May 20, 2001
Relationships in the Kingdom – Part 5
INTRODUCTION
Alexander Dumas’ book, The Count of Monte Cristo, has to be one of the most captivating novels ever written. I first read it when I was in high school. The primary character, Edmond Dantes, is a handsome young man with a promising future. But he is framed by some jealous rivals and spends 14 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. After escaping from prison, he disguises himself and starts a new life as the mysterious Count of Monte Cristo. He spends the next 10 years calculating his revenge on the four men who wronged him. One by one, each of these four men’s lives is ruined as Dantes systematically unleashes his plan.
ILLUS – In college I witnessed another incredibly well crafted piece of revenge. Nearly equal in its epic proportions to that of the Count of Monte Cristo. This event happened to involve one of best friends, Barton Shaw, whose father, by the way was the dean of the Seminary.
It all started when Tracy Thomas opened a door and threw a cup of water in Barton’s face. A rather childish and immature little prank.
But for weeks, possibly even months, Barton plotted his revenge.
On a certain weekend, Tracy was gone from school. Barton had convinced one of the R.A.’s to let him into Tracy’s dorm room. Being somewhat of an Industrial arts wizard, Barton showed up at the dorms with his toolbox, bag after bag of equipment from the hardware store, and a large diagram, that looked something like blueprints for a house.
During an entire Saturday, Barton worked diligently in Tracy’s room. He had fishing line going through eyelets screwed into the ceiling. More fishing line going through eyelets on the back of the door. A plastic tarp filled with several buckets of water was hung from the ceiling. And to top it off, a razor blade attached to a line and balanced with counter weights so that when the door was opened, the blade would rise and cut a hole in the tarp and releasing several gallons of water right on Tracy’s head. When Tracy returned late on Sunday night, a nervous crowd of spectators was milling around the hallway. Tracy unlocked his door to go inside – I must say, the whole thing worked like a charm.
At this point Tracy Thomas realized he was pranking with the master – even if he chose to retaliate, Barton Shaw’s genius for revenge would only strike again – and with greater intensity.
Tracy’s only option was to let it go.
We’re led to believe revenge is sweet. That it’s a self-gratifying activity that purges the soul.
Ever read a bumper sticker and realize you and the driver of the car, would probably never be best friends? The idea being expressed is so foreign to the way you think, you simply realize person displaying the slogan is someone with whom you likely will not see eye to eye.
Kim and I saw an unusual bumper sticker a couple of weeks ago. It read, “If you’re looking for your cat, check under my tire.” Though I found it somewhat funny, I could tell Kim might not have much in common with the driver of that vehicle.
How about stickers like these…
Do unto others before they do unto you
Shoot first…ask questions later
I don’t get mad, I get even
These are statements from people who make it sound like they just don’t want to get along with others. Such slogans betray a belief in retaliation, fighting back, and defending one’s rights. They all seem to say, “Revenge is sweet.”
As we saw in the clip earlier, Jesus has some different thoughts on retaliation. Since every person is made in the image of God, He’s interested in making sure relationships among all people are not filled with violence and hatred, but with patient understanding and radical love.
His wisdom for us?
When personally wronged or injured, respond with an outrageous attitude.
TRANSITION: His teaching on revenge begins with these words in Matthew 5:38 (p. 959)… “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’
THAT OLD LAW WAS WIDELY MISUNDERSTOOD
Jesus was right, the crowd had certainly heard this before.
It was the concept of exact retribution – or the principle of the punishment needing to fit the crime. Out of the Old Testament we can read…
Exodus 21:23-25
23But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, 24eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.
Leviticus 24:19-20
19If anyone injures his neighbor, whatever he has done must be done to him: 20fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. As he has injured the other, so he is to be injured.
Deuteronomy 19:21
21Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
Really, “Eye for eye and tooth for tooth” (v. 38) was intended to do two things:
1. Put a limit on punishment
The law defined justice by setting a cap point on how much punishment a person could receive. Not wanting violence escalate, the law stepped in and said the punishment should be in line with the severity of the crime. No more no less.
The Law was also intended to…
2. Eliminate personal revenge
The sentencing was to be carried out by the court of law and not by individuals. Eye for eye and tooth for tooth was never intended to be used by people who were angry with someone else. It was an instruction for how judges should punish crimes brought to the courtroom for sentencing.
By Jesus’ day both of these fundamentals were pretty much overlooked. Wrongs were repaid by greater wrongs, and worse yet, this was being carried out in the private sector by individuals.
Now people were interested in, “How far can my personal retaliation extend without breaking the law?”
So the principle was being utilized as an excuse for the very things it was instituted to abolish – namely the unnecessary escalation of violence and personal revenge.
TRANSITION: In the midst of this misunderstanding, Jesus steps in to clarify the issue.
(HOW JESUS CLARIFIES THE ISSUE)
We begin to see just how different the mind of Christ is from the mind of a mere mortal. Jesus says…
But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person (v. 39)
What?
This has led to many misunderstandings, perhaps because the KJV says “resist not evil.”
The Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy became famous for taking this verse literally.
