Chapel Notes
by Mitch Kruse
Be Retaliation Free
December 17, 2008 [Download PDF]
Panthers:
Have you been harmed by another person this week? Has someone insulted you, taken something from you, or abused your time? In our humanness, our first inclination is to retaliate by harming the offender in the same way that he harmed us. Retaliation is to repay—evil for evil. Jesus offered a different way. In His fifth of six examples of inside-out righteousness, Jesus taught His disciples to be retaliation free. In each example, Jesus followed a three-fold pattern: (1) He addressed an Old Testament command saying, “You have heard that it was said;” (2) He alluded to the Pharisees’ legalistic interpretation; and (3) He clarified the intent, or spirit, of the law, prefacing His fulfillment with, “But I tell you.”
The Old Testament command: “Again, you have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth” (Matt. 5:38). Old Testament civil laws allowed for equity in judicial matters. If someone took a resource from you, you were to be repaid one-for-one (Exod. 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21).
The Legalistic Interpretation: “Repay those who harm you.” The legalistic interpretation of the law followed the letter of the law and missed the spirit of the law. It said that one should retaliate when harmed. The motto was “When a resource is taken from you, take the same back—one-for-one.” We see it today among our children. When bumped on the playground, our child bumps back. We see it in the marketplace. When taken advantage of, a businessman retaliates. We see it in sports. When fouled, an athlete fouls back. We see it in marriages and divorces. When harmed by a spouse, the other harms in return—one-for-one. While retaliation might feel good at the moment, it enslaves us.
The Spirit of the Law (Heart): “But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person…Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you” (Matt. 5:39-42). The word resist meant “to take strong opposition against,” or “to retaliate.” Jesus fulfilled the law by clarifying its intent. The spirit of the law is that we should give generously, or be gracious in our hearts. Being gracious does not mean relinquishing one’s rights nor does it prohibit conflict resolution. Rather, being gracious means not repaying evil with evil (Rom. 12:17). Being gracious means being generous with our resources: our talent, treasures, and time.
First, Jesus said, “If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Matt. 5:39). Being struck on the right cheek meant that someone slapped you with the back of his right hand. That was a cultural expression for an insult. We use the same imagery today when we say, “That was a backhanded comment.” By teaching His disciples to turn the other cheek, Jesus had reiterated an Old Testament principle, “Ignore insults” (Prov. 12:16). An insult is designed to attack our talent—that unique value of life that God has placed in each one of us. When we ignore the insult, we defuse it by eliminating the insulter’s desired reaction. If we retaliate, we play right into his hands.
Second, Jesus said, “And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well” (Matt. 5:40). Two thousand years ago, one’s interior and exterior clothing was often his only treasure, and the laws protected him from being wronged or cheated out of it. At the same time, the courts were littered with law suits arising from disputes. Rather than sue each other in retaliation, Jesus said that we should be gracious, or generous, with our treasures. Paul said that we should rather be wronged or cheated than retaliate with a law suit (1 Cor. 6:7). When someone wrongs or cheats you out of a treasure, even through the threat of a lawsuit, be retaliation free.
Third, Jesus said, “If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles” (Matt. 5:41). A Roman centurion often interrupted any person at any time for official business. The law required the person to carry government goods one mile at the centurion’s request. Jesus said that when interrupted, one should not retaliate, but go another mile. In essence, He said that we should be generous with our time. When you are hurried and someone asks you to take your time to do something for him, be gracious and serve him beyond his request.
Inside-out righteousness desires a heart like God’s. God is gracious (Exod. 34:6) and generous with His resources (Matt. 20:15). Christ is gracious. When evil people hurled insults at Him, he did not retaliate (1 Peter 2:23). He was generous with His resources. Though He was rich, for our sakes He became poor, so that through His poverty, we might become rich (2 Cor. 8:9). When we are gracious, we recognize that our resources come from God (Ps. 145:9). His greatest resource is Christ in us. Christ frees us from the enslavement to retaliation and the weariness of outside-in righteousness.
This week, be gracious with your resources; when harmed, don’t retaliate one-for-one. Be gracious with your talent: when insulted, ignore it. Be gracious with your treasures: when threatened, wronged, or cheated, don’t retaliate with litigation. Be gracious with your time: when interrupted, serve beyond the request.
Gracious,
Mitch
Be Falsehood Free
December 10, 2008 [Download PDF]
Panthers:
Have you ever broken your word? When we do so, we say one thing and do another. Our walk doesn’t match our talk. In His fourth of six examples of inside-out righteousness, Jesus taught His disciples to be falsehood free. He said that a disciple’s walk should match his talk. In each example, Jesus followed a three-fold pattern: (1) He addressed an Old Testament command saying, “You have heard that it was said;” (2) He alluded to the Pharisees’ legalistic interpretation; and (3) He clarified the intent, or spirit, of the law, prefacing His fulfillment with, “But I tell you.”
The Old Testament command: “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath” (Matt. 5:33a). The Old Testament repeated the command that an oath made to God must not be broken. A man was bound to keep his word, doing everything that he said he would do (Lev. 19:12; Num. 30:2; Deut. 23:21). His walk was to match his talk. The ninth of the Ten Commandments simply said that one should not lie (Exod. 20:16).
