Dare to be Different
A study in Matthew chapter 5
The Mustard Seed newsletter, Campus Ministry column
September 2016 - May 2017
Pastor Ron Friedrich
The Mustard Seed newsletter, Campus Ministry column
September 2016 - May 2017
Pastor Ron Friedrich
Part 1
Back in the Stone Age when I was growing up, the word counterculture was applied to hippies, LSD advocates, and peaceniks. The term "counterculture" describes a social trend that goes against (counter to) the majority culture.
In America's past, a Christian worldview was evident in the culture. But at important times in our history, when aspects of the culture (like slavery) radically strayed from Christian principles, followers of Christ became counterculture. They organized and worked to correct the culture's error. (The abolitionist movement that eventually led to the end of slavery in America was ignited by the founders of Lane Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the 1830s.)
Then during the last half of the 20th Century faith in Christ and Christian social norms gradually faded from America's cultural memory. Today dominant forces in our culture, both secular and religious, are actively working to ban any public expression of Christian thought and suppress Christian influence in society. So we who follow Christ have again become counterculture.
What we experience today is not new. Nearly 2,000 years ago in the Roman Empire, Christians were a persecuted minority. Pledging allegiance to Christ was an act of political treason. Faith in Christ was religious heresy, punishable by death.
In that context, Christ's Apostles have encouraged us to stand firm for Him. They remind us to live our lives with a consistent integrity that honors Him and earns the respect of those who disagree with us.
Saint Peter wrote:
Back in the Stone Age when I was growing up, the word counterculture was applied to hippies, LSD advocates, and peaceniks. The term "counterculture" describes a social trend that goes against (counter to) the majority culture.
In America's past, a Christian worldview was evident in the culture. But at important times in our history, when aspects of the culture (like slavery) radically strayed from Christian principles, followers of Christ became counterculture. They organized and worked to correct the culture's error. (The abolitionist movement that eventually led to the end of slavery in America was ignited by the founders of Lane Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the 1830s.)
Then during the last half of the 20th Century faith in Christ and Christian social norms gradually faded from America's cultural memory. Today dominant forces in our culture, both secular and religious, are actively working to ban any public expression of Christian thought and suppress Christian influence in society. So we who follow Christ have again become counterculture.
What we experience today is not new. Nearly 2,000 years ago in the Roman Empire, Christians were a persecuted minority. Pledging allegiance to Christ was an act of political treason. Faith in Christ was religious heresy, punishable by death.
In that context, Christ's Apostles have encouraged us to stand firm for Him. They remind us to live our lives with a consistent integrity that honors Him and earns the respect of those who disagree with us.
Saint Peter wrote:
If you are trying hard to do good, no one can really hurt you. But even if you suffer for doing right, you are blessed. But respect Christ as the holy Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have, but answer in a gentle way and with respect. Keep a clear conscience so that those who speak evil of your good life in Christ will be made ashamed. It is better to suffer for doing good than for doing wrong if that is what God wants. Christ himself suffered for sins once. He was not guilty, but he suffered for those who are guilty to bring you to God. (1 Peter 3:13-18 NCV. Also read Revelation 2 - 3.)
The ways of Christ are not only counter to our culture; divine wisdom often defies common sense, because sometimes common sense is wrong. We have already learned that truth in the natural world of science. For thousands of years common sense said that the earth is flat, the sun and stars orbit the earth, and large heavy objects fall faster than small objects -- all false. So it should be no surprise to discover a contradiction between truth and human wisdom in the way we live our lives. King Solomon said, "There is a way that appears to be right. But in the end it leads to death." (Proverbs 14:12 NIRV) However, "The teaching of wise people is like a fountain that gives life. It turns those who listen to it away from the jaws of death." (Proverbs 13:14 NIRV)
In upcoming issues of The Mustard Seed we will look at some of those contradictions between truth and human wisdom. Our primary source material will be Jesus' own words from Matthew 5. The common thread in His teaching is the way Jesus introduced each contradiction: "You have heard that it was said [i.e. the culture says]... But I say to you..." With His guidance, we can dare to be different.
In upcoming issues of The Mustard Seed we will look at some of those contradictions between truth and human wisdom. Our primary source material will be Jesus' own words from Matthew 5. The common thread in His teaching is the way Jesus introduced each contradiction: "You have heard that it was said [i.e. the culture says]... But I say to you..." With His guidance, we can dare to be different.
