:12:58.799 Staying in the cycle will not bring you peace. 00:12:59.120 --> 00:13:06.480 Grace and pacifism within the relationship, even in injustices, that brings peace. 00:13:06.720 --> 00:13:21.360 Jesus is teaching, drop, drop the jawbone, drop, drop the foxes, hold the tongue, walk away, build boundaries if needed, move if you need to, whatever you have to do, but let it go. 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:29.679 If we go back to the text starting in verse 40, if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:33.679 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:38.879 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:45.840 So Jesus takes the law, what we should be, eye for an eye, takes it, and says, don't just do what you should. 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:47.519 Hey, let's do even more. 00:13:47.679 --> 00:13:48.799 Let's do even more. 00:13:49.600 --> 00:13:52.559 So you wound me, but I know about cycles. 00:13:52.879 --> 00:13:54.559 So here's the other cheek. 00:13:55.519 --> 00:13:58.159 You asked for my tunic, have my cloak. 00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:02.559 You're gonna ask me to go a mile, carry your gear for a mile. 00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:04.559 And maybe I'm obligated to do that. 00:14:04.799 --> 00:14:06.480 I'll go two with you. 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:11.279 I will kill this cycle of violence between us. 00:14:12.639 --> 00:14:15.120 And in doing so, I break the cycle. 00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:17.759 So I'm no bulldozer, but I'm no doormat. 00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:21.600 In dignity, I can love you. 00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:27.200 I mean, this is what the great poet Tim McGraw, the great poet Tim McGraw, he's singing about. 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:31.039 Don't hold a grudge or a chip, and here's why. 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:32.960 Bitterness keeps you from flying. 00:14:33.120 --> 00:14:34.559 Always stay humble and kind. 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:35.919 He said, hey, don't do it. 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:37.919 Don't get caught in a cycle. 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:42.000 So this this week I just sat down several mornings. 00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:48.399 I just sat and just meditated and asked God, God, help me see the cycles I'm in. 00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:53.679 Because if you're blind, when you're in a cycle, you're like, God, I need you to help me see it. 00:14:54.879 --> 00:15:00.000 And so one guy came to mind, a friend, acquaintance of mine. 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:02.639 And that one's still a work in progress, I'll be honest. 00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:09.120 He he has wounded some friends of mine, he's wounded some family, he's caused problems. 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:20.080 He's wounded me, and I am working on letting that go and not passively sort of serves him right. 00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:22.639 So I'm caught in a cycle there. 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:25.279 I know that the post office came to mind. 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:28.159 I mean, it sounds so crazy. 00:15:28.320 --> 00:15:32.879 A few years ago, I got into it with the post office about my mailbox. 00:15:33.039 --> 00:15:34.240 It went on for weeks. 00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:40.879 They held my mail, they sent my mail back to like people I owed, you know, like my bills, and so it was all of this. 00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:46.879 And I I went postal in a post office on the manager of the post office, and I had to apologize. 00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:55.919 I had to go and apologize to the post office because I was so absurd, postal in the post office, so upset, so mad. 00:15:56.080 --> 00:16:01.519 And passively, the last two years, just to be really this is so moronic, so silly. 00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:09.039 Passively, every time I hear bad news about the post office, I just rejoice inside. 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:12.159 Like, the post office isn't aware of me, right? 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:13.679 I'm not aware. 00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:16.399 But there's this cycle in me, right? 00:16:16.639 --> 00:16:23.360 And anytime I hear this bad news, I just sort of rejoice, just like that's that's wasted, really, it's wasted energy. 00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:26.320 It is waste, it is a cycle that I'm just stuck in. 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:30.399 It doesn't have to always be people, it could be so the post office, right? 00:16:31.440 --> 00:16:42.720 I I thought about the thug who who blew up the bombs in New York because I I heard that news this week, or maybe it was the end of last week, and you know what, I want to go after him. 00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:48.000 I want to go after his family and his brothers and his cousins, and I want all of them. 