WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.760 One of the guys said, Man, let's eat all this food. 00:00:01.840 --> 00:00:02.479 Don't leave him any. 00:00:02.799 --> 00:00:03.359 And we did. 00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:05.440 We all put it on our plates. 00:00:05.519 --> 00:00:06.559 We were scarfing it down. 00:00:06.639 --> 00:00:07.280 He brought the rolls. 00:00:07.360 --> 00:00:11.279 We grabbed all the rolls and he looked and he said, Man, you guys are hungry. 00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:12.960 Let me get you some more. 00:00:13.759 --> 00:00:17.679 And in that moment, I felt something that I would only understand later. 00:00:17.839 --> 00:00:19.359 We'll talk about it later in the sermon. 00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:26.559 The Bible says that when the way you respond to your enemies, when you respond the right way, you heap burning coals on their head. 00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:33.759 And what that means is not that you set their head on fire, but you cause them to feel such shame that it burns. 00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:37.439 They feel the sense of remorse and they repent. 00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:44.880 Three hours later, after walking out of that dining hall, I heard the gospel and I came to faith. 00:00:46.320 --> 00:00:53.600 This podcast is brought to you by Grand Parkway Baptist Church, helping people to know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:53.759 --> 00:00:59.439 For more information about Grand Parkway, visit our website at grandparkway.org. 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:04.560 Amen. 00:01:04.959 --> 00:01:11.280 Lord Jesus, if we could just uh get our head around that and get our hearts marinated in that, that you'll never fail. 00:01:11.359 --> 00:01:14.000 Uh what could we not trust you with? 00:01:14.319 --> 00:01:15.680 You're just never gonna fail. 00:01:15.760 --> 00:01:19.280 It is not in your nature, it is not in your capacity. 00:01:20.799 --> 00:01:22.799 And that ought to make us curious about you. 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:25.920 That ought to make our head and our heart kind of lean over towards you. 00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:33.280 Now, Lord, what we're gonna read in the Bible this morning, it's gonna feel offensive and stupid and like, are you kidding me? 00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:34.239 Really? 00:01:34.560 --> 00:01:40.000 And the reason we'll have that response initially is because we trust our violence more than we trust yours. 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:52.959 And so, Lord, I pray that we just lay down our weapons the way we've responded our entire life and just take up a different way of responding because we are a different people. 00:01:53.439 --> 00:01:57.120 Give us eyes to see and ears to hear, Holy Spirit. 00:01:57.359 --> 00:02:02.719 Otherwise, we walk out today with just another thing to disagree with that we found in the Bible. 00:02:02.959 --> 00:02:08.000 And no one is shaped by that in here, and no one is helped by that out there. 00:02:08.560 --> 00:02:14.240 So, Holy Spirit, do whatever you need to do in here so we represent you accurately out there. 00:02:14.479 --> 00:02:15.439 This is our prayer. 00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:16.960 Make it our experience, Lord. 00:02:17.039 --> 00:02:18.240 We ask for it in Jesus' name. 00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:20.159 When everyone said, Amen. 00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:20.560 Amen. 00:02:20.639 --> 00:02:21.199 You can have a seat. 00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:23.840 If you got a Bible, I invite you to take it, open up to Matthew chapter 5. 00:02:23.919 --> 00:02:26.159 And if you're our guest, let me tell you what we're doing here. 00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:28.639 We're preaching to the gospel of Matthew. 00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:31.039 Uh, Matthew was one of the first followers of Jesus. 00:02:31.199 --> 00:02:37.680 The New Testament opens up with the books, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, four different perspectives on the life and ministry of Jesus. 00:02:37.840 --> 00:02:46.080 Uh, Matthew was writing to a very religious people, the Jews, trying to help them to understand that their religion is a vain substitute for a relationship. 00:02:46.240 --> 00:02:50.479 And we're at the point in the sermon called the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5, 6, and 7. 00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:55.199 We're at the part where Jesus is giving what's called six antithetical statements. 00:02:55.280 --> 00:03:03.039 He says they start like this You have heard of old, but I say unto you, and then he says something, and then he says, You have heard of old. 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:10.080 And so so far, uh in this little section of the Bible, we've talked about anger and lust and divorce and oaths. 00:03:10.240 --> 00:03:12.560 And today I want to talk about retaliation. 