Part 2
One of the pillars of both Jewish and Christian religious tradition is the Ten Commandments.
Here is a quick quiz: How many of the Ten Commandments can you remember? Write them down. You don't need to get them in the right order. (You may check your list with Exodus 20:3-17 or Deuteronomy 5:7-21.)
Look at just those commandments that you remembered and wrote down. How well are you doing in keeping (obeying) them? Which commandments have you successfully kept? And which ones are tripping you up?
"Well, let's see... I haven't murdered anyone, so I pass on that one."
Hold on! Not so fast! Are you sure? Jesus has something to say about that:
One of the pillars of both Jewish and Christian religious tradition is the Ten Commandments.
Here is a quick quiz: How many of the Ten Commandments can you remember? Write them down. You don't need to get them in the right order. (You may check your list with Exodus 20:3-17 or Deuteronomy 5:7-21.)
Look at just those commandments that you remembered and wrote down. How well are you doing in keeping (obeying) them? Which commandments have you successfully kept? And which ones are tripping you up?
"Well, let's see... I haven't murdered anyone, so I pass on that one."
Hold on! Not so fast! Are you sure? Jesus has something to say about that:
"You have heard what was said to people who lived long ago. They were told, 'Do not commit murder. [Exodus 20:13] Anyone who murders will be judged for it.' But here is what I tell you. Do not be angry with a brother or sister. Anyone who is angry with them will be judged. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, 'Raca,' [an insult or curse] must stand trial in court. And anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire in hell." (Matthew 5:21-22)*
Oops! In God's eyes, "murder" isn't just what we do, but also is what we feel and what we say. I may not be responsible for anyone's death, but have I been angry against someone? Yes. Have I said hurtful things to (or about) someone? I don't remember, but I am sure someone out there remembers when I said something to them that I shouldn't have. So... Take my mug-shot and post a title over my picture: "MURDERER!" I am guilty.
In Jesus' application of the Ten Commandments, He helps us to see that obeying God's Law is a lot harder than we first thought. Indeed, obeying God's holy Law is impossible! Obedience is as much a matter of our attitude as it involves our actions. In God's eyes, we are all guilty.
That's the Bad News. But God also has Good News. The Bible says that God has transferred our guilt to His holy Son, Jesus. Jesus carried our guilt to the cross. He accepted the full punishment that we deserve. We can do nothing to earn God's forgiveness, but Jesus already earned it for us and He offers us God's forgiveness as a free gift.
In Jesus' application of the Ten Commandments, He helps us to see that obeying God's Law is a lot harder than we first thought. Indeed, obeying God's holy Law is impossible! Obedience is as much a matter of our attitude as it involves our actions. In God's eyes, we are all guilty.
That's the Bad News. But God also has Good News. The Bible says that God has transferred our guilt to His holy Son, Jesus. Jesus carried our guilt to the cross. He accepted the full punishment that we deserve. We can do nothing to earn God's forgiveness, but Jesus already earned it for us and He offers us God's forgiveness as a free gift.
He himself carried our sins in his body on the cross. (1 Peter 2:24)*
Christ didn't have any sin. But God made him become sin for us. So we can be made right with God because of what Christ has done for us. (2 Corinthians 5:21)*
The Ten Commandments deal with our relationship with God and our relationship with people. Our sinful attitudes and actions break our relationship in both directions -- with God and people. So also, Jesus heals our relationship with God and our relationship with people. BOTH are important. Jesus said:
"So when you offer your gift to God at the altar, and you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there at the altar. Go and make peace with that person, and then come and offer your gift." (Matthew 5:23-24)**
If you have messed up, don't hide it. Admit it. And if someone else was hurt because of what you did, go and make it right with them. Proverbs 28:13 says, "If you hide your sins, you will not succeed. If you confess and reject [stop doing] them, you will receive mercy."**
In the next several articles in this series, we will work through Jesus' comparison between the world's "common sense" and God's perfect wisdom. You can get a jump start by reading ahead: Matthew 5:21-48.
Bible quotations in this article are from:
* the New International Reader's Version and
** the New Century Version
In the next several articles in this series, we will work through Jesus' comparison between the world's "common sense" and God's perfect wisdom. You can get a jump start by reading ahead: Matthew 5:21-48.
