1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:01,920 Well, good morning. My name's Mike. 2 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:06,080 For any of those, those of you who I've not met, I'm one of the 3 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:07,880 pastors here. And if you are one of the ones I 4 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:10,520 have met and I forgot your name, I apologize. 5 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:12,920 I've I've already apologized for that a couple of times this 6 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,440 morning because it's something I do, but and I don't mean to, 7 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:18,320 but. Anyway, so let's get into. 8 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:23,160 Our passage today we're continuing on in this in in the 9 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:27,120 Sermon on the Mount and so today our our. 10 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:34,680 Message takes place in Matthew 5 verses 38 through 42 and we're. 11 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:38,760 Talking about the the law of retribution here. 12 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:43,200 And so starting off in 38. It says you've. 13 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:46,360 Heard that it was said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a 14 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:49,200 tooth. But I say to you, do not resist 15 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:51,760 the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the 16 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:53,720 right cheeks. Turn to him the other also. 17 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:56,800 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have 18 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:59,520 your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go 19 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:03,240 one mile, go with him 2 miles. Give to the one who begs from 20 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:05,239 you, and do not refuse the one who would. 21 00:01:05,239 --> 00:01:11,280 Borrow from you. So at the beginning of our 22 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,080 passage, and as we've seen already in the in the Sermon on 23 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:19,000 the Mount, Jesus is addressing some things that his audience 24 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:22,080 has heard but doesn't fully understand, right? 25 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:25,240 And I think we can all probably relate to to something like 26 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:26,400 this. So let me ask you a couple of 27 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:29,880 questions here. How many of you have heard that 28 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:32,600 the average person swallows several spiders in their sleep? 29 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:34,480 Every year, a few. Hands. 30 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:36,240 A lot of hands. Wow, a lot of hands. 31 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:41,000 That's not true. OK, There is no study or data to 32 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:43,840 back that up. It's actually given it 33 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:49,240 originates as a an example of how easily people accept truth 34 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,600 when they see it written on the Internet from back in 1993. 35 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:54,040 Somebody, somebody shared that with us. 36 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:57,040 How many of you have heard that if you eat within 30 minutes of 37 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:00,560 swim swimming, you'll get cramps and drown, right? 38 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:04,520 A a lot of us, you know that came from the 1908 Boy Scout 39 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:08,840 handbook. That's that said that the blood 40 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:12,800 flow to your digestive tract might slow blood flow to your 41 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:16,160 arms and legs, but there was no scientific data to back that up 42 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:18,320 as fact. How about this? 43 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:20,520 How many of you have heard that police have to allow you one 44 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:24,320 phone call when you're arrested? Yeah, a lot of us have heard 45 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:25,920 that, right. Well, that's simply a plot line 46 00:02:25,920 --> 00:02:28,960 in TV's and and movies to dramatize a person's struggle to 47 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:32,400 resolve their their predicament. But many of us believe that 48 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:36,600 that's some old law that we have to demand is honored, right? 49 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:38,760 The fact is you're allowed to make as many phone calls as you 50 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:40,520 as you need to arrange your bail. 51 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:44,600 How about some personal rules that we live by, right? 52 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:48,080 Like I don't get mad. I get even how many of us have 53 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:51,720 have said that or or or what goes around comes around. 54 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:55,080 We we can believe that this one. I know probably everybody. 55 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:57,400 My name is Inigo Montoya. You. 56 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:01,040 Killed my father, prepared to. Die right. 57 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:03,720 We sometimes we have these rules that we live by that, that, 58 00:03:03,720 --> 00:03:08,320 that, you know, these codes or what, or what we understand even 59 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:12,120 to be law. But they need some explanation. 60 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:13,720 They need some, some better understanding. 61 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:17,400 And so I mentioned this because last week Eric reminded us that 62 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:20,440 that Jesus isn't telling his audience to just, you know, 63 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,440 throw out what they know from God's law in the past. 64 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:27,360 He's he's clarifying it, honing our understanding by 65 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:31,200 enlightening us to what his heart is on the matter. 66 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:36,320 So the main idea here today is that God. 67 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:41,400 Loves justice, but he also. Loves mercy and humility, and 68 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:45,320 what God wants is a heart response to him. 69 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:49,600 So that's demonstrated in the basic elements of, of true faith 70 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:51,280 in a, in a real relationship with him. 71 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:55,840 And, you know, the Mosaic law differentiated between good and 72 00:03:55,840 --> 00:04:00,200 bad, and it reflected God's will in their religious and their 73 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:04,920 social lives. God has told people what is 74 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:07,800 good, in fact. I was going to make this the 75 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:10,600 main point this verse in Micah 6-8 because it seems. 