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:20.879 Get back, pay back, clap back, all the things that we by nature not only like want to do, but we like to do. 00:03:21.039 --> 00:03:21.680 Amen. 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:24.479 There's one honest person out there. 00:03:24.719 --> 00:03:25.360 Amen. 00:03:25.599 --> 00:03:27.520 Mom, put your hand over that kid's mouth. 00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:32.639 Anyway, I want to talk to you today about how the violence of God triumphs over the violence of man. 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:35.919 How the violence of God triumphs over the violence of man. 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:40.240 And before I read the text, I just want to say, uh, I'll just start with myself. 00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:44.800 Lots of things went into my conversion, my coming uh to faith, becoming a Christian. 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:51.199 But one of them that prepared my heart to hear the gospel was the fact that someone did not retaliate in my life. 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:57.759 Uh, I used to, I worked for a man that was a godly man, very successful businessman, but he would fire me every summer. 00:03:58.000 --> 00:03:59.599 His youth group would go to youth camp. 00:03:59.680 --> 00:04:01.919 And he, I said, dude, I gotta work, I gotta help my mom. 00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:02.800 He said, I know. 00:04:02.879 --> 00:04:07.280 I'm gonna pay your way to camp and I'm gonna pay your salary while you're gone to youth camp. 00:04:08.080 --> 00:04:10.719 Every year, starting my sophomore year in high school. 00:04:10.960 --> 00:04:14.159 Sophomore year, junior year, senior year is when this happened. 00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:19.360 I just graduated, he came to me in tears and said, Hey, I can't make you, but I'd be honored if you'd go one last time. 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:21.600 I was like, Okay, sure, I'll go. 00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:23.120 It's a paid vacation. 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:27.199 Uh, and so I went and went to a camp, and the camp they served family style. 00:04:27.279 --> 00:04:36.720 So we sat down, me and the other guys in my group, the older high school guys at our table, and a six foot five, he was a power forward at Baylor, was a counselor at the camp. 00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:42.240 He comes over with bowls, family-style bowls of food, puts them on the table, and he says, Hi, my name's Andy. 00:04:42.319 --> 00:04:43.680 I'm gonna be your counselor this week. 00:04:43.839 --> 00:04:45.120 I can't wait to serve you guys. 00:04:45.199 --> 00:04:46.639 And let me go get you some fresh rolls. 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:50.959 And while he's gone to get the rolls, we divvy up all the food and leave him none. 00:04:51.199 --> 00:04:54.079 And one of the guys said, Man, let's eat all this food, don't leave him any. 00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:54.959 And we did. 00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:58.160 We we scarfed, we all put it on our plates, we were scarfing it down. 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:02.879 He brought the rolls, we grabbed all the rolls and he looked and he said, Man, you guys are hungry. 00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:04.560 Let me get you some more. 00:05:05.360 --> 00:05:09.279 And in that moment, I felt something that I would only understand later. 00:05:09.439 --> 00:05:10.959 We'll talk about it later in the sermon. 00:05:11.279 --> 00:05:18.160 The Bible says that when the way you respond to your enemies, when you respond the right way, you heap burning coals on their head. 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:25.360 And what that means is not that you set their head on fire, but you cause them to feel such shame that it burns. 00:05:25.439 --> 00:05:29.040 They feel the sense of remorse and they repent. 00:05:29.920 --> 00:05:36.160 Three hours later, after walking out of that dining hall, I heard the gospel and I came to faith. 00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:40.160 It was July the 5th, 1982, about 9:35 at night. 00:05:40.319 --> 00:05:45.759 And it all started because we like, hey, hey, hey, and Andy Sears didn't clap back. 00:05:46.079 --> 00:05:55.759 He was a good-looking guy, strapping, fit, dark hair, dark eyes, had this olive dark complexion, and he was like, Oh, man, you guys are hungry. 00:05:55.839 --> 00:05:58.639 And when he came back with the seconds, we're like, man, we're so sorry. 00:05:58.720 --> 00:06:02.480 He goes, No, it's my pleasure to serve you guys all week long. 00:06:02.639 --> 00:06:04.319 I'm gonna be serving you. 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:09.680 I had never heard those words in my life. 00:06:10.720 --> 00:06:13.680 And it began to soften my hard heart. 00:06:14.079 --> 00:06:20.560 Jesus says it like this in Matthew chapter 5, verse 38 You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. 00:06:20.639 --> 00:06:23.600 But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. 