Sermon on the Mt. series  
6  Rethinking Power pt. 2 – The Power of Possessions – Matthew 5:38-48 – March 16, 2008
Dennis Mullen

       Matthew 21:1-9 – 1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away."

 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

 5 "Say to the Daughter of Zion,
      'See, your king comes to you,
   gentle and riding on a donkey,
      on a colt, the foal of a donkey.' "

 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

   "Hosanna[b] to the Son of David!"
   "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
   "Hosanna in the highest!"      

            Palm Sunday is a great day to talk about rethinking power because the trip Jesus made into Jerusalem to begin the last week of his earthly life was a pointed example of power of another kind.  Why, for instance, is he riding a donkey, or more accurately the foal of a donkey (i.e., a donkey’s child)?  It wasn’t just the first thing he could grab, for this trip was clearly pre-arranged.  No, this is a symbol of a King riding into town, but not in power or with intimidation – it’s a king coming in peace and offering peace.  If he had ridden a mighty warhorse, that would have given his disciples a different image – it’s time to take up arms and fight.  If he had been followed by a mighty entourage, and perhaps even some captives in shackles, that would have been a common scene in the ancient world and it would have meant that “resistance is futile.  You will be assimilated”.  But he came on the foal of a donkey, showing the entire world that he was taking the risk of love.  He rode into Jerusalem unprotected, or rather protected by a power of another sort, one that would prevails in life OR in death, one that finds its greatest power in things like humility, gentleness and love. 

            We’re in a series on the Sermon on the Mount and we’re talking about Rethinking Power.  Last week we talked about the power of our words, the power of violence and the greater power of turning the other cheek and possibly even overcoming evil with good.  Today we’ll continue talking about Rethinking power by thinking a bit more about these things plus we’ll begin to get into an idea that Jesus develops more fully in chapter 6 – the power that possessions give us and the power they exercise over us.

            There are three things that are very important to me, things that are quite precious and always somewhere near the forefront of my attention.  These are my person (my body, my mind and spirit – ME); my possessions – money and the things I buy with it; and my time (which may be the scarcest and most treasured possession of all).  In our text for today, Jesus speaks to them all.

MT 5:38 "You have heard that it was said, `Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' 39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

            MT 5:43 "You have heard that it was said, `Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 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. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

            Jesus commands us to take an unusual attitude about our persons.  If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also.  Why in the world would I want to do that?  And he commands us to take an unusual attitude toward possessions.  If someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, that is your shirt, your inner garment, let him have your cloak, your coat as well.  How can he ask that of me?  And Jesus commands us to take an unusual attitude toward our time.  If someone forces you to go on mile, go with him two.  What could possibly be his reason?

            As I deal with this passage, I have to acknowledge that it is one of the most difficult in all of Scripture to put into practice.  Do you know anyone who would actually turn the other cheek every time you slapped him?  If you do, what keeps him from getting pounded into the ground?  Do you know anyone who always gives twice as much as is demanded of her?  If so, what keeps her from being totally at the mercy of others’ demands? 

            Here are a couple important observations.  First, it is always easier to approach a passage with legalism rather than spiritual understanding.  With legalism, I can find a way to justify myself and I kind find a way to condemn others.  This passage is one that demands that we listen to the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, who is ready to guide any Christ follower into all truth.  As we saw last week, there are times when a different principle, say the principle of defending the weak or innocent, takes precedence over turning the other cheek.

            Let me show you a couple examples of this – one from the trial of Jesus, the other from the life of Paul.  The first is from John 18:19-23, from the trial of Jesus:  19 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

            20 "I have spoken openly to the world," Jesus replied. "I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. 21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said."

            22 When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. "Is this the way you answer the high priest?" he demanded.

            23 "If I said something wrong," Jesus replied, "testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?"

            That’s very instructive.  Someone strikes Jesus on the face.  He doesn’t turn the other cheek.  Now he certainly does NOT retaliate, or curse at them or make threats.  Instead he challenges them based on the Law and also on common sense:  “Show me how what I said was wrong!”  That is an example of spiritual wisdom putting the commands of God into practice as appropriate for the situation.

