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[2810.64 --> 2815.88] I was busy writing stuff up for youth and figuring out how to engage 40 teenagers on a screen that's the |
[2815.88 --> 2820.62] size of a loaf of bread, when most of them honestly were coming with their cameras off because let's |
[2820.62 --> 2824.04] face it, we were all operating out of our pajamas back then and nobody wanted to be seen looking like |
[2824.04 --> 2832.52] that anyways. This was not my most favorite season of life, but this church was great. People were super |
[2832.52 --> 2837.98] patient as we did what we could. I got encouraging emails from members of this congregation for the |
[2837.98 --> 2842.84] church services that they watched and from youth and the parents of youth for the dumb games we were |
[2842.84 --> 2848.22] trying to do over Zoom and engage the youth in that way. Honestly, even though I hung out in this building |
[2848.22 --> 2853.46] by myself far more than I ever want to again, this church was very understanding. They were very patient, |
[2853.82 --> 2860.26] very encouraging. But that one week in May felt different. The context of the pandemic was sort of |
[2860.26 --> 2865.38] getting to me and after working so hard to bring some sort of semblance of community to people who we |
[2865.38 --> 2871.10] haven't been able to see in so long, I found myself at a tipping point then. The encouragement from |
[2871.10 --> 2876.44] the church, from you all, was very good. It was there. People were kind. They were gracious and understanding, |
[2876.44 --> 2883.06] but I was fading. But one evening at the end of that week in May when I was fading, there was a |
[2883.06 --> 2887.08] knock on my door and a member of this church, who will remain nameless because I didn't ask for |
[2887.08 --> 2892.86] permission to share this story, they were standing at my door with a big basket in hand. She told me |
[2892.86 --> 2897.86] that six couples in this church, all of them parents of youth, had gotten together and put this gift |
[2897.86 --> 2903.50] basket together to say thanks to Nikki and myself for those 10 weeks. There's a beautiful card inside |
[2903.50 --> 2908.32] full of encouragement, some delicious food, gift cards to different places. Now, I didn't deserve |
[2908.32 --> 2914.26] that. I didn't think. It wasn't something that these wonderful people had to do. But they went above |
[2914.26 --> 2919.04] and beyond. They went the extra mile and reached out to me and encouraged me in a moment that I really, |
[2919.14 --> 2923.32] really needed it. It changed my week. Actually, to be honest with you, it changed the next few months |
[2923.32 --> 2927.70] of that pandemic. It jolted me forward. It helped me persevere in the midst of these pandemic |
[2927.70 --> 2932.10] restrictions. And now, today, that we are on the other side of those intense restrictions, |
[2932.10 --> 2937.52] I still think of that gift as a huge blessing and a huge moment that really helped me persevere |
[2937.52 --> 2946.00] forward through that pandemic. And that's what this text is about, going above and beyond for everyone. |
[2947.46 --> 2952.60] The thrust of this text this morning teaches us not necessarily where to go, but how we are to go. |
[2953.60 --> 2956.42] So we're going to look at that for the next minute or, I don't know, 19. |
[2956.42 --> 2961.20] So Jesus starts off by quoting the Old Testament in his text. He says, |
[2961.26 --> 2965.26] you've heard it said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. And he's right, of course. I'm not |
[2965.26 --> 2968.88] going to stand up here and say Jesus was wrong. Of course he was right. An eye for an eye and a tooth |
[2968.88 --> 2973.72] for a tooth is in the Old Testament. It's actually in the Old Testament a bunch of times. Exodus 21, |
[2973.82 --> 2980.66] 24 says that. So does Leviticus 24, 20 and Deuteronomy 19, 21. The thing with all of those passages, |
[2980.88 --> 2985.92] though, is they're written to a specific audience. They're written to judges or to magistrates or to |
[2985.92 --> 2992.58] people who are in charge of doling out punishments in the court of law. See, the point of those passages |
[2992.58 --> 2999.00] is to inform those judges, those ruling over those conflicts, informing them on how to rule |
[2999.00 --> 3006.36] equitably, how to discern proper punishments for injustices. So those Old Testament passages are |
[3006.36 --> 3011.68] there basically saying, make sure to dole out those punishments equitably. Don't take a life for |
[3011.68 --> 3015.34] someone's eye. Don't take someone's limb because they knocked out someone's tooth. |
[3015.92 --> 3022.52] That's the context of those passages. Now the problem in Jesus' time was the Pharisees were |
[3022.52 --> 3026.54] getting a little overexcited with those laws and they really started to lean into them a little bit. |
[3026.70 --> 3031.46] Rather than those laws be used just by the discerning courts as the Old Testament lays out, |
[3031.66 --> 3035.62] the Pharisees were becoming kind of overzealous. They were becoming a little bit like vigilantes, |
[3035.80 --> 3038.58] kind of like Batman but without the money or the detective skills or the eye makeup. |
[3038.58 --> 3044.94] So in one way Jesus is looking at these Pharisees and he's trying to set the record straight here |
[3044.94 --> 3049.16] that this is not every Pharisee's job to dole out these punishments this way. |
[3049.90 --> 3055.70] But he does something so interesting here. He does something so interesting. He doesn't |
[3055.70 --> 3059.98] change the law. He changes the audience. |
[3059.98 --> 3065.66] See, he's still talking about eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, but now instead of addressing |
[3065.66 --> 3074.18] the judges on how to issue fair punishments, he's talking to those who were wronged and how |
[3074.18 --> 3079.78] they should respond. That's an important shift because he's talking about the same law here |
