Pay Forward, Not Back

Just when you think things cannot get more radical, Jesus comes, and ups the bar in this passage and the next. Turn the other cheek! Love your enemies! Today’s passage verses 38-42 is a well-known passage but has been misunderstood, misused, and ignored many times. This passage also raises many questions and issues which we cannot deal with in one sermon. This passage does not teach pacifism. Does not prohibit self-defense when lives are threatened. It is not an absolute prohibition of the use of force, which is required by the state, a divine institution, to protect and punish (Rom 13:1-7).

“Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.” This is a direct quotation from the Old Testament Law—Ex. 21:22-25; Lev. 24:17-22; and Deut. 19:16-21. These laws were given to guide the courts of law to administer punishment that fits the crime. They are based on the principle of just and equal retribution. The courts were to impose this punishment and not individuals. These laws aimed to prevent personal revenge. To prevent people from taking the law into their own hands. However, in Jesus’ time these laws were misused to justify personal revenge.

These words deal with our personal relationships, conduct, behavior and actions. “Do not resist an evil person.” This does not mean that we condone evil behavior. The Bible is very clear about our prophetic and missional calling to speak out and act against social injustices and sin in the world. Jesus’ focus here is different. EXTREME, EXCEPTIONAL, EXTRAORDINARY EXAMPLES. FOCUS ON DEEDS & SELF—JESUS HIMSELF—TIME—THE CROSS—JESUS FOCUS ON PERSON

How should kingdom people respond when evil persons insult, exploit and persecute us? Jesus’ radical answer is, do not retaliate, do not take revenge. Respond with love, joy and generosity. Pay forward, do not pay back. Jesus then gives four illustrations of how we should respond.

1. Slapped, Sued, Exploited, Asked

As followers of Jesus Christ we will be persecuted. We will be slapped, insulted, sued, exploited, asked for things and loans.

To be slapped on the right cheek means a backhanded slap with the right hand. That was a very serious, calculated, intentional insult. It implies contempt. You are viewed, scorned as nothing, a person not worthy of consideration and respect. Such abuse and insult can be physical, verbal, emotional or spiritual. When someone unleashes a tirade and torrent of contemptuous words, calls you all kinds of names, uses filthy language and swear words, shouts at you, you are being slapped on the right cheek. You are being insulted, abused, bullied, persecuted.

Whether it is the bully on the playground physically attacking or teasing you, or a colleague at work verbally abusing you, how should we respond? We will not retaliate. Violence only begets violence. Retaliation always escalates the situation. A non-violent response of love usually defuses situation.

When we are sued, we must meet with that person in the spirit of love and settle the matter before it goes to court as we have seen in Mt 5:25-26. And when it goes to court, we will give them more than what they sued us for. We will respond with generosity because we care deeply about their needs, and want to help them as much as we can.

Go the extra mile. When we are forced or required to serve others, we will not just do the minimum. We will give extra, even double, from our time and strength as an expression of our love and goodwill toward that person. When someone asks, we will give, and we will not turn away from someone who wants to borrow from us. We must help and give generously to those who are truly in need no matter who they are.

2. Pay Forward, Not Back

As kingdom people we pay forward. We do not pay back. We do not retaliate. We do not take revenge. This is radical. This is counter-cultural, counter to our very being and feelings.

1 Peter 3:8-17—Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.

We put aside revenge and vengeance like Jesus. We consider and focus on the welfare and wellbeing of the other person (Ph 2:3-5; Rm 12:10). We overcome evil with good (Rm 12:17-21). Bonhoeffer (p.141) said, “The only way to overcome evil is to let it run itself to a standstill because it does not find the resistance it is looking for. Resistance merely creates further evil and adds fuel to the flames. But when evil meets no opposition and encounters not obstacle but only patient endurance, its sting is drawn, and at last it meets and opponent which is more than its match.”

We can pay forward with vulnerable love, revolutionary joy and overwhelming generosity because we know the big picture and we have a new view of the world and life. We no longer view other people and our own lives from a worldly point of view (2 Co 5:16). We no longer view the world and life from our own selfish and self-centered perspectives. We view it all from a Kingdom perspective. Dallas Willard says, “We have a larger view of our life and our place in God’s world. We see God; we see ourselves in his hands.” And we see the evil person, the one who is hurting and insulting us, persecuting us, as more than just what he is doing. We see him as someone loved by God. We recognize his worth and dignity as someone created in the image of God. We also recognize his sinfulness and brokenness, just as we are. Our heart is breaking for them, because even though God loves them, without Jesus they will experience God’s wrath forever. This view, this knowledge, this love and grace enables us to pray, “Father forgive them, for they do not really understand what they are doing.”