76 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:14,480 So fitting, it says. He, He has told you, O man, what 77 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:17,800 is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do? 78 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:21,040 Justice and to love kindness in the King James version it says 79 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:22,920 to. Love, mercy and to walk. 80 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:27,280 Humbly with your God. That's what's good. 81 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:34,480 So our first point today is it justice is good. 82 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:41,360 This might seem like like the opposite of the first verse. 83 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:45,400 That we read in our passage here that says, you have heard that 84 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:47,680 it was said an eye for an eye and a tooth for tooth. 85 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:50,400 But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. 86 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:53,280 We might think that that's the opposite of of what I said, that 87 00:04:53,280 --> 00:04:55,640 justice is good. So the first contextual thing 88 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:59,960 that I want to look at here is what Jesus quotes. 89 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:03,840 An eye for an eye, right? Where does he quote that from? 90 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:08,560 Well, it comes from Exodus. Chapter 21 And it also comes 91 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:12,240 from Leviticus 24 and it's something called lex talionis, 92 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:16,760 which is the the Latin phrase that means law of retaliation. 93 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:23,200 And here's what it says in in Exodus 21 verses 23 to 25. 94 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:26,680 It says when men strive together and hit a pregnant woman so that 95 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:30,680 her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her 96 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:33,720 shall surely be fined as the woman's husband shall impose on 97 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:36,240 him and he shall pay as the judge is determined. 98 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:42,160 But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for 99 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:46,760 eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for 100 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:49,360 burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. 101 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:55,600 It's law of retribution wasn't taken lightly. 102 00:05:56,560 --> 00:06:01,280 In fact, in Numbers 35, verse 19 regarding murder, it refers to a 103 00:06:01,280 --> 00:06:05,840 person in the family of the murder victim whose job it was 104 00:06:05,840 --> 00:06:10,840 called the avenger of blood. Now this is usually the closest 105 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:16,320 male relative who was legally responsible to reclaim the lost 106 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:19,520 innocent blood. Now you know, I mean some if 107 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:22,000 you're a parent, you know that sometimes you, you know, you 108 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:23,600 kind of label your. Kids, right? 109 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:26,840 This is Susie. She's our artist and and. 110 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,040 Sammy over here, he's. He's the athlete. 111 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:33,840 And Gronk? Gronk is the Avenger of blood, 112 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:38,320 just like his father. But this was a very serious 113 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:39,640 thing right? Now. 114 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:43,560 Please understand that this isn't this isn't the the the 115 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:47,080 misunderstood part. This was correct and and and 116 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:49,640 accurate. And it was based off of a 117 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:52,360 genesis. Chapter 9 Verses. 5 through 6 118 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:55,760 that says, And for your lifeblood I will require a 119 00:06:55,760 --> 00:06:58,600 reckoning. From every beast I will require 120 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:01,760 it, and from man, from his fellow man I will require a 121 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:05,560 reckoning for the life of man. Whoever sheds the blood of man 122 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:08,880 by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man. 123 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:14,520 In his own image. Now the term exact justice is is 124 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:19,640 fitting here too, and it means like fair, equal and impartial 125 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:22,720 treatment. And in Leviticus it says that 126 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:27,280 this was deliberately carried out on both Sojourner and native 127 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:29,000 alike. It was a kind of, it was across 128 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:31,600 the board. This was for everybody. 129 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:40,120 In Psalm verse chapter 37, verse 28, it says for the Lord loves 130 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:43,000 justice. He will not forsake his Saints. 131 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:46,960 They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall 132 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:52,040 be cut off. But why does God love justice? 133 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:55,440 Well, the fact is, we can't begin to understand God's love 134 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:59,280 of justice unless we first understand God's hatred for sin. 135 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:05,360 Sin is lawlessness. So why does God love justice? 136 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:10,760 Well, because in first John 3 verse 4 says everyone who makes 137 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:14,200 a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness. 138 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:18,360 Sin is lawlessness. In the first Corinthians there 139 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:22,760 are a couple of passages that tell us that that God is not a 140 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:25,720 God of confusion, that he created everything in a fitting 141 00:08:25,720 --> 00:08:31,080 and orderly way, and lawlessness goes against his nature. 142 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:37,760 In Psalm 89 verse 14, it says righteousness and justice are 143 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:40,360 the. Foundation of your throne. 144 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:44,080 Steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. 