Sermon Judgment and Forgiveness Rev. Sandy Lacey February 23, 2025
Well, I do not know about you, but after last weeks lesson on Jesus unique perspective on blessings and woes, the absolute last thing I want to hear today is a love your enemy lesson from Jesus. And yet, that is where we are in Lukes Gospel. Continuing on in Jesus Teaching on the Plain, weve got another humdinger for today. So, strap on your seatbelt and put on your crash helmet!
Remember from last week that Jesus appears to be directing this teaching to his disciples a whole crowd of them. I can almost see them sitting there with their mouths agape as they hear todays lesson from him. The so called, Kingdom of God looked a little different to them than the picture he was painting. Their idea of the kingdom and the new Messiah was more in line of a recreated Davidic kingdom, one in which the new king will route those awful Romans and send them packing from their homeland. It would be a kingdom in which their enemies would be destroyed, certainly not loved. Gee, I wonder if their premises/their assumptions were wrong. Wrong assumptions can and often lead us into trouble.
Who wants to live in a world where our enemies are treated just as well as our friends; in fact, maybe even better? Hasnt Jesus ever heard of abuse, because that is what this sounds like to me. This sounds like an excuse to keep abusers in power and make his disciples into doormats. Are we never supposed to stand up to violence and fight back? Is this some sort of pacifist manifesto? Before we get too far, though, maybe we need to back up and check our assumptions.
Who is Jesus addressing this to? His disciples then and now. He has already looked at them with the eyes of love and called them, blessed. His disciples are already part of Gods kingdom, according to last weeks lesson, and as such, they/we may be poor and reviled, but also blessed. Since we are blessed by Gods love and generosity, can we not afford to give generously to others, and can we not afford to love our enemies (because we are wealthy in Gods love)? And can we not afford to give without any expectation to receive something back because of that wealth. That is why it is perfectly congruous to hear a person requesting help for food to also say they are blessed: I may be poor and unable to afford my food, but I am blessed. I have heard it said over and over again. Those of us who have enough to eat have trouble saying, I am blessed because we often wrongly associate blessings with material things. Woe is us on that point. So, if my starting point, my foundational premise, is that I am a loved child of God; then regardless of my circumstance, I can truly joyfully say I am part of the Kingdom of God and I not only can afford to be generous, but I want to be generous.
An astute observation by commentator, Susan E. Hylen, is that the disciples choice to give without reward breaks the societal expectation of retribution and reciprocity (in their day and in our day).[1] This directive from Jesus will ensure that no longer will our gifts be given with an expectation that we must receive the same in return. In our culture of wealth and prosperity, our culture teaches us to expect that when we are generous, we will have a reciprocal arrangement. Others will also give similarly in response. Or, if we give generously to someone whom we know is unable to reciprocate, we can at least expect gratitude and loyalty from them, which is its own reward. Kingdom ethics are different. Instead of this ethic of obligation and reciprocity, it is an ethic of generosity simply because . . . It is a recognition that we have been given much, and we are inspired to respond with generosity. It is why I do not care anything about boxed stewardship programs in churches, because they are often in the vein of obligation, rather than inspiring a simple response of gratitude; hence, at Rockledge Presbyterian we have Generosity Campaigns and encourage your response and participation. No guilt offered or intended. I ask you, what is more likely to elicit a desire to give: a directive to give based upon what God expects and the obligation that comes with it, or an attempt to recognize Gods generosity in our lives and to encourage a response of joyful gratitude? Interestingly, there is a reward that is mentioned by Jesus in verse 38 give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. But the reward here is not the proverbial prosperity gospel reward of if you give a lot, youll get a lot. No, Gods generosity never looks like what the culture defines as prosperous. In that approach, it is easy to revert to the cultural approach of be careful, resources are finite and should not be squandered on those who will not appreciate them. Jesus encourages generosity that is outlandish and defies those kinds of cultural expectations. Kingdom ethics are always on a whole other level.
There is no doormat persona in this kind of love and selflessness. Hylen says that when a disciple understands his/her action as flowing out of Gods abundance, to which he/she belongs and which belongs to him/her; turning the other cheek becomes an act of resistance to evil, and it has great power.[2] So, no, generosity that flows out of Gods love does not make you a doormat. It is precisely that kind of power that has the ability to transform others and the world. Now you may think this is an impossible ideal and granted, on some days, I may even agree with you.
