Burunche’s Blog

Matthew 7:1-6 Do Not Judge (Luke 6:37-42; Romans 14:1-12)

“Do not judge, or you will be judged. For with the same judgment you pronounce, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to notice the beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while there is still a beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

It was the talk of Capernaum! A local carpenter was carrying a large beam of wood down the street to a construction site when one of the bright young men of the town rushed out of his house and into the street without paying attention. Before realizing it, this fellow literally ran into his neighbor the carpenter, or rather into the beam. Beam met eye, and the young man wound up wearing an eye patch for the next two months. The accident victim would have garnered far more sympathy had it not been for the fact that he was a Pharisee noted for having a very high opinion of himself while freely criticizing others for the slightest infractions of minute religious legalities.

When Jesus came to town, someone told him this story and he employed it in his teaching. Jesus is not saying that we cannot help correct someone else, but he wants us to make sure that we don’t have anything in our lives with which we should deal first. Many times, we want to minimize our shortcomings while maximizing those of others; Jesus says that to behave that way is as bad as someone with a huge piece of wood in his/her eye criticizing someone else for having a speck of wood in their eye.

It’s really easy to judge others and we do it many times a day without even thinking about it. Someone does something foolish and we call him/her an idiot. If someone cuts us off in traffic, we may curse them, little realizing that they might be in a desperate run to the hospital. When I was in surgery residency, an acquaintance at a Bible study sadly misjudged me, assuming that since I was a doctor, I must have an enormous salary. (Wrong! Doctors in training didn’t make big bucks then!) At the time, I was supporting two children through World Vision and paying travel expenses to interview for pediatric surgery residency. Most of the time, I rode my bicycle to the hospital rather than driving my car. I had so little money that when pranksters lifted the rear end of my small car into the street and the police were ready to tow it, my boss had to appeal to the mayor of Charleston, SC, that I was an innocent victim. Although the towing charge was minimal, I lacked even that much money. My Bible study acquaintance attempted to smear me, claiming that I was a cheat who manipulated people for money; fortunately, others refused to agree.

“Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.”  Here Jesus is mentioning dogs and swine, two animals that are both considered unclean by the Jews at this time. Mosaic Law forbids Jews from eating pork, so pigs have been considered unclean for centuries. The Jews are fighting a cultural battle against a rising tide of Greek and Roman influence to the point that some young Jewish men are undergoing reversal of their circumcisions so that when they exercise in the nude in the gymnasiums, they will look like Greeks and Romans. Observant Jews may refer to Gentiles as pigs or dogs because they refuse to worship Yaweh but worship pagan deities instead and have lax morals. Greeks and Romans think nothing of eating pork and if a Roman really wants to insult the local Jews, he might bring a pig into the synagogue.

Most Jews will consider teaching Gentiles-or anyone else who is hard-hearted-anything holy because they will not understand or appreciate it. To attempt to teach Torah to someone who does not appreciate it is just as useless as throwing pearls before pigs. Pigs will trample precious things under foot and then attack the one who has made this attempt. Hard-hearted listeners will be as unreceptive as the pigs and may verbally or even physically attack.

While most of Jesus’ listeners will not eat pork themselves, they still are familiar with the behavior of pigs. Even domesticated pigs may behave viciously at any moment, particularly mother pigs with litters of baby pigs. (True story-my family raised pigs. I once watched as my grandfather was trying to maneuver a mother pig with babies into a farrowing crate. Suddenly the mother pig went “Whoof!” and shredded my grandfather’s pant leg into ribbons. Grandpa quickly jumped over the lower half of the barn door, leaving the sow in possession of the whole room. Blessedly, Grandpa’s leg was fine; however, I gained a new appreciation for just how vicious pigs could be.)

There is nothing wrong with being kind to people or attempting to share the Gospel with them. But sometimes we must use discernment in our approach. When we realize that our audience is not receptive, it may be time to withdraw and regroup. Many people are won more by acts of kindness than by teaching; however, sometimes we can even be taken advantage of in our attempts to be kind. May God give us grace and discernment to know when to speak and when to withdraw.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to leave judgement to You. Help us also to have discernment in sharing Your truth. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 6:25-34 Do Not Worry (Luke 12:22-34)

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns—and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

And why do you worry about clothes? Consider how the lilies of the field grow: They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.”

