Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Co 1:3). Amen.
It was Dr. Martin Luther who put it this way: Christi sumus in nominativo et genitivo. Since you didn’t know that you needed to brush up on your Latin before church or bring your dictionary to worship this morning, I will translate it for you. “We are Christs—with and without the apostrophe.”
Let’s explore that for a minute to get his point.
We are Christs—with … the apostrophe. Christ’s. An apostrophe "s" (’s) signifies possession like in the sentence: “We are Christ’s own people.” That means we belong to him. We are his.
We are Christs—… without the apostrophe. Christs. That might be one of the better definitions of a Christian, a little Christ. When people see us, they see Christ. Saved from sin and delivered from death, we now think like him and act like him.
We live who we are—Christs with and without the apostrophe. That is why it is good to have Jesus explain what that means in his Sermon on the Mount. Do what comes unnaturally. Be patient. Be gracious. We read from …
Matthew 5:38-48
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, sons and daughters of God,
To say that I play the piano is the same as to state that I play golf. Now if by that I suggest that I can find that instrument in my house or find the set of clubs in my garage, then I play piano and golf.
But that is not what that implies, is it? I won’t go into detail about the situation, but what my grandpa declared about another describes me: “You play like you have mittens on.” That is not a compliment. At all. He didn’t intend it to be. I don’t even what to know what he would think of my attempt at 18 holes. If he were in the fairway, I wouldn’t see him much anyway.
Those who can tickle the ivories or shoot a par well come by it naturally. They might even have a hard time figuring out why we can’t do what they can do so easily since they are musical or athletic.
Jesus in a sense turns that around. It is different in his family than what is natural. Perhaps it sounds strange, but …
Do What Comes Unnaturally!
1. Be patient (38-42)
2. Be gracious (43-48)
1. Be patient (38-42)
It doesn’t matter, if you are driving a car on the highway or standing in line at the water fountain, it is hard to be patient. That is true of any age. (You do need to be 16 to be behind the wheel.) “Go on ahead” might not be the first thing that comes to mind. It someone is merging, you want to push the accelerator. If someone is dawdling, you want to shout some encouragement. That is natural. But Jesus’ proposes the opposite. Do what comes unnaturally! Be patient.
Jesus has his disciples around him on a hillside in northern Galilee, listening and learning. He covers a lot of material. In this small section, he continues his theme. It is not what it takes to become a child of God. But what it takes to be a child of God. It is along the lines of this: You are, so be.
Some of the things seem strange. Or unnatural—as if they go against common sense or conventional wisdom. Jesus highlights that: “You have heard that it was said” (Mt 5:38). That is more than just when individuals comment: “Well, they say …” The Pharisees and teachers of the law promoted such and such or peddled so and so. But not Jesus. “But I tell you” (Mt 5:39). He is emphatic. There was a definite contrast between the two sides of thought. Jesus went back to the original intent of the law.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person” (Mt 5:38,39). The Lord did utter that (Ex 21:24; Lv 24:20; Dt 19:21). But this was not intended for personal revenge. This was God’s manner of making it clear that the punishment should fit the crime. It would be unfair if the result of going 10 miles an hour over the posted speed limit would incur a 100-year prison sentence. That would be a bit excessive. It was a way for those in authority to regulate, not to retaliate on a private level.
What is natural is to get back or get even (as well as getting mad )—threat for threat, punch for punch. “But not you.” Do what is unnatural. Do not oppose a wicked one. Instead overcome evil with good. And then Jesus gives four examples of that:
“If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also” (Mt 5:39). Jesus is not speaking against self-defense. But this is a slap with an open hand as an insult. What is natural is matching rudeness with rudeness. “Do what comes unnaturally. Be patient and don’t give this for that.”
“And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well” (Mt 5:40). We might express it this way: “If someone wants your T-shirt, hand him your coat.” It is something that is rightfully yours, but another wants it, even pursuing illegal means. What is natural is fighting for my rights. “Do what comes unnaturally. Be patient and willing to give up more without bitterness.”
“If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles” (Mt 5:41). In Jesus’ day, a Roman soldier could requisition a citizen to carry his bag for one mile. Think of Simon of Cyrene pressed into service by lugging Jesus’ cross to Calvary (Lk 23:26). That could be a bit aggravating or annoying. What is natural is that anger would not be far behind. “Do what comes unnaturally. Be patient and put that away.”
“Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you” (Mt 5:42). This is not a free for all—anybody, anytime. But what is natural is to hold on to everything with a death grip like a two-year-old refusing to relinquish one single toy in his room. “Do what comes unnaturally and be patient as a blessing to others without expecting anything in return.”
