JSM | Uprightness .7 | Revenge (10/6/2024)

JSM | Uprightness . 7 | Revenge

By Rev. Nicholas Sybrowsky
Heb. (נּט רּקהץ מּןביםךשד דּטנרם'דלט)
Gk. (Βψ Ρεω. Νιξηολασ Σψβροωσκψ)

Invocation:

Holy Father, your instructions indicate that if we’re at the altar and recognize that someone here on earth has something against us, Your Word says, that we are to first go and be reconciled to that person then come and offer our gift at the altar.

You LORD don’t desire that we offer ourselves or anything to you for your divine purposes without peaceable relationships with our fellow man and creature here on earth.  Help us to understand what it means according to your perfect will; what it means to make peace personally and interpersonally.

We now enter into a time of song and expressive worship of you and for you that you may hear our love, adoration, confessions, thanksgiving and we invite your mighty supplication.  Have your way in the saints assembled here today and anyone tuned in online today.

Opening Word & Reading for Worship:

21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. [Mat 5:21-26 KJV] corelating Lk. 12:57-59.

Vengeance (Retaliation, Revenge) belongs to God. 

Intro:  

The Singspiration event last week was excellent!  We lead these event off-line quarterly every fifth Sunday.  Today we return to our sermon series:  Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount Uprightness.  Of which we commit our words to honesty & integrity; simply “letting our ‘yea’ be yea and our ‘nay’ be nay when facing oaths or vows. and today’s lesson is about revenge, retaliation and/or vengeance.  

Both Luke and Matthew were very organized in their thoughts when they authored their Gospel account.  I’m not suggesting Mk and Jn are not organized in their thoughts.  Simply pointing out that when it comes to JSM our observations of the teachings within are best observed in whole reading Mt and Luke’s account.  The two accounts compared in ESV pericope or snippet of Mt is more isolated but adjacent to Loving Your Enemies and Lk’s pericope or clip is simply Loving Your Enemies.  Do you ever find yourself reading the snippets of a text?  It’s great for the bird’s eye view but important to remember the original language and listen to the passages yourself, in my opinion.  Regardless of your approach in reading it, READ the Word of God for yourself.  {Plug Bible in a year, encourage sustainment as a Berean. Pray for us.}

 Main Text:

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, 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. [Mat 5:38-42 ESV] ~Jesus the Christ

Corelating(cr.) and Cross-references (cf.):

29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. [Luk 6:29-31 ESV] ~Jesus the Christ

Love is hallmark (symbolic) to the disciples of Jesus. 

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." [Jhn 13:34-35 ESV] ~Jesus Christ

When was the last time you were slapped on the cheek?  If you're slightly or profoundly perplexed you don't stand alone.  I too need some help with these illustrations.  I'm turning to our friends at the BibleProject for some help on these 3 illustrations from Jesus.  What does he mean regarding the cheek, tunic and extra mile?

Brief overview Context & Culture (Roman Occupation, Oppression, Enslavement:

Slapped cheek Context & Culture:

What’s a cloak?  Suffice to call it a jacket ( Some, Hoodie).  What’s a tunic?  Suffice to call this the shirt on your back (longer but thinner layer).

Cloak & Tunic Context & Culture:

When were you last used as a mule, donkey or horse to carry someone else's load?

Go an extra mile Context & Culture:

Love overcomes fear.  

18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. [1Jo 4:18 ESV]

Love is sacrificial. 

13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. [Jhn 15:13 ESV]

And if God is love then we can let him have his wrath and avenge the wrongs and injustices.  For God is love & just!

Love is the answer.  Both Mt. & Lk box vengeance and love together and next week we will examine more closely the texts about Loving our Enemies.  To love NOT to lust.  Love is the answer!

In a quick survey of the word vengeance using the search engine According to the BLB Application.  This renders that, "Vengeance"

occurs 49 times in 43 verses in the ESV.  

:38 “An eye for an eye” In the KJV translation we can find Correlating verses from the Pentateuch (Exo 21:22-27; Lev 24:19,20; Deu 19:19).

 Before the Exodus from Egypt Moses was called to his Mission to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian slave trade into the lands of other nations ‘a land flowing with milk and honey.’(Ex.3:17). A mission on earth, here as an agent on the behalf of God to fulfill the Old Covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  

In the process of migration, battles and venture into the promised land Moses was recognized by the people to be God’s servant.  As we all know, God gave his law, instructions and Prophets to the people to guide them with a standard of living that God approves of, such as is well summarized in the ten commandments shared with Moses on mount Sanai.  And the Beatitudes of Jesus Christ.  You see Moses was the Head or Chief Priest of all of the descendants of Jacob & Joseph now.  

The name of the nation Israel translated means “God prevails” a second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.  Moses now having a great responsibility to this nation of >601,730 (Num 1:46, 2:32, 26:51 See Cite 3 for more on Census’).  

In Exo 18:13-27 we can witness where & when Jethro Counsels Moses about delegation and the proper judgment in social conflicts.  Moses had too much on his plate to process hence the rule of law was instituted and trained into delegates.

1. Good laws and Good Rule of Law helps Justice that Must Be Administered.

In the Old Covenant this judgment and ruling worked in helping people settle conflicts, this standard is used to some degree today in our justice department; differently but similar, ‘if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.’ (Ex. 21:23-35 ESV).  

Jesus said it himself in verse :17-20 that He came to fulfill the law and the prophets not abolish.  What Jesus is teaching here is that there is a better way, a New Covenant.  By His stripes that we deserved we are healed of our fallen nature we’re born into.  The Greater righteousness is the way of love discovered and practiced in the new covenant.  