From Resurrection…
His whole belief system was shaped around this thought. He believed there should be no police, no armies, no government magistrates – because each of these resist evil.
He believed that if those in power would act in selfless love then evil would be eliminated. Nice thought, expressed in expert fashion, by one of the greatest literary minds in history, however...
Didn’t seriously grasp the fallen nature of the human heart – if government and police and armies stopped using force to resist evil, the the human heart would still be wicked
He also failed to understand that at times we have to resist evil done against someone else. (The Bible commands us to defend the fatherless and widow)
Jesus isn’t talking in governmental or institutional terms here. He’s talking on a personal level. Something that world leaders and peasants could equally apply to their interactions, if they chose to. Jesus is talking about evil directed against us – as individuals – because that’s how the eye for an eye rule was being abused.
Instead of choosing retaliation or seeking revenge, Jesus challenges us to adopt a few outrageous attitudes, the first of which would sound like this:
1. I forfeit my personal dignity
If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Matthew 5:39)
A strike on the right cheek was an insult. It would have been a slap using the back of the hand. A blow to the left cheek was considered a punch (since most people are right handed). To the right cheek – it was an insulting slap.
You’ve probably seen some of those movies based back in when chivalry was in high fashion, someone takes their glove and gives a backhand slap on the cheek of an enemy. What usually happens? Either a sword fight or pistols at 40 paces.
Sometimes when insulted, we like to get even with our words.
No one was better at insults than Winston Churchill. Once when Lady Astor came upon him in a hotel elevator when Churchill had obviously had too much to drink. With disgust she snapped, “Sir Winston, you are drunk!” to which he replied, “M’lady, you are ugly. And tomorrow I will be sober.” (Not what Jesus had in mind.)
Sometimes when insulted, we try to get even with our actions.
ILLUS - Maybe you heard about the Desert Storm soldier who while he was overseas received a Dear John letter from his girlfriend back home in the states. To add insult to injury, she wrote, "Will you please return my favorite photograph of myself-- I need it for my engagement picture in the local newspaper."
The poor guy was devastated, but all the soldiers came to his rescue. They went throughout the entire camp and collected pictures of all the guys’ girlfriends. They filled up an entire shoe box and sent it to the girl along with a note from the guy saying, "Please find your picture, and return the rest—for the life of me, I can’t remember which one you were!!"
Our tendency when someone insults us is to strike back. Get even! Physically, verbally, or otherwise. We think… How dare you! You insulted me!
You see, revenge has a tendency to escalate. A wrong is topped by another wrong, which then has to be topped by yet another wrong. The madness may never come to an end.
Jesus has a solution that stops escalating violence dead in its tracks.
Jesus says turn and offer the other cheek as well.
Jesus wants us to just say, “I forfeit my personal dignity. I just give it up.”
So…I’ll turn the other cheek (v. 39)
ILLUS - Reminds me of the old Irish preacher who had once been a professional boxer. He happened to be in a new town setting up his tent for some evangelistic meetings when a couple of tough guys noticed what he was doing. Knowing his background, they made a few insulting remarks. Pressing his luck, one of the bullies took a swing at the preacher, hit him solidly on the jaw, knocking him to the ground.
People figured the former boxer would come up swinging. Instead, he got back to his feet, rubbing his jaw. To the amazement of those who knew him, without saying anything, he walked up to the guy who hit him. Indicating the other side of his face, he invited the man to hit him again, which he did.
At that point, the preacher rose to his feet, took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, and announced, “The Lord gave me no further instructions.” Smack! I think he missed the point. (Stuart Briscoe, The Sermon on the Mount, p. 129)
But, Jesus says if your dignity is insulted with a slap, let it go. You can live without your dignity. It’s not the most important thing in the world. It just isn’t worth entering the escalating violence of revenge just to defend your dignity.
When Jesus went to the cross, he showed us there are more important things to be concerned about than our sense of dignity. Jesus didn’t defend himself. Because he knew God takes care of those things.
Here’s what it says in…
Romans 12:17-21 (New Living Translation)
17Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.
19Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written,
“I will take vengeance;
I will repay those who deserve it,”
says the Lord.
20Instead, do what the Scriptures say:
“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink,
and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you.”
21Don’t let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Some of you may be thinking, this could never work. People just take advantage of you.
Remember – Jesus isn’t asking you to give in to rapists, abusers and would-be murderers.
Don’t resist and evil person , but do it like an anvil, not like a doormat. Self defense is one thing – revenge is quite another. So don’t throw that second punch. Don’t pay back that insult with another insult. Don’t speed up and cut off the driver who just cut you off.
Give up your dignity – turn the other cheek
The second outrageous attitude:
2. I forfeit my comfort and security
And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. (v. 40)
The tunic was a long garment which would be something like how we would wear a dress or a shirt. Over the top of that people would wear the cloak, or what we might refer to as a jacket or a coat.
The cloak was worn around the body much like a blanket, and at night it was used something like a temporary sleeping bag. The human tendency was to cling to the cloak.
But Jesus says if someone wants to sue the shirt off your back, throw in your coat as well. How’s that for an outrageous attitude?
