Nice to Who?

Zephyr United Methodist Church

Early First United Methodist Church

August 21, 2005

Eddie Smart

Matthew 5:38-48 (NRSV)

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' ³⁹But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; ⁴⁰and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; ⁴¹and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. ⁴²Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.

⁴³"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' ⁴⁴But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. ⁴⁶For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

We had some repair work done this week. The workers took longer than necessary when they finally got to it. When the work was completed there was a mess left behind. It took from Thursday until Monday to get the repairs done. The whole thing just didn’t go the way I thought it should. I wanted to give the owner of the business a piece of my mind, but I didn’t. For some reason today’s text came to mind as I remembered a message from last weekend about the need to be a friend before I can bring someone to Christ.

In visiting with a person I know, I learned that the vehicle they are driving has had one problem after another ever since they bought the truck. She is convinced that the person who sold them the truck knew it had major problems, but sold it to them anyway.

Have you ever had someone treat you with disrespect? Have you ever had someone cheat you in some kind of dealing? Have you ever had someone deliberately mislead you and take advantage of you? How did you respond? What did you want to do?

Jesus said, “...if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also.” Now what kind of way is that to respond? William Barclay points out that a right-handed person would most likely use the back of their hand to strike you on the right cheek. He also explains that for someone to back-hand you in the day of Jesus was an insult. Jesus is talking about someone insulting you. Have you ever been insulted? What was your response?

Jesus expects us to let an insult roll off of us like water off a duck’s back. Why would we do that? Nice to who?

Jesus said, “...if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well.” In Jesus day a person could sue you for your coat and get it, but noone could legally take your cloak. It was a layer of clothing by day and a blanket by night. It was your right to keep your cloak, and here is Jesus saying, “Give them your cloak as well.” Barclay explains that Christians are to think not of their rights, but of their duties; not of their privileges, but of their responsibilities. Why would we do that? Nice to who?

If forced to go one mile we are to go two! In Jesus day a person could be compelled to provide service–they could be compelled to carry a load one mile. Jesus said we were to smile as we go beyond what was required. Christians are to be concerned with helping not with what they would like to do. Why would we do that? Nice to who?

If that were not enough, we are to love our enemy! The Greek word used is “agape.” We are to make a conscience decision to love unconditionally our enemy. Jesus is saying I expect you to love people the way I love people. But our enemy! Why would we do that? Nice to who?

Pray for them? We are to pray for those who persecute us. Who is that person that has hurt you unbelievably? Do you pray for him or her every day? Barclay claims that it is impossible for us to pray for someone and at the same time hate that person. Why would we do that? Nice to who?

Why would we do that? Why would we ignore insults? Why would we give our help rather than claim our rights? Why would we go beyond what someone demands of us and smile about it? Why would we love our enemy and pray for those who persecute us? Why would we do that? Nice to who?

Well, Jesus answers the why question. Jesus said, “so that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” In other words, so you can be like God.

God gives the sun to both the good and the evil. God brings the rain to both the righteous and the unrighteous. God doesn’t like just the likable. God doesn’t love just the loveable. “The great characteristic of God is to love the saint and sinner alike.” God is perfect, and we are called to be perfect.

“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” How can we be perfect? Perfect. In Greek the word is teleios. Teleios is the adjective form of the noun telos, which means an end, a purpose, a goal. To the Greeks to be perfect meant to achieve one’s purpose. A thing is perfect if it fully realizes the purpose for which it was planned, and designed, and made.

For us to be perfect means that we fully realize the purpose for which we were created. Why are we here? What was God’s plan? In Genesis 1:26 God says, “Let us make man in our image after our likeness...” You were created to be like God. I was created to be like God. To be perfect is to be like God.

How can we be like God? Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest (Sept 20 devotion) concludes that today’s passage is telling us “to be generous in our behavior toward everyone.” We are to love others not only as God loves us, but because God loves them.

Chambers tells us , “The true expression of Christian character is not in good-doing, but in God-likeness. If the Spirit of God has transformed you within, you will exhibit divine characteristics in your life, not just good human characteristics. God’s life in us expresses itself as God’s life, not as human life trying to be godly.”

It is only by the grace of Jesus Christ that we are able to love with God’s love. It is only by God’s grace that we can love and pray for our enemy. As Paul wrote to the church in Galatia, “...it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (NRSV)

To be like God also means that it is our greatest desire that the ones who strike us, sue us, compel us, hurt us, cheat us, persecute us–those who are enemies...to be like God it is our greatest desire for these to live with God for all eternity. If we act in a human way toward them, how can we bring them to Jesus Christ and eternal life.