Matthew 5:38-48

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

?You have heard that it was said, ?You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.? But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so 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. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

More likely, many of us have probably avoided doing some of these commands, so let?s talk through a few of them. First, I need a volunteer, anyone who has a cheek available? According to historians, Jesus? admonition to turn the other cheek is buried in history obscurata: it was an offensive gesture to Jews in the ancient world to be slapped with the back of the right hand. Turning the other cheek makes it impossible to be slapped again, without it being offensive. When we put it in its context, it slowly becomes less offensive.

I heard a pastor saying this one time: My daughter was about 10 years old when she left a message on my voicemail saying ?Dad, I have been asked to read scripture this Sunday and I have to read that passage where Jesus says, ?Turn the other cheek.? You know that passage, right? Do the other Gospels have that same passage? Is it different in the other Gospels? Could you let me know, because; no offense Dad, but I think Jesus is wrong.?

Many of us probably have thought the same thing when we hear the passage from today. Many of us have heard these words and we gloss over them, say they are out dated, that they don?t apply to me, I can?t do that, and Jesus was just plain wrong! And what we don?t do is look a little deeper at the meaning behind these words. Trust me, I have done the same thing. So I needed to do a little more digging so I could understand this passage better in today?s time and gain some understanding on what Jesus is asking us to do. And I think Jesus is asking us to decide to live our lives differently by pointing out ways to go the extra mile and not do things like ?everyone else is doing.?

This passage is in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount-where Jesus truly begins his teaching ministry. The section right before this was about being salt and light in the world. And the section before this was the Beatitudes, which we will be exploring next week. One of the common phrases in the Gospel of Matthew is ?You have heard that it was said?but I say to you?? In doing so, Jesus is challenging all those who hear these words to evaluate how ?they have always done things,? and explore another way to be in the world where people of this new faith were constantly being persecuted for following the ?new way.? Meaning, Jesus is purposefully teaching us in ways that are going to challenge us, make us uncomfortable; but will encourage us to think differently about what it means to put God first, then our neighbors, then ourselves last. Everything that is written in the Sermon on Mount is a call to live a life that is different from how ?everyone else is doing it.? This is our challenge-as disciples, we are called to do the opposite of what seems normal and reasonable.

The specifics for todays lesson is that Jesus tells the disciples to turn the other cheek, forgo revenge, give more than required in a lawsuit, go the extra mile, give to all who beg, lend without limits, love the enemy, pray for persecutors, and greet the stranger?Oh, and don?t forget to be perfect and flawless. Easy, huh?

In a world that is ?all about me,? Jesus offers an alternative we find difficult to imagine and embody. I mean, who can be perfect?? It is easier to be mean, hold grudges, and ignore those in need. If I give to everyone who begs, I will have nothing left for myself. If I turn the other cheek, I will get slapped again. If I get sued, I am hiring the best lawyer I can afford to find a loophole in my favor. If I love my enemies, I will be more persecuted or even killed. If I am too nice, I will be seen as weak, a pushover, or a doormat. Some of us have probably thought about this, others have experienced it, and some never have thought or experienced these sentiments. From this passage, I don?t seem to have anything to gain, just lots to loose.

If we continue in the ?all about me? mentality, sometimes the question folks might ask is, ?If I do all this stuff, then what is in it for me?? Any ideas? This section in the Sermon on the Mount focuses on what we are to do differently?meaning, in a world that is all about me, what if we acted in ways that were loving, forgiving, kind and gracious, and offering generosity? This is definitely not the status quo. It is in many ways against what is normal. And Jesus shares that the payoff for living this way will be great: you will inherit the Kingdom of God-God?s reign, here and now. Sounds amazing!

As disciples, we are challenged in this passage in two different ways. First, God?s community-here on earth-if filled with people who think of others first. Where every decision and action is carried out for the common good. Everyone is acting out of love, and not just any kind of love, but out of God?s love. The ability for this kind of love is due to the empowering love given by God, our God who truly is love. We are able to be gracious, forgiving, hospitable, and generous because we are children of the God who showers us with abundant grace, mercy, love, and protection. Those who know God?s love now can love their enemies; those who experience God?s forgiveness now can forgive those who persecute them; those who claim God?s gift of generosity can now give back to those who have little or nothing. We are able to do these things because in Jesus we live in the days of God?s reign. Now. Today and tomorrow. Can you imagine if it started here? If we all truly lived out of God?s love for us and shared it with all of God?s children we meet?