00:06:23.759 --> 00:06:28.000 But if anyone slap slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 00:06:28.160 --> 00:06:32.560 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 00:06:32.720 --> 00:06:36.160 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:41.759 Give to the one who begs you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:44.959 Now it's easy to read that and kind of go, say, what? 00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:46.160 Stay with me, okay? 00:06:46.240 --> 00:06:47.680 There's two things I want to say in the text. 00:06:47.839 --> 00:06:48.399 I want to point to. 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:52.399 Number one, the insufficiency of proportional j of proportionate justice. 00:06:52.639 --> 00:06:57.519 The insufficiency of what's called proportionate justice, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. 00:06:57.600 --> 00:06:59.279 That's what verse 38 is, okay? 00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:03.920 The law, which is known as the Lex Talianis, the law did three things, okay? 00:07:04.079 --> 00:07:08.079 This eye for an eye, and this is, I mean, the Hammurabi code was based on this. 00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:11.120 Uh the Noah covenant was based on this. 00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:15.600 Uh Old Testament Jewish law was based on this, eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth. 00:07:15.680 --> 00:07:23.199 And basically what Jesus is saying is an eye for an eye and a tooth for the tooth just leaves the whole world blind and toothless. 00:07:24.639 --> 00:07:27.120 This is what Jesus is getting at, and we miss that. 00:07:27.199 --> 00:07:30.800 Because we got, oh, you want me to just give to every homeless guy with a sign? 00:07:30.959 --> 00:07:32.319 No, that's not what he's saying. 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:35.839 But he is saying, hey, don't miss the insufficiency of proportionate justice. 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:36.560 What do you mean? 00:07:36.639 --> 00:07:37.680 The law did three things. 00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:41.839 Number one, it took it took punishment out of the realm of private vengeance. 00:07:42.079 --> 00:07:44.639 It took punishment out of the realm of private vengeance. 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:48.319 Oh, you sent one of mine to the hospital, I'm gonna send one of yours to the morgue. 00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:53.759 I grew up, it was every man for himself, basically. 00:07:53.920 --> 00:07:55.839 And so this is what I learned growing up. 00:07:56.160 --> 00:07:56.959 It's real simple. 00:07:57.120 --> 00:08:00.800 I don't get mad, I don't get even, I get ahead. 00:08:01.519 --> 00:08:06.160 And the Bible comes along and says, that's not your right. 00:08:06.319 --> 00:08:08.399 You have a different responsibility as a Christian. 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:11.120 But the law took punishment out of the realm of private vengeance. 00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:15.120 Secondly, it gave judges a clear and just formula for punishment. 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:17.839 Because it's not like, oh, let's not punish anybody. 00:08:17.920 --> 00:08:19.199 No, people deserve punishment. 00:08:19.279 --> 00:08:24.560 Like an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, the way it was uh uh applied in the law in the New Testament. 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:28.959 If you stole someone's goat and you got caught, you had to give them two goats. 00:08:29.120 --> 00:08:31.600 You're like, well, I thought you said eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. 00:08:31.680 --> 00:08:38.480 Yes, but see, you have to replace the goat that you stole, and then you have to give yourself the experience you wished on your neighbor. 00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:40.559 You have to be missing a goat. 00:08:42.320 --> 00:08:44.799 People didn't steal goats anymore. 00:08:45.200 --> 00:08:46.639 You say, What do you mean? 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:49.759 Yeah, it gives a clear formula and a just formula for punishment. 00:08:49.840 --> 00:08:51.039 Here's the third thing the law did. 00:08:51.200 --> 00:08:54.559 It for it forbid vendettas and excessive retribution. 00:08:54.960 --> 00:08:57.279 Vendettas, payback, like I'm gonna get you. 00:08:57.360 --> 00:08:58.480 Because here's what happened. 00:08:58.559 --> 00:09:01.919 If you want to see this in action, watch middle school and high school students. 00:09:02.080 --> 00:09:03.519 They're the best at it. 00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:07.919 I mean, they will click up and it's this group against this group, and it's like, oh my gosh, what? 00:09:08.240 --> 00:09:10.320 I'm like, oh man, well, really? 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:14.559 I wish the people that lead these groups will just look at each other and go, hey, why are we doing this? 00:09:14.639 --> 00:09:15.279 I lost track. 