Radical Love

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Good morning Chapel family. We’re taking this fall to explore what Jesus meant when he said, “Seek first the kingdom of God.” Because Jesus knew that no matter who you are, or where you live, or when in history you live, there will always be multiple kingdoms competing for your allegiance. There will always be leaders asking for your loyalty and your devotion, and telling you, “If you’ll just follow me, I’ll make everything okay.” And Jesus is warning us that there’s only one Kingdom that can actually deliver on those promises. There’s only one Kingdom that will endure after every other kingdom in this world has crumbled, and that’s the Kingdom of God. So Jesus was inviting people—and he’s inviting us—to seek first—to prioritize—to find our true identity in the Kingdom of God, under the leadership of King Jesus. And he said when we do that, everything else will fall into place.  

So every Sunday this fall, with election season raging around us, we’re looking at a different New Testament teaching that shows us what it means to seek first the Kingdom of God.  

Now: over the past few weeks, a couple of people have asked me a good question: “Are you saying that if we seek first the Kingdom of God, we won’t get involved in politics? Are you saying that Christians shouldn’t have a voice in the public square, or that we shouldn’t vote?” Good questions. And the answer is: I’m not saying that at all. God calls us to influence our culture and seek the welfare of our communities. Jesus said “You are the salt of the earth; you are the light of the world.” So we should get involved. We should vote. And we should let our involvement be guided by the values of God’s kingdom. We should care about religious freedom, and the environment, and the sanctity of human life, and care for refugees, and the difference between male and female, and gun violence. And lots of other things. We should care about the personal character of the people that we vote for. So as followers of Christ, we should let our voices be heard.  

But let me be clear: we’re not going to coach you on who to vote for. I realize there are churches who are basically coaching their people on who to vote for—on both sides of the aisle! This morning, there are churches that might not be saying it, but they’re making it clear that if you’re a real Christian, you’ll vote this way or that way. And we are not doing that. That is your decision, and it’s between you and God. Our role is to remind you to seek first the Kingdom of God—to allow your values and your thinking to be deeply shaped by Christ and his kingdom. Because when you do that, not only does it help you think through how to vote; it does something just as important: it guides you on how to treat people along the way—especially people who disagree with you politically.  

And that’s what today’s Scripture deals with: how do you relate to people that you have differences with? Right before the last election, in 2020, the Pew Research Center conducted a survey, and one of the question was about how many friends people have who have different political views than them. Listen to this: almost 80% of Americans said they have “just a few” or “zero” friends with a different political view. Think about that! More and more, people are deciding that it’s too uncomfortable, or too inconvenient, to even be around people we differ with politically. Instead of learning to respectfully disagree, we’re really quick to cancel people. As usual, Jesus has a better way. 

Today’s Scripture is from Matthew chapter 5. Just a little background: this teaching is part of the first official sermon Jesus ever gave, the Sermon on the Mount. Most, or all, of his listeners were Jewish people, who had a very high view of the Hebrew Scriptures. So, very early in the sermon, Jesus clarifies something for them. He says, “I did not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I came to fulfill them.” In other words, “Hold on to your Old Testament! Because as you watch my life, and as you hear my teaching, you’re going to see the true meaning of these Scriptures that you’ve been reading all your lives.” And then he takes different examples from their Scriptures, and for each one he says, “You’ve heard that it was said…but I tell you.” So he never changes the Old Testament; he interprets it rightly. He takes us behind the letter of the law, and shows us the heart of the law. And in this section, he’s teaching us how to treat the difficult people in our lives.  

So: Matthew 5, verses 38 to 48. Let’s hear God’s Word… 

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. 

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. This is the Word of the Lord. 

In this teaching, Jesus is calling us to a level of love that I’m going to call “radical love.” 

Just two points today; here’s the first one: Radical Love Transcends Justice. Look at verse 38: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ The reason they had heard that is because it’s clearly taught in the Old Testament. Deuteronomy 19, verse 21: Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. This concept is often referred to by its Latin name, lex talionis, which means the law of retaliation. So, in ancient Israel, this was God’s way of maintaining justice among the people. If you punched someone and knocked out their tooth, the punishment would be: you lose one of your teeth. That’s fair, right? If you damaged someone’s eye so they couldn’t use it any more, you would lose one of your eyes.  