Justice, the law and the rule of law is important in the land.  Yet if we can avoid harming one another and or quickly rule in to care and have compassion for one another we won’t need a Judge here on earth to tell us how to settle disputes.

With this idea of a greater uprightness, Jesus is preparing us for a greater judgment to come.  Before Moses and before Joseph’s posterity becoming captive in Egypt, before Isaac and yes, before Abraham ‘eye for an eye’ was not so.  In my opinion this was another earthly proverbial staple to help us reconcile and live peaceably among one another.  Matters of vengeance and retribution were normally left unto God.

[Gen 4:15 ESV] 15 Then the LORD said to him, "Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." ~ Creator God

And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him.

Cain’s actions against his brother Abel were not only an attack on Abel but were and attack on God.  Cain’s murder of Abel was motivated by lust for power and control driven by the fallen nature placed within him because of the curse brought on by his parents.  After Cain killed Abel, he received punishment from the LORD

 “[Gen 4:11-15 ESV] 11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth." 13 Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me." 15 Then the LORD said to him, "Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him.

Cain was worried that :14 “… whoever finds me will kill me.” But in my opinion God never intended to stop providing and caring for this child of His.  What did he tell Cain?  :15 “…vengeance shall be taken on [them] sevenfold”

This isn’t the earliest account of death in our Bible.  We know that animal skins were provided to Adam and Eve to ‘clothe them’ (Gen. 3:21).  Yet it is the earliest account of vengeance.

The Hebrew word for vengeance and avenge, is nāqam (naw-kam') (Cite 2) meaning to avenge, take vengeance, revenge, avenge oneself, be punished.

Entertaining revengeful feelings will lead to sinning against God.  

Grudge bearing isn’t loving toward neighbor (Lev 19:18).

The wrath of God is punishment for disobedience (Lev 26:25).  

[Luk 21:22 ESV] 22 for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.  Jesus Foretold the Destruction of Jerusalem and in this we are to be ready 

[Luk 21:28 ESV] 28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

[Rom 12:19 ESV] 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."

[2Th 1:8 ESV] 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

[Heb 10:30 ESV] 30 For we know him who said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." And again, "The Lord will judge his people."

2. Next Week:  JSM | Uprightness. 8 | Love Your Enemies

Conclusion: 

Love is the answer, God is Love and God prevails which means Love overcomes.  Jesus demonstrated that Love is sacrificial.

What Jesus did for all of mankind empowers us to prevail over the sins of our ancestors and gives us the way forward to achieve God’s perfect will here on earth as it is done in heaven.  Whether you’re aware of your own proclivity to rebel against God and break His law you’re subject to the same consequences in the Fall of Man because of association.  We were all born into a world tainted by the fall.  Not only does Jesus’ teaching here give us wisdom in justice here on earth He grants us the key to have balance in restitution and reminds us where the standards come from and that love is the answer.  Jesus didn’t only die for you and me, but he died for our adversary.

Exhortation:

When did you give up on God’s justice?  When or why did you start leaning on your own understanding and stop trusting in the LORD.  He is trustworthy (Pro 3:5).  Learn how to forgive (Mt 11:29).  Forgiveness is the balm to anger.  Jesus is the perfect example of righteous indignation and leads by example commanding us to forgive.  Put on the garment of praise (Isa 61:3) and the garment of violence (Mal 2:16) will be destroyed by the power of God’s love.  Let the ‘spirit of heaviness’ cause you 'to be called trees of righteousness, planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.’(Isa. 61:3).

Altar Call to Action:

[Deu 32:35 ESV] 35 Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.'

Reflect on any desire within you motivating you to entertain revengeful feelings will.  Any grudges you’re carrying.  Give these feelings to God.  Ask God to take care of this matter for you.  Ask God’s wisdom to reason with him about the matter.  Invite revelation to transmutate this anger into love for your adversary; your neighbor.  Let God show you the way of righteous indignation.  

Remember grudge bearing isn’t loving toward neighbor (Lev 19:18).  To not be loving toward neighbor is to be unloving toward God .  Loving your neighbor doesn’t equate to loving the world.  With 8.2 Billion people in the world you couldn’t manage to love 1% of this which is 82 Million people.  Only God could properly lead such a volume of people.  

Let God lead us.  Let your elected government lead you.  In the absence of leadership, lead yourself and lead others to Love God and love others.

[1Jo 2:23-27 ESV] 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us--eternal life. 26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie--just as it has taught you, abide in him.

Prayer & song.  

 A New Commandment I Give Unto You 

Benediction:

[1Jo 2:28-29 ESV] And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.

Citations, Notes & Credits:

1. Blue Letter Bible Application
   
   October 1, 2024 KJV "Matthew 5 (KJV) - And seeing the multitudes, he." Blue Letter Bible. Web. 1 Oct, 2024. <>. And ESV, "Matthew 5 (ESV) - Seeing the crowds, he went." Blue Letter Bible. Web. 1 Oct, 2024. <>.
2. "H5358 - nāqam - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (esv)." Blue Letter Bible. Web. 1 Oct, 2024. <https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5358/esv/wlc/0-1/>.
3. >601,730 Greater than because these were the ‘warriors’ able to serve in the military.  This didn’t include the women and children.  If you get wrapped around the axle on the accuracy of census and numbers here are a few places to study and grow in your understanding of numbers in census’ in the Bible.  A) The Results of the Census of the 12 Tribes of Israel from the Book of Numbers 1:1- 34  B) Great discussion on 4 Complex Bible “Contradictions” in David’s Census of Israel taken much later than the Moses Census 
   
    C) Great visual opportunity: 
   
    Numbers overview with the BibleProject.  

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