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:18.879 Okay, I've said so many things about you, I've lost track of who you really are. 00:09:19.039 --> 00:09:22.320 But you what do you mean it forbids of indettas and excessive retribution? 00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:25.440 If I said the word lamech, would anybody know who I was referring to? 00:09:25.600 --> 00:09:29.759 L-A-M-E-C-H, Lamic, Old Testament, Genesis chapter 4. 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:30.559 He said this. 00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:31.759 This is honesty. 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:34.799 He said, I have killed a man for wounding me. 00:09:35.360 --> 00:09:38.159 And he was bragging to some women about this. 00:09:38.320 --> 00:09:39.519 This is the context. 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:41.519 I have killed a man for wounding me. 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:42.399 Let me ask you a question. 00:09:42.559 --> 00:09:44.639 You ever kill someone for wounding you? 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:47.679 You hear the disproportionate response in that? 00:09:47.919 --> 00:09:50.399 Somebody wounded me and I just killed them. 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:57.200 Or maybe ask yourself like this: Is there anybody that you've punished too much and you don't know how to get it back to where it should be? 00:09:57.919 --> 00:10:02.000 You should be wondering right now, what what what would motivate such behavior? 00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:04.000 You kill somebody just because they wounded you. 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:07.039 Well, funny you should ask, but there's three motivations for retaliation. 00:10:07.120 --> 00:10:08.559 Number one is embarrassment. 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:13.279 Embarrassment, I felt something I didn't want to feel, so you're gonna feel something you don't want to feel. 00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:15.600 It's just embarrassment, okay? 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:17.279 Secondly, it's justice. 00:10:17.519 --> 00:10:20.159 We've been wronged, and we want justice. 00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:30.240 Now, we would never admit this, but we want justice for our enemies who have wronged us and hurt us, or if they hurt our kids, oh, we want justice for them infinitely ten times more. 00:10:30.639 --> 00:10:35.039 And we want justice the whole time we're praying to God for mercy for ourselves. 00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:38.720 We kind of skip over that part. 00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:45.360 And see, here's the danger in this hypocrisy because the chief casualty is the death of the God of the Bible. 00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:54.559 The God of the Bible no longer exists, and he's just the God of your desires because you kind of construct this culturally acceptable substitute that agrees with everything you do. 00:10:54.879 --> 00:10:57.279 Miroslav Wolf is a teacher and theologian. 00:10:57.360 --> 00:11:00.799 I think you know, he teaches at Yale Divinity School, much smarter than me. 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:04.720 He he writes books after read like three pages and then goes, I don't mean about that. 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:06.320 But he said this about this. 00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:13.039 He said, Slowly and imperceptibly, the one true God begins acquiring the features of the gods of this world. 00:11:13.279 --> 00:11:20.399 For instance, our God simply gratifies our desires rather than reshaping them in accordance with the beauty of God's own character. 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:26.639 Our God then kills enemies rather than dying on their behalf as God did in Jesus Christ. 00:11:26.960 --> 00:11:28.320 Let me ask you a question. 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:31.279 Does the God that you worship, does he kill your enemies? 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:34.879 Or does he die for them as he does in the gospel? 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:38.559 And does he give you permission to kill your enemies? 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:40.639 Just because they wounded you. 00:11:41.200 --> 00:11:43.360 I was so proud of my youngest daughter. 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:50.480 She came home, she's at the retreat right now, and she's probably headed back shortly on a beeline for a nap at my house. 00:11:50.559 --> 00:11:55.279 Uh, and then I stop at Trader Joe's before she heads back to Waco to go back to grad school. 00:11:55.600 --> 00:12:00.720 But we were talking on Thursday, she was telling me about this person she had interaction with, and then she said this. 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:03.360 I thought, that's very self-aware for a 22-year-old. 00:12:03.519 --> 00:12:08.240 She goes, you know, Dad, I felt myself, I really wanted to wound him with my words. 00:12:09.279 --> 00:12:12.399 And I said, Well, I can't relate, but maybe your mother can. 00:12:14.320 --> 00:12:16.639 Yes, yes, yes. 