145 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:48,240 God loves. Justice so much. 146 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:52,360 That he set up a system to help us to receive and to maintain it 147 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:54,280 here on earth. So when we look at Romans 13, 148 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:58,040 verse one, it says that every person be subject to the 149 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:01,480 governing authorities for there's no authority except from 150 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:03,880 God. And those that exist have been 151 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:09,440 instituted by God. They were instituted by God and 152 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:11,640 we could see something similar that's mentioned in the book of 153 00:09:11,880 --> 00:09:15,840 of Daniel in in the 2nd chapter where he says that he changes 154 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:20,000 times in seasoning seasons and he removes kings and sets up 155 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:22,960 kings. See, God doesn't have to wait up 156 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:26,120 late on election night to see who won the election, nor is he 157 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:29,920 even worried about it. He sets all of that in in place 158 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:35,120 for his good reasons. Now, since Paul had been a a 159 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:38,640 government persecutor of Christians, maybe we think that 160 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:42,720 he's only writing this about about government because he's 161 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:45,760 predisposed to be a big government guy. 162 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:52,120 But Peter, one of the apostles, honk, if you love Jesus. 163 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:55,520 I'm going to put that sign out here one day and take pictures 164 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:59,120 of it so people know Peter, who was one of the disciples. 165 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:04,720 Who watched Jesus be? Tortured and murdered and and as 166 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:08,160 well as some of the as as well as the other apostles. 167 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:12,320 Peter said something very similar in first. 168 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:16,960 Peter 2, verses 13 and 14. He said, Be subject for the 169 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:20,760 Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to 170 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:25,440 the Emperor as supreme or to governors, as sent by him to 171 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:27,720 punish those who do evil, and to. 172 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:36,120 Praise those who do good. If anybody would be nervous 173 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:38,720 about giving power and authority to the government, you'd think 174 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:41,080 that it would be it would be Peter at this point. 175 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:46,040 But how many times have we been led to believe culturally that 176 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:49,760 that, you know, use of force by the government is a bad thing? 177 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:54,360 We've been influenced and manipulated to be to be shocked 178 00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:58,800 or or aghast or offended at the implementation of justice when 179 00:10:58,800 --> 00:11:01,920 we see it in force. We've adopted this crazy idea 180 00:11:02,280 --> 00:11:08,200 that that the militarization of the police is a is a bad thing, 181 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:12,280 or that the National Guard enforcing laws is a travesty. 182 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:16,600 As though watching police officers in a in a in a gun 183 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:19,240 battle with bank robbers is the epitome of the breakdown of 184 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:22,080 society. But actually that example, the 185 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:25,880 the actual breakdown of society was made in the Garden thousands 186 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:30,840 of years ago when man chose to disobey God and sin entered the 187 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:41,000 world and the bloodstream. That use of force by police or 188 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:45,080 the National Guard is an example of God's implementation of 189 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:47,040 justice on a sinful. World and here's. 190 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:50,120 How I know that in Romans? 13 We just saw verse one, but 191 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:53,280 here's how it continues. Verses 2 through 4 it says. 192 00:11:54,640 --> 00:11:57,960 Therefore, whoever resists the authorities, resists what God 193 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:02,280 has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 194 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:05,760 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. 195 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:08,400 Would you have No Fear of the one who is in authority? 196 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:11,520 Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for 197 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:14,240 he is God's servant for your good. 198 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:19,200 But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword 199 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:23,400 in vain, for he is the servant of God and avenger who carries. 200 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:26,440 Out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 201 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:33,200 Now, I have to admit that in my own study and my own maturing in 202 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:39,000 the faith and spiritual growth, I struggled with this because I, 203 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:44,320 I immediately tried to, to, to argue and, and say, wait, you're 204 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:48,280 saying that you're saying that God appointed people like Saddam 205 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:52,440 Hussein. Yes, yes. 206 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:57,240 And as long as Saddam Hussein or somebody like that rules and 207 00:12:57,240 --> 00:13:02,600 governs according to God's Word, people were to submit to him and 208 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:07,400 obey him because he represented justice and authority. 209 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:13,480 But we have a responsibility to to hold those that are in those 210 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:14,960 positions of power in our government. 211 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:18,640 We have a responsibility to hold them accountable. 212 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:22,840 Think about this. Moses went before Pharaoh and. 213 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:26,400 He called Pharaoh to. Change his ways to be more in 214 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:30,520 line with what God said. But it said that Pharaoh's heart 215 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:34,520 was hardened and Pharaoh and his people were destroyed. 216 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:38,880 Later on in the in the book of Jonah, we see where where Jonah 217 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:44,040 was, was he went to Nineveh and told the king there to repent 218 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:46,680 and and told him that he need to change his ways. 219 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:51,240 And in that story we see that the King's heart was changed and 220 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:54,120 he was he and the and the city were blessed. 