Bible quotations in this article are from:
* the New International Reader's Version and
** the New Century Version
Part 3
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are different! Your attitudes, your ethics, your priorities, your words, your actions do not fit the mainstream culture. We see this most clearly today in matters relating to sex and marriage. Ardent activists have declared all-out war against the Christian worldview and they have enlisted the institutions of our society -- legal, judicial, educational, media -- to suppress and even silence those who hold Biblical views.
Lest we throw up our hands in despair and retreat into the closet, we need to look back to the early days of our faith, during the time of the Roman Empire, when community sex was a recreational sport and marriage commitments came with lots of loopholes. As we read the New Testament letters of Paul, Peter, and John, we see them constantly reminding their readers to hold themselves to a higher standard of purity in thought and action in matters of sex. (See Ephesians 5) We who are old-timers read this and wonder, "Didn't those first Christians already know this?" No, they didn't. Neither do many Christians today whose thinking is shaped by the world rather than the Word of God.
Some years back I was invited to lead a Bible study for a group of young Deaf college graduates. We decided to study Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7), because it is practical and non-controversial... or so I thought. We had not gone very far in our study when most of the young people quit the class and stopped coming to church. What turned them off? It was this:
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are different! Your attitudes, your ethics, your priorities, your words, your actions do not fit the mainstream culture. We see this most clearly today in matters relating to sex and marriage. Ardent activists have declared all-out war against the Christian worldview and they have enlisted the institutions of our society -- legal, judicial, educational, media -- to suppress and even silence those who hold Biblical views.
Lest we throw up our hands in despair and retreat into the closet, we need to look back to the early days of our faith, during the time of the Roman Empire, when community sex was a recreational sport and marriage commitments came with lots of loopholes. As we read the New Testament letters of Paul, Peter, and John, we see them constantly reminding their readers to hold themselves to a higher standard of purity in thought and action in matters of sex. (See Ephesians 5) We who are old-timers read this and wonder, "Didn't those first Christians already know this?" No, they didn't. Neither do many Christians today whose thinking is shaped by the world rather than the Word of God.
Some years back I was invited to lead a Bible study for a group of young Deaf college graduates. We decided to study Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5 - 7), because it is practical and non-controversial... or so I thought. We had not gone very far in our study when most of the young people quit the class and stopped coming to church. What turned them off? It was this:
Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:27-28 NKJV)
Jesus went on to explain that we need to remove those things from our lives which are dangerous gateways to temptation. Then Jesus emphasized the seriousness of the marriage commitment:
"It has been said, ‘If a man divorces his wife, he must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you, anyone who divorces his wife makes her a victim of adultery (unless she has already been unfaithful). And anyone who gets married to the divorced woman commits adultery. " (Matthew 5:31-32)
This flies in the face of our culture which has a low value for marriage and treats divorce like breaking off a dating relationship.
When I went to these young people and asked them what turned them off, one of them said, "You don't fit our lifestyle."
So I asked him, "Does Jesus fit your life style? It appears that you want to hang on to both your Savior and your sin." He admitted that was true.
While it is a fact that all of us continue to struggle with sin every day of our lives, Jesus taught us how we should respond when we see sin in ourselves -- turn to Him for forgiveness and victory.
Apparently the Apostles' counsel to those first Christians in the Roman Empire worked. Unbelievers noticed that Christians in their community were different. The unbelievers said, "Those followers of Christ are very generous. They are willing to share anything they have, except their wives."
When I went to these young people and asked them what turned them off, one of them said, "You don't fit our lifestyle."
So I asked him, "Does Jesus fit your life style? It appears that you want to hang on to both your Savior and your sin." He admitted that was true.
While it is a fact that all of us continue to struggle with sin every day of our lives, Jesus taught us how we should respond when we see sin in ourselves -- turn to Him for forgiveness and victory.
Apparently the Apostles' counsel to those first Christians in the Roman Empire worked. Unbelievers noticed that Christians in their community were different. The unbelievers said, "Those followers of Christ are very generous. They are willing to share anything they have, except their wives."
Part 4
One summer during my college years I had a job where I worked with a small group of rough guys. ...or they tried to make themselves look rough. They thought that if they used a lot of curse words, other people would respect them more.
