If not careful, as we study the Bible, we will pick and choose passages that support certain points of view or principles to which we cling. Yet those who first heard what has become known as the Sermon on the Mount had no idea what Jesus was about to say. They understood the moralism of their day, they had a preconceived idea of what they wanted from the Messiah, and they could put voice to their expectations. Though they were in the inner circle, they were about to have their thinking caps flipped. The Sermon on the Mount is the longest recorded message/sermon of Jesus; he delivered it near the early days of his public ministry.
Jesus’ message covered a wide range of issues (e.g., prayer, justice, benevolence, religious law, divorce, fasting, judgmental attitudes, salvation, and so forth). He set before the people the highest standard of living that has ever been shared; it was not a call to what I call nit-picky legalism. The standard to which he called them was a challenge to do better than the norm of society and the nit-picky legalism of the Jewish leaders.
I want us to focus on a section of the sermon that poses one of the greatest challenges in the sermon. That involves embracing the limitless love of God. When I think of the limitless love of God, I am reminded of the song, Reckless Love. A line from the song illustrates the kind of love God has for everyone: Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
1. The “law of the land” doesn’t meet the expectation of Jesus for his disciples
Matthew 5:43 “You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that.
In the past week this message has resonated with my mind and soul. The greatest concern involved how to share it without appearing to simply focus solely on a pro-life and right to bear arms posture. In preparing this sermon I sensed God wanting to use me to help the church look closely at our role in society.
Jesus’ teaching wasn’t a homily designed to flatter or impress the religious and political gurus of the day. The purpose of his teaching was to challenge and encourage his followers as they were called to live in the world. The challenges we face as we seek to be Jesus’ disciples in the world equal those faced by early Christians, though some are uniquely different. Yet our challenges related to being a witness in the world are uniquely different. The challenge is how to communicate with those who take strong radical stances that are antithetical to the Gospel. The best way to communicate with those who are unaffiliated with the church and convey godly principles is to demonstrate the attitude and actions of Jesus—love them, demonstrate the self-giving lifestyle.
Hatred isolates people and this results in a person being left to their own mind. When we attack our enemies, even in the name of truth, we lose our ability to engage them in meaningful ways. They will gravitate toward like-minded people, often those that are attacking their opponents—like us. If not careful, we will foster an us vs. them mentality. We will often say we do not hate people; however, in their mind we create that perception.
2. Jesus challenges his disciples to love the “unlovable”
Matthew 5:44-45 I’m telling you to love (agape) your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves.
Societal issues like abortion and gun control are big umbrella issues. People are emboldened in their positions. Opposing sides have drawn a line in the sand; those on the other side of the line are marked as enemies.
Last week I posted this on Facebook:
I want what I want. How much of it I want. When I want it. And I don’t want anyone telling me I can’t have it. I fear this is the mindset of too many. I have often used this analogy to illustrate the internal drive for alcohol and other drugs; however, it fits a number of societal issues—a relentless passion for what people want. They want limitless restrictions on what they want. The analogy fits those who support abortions and the right to bear arms.
Dialogue appears to be impossible. From a distance, Christians hurl gospel bombs at those with whom they disagree, as if believing it will convert them. Pulpits across America have become a place to “throw down the gauntlet.” The term derives from the time of medieval knights when a knight would offer a challenge by throwing down his gauntlet (a metal glove which formed part of his suit of armor). I fear many Christian champion the call to a dual and enjoy a good fight. A key question for us, is the Sermon on the Mount a thesis designed to challenge our adversaries to a duel?
Charles Sheldon, a proponent of the Social Gospel Movement in the late 1800s, called for Christian action in society. The phrase "What would Jesus do?", often abbreviated to WWJD, became popular after Sheldon wrote, In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do. There have been other periods where this idiom/question has been popular. It was used as a reminder of the belief in a moral imperative to act in a particular manner in situations. I think it apropos for today. When considering all of the issues that dominate the news, local, national, and international, how are we to respond?
A big challenge we face as believers is captured in this question: How do we engage people in society that will enhance the value we place on human life? According to a good friend, a DJ on a local radio station in Tulsa made this statement, "This time the body count was 4". Have we come to a place where life means little more than the “body” of a deer lying on the side of the road? I commented on my friends post related to the DJ’s comment, “Four precious lives who matter to their family, coworkers, God, their patients, and the community who died at the hands of a man intent on killing his doctor.” In the U.S., more than 200 mass shootings—events during which at least four people are shot and injured or killed—have taken place so far in 2022, according to the Gun Violence Archive. According to the site there have been over 18,000 deaths by guns; interestingly approximately 10,000 of these have been the result of suicide.