No matter  how insightful all of Jesus’ teachings have been up to this point, they have been merely prologue. Now Jesus is getting to the heart of things. Jesus is pointing to the birds flying overhead, to the grass and flowers on which his listeners might be sitting, and reminding them that God cares for birds and grass and flowers, so why won’t He also care much more for His children? No matter the problems Jesus is addressing during his teaching, the underlying theme is God’s love and care for His children. This message has been lost for hundreds of years. Repeatedly, God has sent prophets such as Isaiah and Jeremiah to plead and warn the Jews that God loves them and that they should do those things that please Him. But few people have listened.

For centuries, the psalms have been chanted in synagogues. Psalm 103:11-13 says, ”For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great are His mercy and loving-kindness toward those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him. As far as the East is from the West, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father loves and pities his children, so the Lord loves and pities those who fear Him.” But the love driving those words has been lost in the haze of religiosity.

Religious leaders have concentrated on developing ever-increasing numbers of regulations to be observed if one is to be truly faithful. God has been portrayed as a stern Taskmaster, ready to pounce on anyone committing the slightest infraction of these rules. Things have become so complicated that the poor and those who toil for a living lack time and resources to fulfill the demands of these laws. For many, attending synagogue is something they do out of habit but not because it gives them any joy. Another synagogue meeting, another reminder of how much these people are failing God. Worshiping God has become a weekly burden. Suddenly, Jesus is preaching a message of love and joy and portraying God as a loving Father rather than a forbidding deity ready to strike down those who flout religious regulations. Little wonder that the crowd is murmuring in excitement; their hearts have been longing for this message even though they haven’t realized it.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.” Jesus knows those in his audience are worried about many things. Will the farming season be successful this year? Will the weather cooperate or will there be a drought along with hordes of insect pests infesting the area? Small-town merchants worry that the camel caravans won’t arrive, leaving them without anything to sell. Housewives always struggle to care for husbands, children, elderly parents, etc. And everybody worries about taxes. Now Jesus’ message is simple: leave the worries to God; He’s the only One who can really handle them. Worship God and desire His will and righteousness; these are the only things worth concern.

In February 1994, our area was convulsed by a small ethnic conflict. Our tiny clinic suddenly became the only source of medical care for roughly 100,000 people who had nowhere else to go. My husband and I were the only clinic workers who could safely travel out to buy medicine and medical supplies. Sometimes we brought back hand-cranked sewing machines and bread flour in addition to the drugs and consumables. Once when bread was unavailable in town, we brought back 22 packages of tea bread for the 22 workers in the clinic. We had to trust God for everything-fuel for the vehicle, funds to buy supplies for the hospital, and funds for our own support. Our village was under military occupation. Many mornings we awoke to the sound of gunfire and had to listen for screaming to determine if we were being attacked. As a surgeon, I had to learn how to do many procedures under local anesthetic or ketamine training nurses to give the ketamine. Throughout this ordeal, God faithfully provided for us, keeping us safe. To comfort ourselves, we repeated these verses from Matthew regularly.

Times change but worries don’t. If you are struggling, print these verses from Matthew out and post them where you can read them regularly and memorize them. The more you study them, the more you will find yourself concentrating on God instead of your problems.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Thank You, that You can supply all our needs and that we are worth far more than the grass and birds on which You lavish Your genius of creation.  In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

Matthew 6:16-18 Proper Fasting

“When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that your fasting will not be obvious to men, but only to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Well, this morning the citizens of Capernaum are being treated to the spectacle of Zachariah, the Pharisee, engaging in his biweekly ritual fasting. Every Tuesday and Thursday, Zachariah fasts for 36 hours and makes certain that everybody knows HE IS FASTING! Zachariah smears ashes on his face, dresses in his oldest clothes and spends the entire day looking as doleful as possible and speaking . Needless to say, Zachariah’s family and neighbors find this performance depressing; in fact, some of his children are so revolted that they are practically ready to avoid the temple entirely. Unfortunately, avoiding the temple will only anger Zachariah, so his children trudge along to services dragging their feet like those going to be hanged.

