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Jesus is our Lord. But Jesus was also a flesh and blood human being. His ministry took place among flesh and blood human beings.
Jesus’ message to them was that the kingdom of God was at hand. Something new was being born.
What was the main point about the kingdom of God?
Put simply, it was this: you are not merely a victim of your circumstances, but you are empowered to live a better way.
Today’s passage is the first lesson Jesus gives to his listeners.
Love your enemies.
Why did he begin with this?
He was addressing a critical issue for his audience.
His listeners were not people living comfortably, there for a good and entertaining lecture. They were desperate, poor, struggling peasants and commoners in the countryside and small villages.
Life had become very difficult for commoners in Galilee. They were forced into debt. They lost their land. They were left behind economically, politically, socially.
When things get difficult, the first thing to get affected is unity.
The hardships they faced eroded the bonds that held them together. Their difficult circumstances made former friends enemies. Former neighbours adversaries.
Hatred and mistreatment grew among people.
They were victims of forces and decisions beyond their control. But Jesus is saying: don’t be victims of your circumstances.
If you react to hate; If you curse those who curse you; If you mistreat those who mistreat you; Aren’t you merely a victim of your circumstances?
You don’t have control over their actions or behaviours. But you allow those behaviours to shape yours. The behaviours and actions of others take control over you.
Offering your other cheek; Giving your shirt after they’ve already taken your coat; Are these signs of weakness?
No. They are signs of an empowered person.
One who is making their own choice.
Jesus’ message is that you have agency. You have the power to live a different way.
You may not be able to change your circumstances, but you can change how you live.
The kingdom of God is this: people who live a new way despite present circumstances. A new way defined by God’s will that goes against present circumstances.
Jesus came to show that a new way is possible. The kingdom of God is not something that takes place in the afterlife. It is something that is present now.
Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.” (Luke 17:20-21)
This is a radical message for life. You can live a different way from your circumstances or environment.
I don’t want to underestimate our circumstances. They have a huge effect on your life.
Sometimes they are so difficult to deal with.
I know some people are dealing with health issues. Others are dealing with financial challenges or finding a job. Others are very anxious by the political uncertainties in the world.
Difficult circumstances instill fear, uncertainty, anxiety.
Our circumstances are so powerful. They are powerful because they become so much larger than us.
Last Sunday, our sanctuary was quite empty because of all the snow. We had no control over nature. We were at its mercy.
Circumstances are like that.
Because they are so large, they influence us deeply. They affect how you feel. How you think.
But what Jesus is saying is that yes, they are powerful and real, but still, you do not need to become a slave to your circumstances.
Human beings are very adaptable. We’ve learned to adapt and survive in all sorts of environments. It is an important skill.
But if all you do is adapt and survive, then you will not be free. You will continue to be a slave to your circumstances.
You will be absorbed by your circumstances.
Sometimes, we need to fight against the circumstances and work to change them.
When things are unfair or unjust, we should speak truth and resist. If your health is not great, then you should seek the best medical help and do everything you can to improve your health.
But more important is your attitude and thinking.
Do not let your circumstances dictate how you think, feel and behave.
Circumstances will come and be beyond your control. But do not let them control your thinking. Don’t just react to them with your emotions. If you do, then you are just a victim of your circumstances.
The people listening to Jesus had adapted to the hostility around them.
They began to think like those in a hostile environment. They began to feel like them. Talk like them. They all became part of that environment and perpetuated it.
Jesus came to break that cycle. He came to break the grip that circumstances in this world have on you.
Jesus came to bring freedom and the possibility of a new start.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:17)
Freedom to live the right way. Freedom to do the right thing. Freedom to live by the golden rule:
Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Luke 6:31)
If you are not free, you cannot treat others as you would have them treat you. If you’re not free, how you treat others will depend on how your circumstances are affecting you. You will not be consistent.
Jesus came to bring freedom. But freedom comes with a cost.
You have to struggle for it. You have to fight for it.
Many Canadians are uneasy by all this talk about becoming the 51st state. I don’t know how serious they are. But if they are, and we want to maintain our freedom and independence, it will come at a cost.
St. Paul’s core belief is that we have been rescued from the bondage of our sins. Sins no longer have dominion over us.
We are free in Christ. But that freedom came at a cost. The cost of his life and blood on the cross.
Jesus was not a victim of his circumstance. He lived an empowered life, filled with the Holy Spirit.
He loved his enemies. He did good to those who hated him. He blessed those who cursed him. He prayed for those who mistreated him. He allowed himself to be hung on the cross.
Those of us who follow Jesus are not mere victims of circumstance. We are empowered by his Spirit of freedom.
We may not control our circumstances. We may have no say in what happens around us. But we will not let them have control over us.
Today’s passage reminds me of the Freedom Movement in the 1960’s. Martin Luther King Jr articulated a new response to their situation: nonviolent resistance.
In a society filled with hatred and violence, they resisted it with nonviolence. They met hatred with love. When they were struck, they offered the other cheek.
The real power of the movement lay in the change that occurred in millions of black people across the country. They discovered that they were no longer mere victims of their circumstance.
Before, they were mere victims of racism, hatred and evil. They lived in fear of violence and hatred.
They allowed themselves to accept their inferior status. They allowed themselves to be treated with less dignity.
But now they realized that they were not mere victims. They were somebodies. They had a say in how they lived. They could react differently to the hatred and violence of others.
In responding to violence with nonviolence, they became an empowered people. The kingdom of God was alive among them.
Their example inspired millions of people around the world. They fueled global movements for change and justice.
We need that spirit to come alive today. We need empowered people who live differently than our environment and circumstances dictate.
Our context today is very challenging. The issues are so much more complex.
It’s hard to know what’s right from what’s wrong. It’s hard to know what to fight for, and what to fight against. It’s easy to give up and withdraw from caring.
Jesus gave us gift to be empowered: the gift of prayer.
Prayer is our access and lifeline to the empowering Spirit of Jesus.
When circumstances overwhelm us and drown us, prayer is the boat that keeps us above waters.
Prayer gives us the strength we need to carry on our own path in the midst of difficult circumstances.
Prayer keeps us from being passive victims of these complex and overwhelming circumstances.
When circumstances threaten to overwhelm you; When they tire your spirit; Come to Jesus in prayer.
He will grant you his Spirit to live an empowered life in the kingdom of God.
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