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:26.639 When we want justice for for those who have who have hurt us, and while we ask for mercy for ourselves, this is how you know you've kind of reshaped God into your image. 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:31.440 And he kills enemies rather than dying on their behalf as he does in the gospel. 00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:36.320 Uh, here's the third thing that motivates uh uh uh retaliation is unbelief. 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:37.360 Unbelief. 00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:38.000 What do you mean? 00:12:38.159 --> 00:12:49.519 When you insist on retaliating, eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, what you're really confessing is your unbelief in God's nature, his hatred of injustice, and his commitment to do something about it, okay? 00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:52.080 He isn't going to, so I must. 00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:54.399 There is no, now listen very carefully what I'm saying. 00:12:54.559 --> 00:12:56.080 There is no violence in God. 00:12:56.240 --> 00:13:00.399 Therefore, I've got to give myself permission to act violently. 00:13:00.960 --> 00:13:06.000 And I want to say to you, what we don't say enough in the church, there is plenty of violence in God. 00:13:06.159 --> 00:13:10.480 Now I say violence, I don't mean reckless lawlessness and that kind of thing. 00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:16.960 I mean this capacity to act in such a way that he brings force to bear on people and circumstances. 00:13:17.440 --> 00:13:24.960 What my daughter was saying was the violence of God got the better of me, dad, because I felt myself wanting to wound this person with my words. 00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:29.360 Because she said, at seminary, sometimes guys just say dumb stuff. 00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:31.840 And I said, Oh, they ask questions to make a point. 00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:35.039 They like to distinguish themselves, they like to debate with the professor. 00:13:35.200 --> 00:13:37.919 She goes, I just felt it rising up in me. 00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:39.200 And I said, What'd you do? 00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:41.600 And she goes, I realized that wasn't right. 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:44.720 I was like, I wanted to hear a good story. 00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:46.480 No, I didn't think that. 00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:47.600 That's what Marcy said. 00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:49.519 Anyway, unbelief. 00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:50.960 What do you mean, unbelief? 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:52.000 Hear this, okay? 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:56.480 Jealousy is one of the motivations for retaliation, okay? 00:13:56.960 --> 00:14:00.320 Excuse me, embarrassment, justice, and unbelief. 00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:01.600 What do you mean unbelief? 00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:06.720 You do not believe that God was going to act violently on his own behalf. 00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:09.440 And so you act violently on behalf of yourself. 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:12.320 Again, my friend Mirislaw Falls helps us with this. 00:14:12.399 --> 00:14:13.039 He says this. 00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:21.039 He says, if God were not angry at injustice and deception and did not make the final end to violence, God would not be worthy of our worship. 00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:28.639 Here, however, I am less interested in arguing that God's violence is not unworthy of God than in showing that it is beneficial to us. 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:38.320 Life has rightly drawn our attention to the fact that in a world of violence, we are faced with an inescapable alternative, either God's violence or human violence. 00:14:38.559 --> 00:14:44.159 Most people who insist on God's nonviolence cannot resist using violence themselves. 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:56.720 They deem the talk of God's judgment irreverent, but think nothing of entrusting judgment into human hands, persuaded, presumably, that this is less dangerous and more humane than to believe in a God who judges. 00:14:56.879 --> 00:15:03.120 And so violence thrives secretly nourished by the belief in a God who refuses to wield the sword. 00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:07.360 Yes, that is a long quote right there. 00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:16.320 But I want you to understand what it comes down to is for you and me, and all of us in this room, either you trust in God's violence or you trust in your own. 00:15:16.960 --> 00:15:18.960 And here's how you know you trust in your own. 00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:21.840 When anybody wounds you, you kill them. 00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:26.080 Most often you assassinate them and their character when they're not in the room. 00:15:26.799 --> 00:15:31.679 Or when you're with your besties, and he's with his besties, or she's with her besties. 