Jesus makes many revolutionary assertions about the Kingdom of God, and this is one of them. To the listeners on the hillside, the idea of secret fasting is incredible. All these people have ever known is the dolorous performances by Pharisees, who have turned keeping the Mosaic Law into an intolerable burden. The idea that the Heavenly Father might delight in His children and might even reward them is mind-blowing. And if that idea seems revolutionary, there’s more to come.

Treasures in Heaven (Matthew 13:44-46)

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Many of Jesus’ listeners are farmers or small shop owners or craftsmen and women. Most of these people have very few possessions; however, everyone has some small box or other container for keeping their most precious possessions. But moths seem to penetrate locked chests, and thieves are everywhere. Petty thievery is rife, particularly theft from market stalls. Everybody in town has ideas about the wealth of the local tax collectors and merchants trading in imported goods. And everyone hopes that their sons and daughters will marry into wealthy families and be set for life. Now Jesus is smiling as he advises his audience to change their focus from an earthly one to a heavenly one.

The Lamp of the Body (Luke 11:33-36)

The eye is the lamp of the body. If your vision is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your vision is poor, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Oh dear! As long as Jesus is talking about eyes being the lamps of the body, everybody is nodding in agreement. Of course, poor vision leads to being in darkness; however, Jesus is not simply speaking about physical vision but also about spiritual vision as well. That concept puzzles a few people. Then Jesus begins verbally stepping on toes as he warns that his audience must choose between serving God or serving money. You can imagine many poor people in the audience gasping and thinking, “But what’s wrong with being rich? I think I’d like to try having the problems of a rich person for awhile.”  

If we take these teachings singly without looking at their flow, we are missing the main point. Jesus is telling us that the Kingdom of God is a kingdom of truth and righteousness, not merely a kingdom of people going through religious rituals. Jesus wants us to know that his Heavenly Father sees our hearts and knows our intentions and that He knows our priorities. When Jesus says that “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also,” he is leading up to his statement that we can serve God or money but not both.

There’s a book entitled Money Talks; It Says Good-bye!  For retirees who have lost their life savings in Ponzi schemes or in the collapse of savings and loans, that fact is obvious. Banking systems can collapse, leaving depositors with no recourse. So many couples have spent long years working and saving in hopes of a comfortable retirement, only to find themselves working at fast food restaurants. The bottom line is that earthly treasures can evaporate without notice. The more we serve money, the more we focus inward. Serving God allows us to worship Him and to focus on others rather than on ourselves. May God help us to listen to Jesus and to serve Him!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to serve You and not money. Help us to trust You, that You can and will reward us in ways we cannot even imagine. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 6:9-14 “So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.”

Many of us are quite familiar with this prayer, commonly called “The Lord’s Prayer.” But to properly understand how revolutionary this prayer really is, we must remember the experiences of Jesus’ audience. Many of those listening are used to hearing formula-style prayers chanted. What makes this prayer different from those prayers?

