Since Jesus Was Serious…Stop Digging!

y is not only a God that lived long ago but he lives in those grownups that are worshiping you today and I want them to live in me now have your way we pray Holy Spirit as we lean into to you and your word in Jesus name amen amen have a seat if you would this morning church and have a great time kids as you learn about the same God that we just sang about it’s it’s going to be good now you know why I like

that song Same God it’s it’s got me hooked and so many times I remind you but it’s true and it’s worth saying again and again don’t make this about this is not a museum this is not an empty building this is full of life and this is people who believe what we just sang about the the god that did those things will do them again and I believe that and I want to say to some of you what is maybe obvious right now I’ll shift gears

just for a second this is a brand new Podium or pulpit and it was just built this week by our own drummer who just left the cage and there he is Randy trout he put this baby together and yeah it’s really cool it’s really cool the pressure’s on he says hey Pastor I I this is a labor of love and I expect your sermons to go up the next level or something like that hey a cool piece though about that what happened to the other one

did we just get tired of it no actually our very own Michael and Christa Westfall who went to Trinity Church near here and he’s the new lead Pastor there and they’re serving there they had a music stand for a Podium and I was standing there when it all happened and they they said by we we need a a Pulpit and the both of them gave away my Pulpit that day so really cool really cool I just that gives me such a great feeling in my heart

so anyway somebody said to me on their way into church they looked tired and they were yawning and he says yeah I came to church he says soon Pastor Steve starts I can dose baby do and I would never tell you Tim Schroeder told me that but that was truly no I love you guys I love you a lot I got some words that have been they’re actually part of the book we keep talking about by je Sky jethani called what if Jesus was serious it’s

kind of a question mark that has framed this series we’ve kind of modified the question a little bit and said since Jesus is serious and each week There’s a new presentation from the gospels and elsewhere to punctuate that point since Jesus was serious today is of course stop digging and you’ll understand why in a few minutes but the words I’m going to start with not only appear in his book but they’ve been written by other people they’re they’re not that doesn’t take away from their value

it means that they probably have extra meaning because many have found a way to kind of use them to introduce gospel truth which is the thing that will change our life nothing nothing less than this will will do that kind of work so I begin with these words pinned by many The Narcissist I’m quoting now loves only himself the Nationalist loves only his country the activist loves only his cause the idealist loves only his thoughts the humanist loves only his concept of humanity the Christian loves

the annoying frustrating and even exasperating people in his life that last part was from me who does that I mean think about it let me let me switch it because all of those were masculine nouns but the Christian is the one exception the the Christian loves the annoy Annoying she loves the frustrating and even exasperating people in her life his life doesn’t matter gender it’s a truth and we got to ask the question in fact if you’re brand new or maybe checking Jesus out or maybe

you’re nervously uncomfortable in church because you don’t know anybody here yet or you don’t know if it’s time to laugh or not you just laugh out loud anytime you want you can you can do whatever you want in fact we like to tell people here at Grace Point you don’t have to dress up or straighten up just show up and if that’s new to your ears you need to know the second half there’s a reason we say that cuz you can’t straighten up without help right

so what a dumb idea to say I only good people allowed in this building actually all of us are really rotten people without Jesus and then he showed up and we’re we’re kind of getting good her all the time right so it’s cool but anyway Jesus made that that point that I want us to get to right away in Matthew Chapter 5 so find your Bibles it’s the first of four gospels I like like to remind simple things like that some of you were saying W

I knew that a long time ago Believe It or Not There Are People seated around you maybe that don’t even know it now so help them find Matthew it’s first of four gospels and there’s a sermon early on in Matthew called The Sermon on the Mount it covers three chapters Matthew 56 and 7 and Jesus I’ll say it on the front end and repeat it again throughout this message Jesus made a point in this sermon many points but it took love to an unthinkable place now

you’re ready to hear as we pick up in verse 38 you have heard these are Jesus words that it was said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth but I tell you do not resist an evil person developing that thought a little further if anyone slaps you on your right cheek turn to them the other cheek Also if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt counter sue them hand them your coat as well if anyone forces you to go one

mile go with them too give to the one who asks you and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you still reading still quoting you have heard that it was said love your neighbor and hate your enemy but I tell you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you that you may be children of your father in Heaven who causes his son to rise on the evil and the good sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous if you love