The truth is, they seemed to know only four curse words, but they included those four words in just about every sentence. They believed that using profanity made them look strong. And when they really wanted to emphasize a point, they tossed in "Jesus Christ!" for good measure.
Without meaning to, every day my coworkers reminded me of my precious Lord and Savior. When I heard His name expressed as a curse, in my heart I offered Him my worship and praise.
Strangely enough, the one conversation I was able to have with these men about who Jesus is and what He has done for them, they rejected Him. They believed that they were good enough. They knew that God was pleased with them, and they didn't need forgiveness. One of them told me that if God forgave sinners, He wouldn't be fair. Not fair? He's right. Forgiveness isn't fair. It's mercy.
Deaf folk generally don't use the name of Jesus as a curse word. Signing "Jesus Christ" simply requires too much effort to serve as an expletive. But many well-mannered people, both Deaf and Hearing, are in the habit of expressing alarm with "My God!" It is as easy to sign as it is to say. I am alarmed by the number of children I meet who have picked up that habit from their parents. Even some church-goers, who ought to know better, see nothing wrong with taking the name of God in vain.
Jesus raised the standard for respectful conversation when He said,
One summer during my college years I had a job where I worked with a small group of rough guys. ...or they tried to make themselves look rough. They thought that if they used a lot of curse words, other people would respect them more.
The truth is, they seemed to know only four curse words, but they included those four words in just about every sentence. They believed that using profanity made them look strong. And when they really wanted to emphasize a point, they tossed in "Jesus Christ!" for good measure.
Without meaning to, every day my coworkers reminded me of my precious Lord and Savior. When I heard His name expressed as a curse, in my heart I offered Him my worship and praise.
Strangely enough, the one conversation I was able to have with these men about who Jesus is and what He has done for them, they rejected Him. They believed that they were good enough. They knew that God was pleased with them, and they didn't need forgiveness. One of them told me that if God forgave sinners, He wouldn't be fair. Not fair? He's right. Forgiveness isn't fair. It's mercy.
Deaf folk generally don't use the name of Jesus as a curse word. Signing "Jesus Christ" simply requires too much effort to serve as an expletive. But many well-mannered people, both Deaf and Hearing, are in the habit of expressing alarm with "My God!" It is as easy to sign as it is to say. I am alarmed by the number of children I meet who have picked up that habit from their parents. Even some church-goers, who ought to know better, see nothing wrong with taking the name of God in vain.
Jesus raised the standard for respectful conversation when He said,
"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all... All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." (Matthew 5:33-37 NIV)
The issue here is how we honor God by what we say and do. We dishonor Him when we drag His name through the mud and use His name simply to express our surprise or vent our anger.
Martin Luther wrote concerning the name of God:
Martin Luther wrote concerning the name of God:
We should honor and love God so that we do not curse, swear, use satanic arts, lie, or deceive by His name, but call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks. (Small Catechism, Ten Commandments)
In the Lord's Prayer we pray: "Holy be Thy Name." What does this mean? Luther wrote:
God's name is certainly holy in itself, but we pray in this petition that it may be kept holy among us also.
Do we really look strong and tough if we include curse words in our conversation or we emphasize our point with God's name? No, we only look stupid. We embarrass ourselves and others.
Whether we talk, text, email, or post on social media, there is a simple one-word guide to civilized conversation: RESPECT. In all that we say, respect God, respect others, and respect ourselves.
The Apostle Paul said it this way:
Whether we talk, text, email, or post on social media, there is a simple one-word guide to civilized conversation: RESPECT. In all that we say, respect God, respect others, and respect ourselves.
The Apostle Paul said it this way:
Don’t let any evil talk come out of your mouths. [...or from your hands.] Say only what will help to build others up and meet their needs. Then what you say will help those who listen. Get rid of all hard feelings, anger and rage. Stop all fighting and lying. Don’t have anything to do with any kind of hatred. Be kind and tender to one another. Forgive one another, just as God forgave you because of what Christ has done.
You are the children that God dearly loves. So follow his example. Lead a life of love, just as Christ did. He loved us. He gave himself up for us. He was a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God.
