Title: Bless and do not Curse
Today we will continue Paul’s outline and instruction on how a Christian ought to behave. Whereas the lessons of the last two weeks focused on our individual behavior, today we will look at corporate behavior in the church, and how we ought to respond to one another.
Another way to think of it is like this: I began last week by saying this is Paul answering the question: “What does being a Christian look like?” Today we’ll be answering a similar question: “What does the Church look like?”
In doing so, we’ll deal with one of the most difficult teachings in all of scripture. We’ll define what the teaching is, why it is difficult, and, hopefully, how we can legitimately apply the teaching to our lives.
I. Bless those who persecute you
There are two main obstacles to overcome with this difficult teaching:
1. It is very difficult to WANT to bless those who persecute us.
(Remember what we’ve studdied in the last two weeks about having our minds changed with the attitude of Christ, and not just doing things begrudgingly because it is our Christian duty, but rather doing the things of Christ because we genuinely desire to do these very things…)
2. It is also very difficult to KNOW HOW to bless someone who persecutes us.
(What are we to do, bake cookies for Osama bin Laden? Before you laugh, let us look at some other supporting verses, and open your minds up to the possiblity that the answer is “yes.”
“You have heard that is was said ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.”
-Jesus in Matt. 5:43-44
“To him how strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him ho takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.”
Jesus in Luke 6:29-30
Look down with me at Romans 12:19 which we’ll study in a few weeks: (read)
Okay, so we have some work to do, amen?
I will be very honest with you and tell you this sermon was not a easy one to write. I prayed and toiled over it like I have few other lessons, and I’m not sure why. Part of it was that my flesh wanted to resist, or rationalize what I knew the scriptures were saying, part of it is that I’m not sure I know how to teach this as well as I should, let alone how to teach myself, or any of you how to actually practice these things.
Essentially, it’s a difficult text, not because the language is vague or potentially confusing, but just the opposite, it’s difficult because it’s so simple, and, therefore so challenging to us.
To begin to understand how we apply this teaching, I think it helps a great deal to know why God would tell us to love our enemies. Let us remind oursevles of a few things:
1. We have no right to ownership.
Everything we “own” or “possess” is the property of the All-mighty, we confess as much each and every Sunday when we bless the offering saying, “Lord, allow us to give back a portion of what you’ve blessed us with.”
I love America, but one place where the American ideal and the Christian ideal are at odds is over the issue of ownership. America tells us we have rights tied to ownership. We have a right to the money we earn, we have a right to house and car we finance, we have a right to pursue upgrades materially if we so wish.
The Bible paints a different picture. The Bible warns us about the trappings of wealth (the rich man and the camel in the eye of a needle). The Bible tells us again and again that we ought not be concerned with our earthly treasure but rather with our heavenly treasure. (What should it profit a man should he gain the whole world, yet lose his soul?)
A famous preacher once put it this way, “The problem is not when people own possessions, it’s when possessions own people.”
2. We are ambassadors.
When someone punches you in the nose, whether they realize it or not (and most don’t), they are not punching you, they are punching Christ. You are an ambassador for the kingdom, your actions, and reactions, represent Christianity to EVERYONE.
To the lost, you are an example of what is different about a Christian. (Is there anything more anti-flesh than turning the other cheek?) Why do you think Mahatma Ghandi is still such an intreguing figure because of his non-violent resistance movement against the occupation of India in the 1930s? This happened almost 100 years ago and people still marvel at it! Why? Because it was different.
To the fellow Christian, in a moment when you are attacked, you are an example to them of how one should behave. We are to emulate Christ.
(Side note: Christ lived up to his own difficult teaching. He walked the walked. Has there ever been, in human history, a more violently unfair arrest, trial, beating, torture, and death, than the death of Jesus Christ. He could have, and any moment, without any need to justify his actions, blinked his eye and vaporized anyone withing a five mile radius that did not believe in him. And yet he did not. And why not? Because he was being obedient to the father. We must be obedient to the father.)
Most Christians (myself included) when punched in the nose, or threatened, or hasseled, are no different from the world, we look, act, behave, and react like everyone and anyone else. And we have no right to, we are not ourselves, we are a new creation, we are ambassadors for the Kingdom of Christ, under His sovereign rule, obliged to follow his commandments.
3. God has reserved judgement for himself
Look closely at Romans 12:19 (I don’t want to give away that whole sermon, but there is something very, very interesting of note…)
“But rather give place to wrath…”
There is a place for wrath, there is a place for justice, there is a place retribution and retaliation, but these times and these places, they are not up to us, they are up to God. When we take it upon ourselves to retaliate, we shove God aside and say, “Lord I have a better understanding for Justice that you do, justice needs to be immediate, and it needs to be administered by my hand, not yours.”
4. We were warned we’d be persecuted!!!
“Blessed are yiou when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Jesus in Matthew 5:11-12
Persecution isn’t all bad. If nothing else, it reminds us that we must be doing something right. It can take many different forms, from simply being snicked at as the butt of a joke in the office, to the extreme of giving up one’s life for your beleifs.
But in ever case, no matter how mild or extreme the type or manner of persection, one thing remains consistent throughout: You have a resonsibility to respond in a biblical manner.
Easy stuff to deal with today, huh?
Let us return to our two opening problems:
How do we WANT to love those who persecute us?
1. By understanding our greatest love and obedience is not to our fleshly desire, but to the obedience of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Chirst.
2. By understanding that our actions, and subsequent reactions have the power to not only teach and inspire fellow believers, but bewilder and intregue non-beleivers.
3. By understanding that everything we have, the air we breath, the car we drive, is on loan from God. And if God decides someone else is going to drive your car, be it your sister who lost her job, or the thug who carjacked you in Cleveland, that God’s right.
(Trust me, if you need another car, God can handle that too.)
4. By remembering that persection is all part of the gameplan. Christ suffered it, and he told us flatly that as followers of him, we’d suffer it as well.
Literally, how do you bless someone who persecutes you?
1. Prayer. Prayer. Prayer. (Short break) Prayer. Prayer. Prayer.
2. Err on the side of biblical caution. (If you aren’t sure, make the drastically conservative choice, it has far less consequence….remember your God is sovereign.)
3. Give your tunic as well. (Don’t be so afraid of being taken advantage of, that’s just price messing with you.)
4. NEVER seek revenge, calling it justice.
5. When in doubt WWJD. If you aren’t sure: WDYTJWD?
Pray:
Q/A