3. Our Comfort or The Cross?

So where does this leaves us in today’s turbulent, confused, and violent world? Our country, our society is bitterly divided. All indications are that things are only going to get worse. What is happening, is exactly what these verses by implication are warning us against. All sides are responding and retaliating with tit for tat. Verbal and physical violence and abuse are escalating on both sides driving each other to extremes. Sadly even Christians are participating in this. They have thrown love overboard. They think and act unbiblically. Their personal views, political convictions, needs and comforts rule their lives. Not their Lord.

Wait a minute. Didn’t I just say that this passage deals with our personal relations and conduct? How can I apply it to cultural, social, political and economic issues? Because these are very personal things and affect our personal relationships. Our families, jobs, income, individual rights, politics, views, beliefs, health and wealth are all very personal. What’s happening around us and inside of us, the anxiety, worry, fear, anger, is very personal and affects our personal relationships and behavior. So Jesus’ words here are very relevant to us today. They apply not only to our individual personal life but also to how we follow Jesus in the wider context of the world, society, and my culture. What does our Lord calls us to do in these times?

To live the radically different, counter cultural Kingdom life. It does not matter on which side you are on, you are called to be radically different and counter to your side and the other side. We will not slap, sue, exploit, or ask the other side. And when the other side slaps, sues, exploits, or asks from us, we will not retaliate in kind. We will not respond in anger, with insult, and contempt. We will pay forward with love, joy, and generosity. We are called to build bridges across these divides and that will happen with blood, sweat, tears, and prayer, much, much prayer. We have a choice to make. Are we going to choose our comfort or the Cross?

Jesus calls us: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self. Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” (Lk 9:23-26; 57-62)

ILLUSTRATIONS — “I cannot do that. It is too difficult. I might get hurt, lose my stuff, killed. Jesus can’t be serious.” Jesus’ response, “Are you choosing your comfort or the cross?” When we come up with all kinds of excuses, answers, reasoning, justifications to not to do what our Lord says, we need to look deep into our hearts, with brutal honesty, and we will see that our selfish interests, views, and comforts are in control. Our choice — Our comfort or the cross?

We must put aside our personal preferences. We must let go sacrificially of our cultural, social, economic and political traditions and ideas that are extrabiblical and unbiblical. We have extrabiblical and unbiblical ideas and practices on both sides. Capitalism and socialism are extrabiblical ideas coming from outside the Bible. Abortion is unbiblical. Practices and policies that promote greed and materialism are unbiblical. Sexual immorality and sexual abuse in whatever form are unbiblical. Racism in whatever shape or form is unbiblical. The ways immigrants and refugees are being treated are unbiblical. Ignoring the plight of the poor, the homeless, the widows and orphans is unbiblical. Ignoring the plight of more than 2 billion people who have not yet heard about Jesus and are lost for eternity while we are basking in our comfort is unbiblical. Ignoring the plight of so many around us who are not following Jesus while we are going comfortably to heaven is unbiblical.

We must hold on to the biblical truths. We must live and act, solely and sacrificially around God’s Word and his gospel mission. And the more we ground our lives, families and churches in God’s Word, the more we will find ourselves countering, being at odds with the culture, our side and the other side. The more we will need to take up our crosses and suffer for our Lord.

It is not easy to pay forward. It is extremely difficult to be radically counter cultural. It will be a long road and a long time before our response and witness of love, no retaliation, non-violence, grace, joy, peace, kindness, and gentleness will have any effect and begin to bring society to its senses. Some of us may end up in jail. Some us may be hurt and suffer. Some of us may be sued. Some us may lose our privileges and even our possessions. Some us may die in the process. What do we choose, our comfort or the cross?

It is this same, evil world and people that took Jesus to the cruel, bloody cross. What foolishness and arrogance to think that they will not do the same to us, the followers of Jesus? We are not greater or better than our master, our Lord. “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” (John 15:20)

Whatever happens, however long it takes, however difficult it is, the radical responses of love, joy, generosity, kindness, and non-violence, of paying forward, not back, is the kingdom way.

What are we going to choose, our comfort or the cross? As followers of Jesus, we must live and act with this unshakeable conviction. God has put us in an anti-Christian age, in this time, for a reason. He has called us to himself, he has saved us by his Son, he has filled us with his Holy Spirit, he has captured us with his love, and he is compelling us by his Word to counter the culture by proclaiming his Kingdom, knowing that the reward of following Christ is worth any risk to our life, our family, our future, our relationships, our reputation, our career, and our comfort in this world. We should rejoice because we know how this story ends, and we know that our reward is great in heaven and eternal. (Platt) So people of God, rise up,. Be radical. Pay forward, not back. Make your choice. Choose the Cross. And Love!