221 00:13:56,640 --> 00:13:59,480 So we as Christians should not avoid our role or our 222 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:03,840 responsibility in guiding our nation and our and our local 223 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:07,200 government to do things in a way that aligns with God, holding 224 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:12,040 our officials to that standard. And when and where someone like 225 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:17,720 Saddam Hussein did not rule according to God's word, he was 226 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:21,720 also to face justice to the authorities over him. 227 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:24,560 And in that particular case, that happened in December of 228 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:30,000 2006 at Camp Justice in Iraq when he was executed by hanging 229 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:37,520 and it was televised publicly. See, that was justice served. 230 00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:43,840 And it was a good thing. But should we as Christians call 231 00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:47,400 it good? How should a Christian view the 232 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:49,040 death penalty? Maybe that's something we want 233 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:50,920 to ask. Well, first we have to remember 234 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:54,640 that God has instituted capital punishment in His Word. 235 00:14:54,640 --> 00:14:57,920 Therefore, it would be presumptuous of us to think that 236 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:00,200 we could institute a higher standard. 237 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:04,640 And guys, we can have implementation or we can't have 238 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:07,760 joy at the implementation of justice. 239 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:10,120 Here's what it says in Proverbs 21, verse 15. 240 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:15,360 When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror 241 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:19,480 to the evil doers. They ought to be afraid of 242 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:23,440 justice because it should remind them of God's justice. 243 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:28,600 So we aren't gleeful in the individual death of the evil 244 00:15:28,600 --> 00:15:32,160 doer, but we can take joy that God's plan of justice was 245 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:36,560 carried out. Ezekiel chapter 33 verse 11 says 246 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:40,160 God does not take pleasure at the death at the death of the 247 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:44,440 wicked. So although God does not delight 248 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:49,040 in the death of the Sinner in itself, He does delight in 249 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:54,840 glorifying His justice upon incorrigible transgressors, 250 00:15:56,360 --> 00:16:01,000 seeing the exercise of of all of His attributes must please him, 251 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:03,720 or else He would not be perfectly happy. 252 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:08,160 That means His mercy and His wrath please Him. 253 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:14,760 So Jesus isn't throwing out that lex talionis law, right? 254 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:17,520 He isn't throwing it out, but he is taking time to clarify 255 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:21,880 something deeper about it. And here's here's what I mean in 256 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:26,160 Romans chapter. 12 verses 17 through 19 says, Repay no one 257 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:29,840 evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the 258 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:34,160 sight of all, if possible, so far as it depends on you, live 259 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:38,440 peaceably with all, beloved, never avenge yourselves, but 260 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:40,440 leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written. 261 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:45,040 Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. 262 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:49,920 Now these two passages, that one I just. 263 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:53,600 Read and the one I read at the very beginning from Genesis. 9 264 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:57,560 verses 5 and and six. These aren't contradictory. 265 00:16:58,840 --> 00:17:03,560 This isn't invalidating the law. Scripture never contradicts 266 00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:08,240 scripture, and where we think that it does is a place for us 267 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:10,560 to know that we need a better understanding of it. 268 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:16,079 See the the Mosaic law of lex talionis of of the law of 269 00:17:16,079 --> 00:17:20,720 retaliation was given within the framework of the governing 270 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:22,800 authority that God had established at the time. 271 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:27,680 Even the Avenger of Blood male relative wasn't operating as an 272 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:31,040 individual seeking his own definition of justice, but 273 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:34,840 within the prescribed framework of responsibility and 274 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:38,320 accountability that God had laid out to maintain order. 275 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:43,440 Now, in our culture, we celebrate, you know, the Marvel 276 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:46,960 comic book hero, the Punisher, because he is the poster child 277 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:52,480 for our sinful heart in how we perceive justice, right? 278 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:55,080 If you're familiar with that story, the Punisher decides 279 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:59,160 according to his own moral code, what is right and what needs 280 00:17:59,160 --> 00:18:01,080 punishment and who needs punishment. 281 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:06,120 This isn't saying that we can't or shouldn't defend ourselves 282 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:10,680 either. And again, this is not a a case. 283 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:12,280 For for. Passivism. 284 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:17,120 That's what sometimes people think in Exodus 22. 285 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:25,240 Verse 2 It says, If a thief is found breaking in US and is 286 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:27,920 struck so that he dies, there shall be no blood guilt for him. 287 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:31,200 But if the sun has risen on him, there shall be blood guilt for 288 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:33,760 him. He he shall surely pay. 289 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:35,880 If he has nothing, then he shall be sold. 290 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:39,760 For the theft, so there's no blood guilt on this person for 291 00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:42,520 defending themselves in the moment where where it says that 292 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:46,200 there will be guilt as if the sun rises on him, meaning some 293 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:48,880 time has passed and he went looking for the for the the 294 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:52,920 suspect to retaliate rather than to seek justice through the 295 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:59,080 system that God put in place throughout all of his ministry. 