Wednesday February 20, 2013

Read Matthew 5:22.

 

Imagine yourself in a battalion in Iraq on patrol in enemy quarters. Your battalion is on foot scouting through enemy territory seeking out enemy infiltrators. In front of you is the point man leading the way and behind you is the rear guard, keeping watch and literally watching your back.

 

Now consider the reality of this question. How safe would you feel if the rear guard solider had only minutes ago called you a fool. Surely questions would rise in your mind. Will he protect you? Will he stand up for you? Will he lay his life down for you if necessary? If he really hates me, will he shoot me in the back?

 

The church is much like that battalion. We are in enemy territory.  To be effective we have to march forward in love and unity not hatred and disunity. This is effectively what Jesus commanded in verse 22 of Matthew 5.

 

Jesus made it clear that even hating our brother is unacceptable in the Kingdom of God. Hatred is the underlying cause of murder. Hatred leads us to entertaining thoughts of revenge, hurting the other person and possibly even killing them. Hatred in the kingdom life must be squashed and removed.

 

Jesus also used the term ‘raca’. This was an obscure Aramaic word that meant something like ‘empty headed’ or ‘foolish’. It was a term of contempt that paralleled the recipient with worthlessness.  It could be translated or paraphrased with several English phrases like ’You twit’, ’You idiot’ or ‘You bozo’  or even ‘You fool’.

 

Put bluntly, kingdom life is equated with love. It’s the kind of love that emanates deep within from a person that has received unwarranted and undeserved love from Christ Himself. This love cannot be ‘put on’. It cannot be used as a cover for evil or ulterior motives. It cannot be used as a show. Real kingdom love comes from personally receiving and experiencing the love of Christ

 

So next time you are frustrated and want to call someone a ‘twit’ or an ‘idiot’ or a ‘fool’ remember that Christ has been gracious to you and calls you to be gracious to others.

 

Prayer:

Write down your prayer points in the space provided. Use today’s reading to help you get ideas.

Adoration:

 

 

Confession:

 

 

Thanks:

 

 

Supplication:

¥ Pray for the work of Darwin Presbyterian Church as it seeks to make inroads into the community. Pray that God would use this small group to spread the love of Christ widely to many people. Pray that the church would grow dramatically through conversions.

¥ Pray for the brothers and sisters who worship in Warwick Presbyterian Church. Pray that God would bless their time together and that they would be growing in knowledge and wisdom and insight. Pray that God would grant them growth in numbers as well.

 

 

Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. What would be a good biblical response towards a person that is frustrating or angering you?