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:34.879 You are assassinating people's character. 00:15:35.039 --> 00:15:37.919 Because you say, I believe in a God that dies for people. 00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:41.919 In the meantime, I'm killing as many as I can. 00:15:42.720 --> 00:15:46.879 Here's the second thing we see in the text: the capacity of life in the kingdom. 00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:47.919 This is the rest of it. 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:52.320 Jesus says, You've heard in verse 38 that it was said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. 00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:57.840 But I say to you, and here's the life in the kingdom, and this is what Jesus is calling us to. 00:15:58.320 --> 00:15:59.519 And let me say this, look at me. 00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:00.399 Are you still with me? 00:16:02.240 --> 00:16:05.679 Jesus is not saying lay down and be a doormat and just let evil run amok. 00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:06.960 It's not what he's saying at all. 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:12.960 He is saying this your belief is most obviously seen in your response. 00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:15.440 Don't tell me what you believe. 00:16:15.679 --> 00:16:21.039 Let me see how you respond to people that violate you, that insult you. 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:22.240 Here's a real practical thing. 00:16:22.320 --> 00:16:24.639 I want every one of us, you want practical application? 00:16:24.720 --> 00:16:25.279 Here it is. 00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:27.279 Let people make mistakes. 00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:34.080 Just the past couple of weeks, I've just started listening, you know, and I said to somebody the other day, hey, by the way, congratulations on getting into AM. 00:16:34.159 --> 00:16:36.159 I'm not going to AM, I'm going to Baylor. 00:16:36.480 --> 00:16:38.399 I'm like, why are you yelling? 00:16:38.799 --> 00:16:40.720 Well, that's not where I'm going to school. 00:16:40.960 --> 00:16:43.519 And I felt myself, I didn't want to wound them with my words. 00:16:43.600 --> 00:16:45.279 I wanted to wound them with my fist. 00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:48.879 I was just like, you little punk kid, don't talk to me like this. 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:51.120 Why do your parents let you talk to adults like this? 00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:53.679 I will slap the taste out of your mouth. 00:16:53.919 --> 00:16:57.039 All that went through my mind in about two seconds. 00:16:57.679 --> 00:17:01.600 And I just thought, okay. 00:17:02.240 --> 00:17:03.840 Hoffman walked off. 00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:06.000 Let people make mistakes. 00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:07.440 Let people get it wrong. 00:17:07.599 --> 00:17:10.079 Let them get it wrong about you and your response. 00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:14.720 Because here's the thing: your faith is most on display in your response to things. 00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:17.359 Like a lady made an appointment with me a couple weeks ago in this church. 00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:18.799 I've known her for years. 00:17:19.039 --> 00:17:23.200 Probably, I've been here almost 20 years, probably 19 years. 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:26.000 And she walked in and she said, and this was hard for her. 00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:26.799 And I loved it. 00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:32.000 She walked in, she sat down, and she goes, I'm frustrated with you, and I've been frustrated with you for two months. 00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:35.039 Now, in that moment, my response communicated to one or two. 00:17:35.279 --> 00:17:37.759 I could say, Well, I'll tell you what, I'm the pastor of this church. 00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:39.759 Who are you to be frustrated with me, woman? 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:44.400 Instead, I said, Sounds like we're about to have an interesting conversation. 00:17:44.640 --> 00:17:45.759 I can't wait. 00:17:46.079 --> 00:17:49.440 She just smiled and was like, Okay, here we go. 00:17:49.680 --> 00:17:51.680 And I said, I'm so proud of you. 00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:55.039 And somebody I walked by later and they said, Hey, I saw Sosa in your office. 00:17:55.119 --> 00:17:55.680 What was that about? 00:17:55.839 --> 00:17:58.640 She's frustrated with me and she's been frustrated for two months. 00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:01.759 And he looked at me and said, What did you do? 