            Now of course the deepest truth of the matter is that Jesus DID turn the other cheek at Calvary.  Think of that great truth expressed in 1 Peter 2:23 - When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

            Here’s another example, from Paul.  In Acts 16, there is a famous story of Paul and Silas in Philippi being arrested for indirectly stirring up trouble by preaching the Gospel.  They are flogged and thrown in jail for the night.  In jail, Paul and Silas are singing praise songs when an earthquake shakes the place and everyone’s shackles fall off.  But this is a God-thing, and it isn’t about the prisoners escaping, so everyone stays in place. 

            The earthquake awakens the jailer who rushes to the jail and seeing the doors open he assumes everyone has escaped.  He draws his sword and is about to kill himself, preferring that to being put to death by his bosses, when Paul cries out:  “Wait a second!  We’re here!”  The jailer is so overwhelmed that the Spirit softens his heart and convicts him of his need for salvation and he turns to Christ that very night, he and his whole family. 

            The next day, the magistrates, figuring a flogging and a night in jail ought to be enough to discourage these two preachers, send someone to tell them they are free to go.  THIS might seem like the time for Paul to be submissive and turn the other cheek and thank his hosts for the nice beating and leave.  But not so fast:  It just so happens that Paul and Silas are Roman citizens, which no one bothered to find out, and it is illegal to beat Roman citizens without a trial.  Paul says:  "They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out."

            And now everyone panics, and suddenly Paul and Silas are in a very powerful position.  The magistrates come down to the jail and ask – not demand – but ask them to leave town.  And do you know what?  They do.  They go and say goodbye to the other Christians and they get their things and go.

            That illustrates something very important about why we’re talking about rethinking power rather than surrendering it.  When Paul and Silas were seized and beaten that night, they had no power.  They were completely overpowered by soldiers who just wanted to quell a brewing riot, and no one was listening to them.  They had no power EXCEPT the power we always have, which is to choose their reaction.  They could have cursed their captors, and spat upon the jailer and made obscene gestures to express their anger.  But they chose to trust God and spend the night singing his praises, which no doubt opened the way for his power to break their chains and certainly to soften the jailer’s heart. 

            The next morning it’s a different situation.  The trouble in the streets is gone.  Things are quiet.  Now Paul and Silas have a chance to assert their Roman citizenship, and they do.  Suddenly everything is in turmoil, and people are worried about losing their jobs and maybe even their lives (the Romans were tough to work for).  Suddenly people are listening to Paul and Silas.  They have the right to press this further and make trouble for people.  Only now that they have established that they have this power can they exercise their right to not use it – which is exactly what they do. 

            So, do they turn the other cheek?  If that meant taking a beating in silence, I guess they don’t.  But by the power of God’s Spirit, they chose to react in a godly way to injustice, and then to establish their rights before releasing those rights.  In that sense, they did apply Jesus’ command to turn the other cheek.  Think of what a different story it would be if Paul and Silas spent the next two years pressing this case before one court after another, trying to get these magistrates fired or killed, and then one day standing on the courthouse steps announcing victory.  It isn’t quite the same, is it?  But once having established that they had rights, they relinquished them, not for their own glory but for the glory of the Gospel and its Lord.

            This passage talks about turning the other cheek, giving twice as much as someone demands of you and going the extra mile.  When I first raised these points I kept asking:  “Why would I do that?”  Or:  “Why would Jesus demand it?” 

            Let me suggest two strategic reasons for giving more than you have to:

            1. It can expose the sin of demanding or abusive people.  We talked about that last week.  Let’s say you’re at a meeting and tensions run high and someone insults you, or even slaps you.  You don’t retaliate, but you don’t roll over either.  Instead, in the strength of Christ, you say:  “Now that you’ve said that or done that, is there more you’d like to say or do?”  If you do this without sarcasm or threat but genuinely, you are actually asking them:  “Is this really the kind of person you intend to be?  Are you someone who would slap someone twice if they offered you the chance?”  I mentioned the civil rights protests last week.  By standing their ground but refusing to fight, protestors asked their opponents:  “Are you willing to attack defenseless people on national television?”  They were, and it exposed their sin.

