Rev. David Holwick ZC Sermon on the Mount series
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
August 20, 1989
Matthew 5:38-42
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I. Contemporary danger.
A. Visit Doris Schrum in Manhattan with Mike, go on subway.
1) 3 killed night before.
B. (Bernhard Goetz illustration.)
December 1984.
Four black youths in a crowded New York subway surround a thin
white man.
They ask him for $5.00 so they can play video games.
Without saying a word, Bernhard Goetz pulls out a .38 revolver
and shoots each one in rapid succession.
He then checks the first 3 to see that they are "taken care of",
in his words.
When he comes to the fourth one, Goetz doesn't see any blood.
So he says, "You don't look too bad, here's another."
The bullet strikes 19-year-old Darrell Cabey in the spinal cord,
paralyzing him.
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C. What should a Christian do in such a situation?
1) What about situations that are not violent, but we are
taken advantage of?
II. Possibilities:
A. Justify revenge.
1) Satisfies desire for justice.
2) Works (don't get mad, get even.)
a) Books on revenge in the workplace.
B. Renounce retaliation.
1) Jesus: "Do not resist an evil (person)."
2) Tolstoy, abolish police and armies.
3) Mennonites - pacifism is commanded by Jesus.
III. Is it practical?
A. Western movie, with naive preacher who is killed by Indians.
As a child I remember seeing a western movie on TV.
The cowboys were hiding in a house that was surrounded by
hundreds of murderous Apaches.
The Indians were racing their horses in a circle around the house
while the pale faces blasted away at them.
Suddenly a black-robed preacher among them told them to stop
firing.
He said, "Let me go out and reason with them."
So he grabbed his Bible and headed out the door.
All was silent, then the pacifist was riddled by a dozen arrows.
The cowboys resumed firing and, of course, saved themselves.
As a little kid I remember thinking - boy, that guy was dumb!
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B. Mennonites tend to live in safe, rural areas.
C. Americans like action and immediate resolution.
1) Retaliation feels better than submission.
2) Giving in is weak and wimpy.
a) Would Jesus ask us to do that?
IV. Old Testament background.
A. OT background, "eye for eye." 5:38
1) Gen 4:15,24 - Cain & Lamech.
a) Unlimited retaliation.
b) Hurt me, I'll burn your house, kill wife & kids,
kick your dog.
2) "Eye for eye" has merciful purpose - limits retaliation.
a) Cash payment instead of literal eye.
b) Legal setting, not personal vendetta.
c) Revenge prohibited, love encouraged.
B. Later abuse.
1) "How far can I go and still obey God?"
V. The teaching of Jesus.
A. Our response to evil should be based on love, not justice.
1) Accept injustice.
2) Do more than accept it, respond with generosity.
B. Jesus believed in retribution.
1) Last Judgment.
2) But Jesus rejects retribution in personal relationships.
a) KJV - "resist not evil" (person is in view).
b) Person in view, not society.
VI. Four illustrations by Jesus.
A. Backhand strike at face.
1) Gross insult in Mideast.
2) Endure it, and another one. (no limits)
B. Sue in court.
1) Clothes cannot be sued for in OT.
a) They are an inalienable possession. Exod 22:26-27
2) Jesus says fork them over.
a) Principle:
Even those things which we regard as our rights by law we
must be prepared to abandon out of obedience to Jesus.
C. Military draft.
1) Carry equipment.
a) Simon of Cyrene forced to carry cross.
b) In U.S., led to Revolution. (Read Constitution)
2) Go extra mile.
D. Begging money.
1) Actually give to every beggar? (Mike and I passed plenty)
2) Principle: Jesus hates penny-pinching mercenary attitude.
VII. Application to today.
A. Reverse legalism - not a Christian if you sue, defend self.
1) Look at it from angle of freedom to give in.
a) Obedience to Jesus.
1> He submitted to Cross.
b) God will set things right.
2) Rights.
a) Selfish attitude insists on personal rights.
1> "What's in it for me?"
b) Christians have one right:
1> "Right to be called the sons of God."
B. Christians are called to be different.
1) We obey a different reality - it does not all pan out here.
2) We must testify to a different lifestyle.
3) Tom Skinner
Tom Skinner was an angry black youth in New York City.
Through violence and hatred he became the leader of the
largest gang in the city, the Harlem Lords.
Tom's conversion to Jesus Christ was so real he left the gang
the next day and began preaching the gospel.
He had an immediate victory over his past life.
Several weeks after he was saved, Tom was playing in a
high school football game.
During the game he blocked a member of the other team while
his own halfback scored a touchdown.
As Tom got off the ground and headed back to his huddle,
the boy he had blocked slammed him in the stomach and
threw him to the ground.
The white player kicked him and made racist remarks.
Under normal circumstances he would have pulverized the boy.
But instead he got up, looked him in the eye and said,
"You know, because of Jesus Christ I love you anyway."
As it turned out, the other boy later apologized.
But even if he hadn't, Tom had honored Jesus Christ.
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4) The world is looking for people who will dare to be different.
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Non-used points:
I. What does it mean to be a real disciple of Jesus?
A. Does the gospel have to be "realistic"?
B. What does this reveal about our understanding of reality?
C. Do we really believe God will settle accounts?
II. Reactions:
A. Justify Goetz and revenge.
B. Support self-defense.
C. Turn other cheek.
1) Catholic - only for priests.
2) Mennonite - applies to all obedient believers.
III. Parallels with Hammurabi.
"If a man has shattered a rich person's leg, you shall
shatter his leg.
If he has caused a poor man to lose an eye, or shattered
a poor man's leg, he shall pay one pound of silver."
Apparently some legs are worth more than others.
IV. Application.
A. Forget revenge, even let them double injury.
B. Problems:
1) Doormats?
a) Not weaklings who cannot defend.
b) Strong people who choose not to fight back.
C. Resolution.
1) Principle is throughout Bible.
V. Limitations on interpretation.
A. Hyperbole?
1) No one in NT ends up naked.
2) But be careful not to water-down Jesus.
3) Literal obedience is possible, if not profitable.
VI. Applications to real life.
A. Insulted at work.
1) Forget and forgive?
B. Physical injury.
1) Tom Skinner and racist at football game.
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