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:11.920 I said, Oh man, sounds like we could have an interesting conversation because the worst that could happen is I could I have to repent or say I'm sorry, and I'm willing to do either one. 00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:13.440 Or both. 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:17.759 Because I'm not going to kill people that wound me. 00:18:18.160 --> 00:18:21.200 And then get up and talk about a God that died for them. 00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:24.559 That's the height of hypocrisy, beloved. 00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:27.039 See, what do you mean the capacity of life in the kingdom? 00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:28.400 This is what it's all about. 00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:31.759 We'll get to Matthew 11 here in about two years. 00:18:31.920 --> 00:18:41.599 But anyway, in Matthew 11, verse 12, Jesus says this from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:46.559 This is not, you know, macho man brandy savage men, let's all get all testosterone up. 00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:47.599 No. 00:18:48.000 --> 00:18:54.079 But Jesus, he commends a way of life that is contrary to human nature, and because of that, it is violent. 00:18:54.319 --> 00:18:55.440 Let me say that again. 00:18:55.680 --> 00:19:01.279 Jesus here in Matthew 5 is commending a way of life that is contrary to human nature. 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:03.039 And therefore it is violent. 00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:08.480 It's violent because it forces its way on our preferences and it displaces them, okay? 00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:16.240 It has more to do with creative resistance and Christ-like responses than passive, fatalistic acceptance of the status quo. 00:19:16.400 --> 00:19:22.000 And as Christians, we have the capacity to demonstrate this, to demonstrate four things, okay? 00:19:22.240 --> 00:19:23.680 Our response. 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:26.799 It communicates whose violence we trust. 00:19:26.880 --> 00:19:30.400 Either we trust the violence of God or we trust our own. 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:35.279 And as Christians, I think what the text is saying is you have to demonstrate four things. 00:19:35.440 --> 00:19:38.160 First of all, you have to demonstrate a different response to evil. 00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:39.279 That's verse 39. 00:19:39.440 --> 00:19:40.079 Hear it again. 00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:42.640 But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. 00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:46.160 But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:54.799 Now I get more questions about this one verse in the Bible from strangers at weddings, at funerals, in restaurants, blah, blah, blah. 00:19:54.880 --> 00:19:55.599 And here's the thing. 00:19:55.680 --> 00:19:56.319 Here's what he got. 00:19:56.880 --> 00:19:57.440 Now picture this. 00:19:57.599 --> 00:20:02.400 He says, if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, and what they would do, the right hand was the dominant hand in Jewish culture. 00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:05.920 And to slap you on the right cheek, they have to backhand you. 00:20:06.240 --> 00:20:07.440 So it's more of an insult. 00:20:07.599 --> 00:20:08.960 You ever been backhanded? 00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:14.960 Y'all like, uh, no, not if not if you're under 30, you probably haven't. 00:20:15.119 --> 00:20:18.480 But if you're over 30, your parents might have popped you in the mouth. 00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:19.440 Yeah. 00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:20.400 Yes, sir. 00:20:20.559 --> 00:20:22.160 Like you talk to your mother like that. 00:20:22.240 --> 00:20:26.079 And so what they would do, they would to hit somebody on the right cheek, you have to backhand them. 00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:26.640 Look at me. 00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:30.160 That's more of an insult than an injury. 00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:34.960 And Jesus says, when you're insulted, how did you respond the last time you were insulted? 00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:40.880 Like I insulted the kid because I just heard, hey, I'm not going, I'm going to bail. 00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:43.519 I'm like, okay, spend more money. 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:44.559 I don't care. 00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:47.440 My kid went to Baylor. 00:20:47.519 --> 00:20:48.799 My wife went to Baylor. 00:20:48.960 --> 00:20:50.319 And I'm not against Baylor. 00:20:50.400 --> 00:20:52.000 I'm just like, what are you? 00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:53.119 Really? 00:20:53.279 --> 00:20:55.279 Is this the best response you got? 00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:56.880 A different response to evil. 00:20:57.039 --> 00:20:57.359 Okay? 00:20:57.759 --> 00:20:59.839 This is on the personal level, not the public level. 