There should not be even a hint of sexual sin among you. Don’t do anything impure. And do not always want more and more. These are not the things God’s holy people should do. There must not be any bad language or foolish talk or dirty jokes. They are out of place. Instead, you should give thanks. (Ephesians 4:29-5:4 NIRV)
Part 5
"Revenge is sweet".... NOT! People who seek revenge may experience temporary pleasure in seeing their enemies "get what they deserve." But afterward, the vengeful are still unhappy. Their complaints never stop. They still are eager to recite all the wrongs that have been done to them. And all that money they won in their lawsuit, where is it now? "Poof!" Revenge never heals depression; it may make it worse.
Jesus suggested a better way:
"Revenge is sweet".... NOT! People who seek revenge may experience temporary pleasure in seeing their enemies "get what they deserve." But afterward, the vengeful are still unhappy. Their complaints never stop. They still are eager to recite all the wrongs that have been done to them. And all that money they won in their lawsuit, where is it now? "Poof!" Revenge never heals depression; it may make it worse.
Jesus suggested a better way:
"You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 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. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." (Matthew 5:38-42 NIV)
In the weeks following the 9/11/2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center towers in New York and on the Pentagon, the President announced that he was prepared to go to war against the nation of Afghanistan for providing safe haven to those who planned and carried out those attacks. Members of our church in Silver Spring expressed concern about that. Didn't Jesus teach us to forgive and "turn the other cheek"? What does God's Word say about a situation like this?
So together we dug deeply into the Scriptures and we discovered two balancing in principles, both of which reflect God's nature: JUSTICE and MERCY. (You find that full study on this website under Bible Study Resources.) We found that justice is the responsibility of government and all who are in positions of authority in dealing with wrong-doers, and that mercy is the responsibility of the individual follower of Christ in our everyday personal relationships. We also learned that we create trouble when we try to reverse those two realms of responsibility. Christians who are in positions of authority have discovered the hard way that when they fulfill the roles of their position, justice must be their guiding principle.* (Judge Lou Olivera found a creative way to fulfill his duty to execute justice while personally showing compassion -- see the first page of the Jan-Feb 2017 issue of The Mustard Seed.)
Old Testament civil law was summarized in this familiar phrase: "Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, life for life." (See Exodus 21:23-24 and Leviticus 24:17-22. This principle is also found in the celebrated Babylonian Code of Hammurrabi.) When we apply our modern sensibilities to this phrase, we totally misread it. The point of this law was simply that punishment must be equal to the criminal act, no more and no less. For example, the punishment for a thief is not simply that he gives back what he has stolen -- that's not punishment. The thief must also additionally pay his victim equal to the value of what he stole. If he stole a donkey, he must return that donkey, plus give his victim one more donkey of equal value. It's that simple.
Justice means we get what we deserve.
Mercy means we don't get what we deserve.
And Grace means we get what we don't deserve.
All three are part of God's nature, and all three are fully satisfied in Christ's sacrifice for us on the cross. As He died in our place, He prayed, "Father forgive them..."
Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5 applies to us as His disciples in our relationship with other people, guided by mercy and grace, as we leave questions about justice in the hands of those who exercise authority.
There is much more we need to examine in these verses....
* A book I highly recommend is The Executioner's Redemption: My Story of Violence, Death, and Saving Grace, by Timothy Carter (CPH, 2016)
So together we dug deeply into the Scriptures and we discovered two balancing in principles, both of which reflect God's nature: JUSTICE and MERCY. (You find that full study on this website under Bible Study Resources.) We found that justice is the responsibility of government and all who are in positions of authority in dealing with wrong-doers, and that mercy is the responsibility of the individual follower of Christ in our everyday personal relationships. We also learned that we create trouble when we try to reverse those two realms of responsibility. Christians who are in positions of authority have discovered the hard way that when they fulfill the roles of their position, justice must be their guiding principle.* (Judge Lou Olivera found a creative way to fulfill his duty to execute justice while personally showing compassion -- see the first page of the Jan-Feb 2017 issue of The Mustard Seed.)
Old Testament civil law was summarized in this familiar phrase: "Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, life for life." (See Exodus 21:23-24 and Leviticus 24:17-22. This principle is also found in the celebrated Babylonian Code of Hammurrabi.) When we apply our modern sensibilities to this phrase, we totally misread it. The point of this law was simply that punishment must be equal to the criminal act, no more and no less. For example, the punishment for a thief is not simply that he gives back what he has stolen -- that's not punishment. The thief must also additionally pay his victim equal to the value of what he stole. If he stole a donkey, he must return that donkey, plus give his victim one more donkey of equal value. It's that simple.