We are posed for the ruling by the Supreme Court related to abortion; the leaked version of the ruling suggests the decision about abortion will go back to each state. We can anticipate more violence once their ruling is made public. Already churches have been targeted. The Houston Catholic Church was desecrated.
I believe the new, fresh, thing about Jesus’ message needs to be revived within the church. I can write… I can debate… Yet the greater question is this, do I love those with whom I disagree? Are they aware of that to a greater degree than understanding our differences? The degree to which we see hatred and evilness in our society is unfathomable.
3. Jesus lived out his “thesis” and empowers his disciples to love in a self-giving manner
:45b-47 This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
Several years ago, I created a continuum using Greek words related to the kinds of relationship traits we encounter:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Stranger Hate Indifferent Acceptance Friend “Lover” Love (Agape)
I feel comfortable in what I believe and why I believe certain things. I believe I am good at researching issues and thinking for myself. I believe I have the ability to communicate effectively. I have drafted documents that have been used in administrative and legal settings. The challenge is how to communicate with those who take strong radical stances that are antithetical to the Gospel in such a way they get a taste of God’s love.
Sadly, the Pharisees abused some of the Old Testament passages about hatred for God’s enemies (Psalm 139:19; 140:9-11). Jesus challenged their position and said his disciples are to love their enemies, pray for them compassionately, and be seen as a true disciple who practices the self-giving lifestyle.
When we think of those who have an “in your face” attitude and appear full of evil, it is no easy task to love them. I have worked a lot with the unlovable (e.g., an array of prisoners—to include those who committed murder, women who were prostitutes, men and women who have violently assaulted others—to include acts against children, women who’s lifestyle resulted in losing custody of their children, sex offenders—while providing counseling for women who were victims of sexual assault , and others). I have worked with professional people who are supportive of and engaged in the LGBTQ lifestyle. I have worked with those who have beliefs that are not in my belief system. Yet the New Testament challenges our attitude. We cannot fix other people. We are not responsible for others; the only person for whom we are responsible is the person sitting in your chair. Does the person sitting in the chair love people unconditionally? That is our question!
Jesus didn’t go around trying to get his disciples to become the antagonist. He didn’t give out gloves so they could throw down the gauntlet. He focused on the way that his disciples were to love everyone with agape, unconditional love. This is not in word only; he calls us to action. To stop short of unconditional love is incomplete love.
Agape in action means…
• Doing good for our enemies,
• Extending mercy and grace to our enemies,
• Meeting realized needs of our enemies,
• Blessing our enemies with a greeting of “peace”,
• Being willing to sacrifice in practical ways for the good of our enemies.
I have sought to love each person God has put in my path with unconditional love. I want everyone know that they are loved by God and they really matter. Everyone, regardless of their place in society matters to God and they should matter to us.
As a counselor working with a group of sex offenders I treated them with empathy and compassion as I did with the women who were attempting to process sexual assault they had experienced. My heart was touched one evening when one of the men broke down crying, in front of the group, and said, “Jack, I don’t want to be like this.” I could see God loving him unconditionally, forgiving him, transforming him, and restoring the sanity of his mind. Yet I have often heard Christians say terrible things about those who have committed these acts, saying they should be castrated, hoping they will be killed in prison, and comments to which I will not put pen. When I see people who are struggling, my heart swells with compassion.
Here is the question for Christians and churches. If someone who has a lifestyle and/or belief system antithetical to ours attends a Bible study group or listens to a Sunday sermon, will they feel accepted and loved? Or will they walk away from our church feeling rejected? Unless we build relationships with those outside the church, we will fail at building relationships where we can share the love of God with them!
In 2003, while serving as the pastor of an exciting mission church in Arizona, I began to challenge our people by telling them, “If we are going to reach people for Christ, we need to get outside the church.” I started hearing a little quite voice saying, “Ok, big guy, will you get outside the church?” The journey has been incredible as I have served as a chaplain in a prison and working with men and women in residential facilities. God asked me to get outside my comfort zone—it has been uncomfortable at times; however, I have learned more about God’s unconditional love than I could imagine.
Here are a few of the ways that writers of the Bible say it.
• Proverbs 12:18 There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
• Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
• Proverbs 17:27 Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
• Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
• Romans 12:17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
If we fail at these measurable attributes, Paul said we are only a “noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.”
