Matthew 5:38-39 says, You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you, don’t fight back against someone who wants to do harm to you. If they hit you on the right cheek, let them hit the other cheek too.
In the Old Testament, the law stated that if you knocked out someone's tooth, one of yours would be knocked out as punishment. The moral behind this was that the punishment matched the crime. Jesus commanded us that if someone slaps you on the right cheek, to turn the left cheek to them also. This may seem bizarre but the principle is that we should not seek revenge. Peace and forgiveness should be our objectives. A slap on the face doesn't usually cause much serious damage but it is a source of shame. It's human nature to want revenge when someone hurts us, whether physically or our feelings. Romans 12:19-20 Dear friends, don’t try to get even. Let God take revenge. In the Scriptures the Lord says, “I am the one to take revenge and pay them back.” The Scriptures also say, “If your enemies are hungry, give them something to eat. And if they are thirsty, give them something to drink. This will be the same as piling burning coals on their heads.” As Christians, we are not only commanded to not seek revenge, but we are commanded to love our enemies and care for them. That is totally opposite to what the world says. Next time you're tempted to seek revenge, seek peace instead.
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Matthew 5:27-28 says,
You have heard that it was said, ‘You must not be guilty of adultery.’ But I tell you that if anyone looks at a woman with lust, he has already committed adultery with her in his mind. Verse 28 could equally read, if anyone looks at a man with lust, she has already committed adultery with him in her mind. Popular culture encourages lust - there are half dressed or barely dressed people in advertisements, suggestive photos regularly posted on social media, sharing of nude photos, clothing that barely covers boobs and bums, literature and movies that are soft porn, not to mention the hard core porn that is readily available. Jesus said that thinking about having sex with someone is the same as actually having sex with them. It's not sinful to have sexual thoughts but it is if you entertain them. God's not against sex - he invented it. But he gave us a set of instructions on how to use it (in the context of marriage) so that we don't get hurt. It's a bit like a chainsaw - it was designed for a purpose and to be used a certain way. If you don't adhere to the manufacturer's instructions, you could get hurt, or hurt someone else. He didn't give us these instructions to be the fun police and make our lives difficult or miserable, but to live full, happy lives as he intended. Matthew 5:13
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its taste, it cannot be made salty again. Salt is useless if it loses its salty taste. It will be thrown out where people will just walk on it. Salt preserves food - it stops it from rotting. This was particularly important in Jesus' time because they didn't have refrigerators - obviously. Christians help preserve lives by telling people about Jesus. Salt also adds flavour to food. R.T. France said, Disciples, if they are true to their calling, make the earth a purer and more palatable place. He is basically saying that we make the planet a nicer place by bringing the love of Jesus to our communities. If you're not living like and loving like Jesus, you're not really doing what God intended you to do. Have you been the salt of the earth this week, or are you just sand? I figured that if Jesus said it, it's pretty important, so we're going to be looking at some of the teachings of Jesus.
Matthew 5:21-22 “You have heard that it was said to our people long ago, ‘You must not murder anyone. Any person who commits murder will be judged.’ But I tell you, don’t be angry with anyone. If you are angry with others, you will be judged. And if you insult someone, you will be judged by the high court. And if you call someone a fool, you will be in danger of the fire of hell." God commanded his people not to commit murder when he gave Moses the Ten Commandments, but Jesus told them that they shouldn't even be angry with others. We live in a culture driven by rage. Everyone is angry about something (or everything) - basketball referees, work, your English assignment, your Science teacher, the kid who looked at you sideways, cyclists, plastic straws, paper straws... Proverbs 29:11 says, Fools are quick to express their anger, but wise people are patient and control themselves. Ephesians 4:26 When you are angry, don’t let that anger make you sin, and don’t stay angry all day. When I was a kid, we were encouraged to count to ten when we were angry, which gave us an opportunity to calm down before acting on our anger. People often regret or get into trouble for acting on their anger. You can't take back cruel words, physical violence or wilful damage. When you are angry, take some deep breaths, count to ten (or 100), go for a walk (if it's safe to do so) and pray before responding. |
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