Justice means we get what we deserve.
Mercy means we don't get what we deserve.
And Grace means we get what we don't deserve.
All three are part of God's nature, and all three are fully satisfied in Christ's sacrifice for us on the cross. As He died in our place, He prayed, "Father forgive them..."
Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5 applies to us as His disciples in our relationship with other people, guided by mercy and grace, as we leave questions about justice in the hands of those who exercise authority.
There is much more we need to examine in these verses....
* A book I highly recommend is The Executioner's Redemption: My Story of Violence, Death, and Saving Grace, by Timothy Carter (CPH, 2016)
Part 5
When we find ourselves in conflict with other people, our natural response is to look for a way to win, and leave our opponents in the unhappy position of losing.
Jesus suggested a better way:
When we find ourselves in conflict with other people, our natural response is to look for a way to win, and leave our opponents in the unhappy position of losing.
Jesus suggested a better way:
"You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 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. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." (Matthew 5:38-42 NIV)
In our previous study, we examined the first sentence in this text. Now we will dig into the rest of what Jesus said. Perhaps we can best understand it with a true story that happened many years ago in rural China.
The situation involved a community of farmers, whose rice fields consisted of terraced plots on a hillside. Rice grows best in shallow water. So the farmers converted the gently sloping hill into a series of level lots, like long steps. They built a low wall (dike) on the downhill-side of each lot, to keep the water in. They took turns sharing one pump that brought water up from the stream below to each of their fields. To operate the pump, the farmer push foot pedals, like a bicycle.
One season, two brothers who shared a field found they had a serious problem. Their neighbor whose field was just below theirs got water into his field simply by digging a hole in their dike. The water drained out of their field into his field.
Patiently they repaired the dike, and spent the day pumping water back into their field. But the next morning they found that again their neighbor had stolen their water. They tried talking with their neighbor, but he denied doing anything wrong.
This went on day after day. Finally these two Christian brothers went to talk to their pastor. Jesus had said something about forgiving, but this was too much!
Their pastor read this Bible verse to them and made a suggestion: "Whenever you pump water into your field, also pump water into your neighbor's field. And at the end of each day, check to be sure his field is full."
This made no sense! But they tried it. And two amazing things happened. First their bitterness against their neighbor melted away and they began feeling true concern for him. During the times they spent pumping water into the neighbor's field, they prayed for the success of his field. Whenever they saw damage to their neighbor's dike, they fixed it.
The second amazing thing that happened was not only did the neighbor stop stealing their water, he went to them to ask why they were doing this. That gave them their first real opportunity to introduce him to Jesus -- something they could never have done with anger in their hearts. In a short time, he became their brother in Christ.
Back in Roman times, a soldier could legally force a citizen on command to carry the soldier's load one mile. Jesus told his disciples, "Go with them two miles." It is only in the second mile that the load-bearer's anger turns to love and his enemy becomes a friend.
One season, two brothers who shared a field found they had a serious problem. Their neighbor whose field was just below theirs got water into his field simply by digging a hole in their dike. The water drained out of their field into his field.
Patiently they repaired the dike, and spent the day pumping water back into their field. But the next morning they found that again their neighbor had stolen their water. They tried talking with their neighbor, but he denied doing anything wrong.
This went on day after day. Finally these two Christian brothers went to talk to their pastor. Jesus had said something about forgiving, but this was too much!
Their pastor read this Bible verse to them and made a suggestion: "Whenever you pump water into your field, also pump water into your neighbor's field. And at the end of each day, check to be sure his field is full."
This made no sense! But they tried it. And two amazing things happened. First their bitterness against their neighbor melted away and they began feeling true concern for him. During the times they spent pumping water into the neighbor's field, they prayed for the success of his field. Whenever they saw damage to their neighbor's dike, they fixed it.
The second amazing thing that happened was not only did the neighbor stop stealing their water, he went to them to ask why they were doing this. That gave them their first real opportunity to introduce him to Jesus -- something they could never have done with anger in their hearts. In a short time, he became their brother in Christ.
Back in Roman times, a soldier could legally force a citizen on command to carry the soldier's load one mile. Jesus told his disciples, "Go with them two miles." It is only in the second mile that the load-bearer's anger turns to love and his enemy becomes a friend.