So here’s how I’d summarize it: the old way was: justice. You get what you deserve. Now, let me say two quick things about this. First, this was a law intended for the government. It was not for individuals, to take justice into their own hands. Second, the purpose for this law was to make sure that the punishment fit the crime. So if you were caught stealing a tomato, you wouldn’t get the death penalty. You would suffer the same level of loss that you had caused by your crime.  

You’ve heard that it was said, eye for eye and tooth for tooth. So this way of thinking was deeply ingrained in Jesus’ listeners: if someone commits an offense, they should get what they deserve. And even though it was originally intended as a principle for the government, it was easy for people to start thinking this way in their personal lives: “You hurt me; it’s only right that I strike back.” Justice.  

Verse 39: But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. Wow. I’m going to call this “undeserved generosity.” Now, I have to make two more quick points, because it would be easy to misinterpret this. First, Jesus is not saying we shouldn’t have a police force or an army, to stop evil. Jesus is talking about personal relationships. And second, Jesus is not saying that if you’re in an abusive relationship, you should just take it. Because you shouldn’t. From the examples that Jesus is about to give, here’s what he’s saying: when someone does you wrong, instead of just thinking retaliation—instead of being pulled down to their level and striking back—here is a vision for how you can respond to evil with overwhelming good. With undeserved generosity. 

For example…keep reading in verse 39: If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. One of the most quoted lines from the Sermon on the Mount. Most Bible scholars don’t think this is talking about a violent assault. Because most people are right-handed, and if I’m right-handed, and I slap you on the right cheek, that’s a back-handed slap, which is not an assault; it’s an insult. It insults your dignity. First century, Palestinian culture was an honor and shame culture, so if you slapped someone in the face, you have insulted their honor…and that was a huge deal. 

So, when somebody publicly insults you, what’s your first instinct? Insult them back! Just as hard as they slapped you (or maybe a little harder). That would be justice, right? And Jesus says, “Instead, I want you to resist that urge, and turn the other cheek toward them.” Man. In other words, don’t run away; don’t back down; and don’t lower yourself to their level by striking back.  

I decided years ago that my favorite Proverb is Proverbs 15:1…A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. That’s what Jesus is saying here, right? When someone speaks with anger toward you, your first instinct is to give the same amount of wrath—a harsh word right back. I’ve experienced that countless times in arguments with my wife. We have a great relationship; she is my favorite person in the world, but sometimes we argue. So she says something in anger toward me, and I feel insulted, so without even thinking I want to go eye for eye, tooth for tooth, and give her an equally harsh word. And when I do that, guess what happens? It just stirs the anger up. But every once in a while, the Holy Spirit has such control of my heart, and I hear that insulting thing, and here’s what it means to turn the other cheek: I give her a gentle answer. Gracious, patient, peace-making. And it’s amazing how the anger drains away.  

Guys, this is not easy. And here’s the thing: in order to turn the other cheek and give a gentle answer, you need to have a sense of inner security that’s so strong, that it can’t be shaken by an insult. 

Second example—verse 40: And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. So this is a legal setting, where someone is suing you for your shirt. This was a poor culture, where clothing was one of the most valuable things a person owned. So to sue someone for their shirt was a nasty thing to do. And therefore, your natural response would be, what? Do everything you possibly can to not give up your shirt! Don’t let them get away with this injustice! And Jesus says, “I have a different way: be the kind of person who not only hands over your shirt; give them your coat, too.” Overwhelm them with undeserved generosity.  

It sounds almost crazy, doesn’t it? I mean, to do something like that, you would need an unusual amount of inner strength. 

Third example—verse 41: If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. At the time of Jesus, Israel was occupied by the Romans. And it was legal for Roman officials or soldiers to requisition private citizens for government business. The most famous example is when Jesus was carrying his cross toward, and he became too weak to carry it anymore. Remember what the Roman soldiers did? They grabbed a guy out of the crowd named Simon of Cyrene, and they forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. That kind of thing happened all the time. If a soldier saw you, he could force you to walk along with him and carry his pack. So it was very inconvenient, and it would be normal to feel like your rights are being violated, right? And Jesus basically says, “Instead of dwelling on the injustice of it, rise above it and offer to walk with them for twice as long.” There’s actually an English expression that comes from this, right? Go the extra mile. Give people extravagant service, even when they don’t deserve it. How do you find the inner resources to live that way? 