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:53.600 I want to perpetuate the cycle when I hear that news. 00:16:54.320 --> 00:17:05.119 And this one's tricky because we have to have societal defense, and I get that, and I'm for that, but personally, personally, I have to let it go. 00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:14.880 And I have to hope that he and his family and his friends and his cousins are healed from the hatred that they feel. 00:17:15.279 --> 00:17:16.880 If not, I'm in a cycle. 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:24.720 I have to be able to turn the cheek and be willing to bless even him. 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:33.680 And you know these cycles, and your family, friends, co-workers, they don't talk to him because of this, and she doesn't talk to him, and she doesn't hit. 00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:40.880 And we see that Jesus is teaching beyond our ability. 00:17:41.519 --> 00:17:41.839 Right? 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:44.319 Because you don't perfectly turn the other cheek. 00:17:44.799 --> 00:17:45.680 Of course you don't. 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:47.119 Neither do I. 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:50.640 We don't do this perfectly. 00:17:50.720 --> 00:17:51.839 So I need this teaching. 00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:58.240 I need this teaching to show me this third way, not a bulldozer, not a doormat, this third way. 00:17:58.559 --> 00:18:03.039 I need this teaching, but I also need it to show me. 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:05.680 I need it to show me I come up short. 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:08.640 That I don't always forgive and bless. 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:14.160 And so all of this leads us back for our need for God's grace to us. 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:22.880 It leads us back to the cross because Jesus goes to the cross, the physical manifestation of God's love and redemption for us, our sin put upon him. 00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:31.759 All the shortcomings, even upon this, all of our shortcomings to be able to do this, put upon him, his righteousness, perfection put upon us. 00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:34.000 And what does he say when he's on the cross? 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:35.279 Father, forgive them. 00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:36.880 They don't know what they're doing, right? 00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:41.599 I mean, he what he's saying is hey, these people, they have no clue. 00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:48.799 They are committing violence upon me, but I will not retaliate. 00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:51.440 I will break the cycle. 00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:55.039 So the cross breaks the cycle between us and God. 00:18:55.200 --> 00:18:57.279 It brings harmony and peace between us. 00:18:57.519 --> 00:19:00.720 Violence was done, but it stopped there. 00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:04.400 Because he turned the cheek. 00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:10.480 God no longer holds your imperfections and shortcomings against you. 00:19:11.119 --> 00:19:14.319 In grace and mercy, he regards you as beloved. 00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:15.759 That's the very thing. 00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:25.119 The fact that in grace and mercy he regards you as beloved, that's the very thing that when somebody wounds you, it can only go so deep. 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:32.880 Because the core of who you are is rooted in the grace and mercy of Jesus to you, that you are always beloved. 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:38.960 So the wound can only go so deep because the deepest parts of you are secure. 00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:45.200 This is the very thing that helps us be able to turn the other cheek. 00:19:45.599 --> 00:19:47.279 The fact that he turned the cheek. 00:19:47.359 --> 00:19:50.079 He went the extra mile, he gives over the cloak. 00:19:50.400 --> 00:20:05.839 So, my brothers and sisters, and the grace and mercy of Christ Jesus, may you break cycles of retaliation and may you rest in Christ who gives complete grace and mercy for all of us who have a really hard time doing so. 00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:07.680 Let's pray together. 00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:22.480 God, thank you that you teach us the way forward, and at the same time, you give us great rest for all the ways that we hesitate to do it. 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:43.279 There are those of us in this room that are caught in cycles of relational violence, of hatred, of just bitterness, woundedness, where we have never let the person go. 00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:55.680 Would you, through your Holy Spirit that resides in us, call us, fuel us, inspire us, to turn the G. 00:20:57.119 --> 00:21:00.960 To begin to bless the one who has wounded us? 00:21:01.279 --> 00:21:05.039 Would you give us strength in the core of our beings to never be a doormat? 00:21:06.559 --> 00:21:09.599 But would you give us great wisdom to not be bulldozers? 00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:17.039 And would we rest greatly, greatly in the cross? 00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:24.720 Or you still we don't know what we're doing. 00:21:25.920 --> 00:21:27.440 Thank you for your love for us.