We Love Because He Loved

Eyes are necessary to see. Teeth are necessary to eat. Food is necessary to live… However, this is not a new concept. Introduced in Hammurabi Code in 18th c. B.C.

This is not talking about vigilante justice tho. This is speaking specifically to when someone does something directly against you.

Matthew 5:39

Matthew 5:39 ESV

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.

.... SAY WHAT!?!?

my flesh cries out “GET EVEN!!! You’re allowed. It’s legal. You’re justified in this. They did it to you, now do it back!” But Jesus says, “Turn the other cheek”

Sacrificially give of our body. You’ve already lost what you’ve lost. Don’t seek revenge, love them instead.

But he doesn’t stop there...

Matthew 5:40 ESV

And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

This is not outright theft. Pay attention. This person “sued you and took your tunic”. They went through legal means and you lost.

This could have been for a myriad of reasons. You could have found their goat, returned it and it was freshly milked and they sued you… This could have been due to any reason. But, you lost. And you lost your tunic.

Now, your tunic would have been your t-shirt. Not your underwear, not your coat, but your t-shirt. I don’t know about you, but I have more t-shirts than I know what to do with… some of them are disgusting and I should probably burn them, but I have them… This wouldn’t be a massive loss.

But your cloak, that was your prized possession. Even the poorest man could not be sued for his cloak. Even if he had nothing else, he still could not be sued for his cloak. Think about it, open air homes, sleeping outside, prized possession.

Jesus says,

Matthew 5:40 ESV

And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

Just give it to him.

Sacrificially give of our belongings. You’ve already lost your tunic, don’t get mad. Don’t try to get even. Love them instead.

Matthew 5:41 ESV

And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

Here, you were forced to go one mile and now Jesus is telling you to go a second?

Roman authorities could demand that you help them carry or move something one Roman Mile or 1000 paces. This is demonstrated again when Simon of Cyrene was made to carry Jesus’ cross. (Matt. 27:32)

But Jesus is saying, even when you’re forced to do something, you know you have to do it, do it willingly, and not only that, but go above and beyond.

Go an extra mile, go well beyond what is asked of you.

Sacrificially give of our time and energy and willingly go a second mile.

Matthew 5:42 ESV

Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Willingly give of your money… that’s what Jesus is saying here. For some of us, this is easy. For some, this is nearly impossible. I don’t want to get caught in the weeds here, but Jesus is simply saying, “Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”

Sacrificially give of our resources.

Matthew 5:43–44 ESV

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

This is the foundation.

We all love our friends.

It’s much harder to love our enemies.

We are all shredded up paper.

It’s about love.

It’s about sacrifice.

It’s about selflessness.

1 John 4:19 ESV

We love because he first loved us.

1 John 4:8 ESV

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

We can try all we want. But we are still shredded paper.

2 Cor.

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

He makes us new. No longer shredded up paper.

We are made new!!!

If you had the cure to cancer, you would share it.

We have the cure to the cancer of hate. Why do we keep it to ourselves?