One more example, verse 42: Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. So this is different from the previous one, where you’re really forced into something; in this case a needy person is making a request of you. And your normal response might be to feel annoyed, or maybe to feel the person doesn’t deserve it. Right? Like, I’m not going to give any handouts. So for many of us, our first response is to deny the request. To say ‘no.’ And Jesus says, “Be the kind of person who thinks ‘yes’ first.” He’s not saying we should be foolish, and give to drug addicts so they can continue their addiction. We need to be wise and street smart. Jesus says “do not turn away” from those people. Be the kind of person who turns toward those who ask for help. It doesn’t necessarily mean you give them what they’re asking for, but turn toward them. “Yeah, but they’re in that position because of their own bad choices!” Exactly. They don’t deserve your generosity. And that’s what makes this so powerful. It goes beyond justice. 

So Jesus gives four examples; he could have given more. How about you? Where have you been wrongly treated? Someone that you thought was your friend at school, suddenly turning their back on you? An ex-spouse who’s trying to ruin you financially? Someone who insults your child? Someone who questions your faith because you don’t agree with them politically? Those things hurt! They feel like a slap in the face. You know, researchers have found that when you get emotionally hurt, it lights up the same places in the brain as when you get physically hurt. So this is real pain Jesus is talking about—real injustice.  

So can you imagine having such an inner core from your relationship with Jesus, that instead of going for justice, you’re able to rise above that and powerfully show love. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself and dreaming of revenge, would you allow Jesus to give you a better dream, of radical love? Would you dare to dream of what that could mean in your life? 

Here’s the second and final point: Radical Love Transcends Tribalism. Here we go—verse 43: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ Now: this is an interesting one. Because the Old Testament does say we should love our neighbor, but it never tells us to hate our enemy. It says that God hates evil, but it never tells us to hate people who do evil. So this was really a misapplication of God’s Word, but apparently it was a commonly accepted idea. And it led to a very dangerous mindset that I would call “tribalism.” 

Here’s how the dictionary defines tribalism: the behavior and attitudes that stem from strong loyalty to one's own tribe or social group. So tribalism means that I always look out for my own people, but I’m not so nice toward everybody else. There’s a biblical example in Luke 19—Jesus is heading for Jerusalem, and he and his disciples have to pass through a Samaritan village, so they try to find a place to stay there. And it’s well known that Jews and Samaritans didn’t get along. So the Samaritan people say, “No—you can’t stay in our village!” And in response, the disciples say, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” Jesus, can we zap ‘em? Cause they’re the bad guys! That’s tribalism. Love your neighbor; hate your enemy. And it says Jesus rebuked his disciples for having that mindset. Hmm… 

Verse 44: But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Here he goes again. I’ll call this “indiscriminate love.” Whoever those people are that you consider the “other”—whether they’re just different from you, or even if they actually persecute you—here’s what I’m inviting you to do: love them and pray for them. Wow. 

Now: let’s be totally fair to the Old Testament. Not only does the Old Testament not tell us to hate our enemies; the Old Testament actually hinted at loving our enemies. Look at Exodus 23, verse 4: 4 “If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it. 5 If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it. So even in the Old Testament, people were called to love their enemies. That has always been God’s desire for his people. But that idea had gotten lost over the years. And Jesus says, “In my kingdom, love is so powerful that it cannot be contained in your little tribe.”  

Who are the people in your tribe, and what would it mean to extend your love beyond your tribe? 

And then he says two things about this love. First, It’s countercultural. Verse 46: 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Do you see what he’s saying? Even mafia bosses are nice to other mafia bosses! Even ISIS leaders love other ISIS leaders. So if you’re nice to your own people, that’s what everyone does! That’s typical! The kind of love that Jesus is talking about is countercultural. It stands out. It’s so unusual when someone reaches across those social boundaries and shows love, so when it happens, people notice.  

There’s an actor named Patton Oswalt. Very funny, witty guy. A few years ago when President Trump was in office, Oswalt tweeted something sarcastic about Trump. And a Trump supporter named Michael Beatty tweeted back a response where he insulted Oswalt. The twitter battle was on. So out of curiosity, Oswalt, the actor, scrolled down Beatty’s Twitter timeline. And he was surprised by what he found. Which prompted him to tweet the following: “Aw, man. This dude just attacked me on Twitter and I joked back but then I looked at his timeline and he’s in a LOT of trouble health-wise…He’s been dealt some [terrible] cards—let’s deal him some good ones. Click and donate—just like I’m about to.” And he gave a link to a GoFundMe page to help cover the huge costs that Beatty had for his health condition. And because Oswalt has a big following, thousands of dollars started pouring in. 