There are other illustrations of this kind of generosity in the culture around us. If you have seen Les Misérables, then you know this kind of giving is not impossible. In the movie, when the main character steals from the Priest, is caught by the police, is brought back to the Priest for confirmation of his theft; the Priest gives the thief grace that will transform his life. He says, yes, I gave them to him, and by the way, you forgot to take the best part as he gives him the candlesticks too. Or another example, in the movie, Places in the Heart in which the man looking for work steals from the new widow, is caught and brought back to her to confirm that he stole the silverware; the widow gracefully denies his action as theft and transforms both his and her life. So, artists/authors in our culture recognize that it is not impossible to be this generous, just hard. When has someone given you that kind of grace? And is it not life transforming when it happens?
Friends, this passage stirs us, makes us uncomfortable, and makes us ask the question of why. Why does it have to be so hard to be Christs disciple? Love your enemies? Because it is important and life changing for you and for the other. We, as disciples of the Christ, are here to show a better way than a culture of violence, a better way than retribution and reciprocity. It is a better way that will do nothing less than change the world. Love your enemies. Do good to those who laugh at you, revile you, and mistreat you. And not because you have no self-esteem and consider yourself unworthy of love, but precisely because you know the opposite is true. You are a child of God, loved, with a power the world cannot imagine. But you can imagine it. And a good imagination is always the first step.
This kind of living the kind that gives with no expectation of receiving anything in return is what will enable a man like Joseph in our Genesis story today, to be in the right place at the right time. This is the story of a man who was nearly killed by his jealous brothers, who was sold into slavery in Egypt, who was unjustly imprisoned, and who still recognized he was a loved child of God. He never gave in to the sentiment that he deserved better, and that life/that God owed him. He persevered in his faith journey to finally fully comprehend his blessedness. And that comprehension enabled him to compassionately bless the people of Egypt, bless his brothers and their families, and bless his father. He not only blessed them; he helped to transform them into being who they were created to be. Are you ready for such a blessing? It is not easy, but it is truly powerful. Friends, the world is waiting. AMEN.
[1] Susan E. Hylen, Theological Perspective in Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, Volume 1, (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009.) pp. 380-384.
2 Ibid.
_____
[1] Susan E. Hylen, Theological Perspective in Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, Volume 1, (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009.) pp. 380-384. [2] Ibid.
Well, I do not know about you, but after last weeks lesson on Jesus unique perspective on blessings and woes, the absolute last thing I want to hear today is a love your enemy lesson from Jesus. And yet, that is where we are in Lukes Gospel. Continuing on in Jesus Teaching on the Plain, weve got another humdinger for today. So, strap on your seatbelt and put on your crash helmet!
Remember from last week that Jesus appears to be directing this teaching to his disciples a whole crowd of them. I can almost see them sitting there with their mouths agape as they hear todays lesson from him. The so called, Kingdom of God looked a little different to them than the picture he was painting. Their idea of the kingdom and the new Messiah was more in line of a recreated Davidic kingdom, one in which the new king will route those awful Romans and send them packing from their homeland. It would be a kingdom in which their enemies would be destroyed, certainly not loved. Gee, I wonder if their premises/their assumptions were wrong. Wrong assumptions can and often lead us into trouble.
Who wants to live in a world where our enemies are treated just as well as our friends; in fact, maybe even better? Hasnt Jesus ever heard of abuse, because that is what this sounds like to me. This sounds like an excuse to keep abusers in power and make his disciples into doormats. Are we never supposed to stand up to violence and fight back? Is this some sort of pacifist manifesto? Before we get too far, though, maybe we need to back up and check our assumptions.
Who is Jesus addressing this to? His disciples then and now. He has already looked at them with the eyes of love and called them, blessed. His disciples are already part of Gods kingdom, according to last weeks lesson, and as such, they/we may be poor and reviled, but also blessed. Since we are blessed by Gods love and generosity, can we not afford to give generously to others, and can we not afford to love our enemies (because we are wealthy in Gods love)? And can we not afford to give without any expectation to receive something back because of that wealth. That is why it is perfectly congruous to hear a person requesting help for food to also say they are blessed: I may be poor and unable to afford my food, but I am blessed. I have heard it said over and over again. Those of us who have enough to eat have trouble saying, I am blessed because we often wrongly associate blessings with material things. Woe is us on that point. So, if my starting point, my foundational premise, is that I am a loved child of God; then regardless of my circumstance, I can truly joyfully say I am part of the Kingdom of God and I not only can afford to be generous, but I want to be generous.