The Legalistic Interpretation: “But keep the oaths you have made to the Lord” (Matt. 5:33b). Following the letter of the law at the expense of the spirit of the law said, “Keep only your oaths sworn to the Lord.” Two thousand years ago, Rabbis taught that swearing by things other than God made oaths not binding; thus, providing a loophole to break an oath. People swore by heaven, earth, Jerusalem, and their heads, or lives, so that they could later have a loophole to lie. We do the same today. When our word is doubted, we say, “Swear to God.” Sometimes we offer a lesser oath, “Swear on the Bible.” “Swear on a stack of Bibles.” While all the time, we have our fingers crossed.
The Spirit of the Law (Heart): “But I tell you, Do not swear at all…Simply let your ‘Yes” be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’” (Matt. 5:34-37). The spirit of the law is that we would have hearts that are honest, that we would be truthful. Jesus said that experiencing the truth sets us free (Jn. 8:32). Similarly, a businessman said, “When I tell the truth, I don’t have to remember what I said.” When we have hearts that are truthful, our walk matches our talk. We don’t need oaths because our word is our bond.
Inside-out righteousness desires the heart of God. God is truthful (Jn. 3:33; Ps. 31:5). Christ is truth (Jn. 14:6). He called the Holy Spirit the Spirit of truth (Jn. 14:17). It’s Christ’s Spirit of truth dwelling in us that allows us to discern truth from falsehood (1 Jn. 4:6).
This week, avoid saying, “Swear on the Bible” or “Swear to God.” Rather, let your “Yes” be “Yes” and your “No” be “No.” This doesn’t mean that you are stubborn or immovable. It means that your word is your bond. Your walk matches your talk. Be truthful, and you won’t have to remember what you said.
Truthful,
Mitch
Be Divorce Free
December 3, 2008 [Download PDF]
Panthers:
Have you or anyone in your immediate family been divorced? Divorce means “to go separate ways.” A couple cannot divorce unless they have first been married. God designed marriage for the man to leave his family, cleave to his wife, and weave his life with hers (Gen. 2:24). Consequently, God hates divorce (Mal. 2:16). In spite of the Bible’s clarity on the issue, the divorce rate is higher among the churched than the un-churched. In His third of six examples of inside-out righteousness, Jesus taught His disciples to be divorce free. In each example, Jesus followed a three-fold pattern: (1) He addressed an Old Testament command saying, “You have heard that it was said;” (2) He alluded to the Pharisees’ legalistic interpretation; and (3) He clarified the intent, or spirit, of the law, prefacing His fulfillment with, “But I tell you.”
The Old Testament command: “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce’” (Matt. 5:31). Jesus referenced Moses’ Law that said “If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house” (Deut. 24:1). How one defined “indecent” was the hinge point in the interpretation and application of this verse.
The Legalistic Interpretation: “A husband who gives his wife a certificate of divorce has no obligation to her.” Two thousand years ago, two rabbinical schools differed in their interpretation of “indecent.” One held a conservative interpretation, the other one liberal. The conservative interpretation from the School of Shammai defined “indecent” as “adultery.” The liberal interpretation from the School of Hillel defined “indecent” as anything displeasing such as “spoiling a dish,” adding an exception for divorce when “finding another fairer than she.” Although that sounds flippant, it represents the climate of our culture today. Whether conservative or liberal, the legalistic interpretation of the law removes the man’s obligation to his former wife when he issues her a certificate of divorce.
Outside-in righteousness says that what we do warrants a corresponding response from God. Get a legal divorce, and remove any obligation. That’s religion, not relationship. It follows the letter of the law, but misses the spirit of the law. Jesus fulfilled the law by clarifying its intent.
The Spirit of the Law (Heart): “But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery” (Matt. 5:32). The exception of adultery is not a one-time act to be used as a loophole to exit one’s marriage. Rather, it is a continual, unrepentant act; one that is also superseded by forgiveness. Jesus said that Moses permitted divorce only because men’s hearts were hard, noting that divorce was outside God’s original design (Matt. 19:8). In essence, Jesus said, “Be committed” which means “to stay together.”
Inside-out righteousness flows from the heart—a heart that is fully surrendered to Christ. This is how His righteousness is applied to us. Commitment is the spirit of the law because God is committed—He maintains His love (Exod. 34:7). He will never leave or forsake us (Heb. 13:5). Christ is the ultimate picture of that commitment. On the way to the cross He said to the Father, “Not my will, but yours” (Lk. 22:42). In a world where we there is so much desire for change in relationships, we can take heart that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8).
If you have been divorced, you have not committed the unforgivable sin. In Christ, God will forgive you and restore you. If you are considering marriage, realize that you are about to make a covenant—not merely an agreement—with three parties: you, your fiancé, and Christ. If you are considering leaving your spouse for another person, turn back to keep your commitment made before God. Most churches will not marry a couple where one party has left his spouse for the other because Jesus was so clear on this issue (Matt. 19:3-12). That relationship is rooted in sin and dishonors God.
We will remain committed to our spouses only through Christ in us. Our commitment to Him is reflected in our commitment to each other. After all, God is searching throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him (2 Chron. 16:9).
Committed,
Mitch