What Jesus instructs is difficult, if not dangerous. Keep in mind that these are illustrations of actions that flow from a heart that loves the Savior. They are not rules so rigid that there are no exceptions, ones to be applied mechanically. Yet, the argument might be poking around in your head, “What about me? Who looks out for me or after me?” The Lord. He will not leave us or forsake us (he 13:5). Never. No matter what. No matter when. We hold on to that, turning to him and trusting in him that it is his to avenge and repay (Ro 12:19).
We can do that because Jesus went to the cross with our impatience of others. He endured the false accusations and the fierce smacks of the Sanhedrin, the brutal whip and the bitter ridicule of the Romans, the spiky nails and sharp spear at the cross. He did not try to settle the score. But “he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (1 Pe 2:23). He allowed our sins to be put on him, accepting them all, so that he could pay for them all. And then he hands us his perfect patience, crediting it to our account.
The Holy Spirit who lives in us enables us to believe that good news (1 Co 3:11,16)—that we are loved by God and built on the foundation of Jesus—that we are able to do what comes unnaturally and to be patient, waiting for God to protect and working with others to provide.
2. Be gracious (43-48)
If someone does allow us to go on ahead making our way on the road or getting a slurp of water, we are surprised. That is just not normal. That is Jesus’ lesson. Do what comes unnaturally! Be gracious.
Jesus continues to go on with what was commonly taught and what is carefully taught with the formula: “You have heard that it was said … But I tell you” (Mt 5:43). “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” (Mt 5:44,45). Some wanted a distinction of whom to love and not. Jesus wants no difference. It was the Lord who spelled that out: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Lv 19:18). (That last part they conveniently left out.) There is an equal sign between love for self and love for others, even enemies.
Notice what Jesus makes plain: Love your enemies—if you have any. Not like. We don’t have to like what they do to us—taking advantage of us or making fun of us. But we love them—doing what is in their best interest. Jesus gives a specific application (Lk 23:34): “Pray for those who persecute you” (Mt 5:44). And it is not: “Give it to them, making it hard and making it hurt, Lord.” But “Lord, give them an understanding of the errors of their ways—confessing their wrongs and confiding in you.” Do what comes unnaturally. Be gracious to them.
There is a reason for that: “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven” (Mt 5:45). We show who we are—children of God, loved by him who live for him (1 Jn 3:1). In fact, children loving enemies is emulating their Father just like a tyke talks like or an adolescent acts like his dad. The Father has been gracious to us—sending his Son to shoulder our sins even when we were his enemies (Ro 5:10) and sending his Spirit to shine in our hearts.
This is the Father who is gracious to them (Ps 145:16). “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Mt 5:45). The sun comes up in the east for all, even though some may not acknowledge or appreciate God’s goodness. The same with the drops that fall from the sky. He doesn’t just light up our day or water our garden. Our Father in heaven is gracious to all, to us, not treating us as our sins deserve (Ps 103:10). He has compassion on us (Ps 103:13).
The Father’s love is our model and our motivation. And St. Paul encourages us along the same lines: “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse” (Ro 12:14). Our goal is their good. So often we want to make it about me. But it is about them. We ask that God would work in their hearts, as he has in ours, to bring them in his family.
Jesus has us look around us and love those around us as we do what comes unnaturally—being gracious: “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?” (Mt 5:46). Yes, they do. (And they were known for being crooks and traitors.) Same thing: “And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” (Mt 5:47). Yes, they do. It is not a matter of loving those who return the love—like family. It is not a thought of wishing a “good morning” to those who will return the pleasantry—like friends. What is so remarkable about that? Love is not to be limited, but to be limitless.
We will then stand out or stick out in society. Good. That is what Jesus desires. We are gracious as God is. Perhaps then one might inquire about the hope that we have in Christ our Lord (1 Pe 3:15). We can witness to God’s grace which allows us to be gracious to others.
Then Jesus addresses the faulty thinking that good enough is good enough. He echoes Moses in Leviticus (Le 19:2). “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48). That is not a suggestion, but a standard. God is so far from sin and free from sin. We are to be too. But what we might offer to him would not even be close. We have not reached the target of perfection. That is apparent when we are self-centered or self-absorbed. It is all about me, me, me.
But what he expects of us he extends to us. “Be gracious to us, Lord.” And he is. We cling to our Savior, our Substitute. He obeyed the law perfectly for us. He now offers that to us. He died for our disobedience. He now delivers forgiveness to us. We wear Jesus’ holiness. And we now do what comes unnaturally (Php 3:12ff.). We are gracious with those near us and around us.
I am not going to wing a concerto or swing a club today. That is good news for those in my living room and on the putting green. (Are they taking tee times now that it has been so warm the last few days?) Those things are abnormal for me. But Jesus instructs: Do what comes unnaturally! Be patient. Be gracious. We do because we are Christs—with and without the apostrophe, belonging to him and being like him. Amen.
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you (1 Co 16:23). Amen.
February 19, 2017
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