I Corinthians 13:13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
We can be right and stake out our territory; however, if we do not love I fear we have lost our voice as a loving and compassionate Christ-like disciple. Without people seeing and catching our love, we are nothing more than another voice expressing opinions.
4. As believers we were infused with God’s “DNA”.
Matthew 5:48 “In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.”
Ouch! This is like Jesus saying, “Come on guys, you are acting immature. Grow up.” If that phrase is too pejorative, it could be phrased this way, “You are better than this.” Through the years I have witnessed a lot of immaturity in Christians. I have served a lot of churches as an intentional/interim pastor and many of them were in conflict.
Sometimes, if we are sensitive to Jesus’ call, the gospel will make us feel uncomfortable and uncertain about how to respond. We know what our human nature persuades us to say or do. Yet sometimes we have to do the right thing and the feeling it is right will follow. I served a church for almost three years as an interim pastor. They would spend most of their time in Bible study and other settings harshly criticizing those who held views different than theirs (e.g., abortion, “liberalism”, moral issues, bearing arms, and so forth). I was told by a lady who had left that she and her husband left because of the “lambasting” heard Sunday after Sunday. Another lady who grew up in the church failed a college course because of confronting those in the class that didn’t hold her views. She talked about dropping out of college because of those with whom she disagreed. A lady in a Bible study class openly and aggressively talked about how she had no problem shooting someone who posed danger—my concern was that her comments were not suited for a Bible study. The church had declined to the point where there was discussion about disbanding. They have become ineffective at reaching people in their community. In practice, hey had drawn a double line and dared anyone to cross it without becoming just like them. I resigned because of the adversarial attitude that actually involved people in the church turning on others. Jesus would say, “You are better than this!”
Suzanne Anderson puts it this way, "God calls us to step out of our comfort zone, to do the thing that is difficult or uncomfortable. Not because God enjoys watching us struggle, but because he knows that we will grow stronger as individuals and in our faith when we try new things."
There are a lot of sides we want to take when thinking about societal issues; however, love manifested in godly living is the starting place. Confession. A couple of weeks ago I joined a discussion on LinkedIn. I shared my beliefs in what I thought was a considerate manner. Yet a person used the term “pastor” and said I didn’t have empathy. I know my heart; however, if that the was the person’s impression I needed to be sensitive to it. That is the danger of social media; there is a disconnect with the personal. I told myself, “Jack, you can do better than that.” Since COVID I have done a lot of virtual presentations; however, there is no substitute for in person conferences, meetings, and dialogue.
I know what I believe about the sacredness of life, and I understand the 2nd Amendment. Yet I don’t believe that is the real challenge facing Christians as we live in a diverse and pluralistic world. I believe the real issues facing Christians today relates to how we are to respond to people holding specific views to which we disagree.
In the past months/years the tragedies happening across America are staggering. In the past weeks there have been multiple issues of violence, criminal activity, and immorality. Several of these come close to home (e.g., Taft shooting, Muskogee resident killed four people and himself people in Tulsa, cases of human trafficking, and so forth).
I believe the thrust of this message has a common link to the abortion issue and gun violence—really all forms of violence. The issue with abortion is deeper than a woman’s right to choose. The issue with violence is deeper than the right to bear arms. We can make it fully legal or illegal for a woman to have an abortion, but we haven’t addressed the real questions. We can outlaw all guns or have no limitations on the right to bear arms, but we haven’t addressed the real questions. Until we address the underlying issue we will continue to struggle.
I have often used the analogy of going to a doctor with a chronic infection, only to have a new round of antibiotics prescribed each time. Yet the doctor doesn’t gain an understanding of the underlying cause of the infection. Here are questions I believe will need to be processed for us to work through the issues of abortion and gun violence. They can also be used to have honest dialogue, not offensive monologues, with those in our community:
• What is your source of authority for deciding when life matters and should be protected? Does it begin at conception? Before the first trimester? After the heart begins to beat—around 5-6 weeks of pregnancy? After the the third trimesters? Only after birth? Are there experts who agree and disagree with you?
• What is your source of authority for deciding when life no longer matters and can be ended? At inception? With a date rape drug? Before the first trimester? If, as with a preborn baby, a person will not experience a fully realized life, a predetermined quality of life? If you have hate for your enemy? When a person decides they don’t matter and commits suicide? Who decides when a life matters or doesn’t matter?