The second challenge comes in the form of Jesus himself. Jesus lets his listeners know that he himself embodies these values that he is teaching. He is living them out. He moves us from ?you have heard what is said,? to ?but I say to you.? We no longer have to rely solely on the written word to understand God and God?s will for creation. We simply have to look at and listen to Jesus. Jesus shifts the authority to himself?God?s word made flesh and dwelling, living in our midst. Because of Jesus, God?s realm is already present and moving toward its fulfillment. Within us already are the marks of those fully embraced by God and empowered by God?s will. Jesus calls us to maturity that results in more Godlike behaviors and motivations. Could you imagine how people would receive us if we truly were living out the values Jesus taught, truly believing that the Jesus we say we believe in is truly living in our midst, even today?

With the words of this text, Jesus seeks neither to set impossible goals nor to shame people who cannot reach perfection. Thank goodness! Instead, Jesus set forth God?s vision for God?s world-something each of us need to strive for faithfully every day; where love, genuine love and unconditional love, is what reigns-where God?s love reigns in our world. The reign of God is brought forth, inaugurated, in the person of Jesus, and we, Jesus? followers, are empowered by Jesus? witness to live the reign of God?s values. It?s a beautiful image, isn?t it? Creating the reality is the harder piece.

And even in hearing this explanation of how we can show God?s love through being more loving, forgiving, kind, gracious, and generous to those we love, know, and meet, many of us are still thinking, none of this is really possible; well, maybe some of it is.

So what does that all look like and mean to us now? Make it real for us, Devon. It all comes down to this line-the reign of God?This is the payoff-if we follow Jesus, we will be part of making God?s reign truly possible here and now. Yet, I believe that it is still a little harder and messier than that. Especially when we acknowledge that there is a great deal of divisiveness in our community, town, state, country, and world. Reality stinks!

(So what are some ways that we can make this ideal real? What actions can we take each and every day? How can we make God?s reign real today?)

?From the beginning of his ministry, Jesus seeks to bring together what has been divided. Not to balance the opposites. Not to teach us to see one another as separate but equal and to encourage us to practice greater tolerance and acceptance. More than tolerance, he wants to reveal to us the potential we have to be a new entity altogether, stronger and more beautiful for our differences?a new creation revealing to the world the true nature of God.

Jesus does not hope that we will eventually learn to accept our differences and put up with those who annoy us or undermine us. No, he seeks something much deeper, something that will reveal more truly who God is: that we will become a new body entirely. He wants us to stop trying to find the perfect balance among all persons, perceptions, and opinions. Rather, Jesus wants us to live together, messily, clumsily, toward the perfecting of love. He longs for us to heal the divides and be a sign to the world that it?s possible.?

If disciples are called to reveal more truly who God is, and we believe that God is loving, kind, giving, generous?we are the ones called to move towards the perfecting of God?s love here and now, in God?s realm here on earth?we are the ones, as disciples of Jesus Christ, called to be the healers when there is division, and continue Jesus? ministry of bringing together those who are divided. Could you imagine if we really lived our lives as we believed we were actually living in God?s realm now? Would there be fewer divisions, how much more generosity would exist, and that in our living, we would be more gracious towards all of God?s children? Maybe there would be a little less judgment, hatred, and dissension, and a lot more living, loving, and laughing. Where does it begin? It begins with each one of us in how we live out our faith in Jesus Christ in the world. Remember, there have been a lot of Christians over the years who have given Christians a bad name. Be the type of Christian that offers God?s love, kindness, forgiveness, and hope; not judgment, hatred, and more division. Are you willing to live graciously and generously by seeking to embody kindness and graciousness, to be loving and forgiving, and offer generosity in ways that are expected when one believes the realm of God is here and now. It is my prayer that it living in God?s realm now begins and continues with every one of you. Can you imagine how beautiful it could be?