1Peter 3:(8-12), 13-18; Luke 6:27-36; Matt 5:38-48; Rom 12:9-21
We spoke of seeing, treating people as Jesus sees and treats me.
Rom 5:1-11 speaks of being loved as an enemy, Luke 6:27-36 loving your enemies, being good to those who mistreat you, praying for those who mistreat you, blessing those who curse you.
Very often we see something like this, and we wonder “how in the world would I do this?” “How do I actually look at the one who hates me, who is my enemy, and wants my destruction; this one who curses me or takes things from me - and we are to love them, pray for them, bless them, give to them without expecting anything in return?”
This seems incredibly daunting and emotionally impossible.
Well, in our flesh that is true (Mark 14:38; Gal 5; Rom 7). Our flesh is weak and someone who is wounded and weak does not have the strength to be gentle, kind, patient, hospitable and generous. It is when we are weak, wounded, and lacking, that we tend to strike out at those who hurt us, those who threaten us, those who hurt us or wound us, those who offend us (even if they did not mean it).
So, we have a couple admonitions that we need to cling to.
1. It is important for us to recognize that Jesus came as a human being
He was as much man as he was God, and in so, had to work just as hard to respond to who or what opposed him or who as we do. But, He set the standard, he showed us that despite our fleshly weakness, the Spirit in us is capable of enabling and empowering us to do things we ourselves could never imagine doing. (John 14:12)
“...it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”
2. Next, in that, we have the Holy Spirit.
We underestimate the Holy Spirit’s ability to guide, protect, empower, and enable. Or maybe, more accurately, we underestimate our ability to hear, listen, and follow the Holy Spirit - like we’re the one in all of God’s kingdom that the Holy Spirit can’t use... We must remember that God did not leave us as orphans, but gave us himself – the very power that raised Jesus from the dead is now in us - and this for a purpose. (John 13-14; Eph 1; 2; Gal 5; 6)
3. We tend to focus on the weakness of our flesh, our emotions, and our feelings - and often because we think we are our body, or flesh - but, we are not.
We tend to use human logic and the human definition of “justice” which is actually to (or for us to) avenge, when in God’s economy, for the children of God, our taking vengeance is not “justice”. That is actually a sign of immaturity and weakness. (See Romans 12)
4. So, we misunderstand or misinterpret, or, just don’t believe that when the scripture says “in my weakness I am strong” or “I can do all things through Christ to strengthen to me”
a. We don’t believe
b. We don’t trust
c. So cannot entrust - me, this moment, my welfare to God and His truth and Spirit - and rest in Him, trusting that:
i. He will be there and strengthen me
ii. He will work everything out for the good
iii. He does have a plan and a purpose and will accomplish it regardless of what the world does around me or to me
Phil 4:13 “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
2Cor 12:9-10 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Jeremiah 29:11-14 “11For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14I will be found by you...”