1. “Our Father in heaven” -Even though the Mosaic law has been teaching that God is a Father to the fatherless, few people likely regard God in this fashion. Jesus’ society is a patriarchal one in which fathers control everything about families, including food, clothing, shelter, etc. Fathers also are expected to protect their children because they love them, another novel concept. The idea of the God of heaven fulfilling all these roles is amazing.
2. “hallowed be Your name.” One lovely translation says, “May the glory of Your name be the center on which our lives turn.” We should honor God’s name, not using it casually as a meaningless exclamation. (“OMG!”)
3. “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” God has given us free will, so we can refuse to do God’s will or even openly rebel against it; however, if we want the very best for ourselves, we should passionately desire God’s will to be accomplished in our lives.
4. “Give us this day our daily bread.” No matter how independent we think we are, God is the ultimate Provider. When we ask God for daily bread, we are also demonstrating our trust that as God has provided today, He will also provide tomorrow.
5. “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” OUCH! This is where this prayer stops being lovely and sympathetic and becomes demanding. We want God to forgive us, no matter how badly we have messed up. But are we willing to offer others the same degree of mercy we desire for ourselves? Jesus has already explained that God sends rain and sunshine on all people, whether or not they are just. Why does Jesus insist on this verse as part of this prayer? If we refuse to forgive others, we are blocking God from forgiving us. When we harbor bitterness in our hearts, we are blocking God’s blessings.
6. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’” God does not tempt anyone; we are the ones who seek out temptation. What we need is God’s protection from ourselves so that we will not fall prey to Satan.
7. “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours.” Once more, Jesus is emphasizing one of the major laws of the kingdom of God: the measure you give out is the measure you will receive. Give forgiveness and receive forgiveness. Refuse to forgive and you block God’s forgiveness to you.

Why is forgiveness such a deal-breaker? God is the only One who really knows the human heart. When we refuse to forgive, we are asserting that we know more about the individual who has wronged us than God does and that we are more qualified to judge that individual than God is. A well-known Bible teacher tells the story of one man who came to one of his conferences and sat in the front row. But this man kept falling asleep, irritating the teacher no end. When the conference was over, the man and his wife came up to the teacher, complimenting him extensively. The wife explained that this teacher was her husband’s favorite Bible teacher and that seeing him in person was her husband’s lifelong dream. She further explained that her husband was dying with cancer and that some of the medicines made him drowsy, causing him to nod off, even though he didn’t want to. The Bible teacher had to go repent before the Lord for misjudging this man.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to live the Lord’s Prayer and not just mouth it. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

Matthew 6:5-8 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”

We are back on the street in Capernaum, and look here! Our friend Zachariah has just come out of the synagogue after having made a generous donation. Now Zachariah wants to top that performance by standing on the street corner and praying as loudly as possible in front of the whole town. What a guy! Surely God must be blessing this performance….or is He? Passers by continue to ignore Zachariah, for they know that once Zach gets going, he may go on chanting prayers for a long time. And Zacharia’s neighbors know that once he goes home after this performance, his poor family is in for a rough time. Buoyed by adrenaline from the performances at the temple and on the street, Zachariah is likely to summon his children and his wife and fulfill his role as head of the household by “instructing” them on all their shortcomings. Is it any wonder thatZachariah’s son Isaac has moved out to live with an uncle in another town just to escape his father’s verbal abuse?

Jesus is a villager telling stories to other villagers, describing scenes familiar to everyone. The genius of Jesus’ teachings is that he begins by describing the familiar and then points out what these things mean in the kingdom of God. Nobody has to explain the concept of hypocrisy to villagers; they have living examples such as Zachariah. Now Jesus is saying what some people have suspected for a long time, namely, that these professional religious people are getting their rewards now. What is new to Jesus’ audience is the idea that God is NOT pleased with such performances.

“But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”  What’s new about Jesus’ teaching is the idea of a loving Heavenly Father who cares passionately for His children and who wants to hear from them personally. Many of the people in the audience have grown up chanting the ritual prayers in the synagogue; however, the idea of speaking to God as if He can respond is a startling new idea. Here Jesus is advising that prayer can be private and quiet. 

Most of the audience are familiar with practices in pagan temples where priests and worshipers might chant as loudly as possible for hours on end in hopes of propitiating their gods. Many of the audience may have also observed that such practices accomplish nothing. Now Jesus is advising that God the Heavenly Father already knows the needs of His children, so they don’t have to present long lists of requests. Far better to quietly and privately worship God than to emulate Zachariah and the other Pharisees.  

How much do we need to pray? Prayer does not have to be burdensome nor super-formal. I spend much of my days working; however, I am always conscious that I am in the presence of God. Several times a day, I ask God for guidance or for healing for my patients. I ask God to heal family situations I witness. My continual prayer for our hospital is that it will become a place of God’s praise, a place of His glory, a place of health, a place of help, a place of hope, a place of healing, and a place of Shalom.

