AUGUST 27th, 2023 PASTOR DON PIEPER
ONE AT A TIME Matthew 5:1-12 / 13-8, 21-2, 38-42
“HOW TO REALLY SHINE”
Jesus' intro to the sermon on the mount, (the Beautitudes), is among his most well known and most quoted words in Scripture. They're poetic, idealic and seem to affirm us good guys.
“God blesses those of us who are poor”, who can't afford season tickets to the Mariners, for e.g. “Blessed are those who are humble” – like me! Just ask me and I'll tell you! “Blessed are those who hunger for justice.” I'm starving for justice! I'm dying to see so and so get what he deserves!
(Matthew 5:3, 5-6)
But as we read further the very quotable words of Inigo Montoya come to mind: “You know, I do not think that-a means what you think it-a means.”
Jesus' sermon lays the foundation for his kingdom building vision by raising the bar on what is asked of us. Here Jesus reframes how we're to treat people who are difficult to love. Six times in the passages that follow Jesus declares: “You have heard that it was said...” (Matthew 5:21, 27,31, 33,38, 43) It's a phrase that rabbis used when referencing the Old Testament law called the Torah. Jesus was bringing to mind what had been frequently quoted/misinterpreted by the people's superiors & teachers.
When Jesus began with, “You have heard that it was said”, everyone there would've nodded at the quote, (Oh yeah, that one!) But when he followed that up with, “but I tell you...”, and then offered a new application of the old law that made it even more difficult to follow, their jaws dropped open. Many of them thought he'd been doing away with the law. After all, weren't the religious leaders always berating Jesus for not keeping the sabbath laws as they demanded?
Many of us Christians today aren't much different. We love Jesus' talk of love in the New Test-ament but don't have much use for that Old Testament stuff. It's good old Marcion all over again. Ever hear of him? Marcion was a second century believer who taught that Jesus' gospel of love had made the Old Testament obsolete. His rejection of the Old Testament eventually led him to axe most of the New as well. Only some of Paul's letters and parts of Luke were left in tact. There's a cartoon quip of good old Marcion holding up a sliver of paper, and declaring, 'The new lightweight Marcian translation!'
But Jesus makes it clear that his message and actions don't undermine the scriptures but complete them. “I did not come to abolish (them), but to accomplish their purpose.” (Matthew 5:17)
Jesus' encouraging words calling his followers the salt of the earth and light of the world are transitional verses that connect his opening blessings with his call to follow his lead. As he later points out: “If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that?” This echoes back to his Beautitudes in which a reward is connected with each of the beautiful attitudes/actions mentioned.
(Matthew 5:46)
Jesus goes on to add: “If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that, but you are to (shine) as your Father in heaven (shines!)”
(Matthew 5:47-48)
So how does that work? How can we come to shine in such a way that others see something in us that causes them to glorify our Father in heaven? Jesus' teaching forces a challenging question. How do you respond when someone hurts you, rejects you, betrays you, ridicules you, gossips about you?
-2-
At one point, Jesus quotes mankind's most ancient law: “You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” (Matthew 5:38) Ever hear of that one? It's called the law of lex talionis – the law of 'tit for tat'. It shows up reguarly in old slapstick movies, like Charlie Chaplan or Laurel and Hardy movies. The tramp gets slapped, he slaps back. Hardy kicks Stan and Stan kicks Ollie back. Back and forth it goes until all mayhem breaks loose and everyone has black eyes and missing teeth. It can be hilarious on film but detrimental to community.
Most of us are prone to it. We practice it without thinking about it. It feels right. It feels just. You get what's coming to you and if no one else will dish out, I'm more than happy to oblige....!
The minions from the film Despicable Me are masters of tit for tat. Allow us to demonstrate...: (bump into someone, they push back; flick their nose, ...back; hit them with a baloon, they hit back...)
Jesus has a way of challenging us by making broad statements and then getting personal with specific examples of how to apply his point. In this case he provides four scenarios to help us see what it looks like to go beyond lex talionis and live up to our calling as salty, luminscent beings.
Scenario # 1: “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek as well.” (Matthew 5:39) What is Jesus saying? Is he suggesting that we subject ourselves to physical abuse?
No, of course not. Elsewhere he states that it would be better for those kinds of abusers to have a heavy stone hung around their neck and thrown into the sea. We are not called to be a doormat, but we are called to resist returning harm for harm. We're to resemble he who stood before his accusers, who're lashing out verbally and physically, and resisted every inclination to mirror their spite.