This month we offer our final installment in our series on what it means to be a counterculture Christian. "Counterculture" means that we aim to a live by a higher standard than the commonly accepted ways of acting and thinking. We don't just go with the flow, or be like everyone else. Being different comes at a price -- rejection and persecution. Still today in some countries, people who turn to Christ Jesus are condemned to death, just as our spiritual ancestors experienced nearly 2000 years ago in the Roman Empire. During the Last Supper, the night before His own execution, Jesus said, "No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also." (John 15:20)
How do we respond when people around us, or even those in authority, vent their hostility because we dare to follow Christ? Here is His answer:
How do we respond when people around us, or even those in authority, vent their hostility because we dare to follow Christ? Here is His answer:
"You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor. Hate your enemy.’ But here is what I tell you. Love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you. Then you will be children of your Father who is in heaven. He causes His sun to shine on evil people and good people. He sends rain on those who do right and those who don’t. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? ...Even people who are ungodly do that. So be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:43-48 NIRV)
In reports that we receive from countries where Christians are hated and even killed for their faith, we have learned that many of those who viciously persecuted Believers have given up their hatred against Christ and have turned to follow Him.*
What caused them to change? Why would they join those whom they persecuted in order to suffer persecution themselves? Did the Christians win them over with convincing proofs and arguments? No. Christians who suffer persecution have a powerful weapon: LOVE -- love and compassion for the persecutor.
This kind of love does not come from inside of us. It can only come from God. It was that kind of love that enabled Jesus to allow us to nail Him to the cross, as He offered Himself for us.
There may be times you cannot honestly say that you love the person who has hurt you. But God loves that person. And God chooses to show His love to that person through you. As we saw in the example of the rice farmers in our March-April edition of the Mustard Seed, when you let God show His love through you, your enemy may become your friend.
This semester will soon come to an end, and so also we must wrap up this series on how to Dare to be Different. There is much more about this theme in the Bible which touches on so many issues of our daily life in the 21st Century, some of which we have examined in previous semesters:
Divine Guidance (Fall 2008)
Responding to Temptation (2009 - 2010)
Financial Freedom (2010 - 2011)
Sexual Purity (2014 - 2015)
Strange Blessings (2015 - 2016)
We have all these studies archived online at christdeaf.org. If you have not already read any of them, I encourage you to do so. And even if you have read some of them, it is always helpful to review what the Bible teaches on these important subjects. You will find links in the newsletter and Bible Study archives.
~~ Pastor Ron
*Recommended Reading
Books:
Secret Believers by Brother Andrew
Saul to Paul by Voice of the Martyrs
Websites:
persecution.com (Voice of the Martyrs)
persecution.org
opendoors.org
What caused them to change? Why would they join those whom they persecuted in order to suffer persecution themselves? Did the Christians win them over with convincing proofs and arguments? No. Christians who suffer persecution have a powerful weapon: LOVE -- love and compassion for the persecutor.
This kind of love does not come from inside of us. It can only come from God. It was that kind of love that enabled Jesus to allow us to nail Him to the cross, as He offered Himself for us.
There may be times you cannot honestly say that you love the person who has hurt you. But God loves that person. And God chooses to show His love to that person through you. As we saw in the example of the rice farmers in our March-April edition of the Mustard Seed, when you let God show His love through you, your enemy may become your friend.
This semester will soon come to an end, and so also we must wrap up this series on how to Dare to be Different. There is much more about this theme in the Bible which touches on so many issues of our daily life in the 21st Century, some of which we have examined in previous semesters:
Divine Guidance (Fall 2008)
Responding to Temptation (2009 - 2010)
Financial Freedom (2010 - 2011)
Sexual Purity (2014 - 2015)
Strange Blessings (2015 - 2016)
We have all these studies archived online at christdeaf.org. If you have not already read any of them, I encourage you to do so. And even if you have read some of them, it is always helpful to review what the Bible teaches on these important subjects. You will find links in the newsletter and Bible Study archives.
~~ Pastor Ron
*Recommended Reading
Books:
Secret Believers by Brother Andrew
Saul to Paul by Voice of the Martyrs
Websites:
persecution.com (Voice of the Martyrs)
persecution.org
opendoors.org