Oswald Chambers stresses that intercessory prayer is one of the most important kinds of prayer we can offer. One of the best prayers we can possible pray for ourselves or for anybody else is to ask that God’s perfect will will be done and that His kingdom will fully come in a given situation. When we pray this way, we are not playing games with God but allowing Him to determine the very best.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, teach us to pray the prayers You want so that we will glorify You with our words and our actions. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 6:1-4 Giving to the Needy (Deuteronomy 15:7-11)

“Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

The streets of Capernaum are thronging with people when suddenly, a trumpet blares out. Zachariah, one of the local Pharisees, is making his way to the temple and is about to give a donation. This trumpeter is to clear the way for Zachariah and also to announce to all and sundry that HERE is a man who REALLY KNOWS how to be generous and who REALLY serves God! Of course, some of Zachariah’s fellow citizens might have a different idea, given the fact that Zachariah all but steps on the fingers of the blind beggar sitting on the temple steps. The local vegetable sellers have horror stories about trying to sell their produce to Zachariah’s household, for Zachariah never wants to pay full price but haggles over every penny. There’s also the small fact that Zachariah is a canny businessman who loves to get the best deal he possibly can. If you’re purchasing something from Zachariah, the hated Romans have a saying that applies: Caveat emptor-let the buyer beware!

Jesus has been around Capernaum and other towns long enough to observe the behavior of the professional religious people. As Jesus is describing this scene to his audience, you can see people elbowing one another, “Yes, that’s Zachariah all right! And then there’s his brother Abraham, who’s just as bad if not worse!” Yes, people are used to such behavior, but now Jesus is adding a new thought: God is not impressed by show-offs and hypocrites.

Jesus is teaching something revolutionary: you can either be rewarded for your generosity here and now, or you do generous deeds in such secrecy that one of your hands doesn’t even know what the other hand is doing. Why not get as much praise as possible? We have choices: get approbation from our friends and neighbors now, or do generous deeds in secret and allow God to reward us. How long does praise from people last? A few minutes at most. But when we give generously without seeking praise or attention, God can bless us in ways we cannot even imagine.

Why else should we give generously? God has given us everything that has come to us. As long as we keep our hands open and keep passing things on to others, God will continue to give us more. As soon as we insist on being grabby and hanging on to God’s gifts, the flow will stop because God wants to use us as channels of blessing to others.

Anyone doubting that these principles work should study the life of George Mueller. After becoming a Christian in his late twenties, Mueller wound up in Bristol, England, at a time when many diseases were rife, resulting in large numbers of orphans roaming the streets. Mueller began taking in orphaned boys, but soon realized there were many orphaned girls needing shelter and education as well. Mueller depended totally on God to bring in donations and had wonderful stories of bakers and milkmen suddenly turning up with bread and milk just in time for a meal. Eventually Mueller’s orphanages served more than 10,000 children, in addition to which, Mueller also supported Hudson Taylor’s China Inland Mission and a number of other ministries. Mueller himself regularly made anonymous donations, listing himself only as “one who wants to see rewards in heaven.”

We have been on the mission field for most of the last 36 years, depending on contributions for most of that time. Currently, donations from supporters are helping our hospital as well as educating a large number of students and providing feeding and medicine for patients on admission. Our experiences bear witness to God’s faithfulness and His provision. Each month when we write reports, we are amazed at the number of people God has blessed through these donations. Recently, a young man came to thank us for the help we had given his pregnant wife. This man brought a guinea fowl and money as part -repayment for our help. We immediately turned the money over to our hospital chaplain to help others and advised the man to use the rest of the money for his farming activities this year. (The chaplain’s family enjoyed the guinea fowl.)

Are we worried about rewards? No. Are we passionate about helping people so that they will know the love of Jesus? Yes. God keeps far better books than we ever can and God knows the needs of those around us. You might feel that you have no money with which to help others; however, when you ask God, He can show you avenues of service that you have never imagined before. Praying with people and for people, encouraging others, sharing whatever you have-all these are ways of giving that God can and will bless. May God open your eyes to the opportunities around you!

