Sermon On the Mount | MATTHEW 5:31-32, 38-48 | JESUS AND THE LAW: Blessed Are The Peacemakers

I.  Introduction:  This story was relevant to me and so I used it, you would probably do better with a story of your own.

            Note:  I read a story from this week from Thomas and Cynthia Hale medical missionaries to Nepal for twenty five years.  In reading some

of their accounts of dealing with the practical difficulties of running a missionary hospital, Mr. Hale recounted a story of how the communists in the

seventies tried to destroy the work of the hospital.  As each encounter with the communists was narrated I tried to put myself in Mr. Hale's place: 

giving up my entire professional career for a foreign society, working and living in harsh conditions and working long hours and then having young, naive

students destroy it all in the name of ideology.  

            What surprised me was that I would have lost my temper and challenged the situation.  I then read how with patience, fairness, and

gentleness the crisis was averted and the hospital was able to continue its ministry to the sick and hurting of that society.  As I read a Scripture was

brought to mind:  "The anger of man, does not accomplish the righteousness of God" (James 1:20).  Let us see how Jesus would amplify this statement of

foregoing anger in two ways:

            Note:   We have noted that Jesus is showing us how to exceed the righteousness of the religion of His day.  He had a simple pattern that

we observed last week.  Jesus quotes the Law then gives His amplification or fulfillment of that Law often followed with additional helps.  We saw that

Jesus shows us three times how to "exceed" the Law so as to be under the reign of Jesus Christ.  So let us look at two three examples of this today.  

 

II.         No Divorce.  Matthew 5:31-32.

>>>> Have someone read Matthew 5:32-32

            Q  Do you see the pattern?  Do you see the first three parts?

               An = Jesus quotes the divorce law in Deuteronomy 24:1,3.  He then says, "But I say unto you", and finally, Jesus radicalizes or "fulfills"

the law.

            Q  How does Jesus "fulfill" or "full-up" or go the very intent of the Law about divorce?

               An = Moses said you had to give the divorced woman a certificate, obviously, to protect and give her some legitimization.  Jesus is

going even further, the best legitimization for a woman to have in marriage is for not to be dissolved.  If she commits adultery, she obviously wants it

dissolved.  

            Q  Does this teaching make up uneasy?  Why?

               An = This teaching does have some advantages:  1) We have a society filled with children whose father's have left them vulnerable,

confused and and in some cases financially disadvantaged.  2) The best thing for a man is end his life is knowing he took good care of his children and

wife.  The best thing for a woman, and if you turn the genders around, a man, (which is legitimate to do because only men could iniciate divorce then, so

Jesus only addresses then men) is to make them secure.  3)  It so healthy for people to keep their vows, their promises.  Getting divorced, except for

unchastity or marital unfaithfulness, is breaking one's word.

 

III.  Overcoming Evil with Good.  Matthew 5:38-42.

>>>> Have someone read Matthew 5:38.

            Q  What does this law mean?

               An = This is the famous Lex Talionis (found three times in the Old Testament, Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20, Deuteronomy 19:20 and in

other ancient Near Eastern Law codes). The legal community has long seen this law teaches two things:  that misconduct should be punished, but the

punishment should fit the crime.  

            Q Is the Old Testament Law just into "justice" or does it also demand "mercy"?

               An = To answer this let us take a quick look back at the Law in Exodus.  Turn to Exodus 23.

                        >>> Have someone read Exodus 23:4,5,9.  Here we see that there is a commandment to have and extend mercy to

even those whom it does not justly belong.

            Note:  Jesus though, wants to "fulfil" or "exceed" this standard and watch what He does.  >>>> Read Matthew 5:39-42.

            Q Do these sound impossible or impractical applications?

               An = Encourage them to really tell the truth here.  These seem to be impractical.  Do not resist an evil person?  If you do not stop

bullies they just get bolder and worse.  What does Jesus mean here?

            Q What four practical examples of how not to resist evil are given in these verses?

               An = After they have listed the four go back and deal with each one.  He gives us four:   1) If someone strikes you on the right check

offer him the other.  This speaks of being insulted.  Do not return insult with insult, let them take another shot says Jesus.  2)  If someone wants to

take something of yours that is rightfully yours let them have it.  In the Israel one was forbidden to take a poor man's cloak.  If someone tried to sue for

your cloak you would easily beat them in court.  Jesus says let them take everything until you are naked.  3) If someone forces you to go a mile.  Roman

soldiers often made peasants in an occupied country carry their baggage.  Jesus says go the extra mile.  

            Q What do these three situations all have in common?  