those who love you what reward will you get and not even the tax collectors do that and if you greet only your own people what are you doing more than others don’t even the pagans do that be perfect therefore as your heavenly father is perfect let’s let’s let’s be clear did Jesus I’ll ask a question did Jesus just Advocate love in the way we treat his words evil verse 39 and evil people and enemies verse 44 jethani weighs in here Jesus is calling us to love

everyday enemies I’m pausing deliberately today so you can take in the world around you in processing these things just as I have so Jesus is calling us to love our everyday enemies in our own households the annoying humans who interfere with our wills and obstruct our daily desires please don’t shout out the name of a family member right now okay still quoting that means loving the inconsiderate spouse the self-centered teenager the absentminded child it is a call to love the disrespectful boss some of you work

work for way too many hours every week and the demanding client you know that Karen my apologies if your name’s Karen but you know the expression today that’s really wrong I said that because I love a Karen I love several Karens in our church but anyway you get the idea to love them anyway that’s not none of this is easy to do when enemies get close you know what there there’s something about the Rocky movie that revved up in all of us you know Apollo Creed

and we were just like pound the life out of him Rocky and because it was epic it was it was International it was USA versus the USSR bury him you know I mean I remember just being wildly patriotic and all of that stuff and that’s why I went to the gym and turned into this you know I mean just saying just saying so but people hurt us don’t they let’s let’s get personal again and they hurt you and me so they have it coming we sometimes

think when we return the favor right but love your enemies and pray for my persecutors how how do I do that so for starters don’t expect much help from the world okay let me tell you that’s kind of an expression to say make sure you look in the right place because you can Google it and I say good luck okay so don’t expect much help from the world their ethical elevator does not go up too high it’s just the world world we live in their counsel

is a whole lot more like heard me once shame on you hurt me twice shame on me wow and their their advice actually sounds a little bit like a a two-word treaties Sweet Revenge somebody get you and you’re going to get them back and all that I’ve just chronicled may not apply at all to you some may go wow this is getting kind of close to home Sweet Revenge I I kind of have felt that maybe you heard these words maybe not but they’re in my

title actually today they’re sagely words they’re wise words they’re not in the Bible but the person who seeks revenge and maybe you you’ve been that person I have been that person the person who seeks revenge digs two graves so the Bible’s counsel to us and you will see that as we unfold this now stop digging stop it God has a better way he really does and you know that’s to be true of handling hurts that you and I experience and may I say at the start

as I frequently remind us there is not a single message that I’ll preach ever or have preached and there’s not a single truth in this book that you are not capable of carrying out with the holy spirit’s help Okay so if you hit something along the way in our conversation it even has a water bottle holder that’s not water what is that r no I’m just kidding it’s a joke okay so really just just remind yourself of that in fact you’re going to fall flat I

do whenever I fall like fail quickly and and you know dramatically it’s usually because I try to pull off something that I need holy Spirit help I can’t can’t do that certainly not in a sustained way and that’s what we’re after here so maybe you’ve heard the humorous longing and lament of the realist who says well they would say to me by name today but Pastor Steve you know to live above with Saints I love a that would be glory but to live below with Saints

I know that’s another story right and and that you know and to live in a world where evil people and Jesus word again enemies hurt us it just seems nearly impossible yet Jesus calls us to do just that in love it’s a big deal so I want us to listen to someone I I was I had lots to choose from in my preparation but I want us to listen to someone who spent time think of the inner circle with Jesus how many were there yeah 12

disciples but if you took a closer look and you’re new to the gospel so trust me in this you’re going to kind of hear this Trifecta if you will a trio they are Peter James and John in fact John he he was a guy that c became nicknamed he nicknamed it himself I I suppose but he called himself the disciple Jesus loved the one that’s pretty cool he loved them all for the record but but kind of cool to think of your identity as hey who

are you well I’m Steve I’m I’m I’m follower of Jesus he loves me a lot that’s kind of a cool way but anyway Peter came to mind and I thought of Peter for lots of reasons and and he seemed to be a guy that was transformed right in front of us if you read through the gospels and then find your way to two letters that he wrote 30 years later okay you with me on all that but he seemed to go from this guy that’s like

impetuous and driven and you know what are you you know and you know the sword-bearing Peter and John 18 took off the ear of the high priest’s assistant just in a moment but you see him soften and change and be transformed and so that took me to a letter of his I thought what what’s he talk about late in his life and first Peter is where I landed in chapter 3 so flip all the way back this is how thin your Bible is when you get

there it’s like a little guy so First Peter chapter 3 is the first of two letters he wrote late in life so that’s just a little road map to get there and Peter followed we know that and listened and he learned he took it in a whole bunch of practical stuff that he experienced in the presence of Jesus if you were a journaler or a diary person you would have gone you it would have been loaded with insights think of these as Holy Spirit insights that