Can this walk of faith become frightening? Yes. Sometimes we must beg God to remind us of all He has already done. But God has never failed us, and we have faith that He who began a good work in us will bring it to completion. When Joshua was about to die, he told the Israelites, “Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.”  Trust God and give freely. God will amaze you!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to receive and to give with open hands, realizing that the more we give, the more You will make available. Help us to be channels of blessing to all around us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 5:38-48 Love Your Enemies (Leviticus 24:17-23; Luke 6:27-36)

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also; if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well; and if someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.”

Originally, the concept of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” was intended to LIMIT retribution, ensuring that a punishment would not arbitrarily exceed the extent of the original injury; however, religious teachers gradually twisted this concept to indicate that retribution was always necessary. Here Jesus is turning that teaching on its head. Is Jesus insisting that his hearers become wimps who will put up with any amount of abuse? Is Jesus teaching that evil can never be resisted?

Remember that Jesus is the one who goes into the temple and drives out the money changers who are cheating pilgrims coming to celebrate festivals. Jesus definitely resists evil. But a slap on the cheek is considered a cultural insult, not a physical attack. Some sources feel that only social equals may exchange such slaps, indicating a kind of grudging respect.

What about “if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well?” The tunic is the basic item of clothing while the cloak is used to wrap up at night to remain warm while sleeping. Now Jesus is teaching that if necessary, you might even have to give more than someone is demanding.

Jesus is teaching to overcome evil with good. We speak of “going the extra mile” without realizing that Roman soldiers are fond of ordering Jewish men and boys to carry their military equipment. Here Jesus is essentially teaching that even if an obnoxious Roman soldier demands you carry things one mile, be willing to do more than necessary and go that extra mile. 

“Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.”  What is more annoying than a neighbor who keeps borrowing things? Today, it’s some sugar, while tomorrow it’s salt. The frustrating thing is that the flow of favors only goes one way; if you ask your neighbor for something, they smile and shrug their shoulders, indicating that they can’t help. Jesus is encouraging his audience to act out of love rather than keeping score.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.”

During Jesus’ teaching, there have been many head-scratching moments, and this statement produces another one. Once more, Jesus is turning conventional wisdom on its head as he describes the difference between the love of God and normal human practice. Most of the audience is used to praying for things for themselves, their families, and their friends. But now Jesus is pointing out the difference between God and people: God sends sun and rain on righteous and unrighteous indiscriminately while people favor those who love them. But what is the point of mentioning tax collectors?

In Jesus’ society, tax collectors are both feared and despised. Although tax collectors are following government regulations, many tax collectors demand far more money than the regulations require. This meant that the only people who are friends with tax collectors are other tax collectors or very wealthy people who refuse to be intimidated. Here Jesus is pointing out that even tax collectors are kind to their friends and families, so nobody should feel morally superior when they are simply doing the same thing. And to reinforce the point, Jesus mentions Gentiles, non-Jews who are generally considered obnoxious boors with no manners. Even Gentiles greet their friends. But God’s love is so much greater than man’s that God loves even those who are deliberately sinning against Him.

There are many parts of the Sermon on the Mount that are difficult, and these few verses are among the most difficult. But throughout the world, there are testimonies of evil people turning to God when believers have demonstrated persistent love in the face of persecution. In one case related by Dr. Helen Roseveare, a missionary in Zaire, a national believer and his wife moved into a fetish village. Villagers did everything they could to destroy the man and his family, going so far as to burn their house. But when a crisis arose, it was the believer who saved his fellow villagers. Confronted with such incredible love, the villagers accepted Jesus.

Personally, these verses have saved me from bitterness on many occasions. It’s impossible to complain about someone when you are praying for them. I pray for revival for our hospital, but I also pray for the salvation of those who have stolen, spread false rumors, or who have otherwise behaved hurtfully. The worse people have behaved, the more emphatically I have prayed for them. I can highly recommend “praying for those who persecute you;” it really does work.