296 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:03,280 Jesus was clarifying that he was after changed hearts. 297 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:07,760 He wanted us to do the things that we do to make the choices 298 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:14,080 that we make in line with his heart, which takes us to our our 299 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:19,480 second point here today. Forgiveness and mercy are good 300 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:26,040 and as we continue on in our in our passage, it it goes on and 301 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:31,920 it and it and it says it says do not resist the one who is evil. 302 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:35,400 But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the 303 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:39,480 other also. Now this is where context really 304 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,720 helps us to understand the heart behind the matter being taught 305 00:19:43,120 --> 00:19:47,280 this this dynamic here of of a a slap on the right cheek is 306 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:50,560 overwhelmingly understood to be a backhand slap. 307 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:53,760 If most people are are are right-handed, then the then the 308 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:56,080 the right cheek. For me to reach the right cheek 309 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:59,240 I have to do a a backhanded slap here. 310 00:20:00,360 --> 00:20:03,800 And so this was certainly more of an insult than it was an 311 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,320 assault. Now, we could probably all kind 312 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:10,320 of imagine in our in our head some hoity toity, you know, 313 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:14,680 Englishman taking off a a white glove and and slapping somebody 314 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:16,960 across the face to challenge them to a duel. 315 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:22,960 Now that comes from an ancient concept of of throwing down your 316 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:26,480 gauntlets, your your armored gloves to challenge someone to 317 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:28,640 combat. And it was considered an insult 318 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:32,640 worth dying to defend because the human condition is to 319 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:35,960 respond back to an insult with something harsher, with 320 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:41,800 something worse, with violence. So some people incorrectly infer 321 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:45,120 from this that Jesus in this passage is calling for us to be 322 00:20:45,120 --> 00:20:49,160 pacifists. They tend to separate the 323 00:20:49,160 --> 00:20:52,840 characteristics of God that they read about in the Old Testament 324 00:20:53,120 --> 00:20:57,720 from what they perceive of Jesus in the New Testament as as only 325 00:20:57,720 --> 00:21:01,480 love without consequence. Now sometimes they do that 326 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:03,640 because they don't know any better, but sometimes they do it 327 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:08,440 because they think that message is softer and easier to digest. 328 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:11,720 But Jesus is God of the Old Testament. 329 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:18,080 Jeremiah 42 says the Messiah Jesus will bring justice to the 330 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:23,280 nations and in Exodus 15 three it says the Lord is a warrior. 331 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:27,480 The Lord is his name. See there's nothing pacifistic 332 00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:32,040 in that. Then what does he mean when our 333 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:36,760 passage Jesus is saying if someone insults you, let them, 334 00:21:37,120 --> 00:21:44,520 you don't need to retaliate. Next it says it says if anyone 335 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:47,480 would would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your 336 00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:51,600 cloak as well. Now at that time, people would 337 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:54,760 own very few sets of clothes. Their their layered clothing 338 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:58,720 protected them from cold. So although a tunic was kind of 339 00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:01,360 like a shirt, it would offer them, you know, some, some 340 00:22:01,360 --> 00:22:03,640 dignity so that they're not naked. 341 00:22:04,360 --> 00:22:07,280 A heavier cloak would comfort you in the cold of night. 342 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:10,600 So, so Jesus is saying if someone takes your dignity, 343 00:22:11,160 --> 00:22:14,200 allow them to make you comfortable too. 344 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:16,840 Now you're all laughing because you know, he saw that sign out 345 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:20,320 there and he's honking. And then the last part of this 346 00:22:20,360 --> 00:22:26,160 it, it says if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him 2 347 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:28,200 miles. Now this is in reference to a a 348 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:31,960 Roman law called the law of impressment that would allow a 349 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:36,360 Roman soldier to conscript a a Jew to carry their weapons and 350 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:42,040 and armor for a mile so as to allow them to arrive at the site 351 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:45,120 of battle refreshed and and ready to to fight. 352 00:22:45,120 --> 00:22:47,960 And then at the end of the mile, the Jew was legally allowed to 353 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:52,640 just drop that pack and go back to their business. 354 00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:56,440 But Jesus is saying, I don't want you to only do what you're 355 00:22:56,440 --> 00:23:01,120 required to do and nothing more. I want you to voluntarily tire 356 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:06,640 yourself out, overextend yourself from what is reasonable 357 00:23:08,040 --> 00:23:13,080 and serve someone even more. This is where we get the phrase 358 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:16,360 go the extra mile. Have you guys ever, have you 359 00:23:16,360 --> 00:23:19,400 ever said, you know, kind of indignantly, you know, taken 360 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:23,680 gotten, you know, like defensive and said, well, I shouldn't have 361 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:25,400 to do that. I shouldn't have to go. 362 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:28,120 Work harder. I shouldn't have to carry more 363 00:23:28,120 --> 00:23:29,520 of those. I shouldn't have to. 364 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:33,040 Whatever that goes against this, you shouldn't have to. 365 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:36,240 You don't have to. Jesus is saying that he wants 366 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:38,400 you. To want to do that that he wants 367 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:40,440 you to. Volunteer to do that. 368 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:47,040 And here's the thing, guys, that in that law of impressment, the 369 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:50,640 Roman soldier. Is not the friend. 