God had Peter write down for us any he undoubtedly had Jesus in view in this section that we’re going to look at 1 Peter 3 I should tell you this by way of context Peter is coming out of a conversation that’s very practical and very real to many of us marriage he had been talking this whole chapter about husbands and wives he starts with wives this is how you’re supposed to pull it off even if your husband’s you know a a boat anchor you know he’s

just even if he’s hard to move around hard to get going hard to live with you know anybody like please ladies do not raise that hand right now do not do not but if you know somebody like that there’s great counsel here because every woman that’s told me about a scene like that says it’s hard it’s hard to do and let’s just call it suffering it’s not fair then he flips that later in one verse he takes on husbands and says listen you got a high

calling never is a wife anywhere in the Bible told to live with her husband in an understanding way did you know that probably because they get us real quick it doesn’t take a lot to keep us happy or it shouldn’t you know it’s I mean we we kind of are obvious I don’t know I’m getting off point it’s not this not a talk about marriage but my point is he uses about six verses on women on wives who were in a tough spot and one on

husbands okay he’s telling husband live with your wife in a considerate way and so on so forth then he Circle this word because it transitions into the meat of this message finally all of you be like-minded sympathetic love one another be compassionate and humble great description of healthy relationships and then verse N I think when you and I read verse n you’re going to imagine Peter looking at scenes of Jesus as he pinned this do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult on the

contrary repay evil with blessing because of this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing here’s here’s the message blessing beats Revenge it does 10 years ago I had an experience that I don’t think I’ll ever forget I was in my study one Tuesday actually and doing the Deep work and I I kind of think of it as a birthing room a little bit and I was in labor and I was really going forward and starting to push you know so sorry to be

too graphic but anyway and I look up and outside my window is my pickup truck where it always parks and I looked out there and I and I I don’t know it’s it just didn’t hit me at first but somebody was getting in my truck and I thought well maybe it doesn’t look like Debbie it must be one of my kids that had an extra key and needed something out of it that they left I didn’t even know but I look up a little and you

know how you’re in a fog and then you focus and that happened in that moment I could see it with somebody an unauthorized Intruder in my truck and I’m like what happened if you know I didn’t even think why did the guy that owns that truck not lock it you know I didn’t think that at that time I just got up and went what and I’m staring out that window and and he’s he’s he’s he’s you could see him going through things and he jumps I

jump and go running out the door and I said hey what are you doing and suddenly he takes off running and I thought at that at that time in my life I was running 5 miles a day or 6 miles a day I said well this is going to be easy and I take off across the parking lot this all really happened and I chase this guy down we go over fences and I circled around he didn’t know the shortcut and I got there and he

flies over the last fence and he’s standing straight in front of me and I just take the alpha position I’m like stop where you are didn’t have a gun but it looked good you know okay so and I’m like stop and and he was intimidated by it and he and he you could see him drop his backpack and dropped a few other things that were in my truck minutes earlier and I and I grab I said what are you I’m screaming at him I said what

are you doing and I drag him back here and I remember calling out to Vicki she was coming out of the building at that time I said call 911 they came and they arrested him and I watched as he was put in handcuffs and his backpack was open on the trunk of the of the cruiser the police cruiser and on the trunk is a whole bunch of things some of them mine some of them from other heists I guess I don’t know and I got to

I tell you that story because in that moment I felt triumphant I’m like I’ll put a bad guy behind bars that feeling lasted about 40 minutes and the more I thought about that guy as he was handcuffed and just humbled getting in the police car I just felt sick by the way if you’re here I love you I want to help I might want to make it right to you but I I wasn’t I was not happy that quickly and I and I thought to myself

what what have I just I did I put you know took a bite out of crime and then then you know what had what hit me was this thought from James you know and other Bible places but speak as a and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom and I was struck by that because judgment without Mercy will be shown to anyone who has been unmerciful then these words they’ve always maybe indict you too Mercy triumphs over judgment

and I I think of that story and I think you know what I I don’t I’m not sure what I would do differently my grandfather owned a hardware store and lots of shop shoplifters and he would give Chase so I thought I was kind of channeling him I was being like Grandpa you know and he would he was fast and he was an athlete and he would tackle them and he was a very big man so as he put it he would sit on them and