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:02.640 Again, he's not saying just lay down and do nothing about evil. 00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:05.279 Instead, he's saying have a different response to evil. 00:21:05.440 --> 00:21:10.240 Let it demonstrate to everybody that there's something in this world that triumphs over evil. 00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:10.960 Look at me. 00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:18.000 The world is not going to believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, just because you take better vacations than them. 00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:23.440 The world's only going to believe this if we have a different response to the same circumstance. 00:21:23.599 --> 00:21:26.880 The Bible says it like this in Romans chapter 12, starting in verse 14. 00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:29.200 He says, Bless those who persecute you. 00:21:29.440 --> 00:21:30.799 Just stop right there. 00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:34.559 Bless those who persecute you. 00:21:34.799 --> 00:21:36.720 So you want some more practical application? 00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:37.440 Here it is. 00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:42.720 If you're sideways with somebody right now, text them this afternoon and say, Hey, what would bless you? 00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:44.720 Because I'm tired of cursing you. 00:21:46.079 --> 00:21:47.839 And if it's me, let me give you my sale. 00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:49.200 It's 281 7. 00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:51.519 I'm open to all the blessing you got. 00:21:52.160 --> 00:21:52.799 Yes. 00:21:53.039 --> 00:21:53.920 Bless those. 00:21:54.079 --> 00:21:55.920 See, this is the violence of God. 00:21:56.079 --> 00:21:59.839 The violence of God is not that God comes riding in on a horse and slaughters everybody. 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:01.759 That's in Revelation 19. 00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:03.039 We'll get to that later. 00:22:03.279 --> 00:22:11.039 The violence of God, look at me, is He doesn't allow you and forgive you for always preferring your way over His way. 00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:13.440 That is the violence of God. 00:22:13.599 --> 00:22:16.000 It is the ultimate form of violence. 00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:19.759 Romans 12, bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse them. 00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:22.720 Rejoice with those that rejoice and weep with those that weep. 00:22:22.880 --> 00:22:25.119 One of the hardest things to do in the Bible. 00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:28.000 Because you don't envy people when they're weeping. 00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:31.039 You envy them when they're rejoicing. 00:22:31.680 --> 00:22:37.839 You envy them when they got the new Chevy, shined up, and it's a little newer than yours. 00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:41.279 Yes, you envy them when they got their promotion. 00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:46.240 He goes on and says, Live in harmony with one another. 00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:48.880 Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. 00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:50.480 Never be wise in your own sight. 00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:54.880 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all men. 00:22:55.039 --> 00:22:58.880 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 00:22:59.119 --> 00:23:06.720 Beloved, never avenge yourself, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. 00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:09.440 My violence is better than your violence. 00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:14.640 Somebody asked me what I was preaching on today, and I told them, they said, Man, the violence of God, I've never heard about that. 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:17.119 That's why there's so much violence in our culture. 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:22.240 Right here, God says, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:24.960 To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. 00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:29.599 Andy Sears, my camp counselor, slayed me with this. 00:23:30.160 --> 00:23:31.920 If your enemy is hungry, feed him. 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:33.920 If he's thirsty, give him something to drink. 00:23:34.160 --> 00:23:37.759 For by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head. 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:41.920 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:48.559 You know you're being overcome by evil when your response to evil is more evil. 00:23:50.000 --> 00:23:51.920 You know you're being overcome by evil. 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:54.240