Are you frustrated or miserable because someone in your situation is mistreating you? Pray for them, and if you find that too difficult, ask God to give you His mind about those people. Once God has done that, you will find yourself praying. The more you pray for those people, the more peace you will have. And remember, God knows your shortcomings and your sins, and yet He loves you.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are struggling to forgive those who have hurt us. Please give us Your Mind about these people and please bless them so that they will know You and Your Love. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen. 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Once more, Jesus is drawing a distinction between heart attitudes and actions. Traditionally, the rabbis have taught that adultery is wrong; now Jesus is saying that even considering adultery is also wrong. Describing temptations, Martin Luther once said that just because birds are flying around your head does not mean that you must allow them to make nests in your hair. You can face temptation and refuse to give into it. Using Luther’s expression, Jesus would advise driving the birds away and not paying them undue attention. By the same token, lust that leads to adultery can be considered to extend to anything else that might become an object of lust-power, possessions, popularity, etc.

“It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away.” Whoof! About now anybody in the audience who is falling asleep in the sunshine is suddenly waking up. What does Jesus mean? Jesus is not advocating self-mutilation, although misguided individuals have maimed themselves in attempts to become more holy. Jesus is actually saying that you shouldn’t use anything as an excuse for sinning.
We are fond of watching programs depicting the Australian and New Zealand Border Patrol stations. Even though incoming air passengers are furnished with declaration cards in many different languages, many of these people refuse to list the food, cash, and other items for which customs officials routinely check. And then the excuses begin: “My mother/girlfriend/boyfriend/neighbor packed my bag, and I have no idea what’s in it.” Bottom line: stop whining and do the right thing!

What about divorce? Even though the Mosaic Law was relatively restrained, by Jesus’ day, husbands could divorce their wives for the flimsiest of excuses, including burning the dinner. Although written bills of divorce were required, many scribes found employment in writing bills of divorce. The Jews were evidently adapting looser customs already practiced by the Greeks and Romans. Jesus is emphasizing the sanctity of marriage and the fact that a wife divorced for burning the dinner is still married in the eyes of God.

These days, the idea of divorce is a hot button, one that attracts all kinds of controversy. Let’s leave Jesus on that hillside for a moment and consider divorce. While traditional marriage vows are taken before God, these days, some people are writing vows that include all kinds of escape clauses. Those swearing the traditional marriage vows promise to be faithful to each other, no matter what. But sometimes extenuating circumstances do arise. Spouses prove to be adulterous or even abusive, sometimes leaving the other spouse no choice apart from separation and divorce to survive. Some spouses prove to be financially irresponsible, endangering the remaining spouse and children, if any. In such cases, only divorce will release the responsible spouse from being sucked down a financial black hole. The most important thing to remember when considering divorce and reasons for it is that God continues to love us despite our failures. Personally, I was forced to leave my first marriage for a variety of reasons; however, my second husband and I have recently celebrated our 42nd anniversary. Our advice: make certain that God is the foundation of your marriage and not merely sexual attraction or some other lessor purpose.

What about oaths? David Guzik makes the point that by the time of Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees had twisted the Mosaic law to allow using virtually every other name as part of an oath. There are times when oaths are necessary, in court, for example. But simply swearing an oath does not guarantee honesty; only behavior proves a person’s honesty. Swearing oaths in God’s name and then breaking those promises is essentially taking the name of the Lord in vain, something prohibited in the Ten Commandments. Far better to establish a reputation for being a man or woman of your word, so that people know they can always rely on you. Many times, the more elaborate the oath, the more suspect the individual!

Purity, commitment, and honesty-these are the things Jesus is teaching here. Why are these three points so vitally important? As mores deteriorate, we scramble to find people whom we can trust. Those who are true citizens of the Kingdom of God must demonstrate these qualities because God is pure, committed and honest also.

May God help us, so that we will become true citizens of the Kingdom of God!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to seek Your purity, to fulfill commitments to spouses, friends, and family, and to remain simple and honest. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 5:21-26 “You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ (Worthless) will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.