When we’re wrongfully sued, we have a natural tendency to get even. The average person would want to strike back. Conventional wisdom says retaliate. Get even. We’re not talking about conventional wisdom here. Were talking about the mind of Christ. We’re talking the wisdom of the creator and sustainer of life.
This isn’t a command for how Christians should end every lawsuit – it’s Jesus’ instructions on what to do if your tempted with revenge.
Instead of filing a counter suit – instead of finding other ways to get back at the one who sued you, Jesus says, when you’re tempted with the thought of revenge, just give it up. Give up comfort and security. You can live without it.
Matthew 8:20 (NLT) - Jesus said, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but I, the Son of Man, have no home of my own, not even a place to lay my head.”
Giving up comfort and security is better than entering into retaliation.
When I have this outrageous attitude I’ll say…
I give up my comfort and security, so…
I’ll give my coat too (v. 40)
Third outrageous attitude:
3. I forfeit my right to uninterrupted privacy
Matthew 5:41 - If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
Not uncommon for people in Jesus’ day to feel the flat side of a Roman spear on their shoulder and hear some gruff soldier commanding, “Pick up this luggage and carry it! One mile!”
This is what happened when Simon of Cyrene was “forced” to carry the cross of Jesus.
The Jews were already irritated that the Romans had control of their homeland, so this act of force was naturally despised. Some, thinking if Jesus was really the Jewish Messiah, he would put an end to Roman rule and establish a brand new political kingdom. Instead, he gives them an outrageous attitude – go two miles. Do more than is required.
ILLUS-Someone in our church must certainly understand this concept. A few months ago there were some problems with the urinal in the Men’s restroom. To keep it from overflowing after use, a sign was posted above it, which read, “Please flush twice.” Underneath those words someone promptly added, “Go the extra mile.”
While applying the wisdom of Jesus to a rather unusual circumstance, this person, nonetheless understands the concept of doing more than is required.
When someone forces us to do something, we may feel resentful. We may feel like getting even with them by forcing them to do something for us.
This idea of force may sound odd to us today, but imagine if you have tickets to a ball game, and your boss needs you to stay late and work an hour of overtime. We may think, “But that’s my time. I had plans!” Jesus advice is that if this makes us feel bitter enough to think about revenge, we should stay two hours.
Again this is an illustration of how to avoid revenge.
A person could turn this into a law by saying, “I’ll go two miles and not an inch further!”
Jesus just wants us to give up this notion that we have a right to uninterrupted privacy.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT) - You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.
I forfeit my uninterrupted privacy, so…
I’ll go the extra mile (v. 41)
One more outrageous attitude…
4. I forfeit my right to exclusive ownership
Matthew 5:42 - Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
ILLUS – I recently read a story about a traveler, who between flights at an airport, bought a small package of cookies. She then sat down in the busy snack shop to glance over the newspaper. As she read she became increasingly aware of a rustling noise. Peeking over her newspaper, she was shocked to see a well-dressed gentleman sitting across from her, helping himself to her cookies. Half-angry and half-embarrassed, she reached over and gently slid the package closer to her as she took one out and began to munch on it.
A minute or so passed before she heard more rustling. The man had gotten another cookie! By now there was only one left in the package. Though beside herself, she didn’t want to make a scene so she said nothing.
Finally, as if to add insult to injury, the man broke the remaining cookie into two pieces, pushed one piece across the table to her with a frown, gulped down his half and left without even saying thank you. She sat there dumbfounded. “Of all the nerve!”
Some time later when her flight was announced, the woman opened her handbag to get her ticket. To her shock, there in her purse was her package of unopened cookies. And somewhere in that airport was another traveler still trying to figure out how that strange woman could have been so forward and insensitive! (Chuck Swindoll, Simple Faith, p. 95-96)
Instead of reacting or retaliating, that man, though reluctantly, still gave up what was rightfully his. Ordinarily, when people desire something that is ours, it can lead to thoughts of revenge.
This statement Jesus makes in verse 42 (give to the one who asks) raises all sorts of questions.
What should we do about those who beg for money on the streets? If the person asks for $500 and we have $500 on us, do we have to give it up in order to obey this command?
Consider the statement in context. Jesus mentioned the rule about an Eye for an eye. He’s telling us how to respond to an evil person who intends to do us harm.
Many people look at the prospect of giving something away and possible think, “How will this benefit me? What am I going to get out of this? This is mine, so there better be a good reason for parting with it.”
As Jesus looks at the heart of someone who follows him, a person who would think such things still hasn’t grasped the attitude necessary to do away with revenge.
The Bible says…
Psalm 24:1 - The earth is the LORD’S, and everything in it.
So, I’ll give up my right to exclusive ownership…
I’ll give to the one who asks (v. 42)
TRANSITION: These attitudes are pretty outrageous.
WRAP-UP
Those are pretty outrageous!
This is revolution we’re talking about here. We wonder sometimes why our relationships don’t work, and we find ourselves at odds with others. Yet we look at these statements thinking they’re impractical and out of reach.
They are out of reach without the assistance of the Holy Spirit.
Which outrageous attitude will I concentrate on this week?