[3079.78 --> 3084.98] but to different people or to different side of those contexts. The lesson here is not that those |
[3084.98 --> 3089.40] who commit wrongdoings should get away with their crimes, that those in authority should simply |
[3089.40 --> 3095.36] turn their heads to the side and let people strike blows to people's faces or steal people's possessions |
[3095.36 --> 3102.44] or take advantage of people's time. This is a message of instruction to those who have been wronged |
[3102.44 --> 3109.20] and how to go about their lives in the midst of their troubles. This is a message about humility and |
[3109.20 --> 3114.28] selflessness. When we're wronged, we're not supposed to seek revenge. |
[3114.28 --> 3119.32] We're not supposed to seek reward. We are to seek peace and act righteously. |
[3120.78 --> 3123.86] Jesus uses three examples here, and we're going to look at each one quick. |
[3124.72 --> 3130.36] Jesus says when someone physically harms you or strikes you on the cheek, do not seek revenge by |
[3130.36 --> 3136.34] hitting them back. Don't repay violence with violence or injury with injury. Instead, turn the other |
[3136.34 --> 3143.02] cheek, Jesus says. Now, I think it's really important to pause here for a moment because I want to make |
[3143.02 --> 3148.70] sure I'm very clear. Some of you might be hearing this and might be in a position where you are being |
[3148.70 --> 3153.82] abused or you are in a position where you are being bullied. Kids, if you're at school and getting |
[3153.82 --> 3159.10] bullied, this might be ringing some bells for you or if you're someone else getting physically taken |
[3159.10 --> 3165.98] advantage of you. I want to be very responsible here. Turning the other cheek does not mean remaining in a |
[3165.98 --> 3173.08] position where you are being abused by someone or bullied by someone. If someone is really hurting you, |
[3173.66 --> 3176.26] this is not saying simply take it on the cheek over and over again. |
[3177.86 --> 3182.36] If you're experiencing physical abuse or if you're being bullied or anything of that sort, |
[3183.20 --> 3190.82] it is important, it is vital for you to be safe. So please hear that. So if that's you, please don't think |
[3190.82 --> 3197.60] this is a message or a passage about you remaining in that abusive relationship. Instead, go to someone, |
[3197.72 --> 3202.36] go to an authority, be it the police, be it your teachers, be it a pastor or a mentor or a friend |
[3202.36 --> 3209.98] or a family member you trust and let them help. Your safety in that important is the most important |
[3209.98 --> 3217.50] thing. Turning the other cheek still means not responding in violence, but if you're in that position, |
[3217.50 --> 3223.08] you're still called to respond. Finding someone to help you is that response. Remember, that's why |
[3223.08 --> 3228.16] these laws in the Old Testament are there in the first place, to have systems in place so that judges |
[3228.16 --> 3234.36] and authorities can help keep people safe from perpetual violence, not just rendering that law of equitable |
[3234.36 --> 3240.18] punishment void. Jesus isn't doing that. He's teaching us how to respond when we get hurt. So what turning |
[3240.18 --> 3246.20] the other cheek means here is that in physical altercations, don't respond with violence. |
[3247.50 --> 3252.50] You don't lower the ceiling of holiness or righteousness and repay insult with insult. |
[3253.64 --> 3259.02] Instead, turn the other cheek. Respond with meekness. Respond to violence with peace. |
[3259.50 --> 3263.14] Turn the other cheek and walk away to someone who can help you. |
[3263.14 --> 3269.24] I really pray that that is clear today. So if it's not, please come speak to me after the service. |
[3270.16 --> 3275.52] So that's the first example Jesus uses. He's talking about physical harm, not responding to |
[3275.52 --> 3283.50] violence with violence. And the second example is about possessional harm. When someone harms your |
[3283.50 --> 3290.04] stuff, your estate, or tries to steal your church, don't try to steal it back. Don't return selfishness |
[3290.04 --> 3294.96] with more selfishness. If matters are small, and honestly, I do think so many of the squabbles we |
[3294.96 --> 3300.14] find ourselves in are small. It says, cut your losses. Give of your stuff. Trust in God. Move on. |
[3300.92 --> 3306.52] We see these situations often when relationships break down or when family fights over inheritances or |
[3306.52 --> 3313.00] corrupt business deals in those sort of situations. Now, don't be a doormat, but respond to selfishness |
[3313.00 --> 3320.38] with selflessness. Let the petty stuff like your jacket go. People matter more than stuff. Jesus is |
[3320.38 --> 3327.84] saying, seek peace, not property. The third example Jesus gives here has to do with our time. |
[3328.80 --> 3334.18] If someone needs your time, don't just walk one mile with them. Walk two. This is where the saying, |
[3334.26 --> 3340.58] go the extra mile, comes from. Do more than what people ask of you. Give to the one who asks of you, |
[3340.58 --> 3344.76] and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. That's what Jesus says. |
[3345.42 --> 3351.70] Be a willing servant. Help people who need your help. Don't just do the minimum. Go above and beyond. |
[3352.44 --> 3358.84] Give more to them than even they ask. Essentially, what Jesus is saying with all of these examples is |
[3358.84 --> 3365.84] we are to be meek. We are to be holy and righteous and selfless. Don't live in this world by the |
[3365.84 --> 3371.40] Western mantra of do no harm, but actually do more than that. That's a very low bar. |
[3373.68 --> 3379.64] Go above and beyond. Be charitable. Be generous with your time, with your money, with your stuff, |
[3379.86 --> 3386.78] with yourself. Because this message is more than do no harm. This message is do good for all people |
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