Doctor Chavi Eve Karkowsky in an article, Found the Outer Limits of My Pro-choice Beliefs, shares an experience while performing an ultrasound that created an internal struggle, stating she “discovered more than I was looking for.” In the article she discussed her pro-choice perspective, a medical perspective, and other matters. She wrote this about her experience in Israel where abortion’s are more supported than in the US.
But in that dark room so far from home, I was deeply uncomfortable discussing abortion with a woman 35 weeks into her pregnancy, when that fetus had no clearly lethal or debilitating problem. By then, I’d been living in Israel for about a year, and practicing medicine at a local hospital for about six months. In Israel, everything was different—perhaps including me. In that dark room, I felt lost, as I confronted the outer borders of my pro-choice beliefs.
This week I read a very disturbing story. It was reported that a Missouri minister shot and killed a man he believed was having an affair with his wife. How would the story have ended differently had he loved the man instead of hating him? I get it that he was deeply hurt and became angry; however, what happened that he felt the man’s life no longer mattered? What happened in the core of his soul and value system that resulted in his actions? Peter was rash and slashed off the ear of one of the high priest’s servants. Jesus told him to put away his sword. He put the man’s ear back. He reminded Peter that his mission to the world would result in his death. He advocated a nonviolent perspective.
I am sure Jesus wants us to ask him what he would do when faced with a decision to end another person’s life—through an abortion or through a violent act. He would say for us to rely upon the transforming love he has bestowed upon us, when we deserved eternal separation from God, he stepped in with redeeming love. We have the DNA of God and should understand that God is the creator and sustainer of life, and that life matters from an eternal perspective.
Jesus challenges us to love others, even when we are inconvenienced, disappointed, hurt, or angry.
One night at church we were talking about some Christian principles. A deacon asked me if I taught them to the ladies at our residential facility. My response was, “No. They catch them.” As we simply respond to people in loving words and actions they catch the spirit of the Christian life. A Christian response to societal issues…
• We have to be aware of the slippery slope. Violence begins with degrading looks and comments we make. When unchecked, violence begins to escalate. To illustrate. A politician can make negative comments about their opponents and then we have events like the January 6 riot, violence by Antifa at Portland, and so forth. We have to look in the mirror and reflect upon ways we have made people feel unsafe by our words and actions.
• Seek to understand issues before going public. Listen to those with opposing viewpoints and understand their concerns and the basis of their thinking. To understand the abortion issue you can read articles such as Abortion Law and Policy Around the World - PMC (nih.gov)). Read experts from your point of view. If we don’t take these steps our witness will not be effective.
• Speak with empathy and compassion. This includes when one is preaching or teaching a Bible study. Think about what, why, and how you say things. Will the way you speak and act draw people to your church or turn them against Christianity.
• Get involved in community. Become involved in a mentoring program, demonstrate public expression of love by esteeming others, develop ministries to people in your community for all people, advocate social acceptance for all people, assist parents in understanding concerns related to social media and virtual reality, and so forth.
• Embrace and celebrate the limitless love of God. Live like you really believe that God loves everyone with unconditional love. Build relationships with people who hold a different worldview than you and experience the challenge of loving “sinners” as Jesus experienced. This will include loving them though they don’t quickly change to your worldview.
• As Jesus taught, pray for those you feel are “enemies”. Before joining the negativity observed on social media or in person, we need to pray for those whose beliefs and practices are offensive to us. James 5:11-16 reminds us that God is full of compassion and mercy and our prayers are to be personal and they are effective. We also need to pray about our attitude, especially when our anger begins to intensify. Paul reminds us that we should not go to sleep harboring anger. Pray!
When we moved to Arizona to pastor a mission church my wife and I began to look at options for buying property, a house or a place to build a home. I stopped by a small realtors office. While talking with an agent I observed pictures of children and a man. When asked she told me her husband was in another state. We bought a piece of property through her agency. I learned that she had a female partner. When our mission church started looking for a piece of property we bought it through her agency, knowing all along she had a female partner. I never once heard a member of our church talk bad about her lifestyle. When my wife and I got ready to move, I stopped by to visit with her and tell her we were leaving Vail, Arizona. She told me how she felt bad when she lied to me about her husband. We talked for a long time. She shared with me that she had been reluctant to let her children attend church because of a fear how people would treat them. She had started allowing her children to visit our church and came a couple of times with her partner.
If we are a disciple of Jesus, we will love unconditionally! We will be pleasantly pleased with the love we show others.
A man will be satisfied with good
by the words of his mouth,
and the work of a man’s hands will reward him. Proverbs 12:14