370 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:55,880 Of the Jew. Now, this picture right here 371 00:23:55,880 --> 00:23:57,600 might make some of us uncomfortable. 372 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:02,680 Probably. Few things seem as obviously 373 00:24:02,680 --> 00:24:07,680 evil as as the Nazis. But think about who Paul was to 374 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:12,840 the Jews at the time of his encounter with Jesus on the 375 00:24:12,840 --> 00:24:17,840 Damascus Rd. Paul was a monster and Jesus 376 00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:24,080 changed him. Remember these passages here in 377 00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:25,600 this sermon, in the Sermon on the Mount? 378 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:28,640 These are these are called the antithesis of Jesus. 379 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:33,840 Maybe this idea seems to be antithetical to what we what we 380 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:38,360 believe about him. But when we look at. 381 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:43,480 At these these three brief contextual ideas that Jesus is 382 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:47,640 addressing in our passage, we can readily see that he is 383 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:52,800 telling us not to retaliate. He's telling us to allow 384 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:56,360 ourselves to be offended and even downright uncomfortable in 385 00:24:56,360 --> 00:25:01,520 our predicament. Says if we're required to do 386 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:05,360 something for someone, we should readily do even more for them, 387 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:09,360 even if that person is our enemy. 388 00:25:11,120 --> 00:25:12,920 See these are the attributes of Jesus. 389 00:25:14,160 --> 00:25:19,040 In John eight group of Pharisees bring a woman in front of Jesus, 390 00:25:19,120 --> 00:25:22,080 a woman who's been caught in adultery because they want to 391 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:25,640 see if Jesus is going to follow through with the justice that 392 00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:28,200 they read about in the Old Testament that requires the 393 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:32,640 woman to be stoned. But after telling the the 394 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:37,720 sinless ones among them to cast the first stone, they all leave 395 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:40,120 because none of them are sinless. 396 00:25:41,960 --> 00:25:46,480 And Jesus turns to her and says, I don't condemn you, but go. 397 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:51,960 And from now on sin no more. So he demonstrates forgiveness 398 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:55,800 that these men who brought these Pharisees and scribes, they 399 00:25:55,800 --> 00:26:00,720 can't understand forgiveness that doesn't come naturally to 400 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:06,040 them and it seems seems to them to contradict the law. 401 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:10,280 They don't understand Jesus merciful nature. 402 00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:15,200 We can read about his nature in Psalm One O 3. 403 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:18,760 Verses 8 through 12 it says the Lord is merciful and gracious, 404 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,280 slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. 405 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:25,000 He will not always chide, nor will He keep his anger forever. 406 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:28,320 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay 407 00:26:28,320 --> 00:26:31,360 us according to our iniquities, For as high as the heavens are 408 00:26:31,360 --> 00:26:34,840 above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who 409 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:36,840 fear Him. As far as the East. 410 00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:39,320 Is from the West so far. Does he remove our? 411 00:26:39,320 --> 00:26:44,000 Transgressions from us. That's who Jesus is. 412 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:49,320 He demonstrated it first through his entire life and and and 413 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:51,520 ministry. And if we claim to be followers 414 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:56,440 of Jesus, that's all the term Christian means. 415 00:26:56,440 --> 00:26:59,640 After all, is is to be a follower of Jesus, then then we 416 00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:04,600 should desire to be like him. We should work to mold our our 417 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:08,960 lives to be the examples that we see in him. 418 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:16,120 First, John chapter 2, verse 6, it says whoever says he abides 419 00:27:16,120 --> 00:27:19,560 in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. 420 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:25,800 Now, the apostle Paul puts it similarly, like like John did 421 00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:28,120 there. Paul puts it similarly. 422 00:27:28,120 --> 00:27:32,840 But he had something that I think might connect with many of 423 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:36,920 us here today, even more so recently than it has in the 424 00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:37,600 past. Because. 425 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:41,760 Because for a lot of us, we've come to recognize that the world 426 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:45,280 outside those doors is not what we want to be. 427 00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:51,320 Like. In Romans 12 verse 2, Paul says 428 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:54,680 do not be conformed to this. World but be. 429 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:58,840 Transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you 430 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:03,040 may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable 431 00:28:03,040 --> 00:28:07,200 and perfect. Guys, I think, I think that 432 00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:11,280 there are, there's, there's people here today that would 433 00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:15,720 never have pictured themselves in a church a couple of months 434 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:21,120 ago, even a couple of weeks ago. But some of you have have come 435 00:28:21,120 --> 00:28:26,360 to recognize that there is evil out there and you want something 436 00:28:26,360 --> 00:28:29,200 different. You don't want to be conformed 437 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:33,240 to this world. Maybe you've experienced some in 438 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:34,800 your life. Maybe you've experienced someone 439 00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:37,880 slap you on the cheek, but instead of instead of turning 440 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:40,880 the other cheek, you fired right back with a a barrage of your 441 00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:43,320 own. I'm guilty of that. 442 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:48,280 Maybe you in that moment, maybe you felt a little bit of 443 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:53,120 vindication, but as you look back, you know as well as I do 444 00:28:53,360 --> 00:28:56,880 that you only added to the problem and you don't want to be 445 00:28:56,880 --> 00:29:01,920 part of the problem anymore. Maybe you've been in a situation 446 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:06,240 where you were able to get away with holding up only whatever 447 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:10,800 was your exact responsibility, but through a loophole, even 448 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:15,120 though there was more work or or or service or generosity needed. 