Matthew 5:38-48 English Standard Version (ESV)
Retaliation
38 "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic,[a] let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
Love Your Enemies
43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers,[b] what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Love your enemies and pray for them? Turn the other cheek? Give him your cloak as well? Go the extra mile? Give, give, give.
Doesn't it sound like Jesus is asking us to get walked on, stepped on, used, and abused? It does to me. But here's the deal, everything we do in faith is to point to the way that the Lord Jesus loves us and gave himself up for us.
We are the person who was an enemy of God and Jesus made us His children. Every time we sin against someone else, whether it be in retaliation or even unknown to us, we sin against Almighty God. We are the beggar. We are the one who "forces" God to go with us. We are the ones who slap Jesus in the face.
So the next time you think it's ok to retaliate, remember that it should then be ok for the Lord God to retaliate against you and give you what you deserve. Instead of that, why don't you just live by this rule…. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Then remember what Christ has done for you! He's done it all!
Prayer: Lord, when I think of my enemies, help me to remember that I was once your enemy, but you gave me yourself and made me your child. Amen.
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CALENDAR
Thurs- Newsletter deadline; Lutheranism 101 6:30pm
Fri- Bible Study at Hendershots 7
Sat- Men's breakfast 8am; Worship 5pm
Sun- Worship 8:30 and 11; Sunday school 9:45; Voters meeting 9:45
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WORSHIP WORKERS FOR THIS COMING WEEKEND:
Acolyte- 8:30- Gus Klaustermeier 11- Lydia Miller
Ushers- Allan Dreyer, Lew Feldkamp, Kent Jacobsmeyer, Paul Klover
Altar- Set up- Lucille Luebke; Clean up- Sandy Robine
Elders- Sat- Roy Bohning; 8:30- Al Benton; 11- Steve Robine
Greeters- 8:30- Jim and Vickie McRae; 11- Marv and Molly Hendershot
Lay Readers- Sat- Roy Bohning; 8:30- Erv Yoder??? (Erv is out of town. Anyone want to take this for him?); 11- Steve Robine
Piano- Molly Hendershot