"Matters of the Heart" Part 2: Revenge

Matters of the Heart” Part 2: Revenge

Step beyond anger is taking revenge.
-Someone spread a rumor about you
-Someone physically hurt you or a family member
-Someone misrepresented you and made you look bad
-Someone made an underhanded comment right to your face to purposely hurt you.
-a boyfriend or girlfriend broke up with you
-an ex-husband or wife is making it tough for you to see your children.
“revenge is sweet”
Matthew 5:38-48

V38 OT passages Ex. 21:24, Lev. 24:20 & Deut. 19:21
Not of revenge but punishment for crime. It limited what the offender had to endure. It was not a command it was more like restitution for the offended if they desired it. Lex talionis “law of retaliation”.
That was the external and it became a means to get even with the offender.

Jesus then brings this to the next level. Where is your heart and why do you feel the need to get even.

V39a Evil people need love too.
Jesus is asking us to look at this person and have compassion on them because they are evil (as we are)
Jesus the example of this Luke 23:34, 1 Peter 2:22-23

Two things Christ is trying to teach us
We must not take revenge but have a loving and forgiving heart. V39b-41
Show the person who has wronged you that you will go to the greatest degree to keep or restore peace.
-we are not doormats, we can defend ourselves but the main goal is to restore peace and not take revenge.
Romans 12:17-21. God takes care of that.
V42 Go to the next step and do good to them.
Sometimes it is easy not to pay people back but how easy is it to do something for them?

Not taking revenge or seeing revenge can be our best teacher
Hungarian immigrant
Richard Petty’s win
V43 “hate your enemy” is not in the law of Moses but it was something that the Pharisees practiced. They hated the enemies of Israel.

V44 In order for our hearts to be in the right place Jesus gives us commands on what to do.
1. Love –
2. Bless – make them happy
3. Do good
4. Pray – that prayer will change how you feel

V45 “that you may be sons” is saying that you may be like God who still blesses evil people. Every good gift comes from above

V46-47 Even the worst of the worst can love someone who shows them love. There is no reward for that.

V48 “be perfect” God’s requirement

In order to live in a way that is pleasing to God and worthy of His Kingdom we would have to be perfect in all these situations. We know we can’t be. That does not mean we should not try but we have to rely on Jesus no come to our rescue.