Therefore if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”

“You have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’” Why does Jesus begin this next teaching with the phrase “You have heard..”? By this point, many of the Jews were relying solely on the rabbis and other religious leaders for interpreting the Torah. Many of Jesus’ hearers had little knowledge of the actual scriptures and were depending on “they say-they say.”

The scribes and Pharisees were teaching literal obedience to the law without understanding the spirit of it. Now Jesus is saying that there is more to the law than mere letters and that people must guard their hearts and not just their mouths. The professional religious leaders were teaching that you could think anything you wanted to about someone else just as long as you didn’t actually physically murder them. But Jesus is pointing out that despising someone in your heart is where murder begins, that it is equivalent to murder and must be avoided at all costs.

In the excellent book Walking in the Dust of Rabbi Jesus How the Jewish Words of Jesus Can Change Your Life, Lois Tverberg points out that traditionally, Jews taught that men were created in God’s image; to murder anyone was to destroy that image and so demonstrate extreme disrespect to God.  In the same way, when we call someone else an idiot or worthless, we are also insulting God’s image. Very few people wake up one morning and think, “I believe I’ll kill someone today!” Generally, murder begins when we cultivate disdain for someone; hence, calling anybody an idiot or a fool actually is the first small step on the road to homicide. People in the southern United States say that everyone is good for something; some people are good for serving as bad examples. It’s best to remember that and allow them to do so.

“Therefore if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. Reconcile quickly with your adversary, while you are still on the way to court. Otherwise he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”

Uh oh! Jesus has quit preachin’ and gone to meddlin’! Here we were feeling all kinds of superior-after all, WE would never use a pejorative name on anybody. But now Jesus is throwing down a much more difficult challenge: true confession and repentance. OUCH!

Notice the scenario. A nice observant religious person has entered the temple and is even offering his/her gift at the altar. Suddenly God reminds this individual of something hurtful done to another person, something for which the worshiper has never sought forgiveness. What to do? What to do? If the worshiper leaves the gift at the altar and runs back to reconcile, everybody in town will know exactly what is going on. On the other hand, if the worshiper fails to make amends, that gift at the altar will be useless. Remember, God knows our hearts better than we do.

Notice what Jesus does NOT say: Jesus does NOT say “If you remember that someone has hurt YOU, first go accuse them to their face and force them to apologize.” Many years ago, I accidentally offended an elder in our home church. (Part of the down side of being a doctor is that some people expect me to be stuck up and proud and judge me on that basis; meanwhile, in my mind, I am still just a kid off a Midwestern farm. I’m not impressed with myself. The elder in question was a factory worker and may have felt disrespect where none was intended.) While I felt the incident was a minor one, this man was harboring a grudge against me, a grudge he felt impelled to dump on me just as communion was beginning, so that he could take communion with a clean conscience. In fact, had this man been following Jesus’ teaching, he should have gone to me as soon as the incident happened and discussed it, so that I could have apologized and he could have stopped being resentful.

Then Jesus carries the analogy even further. Two people are on their way to court, one is guilty and the other is suing the first person. Jesus is advising to reconcile quickly while there is still time before lawyers or judges get hold of the suit; otherwise, the plaintiff’s council is going to go for your jugular and you may be thrown in jail, not to mention losing everything you own, as well as your reputation. Evidently, even in Jesus’ day, once lawyers got hold of a case, their drive to win at all costs might blur truth and justice. And not all judges are honest, hence Jesus’ story about the unjust judge in Luke 18. When Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny,”  many people in the audience are nodding in agreement, having barely escaped a similar fate.

True reconciliation means that both parties must be willing to confess their faults to each other and truly seek forgiveness, not merely go through the motions. When someone in our community was too easily offended, my mother used to say that they had their feelings hanging out like an old cat’s tail waiting to be stepped on. May God help us to be willing to confess our faults and seek forgiveness
quickly, so that we may live in harmony with others.

PRAYER: Father God,  thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to confess swiftly and forgive swiftly as well, knowing that You are the only One who truly knows our hearts. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.