               An = In all three cases following these ideas could leave us vulnerable and compromise our dignity.  It could leave us emotionally

naked.  How can we live if we are constantly insulted and the insults are not true or at least only partially true?  How can we have some of our dignity

taken away and not press our advantage to get it back?  How can someone take advantage of us and we not resent it?  This sounds impossible to do.

            Q Let me ask you another question.  What if someone has insulted us, or taken advantage of us and we insult back, get bitter or angry

resent their taking advantage of us?  Are we free?  Are we greater people?  

               An = Of course, we are not free, and of course, we do not witness for our Lord.  We are no different than the world.  What makes us

Christians is not that we give money to a church or good causes, go to church and have superior, biblical theology.  What makes us Christians is that we

love Jesus Christ.  We just do not do anything He tells us to do.  You know it gets worse...

>>>> Let me re-read Matthew 5:42.

            4)  Q How many of us know of relatives or friends who have relatives who would sponge off anyone, endlessly, until nothing remained

because they were so lazy.  

            An = It does not seem to be.  There are times when giving to some people is wrong and harmful, and Jesus is also aware of this.  However,

let me show you something.  Jesus is not counseling passivity.  He is counseling aggressiveness.  He is saying do not merely tolerate people who are

abusive, but go on the offensive.  Aggressively try to aid them.  Do not be a passive victim, but be an aggressive giver.  In all four cases you resist evil

not with bitterness, resentment or reprisal but you resist evil with positive action.

            1)  If someone one insults you, let them take another shot.

            2)  If someone tries to take your dignity in one area that is crucial to you, do not worry about them coming after even a more private and

necessary area of your life.

            3)  If someone miss uses your hospitality, or kindness aggressively give them more than they asked for.

            4)  No not be paranoid of the takers in this life.

            Q Can we afford to be emotionally naked?  

            Q A bigger question is, will God protect us, will we survive?

            Q Is there a God in Heaven who wishes to bless us with His commandments?  Are these blessings or sure-fire ways to be miserable until

we get to heaven?

            

IV.  Being Like the Father.  Matthew 5:43-48.

>>>> Have someone read Matthew 5:43.

            Note:  The Law tells us to love our neighbors and hate those who are threats to our well being.  This sounds fair and correct.  But as you

might expect Jesus Christ wants more...

>>>> Have someone read Matthew 5:44.

            Note: It is one thing to not take revenge against enemies but to pray for them seems to be asking for too much.

            Q Is this practical?

               An = I have been trying this one.  It is!  I have to pray pretty hard sometimes, but it is amazing.  If you do it, you get a gift.  Let me

show how Jesus describes the gift.

>>>> Read Matthew 5:45-48.

            Q What is the gift?  What is Jesus holding out as a motivation in these verses?

               An = In 5:45, we can be sons of the Father.  We can be like Him.  In 5:46-47 we can be different from the world.  We can be more than

knee-jerk reactionists, we can be aggressive choosers, folks that are different.  Finally, in 5:48 we can be "perfect" like our heavenly father is

"perfect".  

            Q What does it mean to be perfect?

               An = The word has more the meaning of being complete, coming to fulfillment.  "teleos" moving towards a goal.  We are to be

purposeful people, complete people, full people, like the personhood of Almighty God.

            Q Will God take care of us if we do not resist evil?  Can we survive?

               An = >> read to them the following verses from Psalm 56:8-13.  If we do not resist evil, what will happen to us?  This might

be answered when we look at the one who told to do these things:  Jesus Christ.  What happened to Jesus for He lived out in His life what He is asking us

to do.  

            Q Will we survive emotionally or psychologically if we risk being made naked by certain people?

               An = The answer is really dependent on whether there is a God.  Will He really be there?   Do I really believe in God.  

            Q If we do believe how do we get the courage to follow what He asks of us?  How do we get motivated to even try obeying these

commands?

               An = Many of motivated in many ways but perhaps two thoughts can be briefly given:  how deep is my love for Jesus, and can my love for

Him, to please Him motivated me, also do I want to be like Him?

            Note: I can be very, very short tempered.  When I am threatened or verbally attacked or get excited about someone seeing my point of

view, I often get angry, aggressive, verbally abusive, etc.  Jesus' words stand in such contrast to my actions.

>>>> Let me read to you Matthew 5:5.

            Note:  I am beginning to understand that Jesus' words take great restraint, great discipline and great courage, great faith to follow.  I am

beginning to think "humility" is a power-virtue.  Mr. Hale was meek and he succeeded in bringing good doctoral care to his part of the earth.

            I want to grow to be like Mr. Hale was in that particular situation in Nepal.