have a conversation with them and I probably would do it differently I’d do it inspired by him which is the Jesus way where I would say listen I want to talk to you about something catch my breath I want to talk to you about slavery it might sound like a strange word to use but Jesus said of Sinners I’m quoting from John 8:34 very truly I tell you everyone who sins is a slave of sin I I hope I would tell them there’s a better way

that there’s a Jesus way and he’s the one who can set you truly free I don’t know I don’t know if it would happen exactly that way but I had time to rethink my Approach and I and I hope I would do better God wants me to do better can I just say it boldly isn’t not that the whole message of the Bible I mean that’s so that means when I read verse n Peter’s counsil that we just came from it struck me as standing in

complete total contrast to the natural human response in that moment so when I when I read verse n I think it’s digging Graves to Graves is not a great approach because it’s a lot of work and you’re one of the graves so it doesn’t seem to take us to a good place when treated unjustly refrain from retaliation chasing the guy I don’t know how do you do that I only I I just give you quick picture I think of another guy in the Bible named at

my I was named after him stepen and at the end of his presentation of the Gospel a bunch of rock thrwing executioners began to Stone him to death and his very final breath in chapter seven of Acts we covered this way back when we studied acts but his very final words words to describe him Luke said while they were stoning Steven he prayed Lord Jesus receive my spirits my spirit there’s nothing there like you’re going to get it you just wait yours his coming then he

fell on his knees and cried out Lord I hold do not hold this sin against them when he had said this he fell asleep what a beautiful moment when treated unjustly refrain from retaliation how do you do it you don’t without help but but Stephen needed help too and he got it here’s another principle when treated unjustly give a blessing instead would you look down the page a little further because Peter’s not done with this verse 17 it is better if it is God’s will to

suffer for doing good than for doing evil for Christ also suffered once for sins the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to God he has put to death in the body but made alive in the spirit one more one more story and they capture this for you this is a long time ago I was in Middle School and we were busted across town the bay area in the 60s and the school district I guess didn’t have enough school buses so they contracted with AC Transit

the Bay Area whatever we call ours here Metro or whatever so they would pick you up at in your neighborhood like a normal school bus and they would take you to school and back the difference being you didn’t have to follow school bus rules and so you could stand in the bus and we did you could smoke in the Bus and many did in fact the whole back of the bus you know you’re a public transit employee your job’s not to police the thing and smoking

was perfectly fine in buses back in those days you see how it went so middle schoolers are loading this bus to the point it’s body to body it’s just packed full and we would rock these buses we just had fun you know and the the kind of bus that has a front exit and the side exit about halfway back there’s a couple stairs there one time I got on the bus late and I was actually in the stairwell just trying to find a place to stand

until my bus stopped everybody’s lit up in the back I mean what could go wrong with this picture right then a bus stop you know the Dinger came and they pulled over and the sidebars open and this guy comes out and several lots of students left and one of the guys that was smoking decided to put out a cigarette and I’m pressed against the side and he decided to use my neck as an ashtray and he puts out a lid cigarette on my neck as Embers

fell down my back and burned my shirt and caused blisters on my back so it was a moment it was really a moment I wanted to Brave you know look Brave and pretend like it didn’t bother me and some people get burned in this moment but I didn’t and all of that wasn’t true but I did get home and managed to tell my neighbor who is the we used to call it some of you will remember in the 60s good was bad we would go you’re

the baddest dude in the school me you bowed to no one you were the known King of the school and that happened to be my best friend and neighbor so I came home and I his name was Jimmy and I told him what happened and the next day he came to school and identified the guy and beat the pulp out of him I mean h it was it was really and it really sounds harsh but it was deserved yep it was and I’ve laughed about that

forever and I sort of chuckled with you as you laughed with me today but then I got to thinking okay how does all this work with Jesus words on my mind two if if anything you’ve got to look at verse nine and go that is not just words those that’s radical teaching you know and don’t repay evil he says don’t repay evil with evil but give a blessing instead how does that work in real life here’s some practical steps and we’re done we left off at

the end of verse 9 but verse 10 begins a quotation of David in Psalm 334 you can go there and look at it in the first person but Peter is quoting it and it’s word for word it’s well done whoever would love life he’s quoting Psalm 34 verses 12 to 16 whoever would love life let me stop and ask a question because I want you to raise your hand if it’s true of you when we read this first verse that Peter quotes I want you to