When someone gets in your face ask yourself what Jesus would do in that situation? Remind yourself that in such situations you are his representative. Resist the inclination to mouth off, strike back or even check out. Engage them with as much grace as you can muster and be quick to forgive.
Scenario # 2: “If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, offer them your coat as well.” (Matthew 5:40) Now you're thinking, “whaaaat?” Should I put that in a little gift bag while I'm at it?
Wait, wait, wait. So first, Jesus suggests that we should not retaliate when someone hits us, and if that's not hard enough to swallow, now he tells us to respond to vindictiveness with kindness?
Actually, don't throw anything at me please, but what he's telling us to do is even harder than it sounds. Consider the context. In those days, most people had several shirts but typically only one coat. When it was cold at night, most people used that coat as an extra blanket. As it says in Exodus 22: “If you borrow your neighbor's coat, be sure to return it by sunset because that coat is the only coverring your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in?” (Exodus 22:26-27)
A person's coat was considered an essential human right. So Jesus was encouraging us not only to give up our inessentials without opposition, but even that which we consider essential, including our rights. Doesn't sound very American, does it? He's teaching us not to think in terms of rights so much as opportunities – opportunities to shine with an unworldly degree of generosity and graciousness.
We might ask, I'd be willing to give my only coat, or car, or boat to someone I love and trust – maybe! - but to give it to someone threatening to sue me? I don't think so! I mean, who does that?
-3-
And that, my friends is Jesus' point. People will take notice of such levels of selfless kindness and generosity. In this way, Jesus' light in us shines and God will be glorified. It's selfless saltiness!
Scenario #3: “If anyone forces you go one mile, go with them two miles.” (Matthew 5:41)
Wonderful. My problem is with the word forces. If someone asks me to walk a mile beyond what I'd intended I might be willing to do so.After all, some of us keep track of our steps on our phones and we may still be a bit short that day of our goal. But if you try and force me, something within me, and not very deep within me, objects and resists, because it feels like they're trying to control me.
There was a law back then that Roman soldiers could force civilians into acts of service, and since they treated the Jews like dogs, even called them dogs, they frequently made use of this law and forced them to carry their stuff for a mile out of their way. It was based on this law that Simon of Cyrene was compelled to carry Jesus' cross through the streets of Jerusalem up to Golgotha.
Here, Jesus teaches his followers to have a second mile mentality, to offer to go beyond what is being asked or demanded, even and especially if its a person you find intolerable. What might this look like for us today? Well, try this on for size. If an adversary insults you, offer to help them with some-thing. If a colleague criticizes you, complement then. If someone blames you, find some way to bless them. If your waitress is short with you, increase the tip you would normally give them.
Do something to pleasantly surprise them. Go the extra mile. If they ask why..., glorify...!
And Scenario #4: “Give to the one who asks you and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” (Matthew 5:42)
Kyle Idleman tells of a store owner who was robbed one day by a local juvenile delinquint. The police urged him to file charges, but this guy was a follower of Jesus so he prayed about it and asked 'Jake' to come to the shop. His father had already apologized, explaining that his son was an addict. When Jake came in, the store owner told him that he wasn't pressing charges because Jesus had forgiven him so he was willing to forgive Jake, and invited him to come with him to church. His church had a recovery program that ultimately helped Jake come clean, in more ways than one!
Some time later Jake's sister came in to the shop and shared that she'd invited Jake and their parents to church repeatedly but they had never shown any interest. Now they were all attending.
What changed? Well, the store owner saw an opportunity to be light so he lit up the life of the one life that came into his sphere of influence, and God used it to bless one person after another!
It's hard to think of such moments this way. It certainly doesn't come naturally to me, but when you're mistreated or taken advantage of, it provides an opportunity to love like Jesus. We'd prefer to change the world one social media post at a time, or when it's convenient or comfortable, or when we have the time, but it's more likely that your greatest impact will come one insult at a time.
We're called to live a totally different lifestyle from that of the world around us. We're called to be salt and light when it's least expected. As the old saying goes: “To return evil for good is devilish; to return good for good is human; but to return good for evil is divine.”
(from Nicky Gumbel's book, Challenging Lifestyle)
“You are the salt of the earth..., the very light of the world..., (so) let your extraordinary deeds shine out for all to see so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matthew 5:13-16)