Ouch!!! My Cheek! Series

WELCOME & INTRODUCTION

WHEN CELEBRITIES ATTACK

Famous celebrities are just like everyone else—they act erratically, they make fools of themselves in public, they even start fights. The main difference is this: when a celebrity does these things, there is always a reporter around to record their actions and make it national news.

Surely everyone is familiar with the famous fitness guru, Richard Simmons. He is known for his eccentric, flamboyant, and energetic personality. He has promoted weight-loss programs, most prominently through his 1980’s best-selling aerobic videos “Sweatin’ to the Oldies.”

In March 2004, Simmons was waiting in Phoenix’s Sky Harbor International Airport for a flight to Los Angeles when another waiting passenger recognized him. Christopher Farney, a 6’ 2”, 250-pound ultimate cage fighter and martial arts expert, pointed out Simmons to the rest of the passengers and yelled, “Hey everybody, it’s Richard Simmons. Let’s drop our bags and rock to the ‘50s.”

Richard Simmons did not appreciate the attention, nor the sarcasm, and I imagine the incorrect name of his famous exercise videos. It isn’t rock to the 50s, it’s Sweatin’ to the Oldies.

In response, Simmons approached Farney and said, “It’s not nice to make fun of people with issues,” and proceeded to smack him across the face. Although this didn’t hurt the giant cage fighter, Farney called the cops. The charges were later dropped, but Simmons insisted that Farney deserved the slap.

Simmons took this embarrassing situation into his own hands—literally. But what should our response be when someone does this kind of thing to us? To assault someone physically? What about those of us who might be on the receiving end of this like Farney? Should we retaliate? That’s the question today as we continue in our series from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and the last of our miniseries called “Living Righteously.” In our passage today, Jesus addresses the idea of an eye for an eye and what that entails with the people hearing this message that day. So, let’s read our passage this morning and talk about it.

MATTHEW 5:38-42

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

In this passage we read the fifth of the six anthesis passages. Jesus speaks to both our words and our actions. Last week we spoke about being a person who simply says yes or no and keeps our word. This is part of our reputation and integrity. Our words and action go together.

We read in Proverbs 6:16-19 a clear weaving of the evils we speak and the evils we might do.

PROVERBS 6:16-19

16 There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil,

19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

Words and actions can rarely be separated. Both are in front of God’s vision. He sees it all. We spoke about our words last week and how important they are. In this passage this morning, Jesus moves to address the importance of our actions. This issue of retaliation is Jesus’ concern and he puts five principles before us to guide us in what we do as the people of God.

1. DO NOT RETALIATE AGAINST EVIL WITH VIOLENCE

Verse 38 is a direct and partial quote from a few Old Testament texts.

EXODUS 21:23-25

23 But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

LEVITICUS 24:17-21

17 “Whoever takes a human life shall surely be put to death. 18 Whoever takes an animal's life shall make it good, life for life. 19 If anyone injures his neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to him, 20 fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to him. 21 Whoever kills an animal shall make it good, and whoever kills a person shall be put to death.

DEUTERONOMY 19:21

21 Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.