449 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:18,760 You could. Move on without any further work 450 00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:24,320 or difficulty on your part. And yet you look back and see 451 00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:27,920 that you could have extended grace to someone that didn't 452 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:29,800 deserve it. You could have rectified the 453 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:30,880 situation. You could have. 454 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:34,960 You could have rectified it wholly by helping or doing more. 455 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:40,880 And yet part of you is is anxiously pleading. 456 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:47,840 Why don't people just be better? Maybe you've come to realize 457 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:49,680 that it. Has to start with you. 458 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:56,240 You don't want to be conformed to this world, you want to be 459 00:29:56,360 --> 00:30:00,200 transformed by the renewal of your mind and your heart. 460 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:05,600 Guys, Jesus was the most poorly treated man that has ever lived. 461 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:10,720 No one ever was more disrespected and taken for 462 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:15,800 granted than Jesus. And yet He was humble and meek, 463 00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:18,920 and in his last moments on the cross, he cried out to his 464 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:20,440 Father in heaven. Forgive them. 465 00:30:20,440 --> 00:30:23,200 They don't know what it is that they're doing. 466 00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:29,440 That's the model for us. That's how we should mold 467 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:38,600 ourselves to act like Jesus. Sure, most of you are aware of 468 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:43,040 the assassination of a young man a couple weeks ago named named 469 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:45,840 Charlie Kirk. A young man who, whether you 470 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:49,240 agreed with his views or not, stepped out to have discussions 471 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:53,520 with people and and shared his views that were based primarily 472 00:30:54,520 --> 00:30:57,520 in his belief in God. He was murdered in front of his 473 00:30:57,800 --> 00:31:00,760 family, his friends, and then televised to the world. 474 00:31:01,040 --> 00:31:05,480 And then this last Sunday, his widow stood up in front of 475 00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:09,320 hundreds of thousands of people, maybe honestly millions that 476 00:31:09,320 --> 00:31:13,560 tuned in and proclaimed that she forgives the murderer because 477 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:16,560 that's the example she sees in Jesus. 478 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:27,240 Ephesians 432 tells us be kind to one another, tender hearted, 479 00:31:27,520 --> 00:31:31,440 forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you. 480 00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:39,360 Paul is telling us that Jesus is the yardstick that we should 481 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:42,920 measure ourselves by. We should be forgiving and 482 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:45,680 merciful like Jesus demonstrated. 483 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:51,600 It's that simple. Now I don't mean that it's 484 00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:53,720 simple to do. I've struggled with forgiving 485 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:58,720 people of the atrocious things that they've that they've done. 486 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:01,760 It isn't easy. I simply mean that it's that 487 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:05,400 plainly stated. Be kind to one another, 488 00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:12,200 tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave 489 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:12,960 you. You're going to have an 490 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:15,800 opportunity today to demonstrate this. 491 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:19,200 You already probably do. You're holding a grudge. 492 00:32:19,200 --> 00:32:22,560 Maybe something somebody said, something something somebody 493 00:32:22,560 --> 00:32:24,800 said to you. Maybe something they did to you 494 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:26,200 this morning. Maybe it was a. 495 00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:29,600 Look that a kid gave you on the way to church. 496 00:32:29,600 --> 00:32:31,840 I don't know. There is room for us to 497 00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:40,160 demonstrate this all the time. Romans 12, verses 9 through 10. 498 00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:47,240 Says let love be genuine, abhor what is evil, hold fast to what 499 00:32:47,240 --> 00:32:51,600 is good, love one another with brotherly affection, outdo one 500 00:32:51,600 --> 00:32:54,680 another. In showing honor like we can, we 501 00:32:54,680 --> 00:32:58,640 can view this as a competition of goodness. 502 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:03,800 Wouldn't that be? A great community to live. 503 00:33:03,800 --> 00:33:06,320 In if, if, if, if. We. 504 00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:11,880 All tried to outdo each other in showing honor outdo each other 505 00:33:11,880 --> 00:33:18,280 and trying to be kind in showing forgiveness and extending grace. 506 00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:22,840 If we all tried to outdo each other in showing compassion, 507 00:33:22,840 --> 00:33:26,280 wouldn't that be a wonderful place to live? 508 00:33:27,760 --> 00:33:30,240 Now, maybe you struggle with how this applies to you, though. 509 00:33:31,360 --> 00:33:34,360 And maybe you're thinking, you know, something like, well, 510 00:33:34,360 --> 00:33:37,720 yeah, but I'm not like Paul was to the to the Jews. 511 00:33:37,720 --> 00:33:40,440 I'm. I'm not like that Nazi in the 512 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:43,160 picture or Saddam Hussein. I'm certainly no political 513 00:33:43,160 --> 00:33:46,080 assassin. Maybe you're thinking it was 514 00:33:46,080 --> 00:33:48,920 easy to forgive my sins because I'm a pretty good person. 515 00:33:50,640 --> 00:33:52,640 Well, that's what I want to talk about for our Third Point here 516 00:33:52,640 --> 00:33:58,960 today, which is that eternally we will all experience God's 517 00:33:58,960 --> 00:34:03,520 justice or mercy. Now, if you're unfamiliar with 518 00:34:03,520 --> 00:34:06,920 the good news of Jesus, that's what the word gospel means. 