            Jesus says that if someone sues you and takes your shirt, let him have your cloak as well.  The OT Law said that if you took someone’s cloak as collateral for a loan, you had to give it back before sunset because he needed it to keep warm.  So if someone sues you and takes your shirt and you offer your cloak too, in that time you were sending the message:  “Let’s see if you’re the type of person who would take a man’s cloak from him!” 

            Jesus says that if someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two.  The only person who ever forced me to go a mile was my high school track coach, and I appreciated him for it!  But in first century Israel, a Roman soldier could require a citizen to carry his pack a mile, but not more.  This is where Jesus deals with my time, because it probably would take 15-20 minutes to walk a mile, maybe more depending on the weight of the pack, and then 15-20 minutes to get back to where I started.  Jesus says:  “Double it”.  Why?  Well, if you kept on carrying it after a mile was up, you might be asking:  “Are you the type of person who would take advantage of this situation?” 

            I call this the principle of burning coals.  In Romans 12:17-21, Paul says:  17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:

   "If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
      if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
   In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.  People interpret the burning coals different ways.  I take them to mean coals of burning shame that expose who you really are.  Hopefully they make you repent.  Even if they don’t, they may show others the error of your ways and convert them.

            I heard Rob Bell speak (on a recording) about this, and he seemed to think that this was really the main idea of going two miles.  In fact, he said that a soldier could get into serious trouble if he let you carry the pack more than a mile, and Rob Bell painted a picture of a guy carrying a pack and the soldier running after him begging him to put it down!

            That might be true, but it seems inconsistent with the spirit of Jesus, and that leads me to the second strategic reason for giving more than you have to:

            2.  It can show someone God’s love in a way they haven’t seen before.

In Mark’s gospel, one Roman soldier watched the way Jesus suffered and died and witnessed the miracles that occurred in nature at the same time, and he was moved to say:  "Surely this man was the Son of God!" - Mark 15:39.  And there are times when we can respond to demanding people or people with evil intent with love and a genuine desire to do more than we have to, and it serves as a witness to the love of God within us.

            Years ago, I ran across a little story or parable that someone wrote in my Sunday School curriculum to help explain this going the extra mile.  It told about a young man who got conscripted into doing this, and he was resentful and bitter about it, but he had heard Jesus teach on this, and as he wrestled in his mind during that first mile, his heart softened and he decided to obey the Lord.  And so when he finished up his duty and the soldier told him he was free to go, he said something like:  “Hey look, I really don’t have to be anywhere right now, and I know you probably have to put up with a lot of junk being a soldier here.  Let me carry it another mile for you.  I don’t mind.”  “Really?”  “Sure.”  “OK.”  And so off they went off on that second mile and they began talking to each other, but no longer as soldier to conquered-peasant, but man-to-man.  And pretty soon they were talking about this strange behavior of actually offering to carry the pack, and soon after that, they were talking about Jesus.

            That’s a goal worth shooting for, and if we would just give ourselves over to obeying Jesus more and serving people (demanding ones, hostile ones, even jerks) more than we have to, I think he would produce that kind of opportunity more than we expect.

            But even if it doesn’t work out that way, we have this promise in 1 Peter 3:14 - “...even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed”.  When we obey Jesus, we win either way.

            So I challenge you, as you deal with demanding people in your life and as you measure out your precious resources – your person, your possessions and your time – ask these questions: 

            Once your obligation is over, what will you do?  And what difference could it make?

            I saved the last verse for the invitation: Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.  It almost sounds as if Jesus is kidding.  “You want a moral code to live by?  Just be perfect, like God.  That will save you.  Any questions?  Go do it!”  I don’t think he’s kidding, but “be perfect” should give us a bit of humility.

            Another way to understand it is that he’s been talking about loving your enemies and not just your friends, just as God blesses the good and the bad with sunshine and rain.  So I’m sure he is saying to follow that example and be perfect or complete in how you apply your morals (and to whom).

            But the main thing I know about perfection is that God has it, and I don’t and I need it to stand before him.  And the only way I can get it is the way he provides:  By accepting the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ to cover up my own sinfulness.  By repenting of my sin and accepting Jesus Christ as the One to save me and the One to rule me.

            Will you do that today?

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