An astute observation by commentator, Susan E. Hylen, is that the disciples choice to give without reward breaks the societal expectation of retribution and reciprocity (in their day and in our day).[1] This directive from Jesus will ensure that no longer will our gifts be given with an expectation that we must receive the same in return. In our culture of wealth and prosperity, our culture teaches us to expect that when we are generous, we will have a reciprocal arrangement. Others will also give similarly in response. Or, if we give generously to someone whom we know is unable to reciprocate, we can at least expect gratitude and loyalty from them, which is its own reward. Kingdom ethics are different. Instead of this ethic of obligation and reciprocity, it is an ethic of generosity simply because . . . It is a recognition that we have been given much, and we are inspired to respond with generosity. It is why I do not care anything about boxed stewardship programs in churches, because they are often in the vein of obligation, rather than inspiring a simple response of gratitude; hence, at Rockledge Presbyterian we have Generosity Campaigns and encourage your response and participation. No guilt offered or intended. I ask you, what is more likely to elicit a desire to give: a directive to give based upon what God expects and the obligation that comes with it, or an attempt to recognize Gods generosity in our lives and to encourage a response of joyful gratitude? Interestingly, there is a reward that is mentioned by Jesus in verse 38 give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. But the reward here is not the proverbial prosperity gospel reward of if you give a lot, youll get a lot. No, Gods generosity never looks like what the culture defines as prosperous. In that approach, it is easy to revert to the cultural approach of be careful, resources are finite and should not be squandered on those who will not appreciate them. Jesus encourages generosity that is outlandish and defies those kinds of cultural expectations. Kingdom ethics are always on a whole other level.
There is no doormat persona in this kind of love and selflessness. Hylen says that when a disciple understands his/her action as flowing out of Gods abundance, to which he/she belongs and which belongs to him/her; turning the other cheek becomes an act of resistance to evil, and it has great power.[2] So, no, generosity that flows out of Gods love does not make you a doormat. It is precisely that kind of power that has the ability to transform others and the world. Now you may think this is an impossible ideal and granted, on some days, I may even agree with you.
There are other illustrations of this kind of generosity in the culture around us. If you have seen Les Misérables, then you know this kind of giving is not impossible. In the movie, when the main character steals from the Priest, is caught by the police, is brought back to the Priest for confirmation of his theft; the Priest gives the thief grace that will transform his life. He says, yes, I gave them to him, and by the way, you forgot to take the best part as he gives him the candlesticks too. Or another example, in the movie, Places in the Heart in which the man looking for work steals from the new widow, is caught and brought back to her to confirm that he stole the silverware; the widow gracefully denies his action as theft and transforms both his and her life. So, artists/authors in our culture recognize that it is not impossible to be this generous, just hard. When has someone given you that kind of grace? And is it not life transforming when it happens?
Friends, this passage stirs us, makes us uncomfortable, and makes us ask the question of why. Why does it have to be so hard to be Christs disciple? Love your enemies? Because it is important and life changing for you and for the other. We, as disciples of the Christ, are here to show a better way than a culture of violence, a better way than retribution and reciprocity. It is a better way that will do nothing less than change the world. Love your enemies. Do good to those who laugh at you, revile you, and mistreat you. And not because you have no self-esteem and consider yourself unworthy of love, but precisely because you know the opposite is true. You are a child of God, loved, with a power the world cannot imagine. But you can imagine it. And a good imagination is always the first step.
This kind of living the kind that gives with no expectation of receiving anything in return is what will enable a man like Joseph in our Genesis story today, to be in the right place at the right time. This is the story of a man who was nearly killed by his jealous brothers, who was sold into slavery in Egypt, who was unjustly imprisoned, and who still recognized he was a loved child of God. He never gave in to the sentiment that he deserved better, and that life/that God owed him. He persevered in his faith journey to finally fully comprehend his blessedness. And that comprehension enabled him to compassionately bless the people of Egypt, bless his brothers and their families, and bless his father. He not only blessed them; he helped to transform them into being who they were created to be. Are you ready for such a blessing? It is not easy, but it is truly powerful. Friends, the world is waiting. AMEN.
[1] Susan E. Hylen, Theological Perspective in Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, Volume 1, (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009.) pp. 380-384.
2 Ibid.
_____
[1] Susan E. Hylen, Theological Perspective in Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, Volume 1, (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009.) pp. 380-384. [2] Ibid.