raise your hand if it describes you whoever would love life and see good days okay I did that I was reading it again and went wait that’s me that’s what I want now here’s the stipulation must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech they must turn from Evil and do good even though they got burned and they must seek peace and pursue it and the justification for that is that God’s seeing it all God God’s engaged with it all God cares about

what you do in response to the evil that’s happened to you for the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil so keeping your tongue I don’t know I it’s that’s what we’re told to do here if you want to have God’s blessing don’t speak or do evil instead say and do what is good because if you do God’s favor will be upon you and His holy

spirit will enable you to comply with this command that’s what I’m saying I don’t do that in my flesh even today very easily certainly not very long but the holy spirit says I I want you to also seek peace verse 11 seek peace and pursue it the word pursue means give it all you got be all in I want us at the end here to admit the obvious in closing revenge is natural it is some of you are going to write me and that’s okay I

I appreciate the feedback and interaction and you’re going to say what about Justice and that does have a place in all of this I’m just not sure it’s my job to exact that Justice or our job I’m not a pacifist either I don’t just say come and you know the thought of somebody slapping me on my right cheek and then not stopping that with a left hook or you know what I mean I mean I don’t know I don’t know how to do that without help

but so revenge is is natural refusing to seek revenge is not you with me it’s real important here at the end so I’m quoting now from Philip yansy after all when I feel wronged I can contrive a hundred reasons against forgiveness in favor of Revenge he needs to learn a lesson quoting yansy that guy he needs to learn a lesson I’m going to give it to him in the street right now I don’t want to encourage yourr responsible behavior so I’m not going to look the

other way or turn the other cheek I’ll let her stew for a while it will do her good he’s quoting reasons why revenge is easier to do than to to entrust it to God she needs to learn that actions have consequen qu es it’s a big one I’ve used well you’re going to pay for this because your actions have consequences I was the wronged party it’s not up to me to make the first move how can I forgive if he’s not even sorry the answer from

God is difficult yet direct because here’s why here’s how because God directs it we’ve just read that and expects it or he wouldn’t write it and he will Empower you to do it and promises you to bless you for it it builds a case for taking a radical Road like 1 Peter 3:9 and loving your enemies and the evil people that do harm to you there is a worry I have in my soul as I preach these things today you’ve heard me say over the years

that sometimes God brings a test my way to see if I’ll do it that way I’m not saying bring it I really hope I can live out my days never being tested like that but that’s not that’s not reasonable that’s not likely you know it so Dietrich Bon Hoffer wrestled with this command you know his name associated with Nazi Germany all this takes on new form if you’re trying to apply it in that theater right but not repaying evil with evil but giving a blessing instead

was something that was on his mind causing him prompting him empowering him to do the things he did his explanation like how did you do that his explanation is instructive it was simple and it was very very pointed meaning it was meant to bore a hole in me like it might in you I’m quoting God loves his enemies that is the glory of his love as every follower of Jesus knows if God forgave our debts how can we not do the same end quote and when

we do when we forgive our enemies when we find a way to not retaliate against evil people I really believe the digging stops I’d like you to Bow your heads with me this morning perhaps in no way will imitating God be more obvious than by refusing to seek revenge I was tempted to tell you a lot more stories and I have them of how people that I thought could have counter punched they they blessed instead and how it turned out like supernaturally way better than a

counter punch would have brought and I I’ve said it from the start I you need to hear it here at the end it’s doubtful that we can even begin to practice this counsel in God’s word for the treatment of our enemies and evil people without the holy spirit’s help I don’t say this cutely don’t try this on your own it’ll fail it’ll fall short so we’re going to end differently today if you’re you’re if you’re a person here today or joining us from somewhere else and

you are practiced at Revenge so much so that you’ve been digging two graves for a long time that’s not a place to stay today it needs to stop scripture that has helped me greatly in moments and in times like this and there have been many let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you Ephesians 4:31 says be put away from you put those things away and be kind to one another tenderhearted forgiving each other just as God in Christ

Jesus has forgiven you that almost takes my breath away imagining that I’m actually an enemy of God until Jesus stepped in and I and I suddenly have a different look of things and maybe a brand new power to do the right thing when wrong has been done so time to come clean today and I and I ask I say it that way because bitterness is a root and it grows deep in our souls the Bible says so we got to we got to be honest and

say there might be something behind the curtain for you in a closed Closet in your life and that’s the area that I hope you’ll look at in this final song that we’re going to present it’s not yours to sing you probably haven’t heard it but it’s ca

Transcript machine-generated from the sermon audio, so it may contain errors. 5,989 words.