And Beatty responded to Oswalt with this: “You have humbled me to the point where I can barely compose my words. You have caused me to take pause and reflect on how harmful words from my mouth could result in such an outpouring.” Do you realize how rare that is? These two guys have glaring political differences. But there is a love big enough to transcend that. It doesn’t mean we give up our principles and values—those are important! But we show human kindness and love to people who disagree with us. If we’re going to do that in a sustained way, we’re going to need help.  

Which is why the other thing Jesus says about this kind of love is that It’s supernatural. He says love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, verse 45, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. So that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He’s not saying that loving your enemies will make you a child of God. He’s saying that when you love your enemies, you show that you’re a child of God. Your showing the family resemblance. Because look what God does: every single day, he brings the sun and the rain and a million other blessings to every human—not just the ones who love him; he even blesses the ones who hate him. So show that you’re his kids. 

That kind of love is not only demonstrated by God the Father, it was lived out by God the Son. You probably know that when Jesus hung on the cross, he prayed for his executioners. But I read something by John Stott that changed the way I look at this. Listen to this: 

Jesus seems to have prayed for his tormentors actually while the iron spikes were being driven through his hands and feet; indeed the imperfect tense suggests that he kept praying, kept repeating his entreaty, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). If the cruel torture of crucifixion could not silence our Lord's prayer for his enemies, what pain, pride, prejudice or sloth could justify the silencing of ours? 

So treating enemies with love is modeled by God in creation; it was demonstrated by Jesus throughout his life; and Jesus says to us, “Now, you be like that.” In fact, he says it really strongly in verse 48: Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Oh, that’s all I have to do. Just be perfect! Is that not one of the most discouraging verses in the whole Bible? Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect! Completely intimidating and demoralizing! Unless. Unless there’s a way for the perfect God to actually live his life through me. Because then it wouldn’t be me doing it; it would be God doing it through me; and since He’s perfect, that means in that moment I would be perfect.  

Paul says it this way in Galatians 2:20—listen: I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. See, when I believe this radical message of the gospel—that Jesus loved me and gave himself for me—and I don’t mean when I just believe it once and accept Christ; I mean when I live every day, trusting in the Jesus who loved me and gave himself for me—something starts to happen. I’m inspired by his example, and I’m empowered by his life in me. And I find myself showing compassion and generosity and love to the most unlikely people. It’s really amazing. 

One of my favorite authors is Malcolm Gladwell. Years ago, he was doing research for one of his books. And he heard about a Canadian woman named Wilma Derksen. Years earlier, Wilma’s daughter had been kidnapped on the way to school, and a week later her body was found. Right after the funeral there was a massive news conference, and a reporter asked the parents, “How do you feel about whoever did this to Candace?” Cliff, the father, said, “We would like to know who the person or persons are so we could share, hopefully, a love that seems to be missing in these people’s lives.” Wilma, the mother, also talked about her process of forgiveness. 

When Malcolm Gladwell heard that story, it defied his categories of how the world works. And he wanted to know where the power to forgive came from. So he arranged an interview with Wilma in her backyard. She told him about her faith—which had taught her to take the teaching of Jesus seriously—especially his teaching about forgiveness. And he said she wasn’t flashy; she wasn’t this super-confident person. But there was an incredible power to her.  

And I want to finish by listening to what Malcolm Gladwell wrote about this experience: 

What I understand now is that I was one of those people who did not appreciate the weapons of the spirit. I have always been someone attracted to the quantifiable and the physical. I have always believed in God. I have grasped the logic of Christian faith. What I have had a hard time seeing is God’s power. 

I put that sentence in the past tense because something happened to me when I sat in Wilma Derksen’s garden. It is one thing to read in a history book about people empowered by their faith. But it is quite another to meet an otherwise very ordinary person, in the backyard of a very ordinary house, who has managed to do something utterly extraordinary. 

Their daughter was murdered. And the first thing the Derksens did was to stand up at the press conference and talk about the path to forgiveness.  

Maybe we have difficulty seeing the weapons of the spirit because we don’t know where to look, or because we are distracted by the louder claims of material advantage. But I’ve seen them now, and I will never be the same. 

What Malcolm Gladwell was witnessing was a woman who was seeking first the kingdom of God. It really is possible. 

You’ve heard that it was said, “Eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Love your neighbor, hate your enemy.” It’s really a miserable way to live. And Jesus is inviting us to something so much better.