519 00:34:07,080 --> 00:34:09,360 If you're unfamiliar with the gospel, then please hear me on 520 00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:12,800 this. God created the world free of 521 00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:16,480 sin, but long ago in the Garden of Eden, humanity chose to 522 00:34:16,480 --> 00:34:21,600 disobey God and and to sin, and that sin was passed down through 523 00:34:21,840 --> 00:34:26,080 all of humanity and exists naturally within every single 524 00:34:26,080 --> 00:34:30,120 one of us. We are all naturally gifted at 525 00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:32,600 sinning, and I don't mean that like it's a good gift, that's 526 00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:38,120 just something that we do. That means that no matter how 527 00:34:38,120 --> 00:34:42,239 good you think your life is, how good of a a person that you 528 00:34:42,239 --> 00:34:47,040 believe that you are, you have a sin nature that separates you 529 00:34:47,199 --> 00:34:50,560 from God. That separation means that that 530 00:34:50,560 --> 00:34:55,639 we are all born distant from God, that we are born enemies of 531 00:34:55,639 --> 00:34:59,040 God. In fact, that's what Romans 510 532 00:34:59,320 --> 00:35:02,560 says, that we are enemies of God before we were reconciled to 533 00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:06,800 him. And in first Thessalonians 4 534 00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:11,600 verse 6, Paul says we ask that no one transgress and wrong his 535 00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:15,880 brother in this matter because the Lord is an avenger in all 536 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:19,400 these things, as we told you before beforehand and solemnly 537 00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:22,280 warned you. So what does it look like when 538 00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:26,440 God Avengers transgressions against him? 539 00:35:28,360 --> 00:35:33,840 Well, regarding Jesus, Scripture also says he made him who knew 540 00:35:33,840 --> 00:35:38,360 no sin, that's Jesus, to be sin on our behalf so that we might 541 00:35:38,360 --> 00:35:41,200 become the righteousness of God in him. 542 00:35:41,520 --> 00:35:46,440 That means that Jesus took all of our sin, Everything that I've 543 00:35:46,440 --> 00:35:52,120 ever done and that you've ever done, Jesus took that on. 544 00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:57,040 It was imputed upon him, it was assigned to him, and God crushed 545 00:35:57,040 --> 00:36:02,920 him. The whole of God's wrath poured 546 00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:07,640 out on Jesus that day and and Scripture says that it was God's 547 00:36:07,640 --> 00:36:13,280 delight to crush him, to bring justice for all of the sin that 548 00:36:13,280 --> 00:36:19,120 he bore. But see, he only bore the sin of 549 00:36:19,120 --> 00:36:20,960 those who would repent and believe. 550 00:36:22,160 --> 00:36:27,000 There is still wrath and justice to be poured out on those who 551 00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:30,440 deny God. For those who refuse to put 552 00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:35,280 their faith and trust only in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness 553 00:36:35,280 --> 00:36:39,520 of their sins, there is still an outstanding bill to pay. 554 00:36:42,040 --> 00:36:47,000 And in Romans 623 it says that the wages of that sin is death, 555 00:36:47,440 --> 00:36:51,400 meaning eternal death outside of God's presence in hell 556 00:36:52,320 --> 00:36:56,600 eternally. But when we are reconciled back 557 00:36:56,600 --> 00:37:02,480 in a right relationship with God, he says I am he who blots 558 00:37:02,480 --> 00:37:05,280 out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not 559 00:37:05,280 --> 00:37:09,920 remember your sins. And This is why so many 560 00:37:09,920 --> 00:37:13,440 Christians are are quick to clarify that Christianity isn't 561 00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:18,200 a religion, but that it's a relationship because it 562 00:37:18,200 --> 00:37:21,880 correctly points out that it's our relationship with Jesus that 563 00:37:21,880 --> 00:37:26,040 matters, not our in the adherence to misunderstood and 564 00:37:26,040 --> 00:37:30,840 misapplied laws and rules. Hebrews 416. 565 00:37:30,840 --> 00:37:34,760 It says let us then with confidence draw near to the 566 00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:39,360 throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to 567 00:37:39,360 --> 00:37:44,360 help in time of need. So as we close here guys, I want 568 00:37:44,360 --> 00:37:47,480 to send you away with with this reminder. 569 00:37:51,160 --> 00:37:56,640 Eternally we will all experience God's justice or mercy. 570 00:37:56,640 --> 00:38:00,840 There is no greater decision any of us can make than whether we 571 00:38:00,840 --> 00:38:03,760 believe Jesus is who he said he was. 572 00:38:04,160 --> 00:38:09,600 God in the flesh who gave himself up on the cross to die a 573 00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:14,440 death that was meant for us to pay for sins that he didn't 574 00:38:14,440 --> 00:38:21,200 commit for people like us who didn't deserve it, and that that 575 00:38:21,200 --> 00:38:24,760 is the only way any of us can avoid God's wrath and spend 576 00:38:24,760 --> 00:38:27,840 eternity and glory with the God of all creation. 577 00:38:28,760 --> 00:38:32,280 Like that verse in in Micah six said he has shown you old man 578 00:38:32,280 --> 00:38:34,840 what is good and what the Lord requires of you. 579 00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:39,880 Do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God. 580 00:38:40,360 --> 00:38:51,560 You guys pray with me, Lord, the idea of justice can, can sit 581 00:38:52,600 --> 00:38:58,800 uncomfortably with us on earth sometimes, Lord, we, we, we push 582 00:38:58,800 --> 00:39:01,120 back against the idea of justice. 583 00:39:01,720 --> 00:39:05,120 And that's because of the sin in our life, Lord, and, and, and 584 00:39:05,120 --> 00:39:08,920 yet, as we understand that you have implemented government in 585 00:39:08,920 --> 00:39:12,680 our, in our life, because there is to be justice, because you 586 00:39:12,680 --> 00:39:18,560 are a God of order and that lawlessness is sin. 587 00:39:18,560 --> 00:39:21,080 We don't, we don't want that Lord, And, and so as much as our 588 00:39:21,080 --> 00:39:24,960 flesh pushes back against that idea that we want to be able to 589 00:39:24,960 --> 00:39:29,800 be free to make our own choices that without consequence or we 590 00:39:29,800 --> 00:39:32,760 know that that is, that that is unacceptable. 591 00:39:32,760 --> 00:39:37,160 And so as we wrestle with this idea, maybe some of us are, are, 592 00:39:37,160 --> 00:39:38,800 are wrestling with us a little bit more. 593 00:39:38,800 --> 00:39:41,440 Lord, I know in my own study this week, this is hard for me 594 00:39:41,440 --> 00:39:46,880 to, to, to, to digest because of the rebelliousness that that 595 00:39:46,880 --> 00:39:53,000 exists within me naturally. So Lord, I, I just, I pray that 596 00:39:53,160 --> 00:39:57,080 that like you will do in me, that you'll do a work in the, in 597 00:39:57,080 --> 00:39:59,160 the rest of the people here today, Lord, that we would be 598 00:39:59,160 --> 00:40:03,520 able to, to recognize our, our rebelliousness and that we would 599 00:40:03,760 --> 00:40:08,960 understand your justice and, and that we can expect justice. 600 00:40:09,280 --> 00:40:12,840 But also, Lord, help us to be mindful of your forgiveness, 601 00:40:12,840 --> 00:40:16,560 your kindness, your mercy, and, and to be able to make a 602 00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:21,480 decision in our lives which one of those it is that we want to 603 00:40:23,360 --> 00:40:27,880 endure for all of eternity. Lord, as we understand, as we 604 00:40:27,880 --> 00:40:30,720 wrestle with this and try to understand this, help us to, to 605 00:40:30,720 --> 00:40:33,480 come to grips with that decision, to, to chase that 606 00:40:33,480 --> 00:40:35,040 down. If we don't understand what that 607 00:40:35,040 --> 00:40:39,280 means, help us to seek somebody out that will appropriately walk 608 00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:43,680 us through understanding what submitting our our souls and our 609 00:40:43,680 --> 00:40:47,360 will to you looks like. Lord, for your glory and for our 610 00:40:47,360 --> 00:40:49,840 good and we, we hope that you are blessed and honored in this 611 00:40:49,840 --> 00:40:54,160 message and in this final song. We say this in Jesus name, Amen. 612 00:40:55,640 --> 00:40:55,960 Amen.