“God’s
Peace Plan”
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ. Amen. It would seem that religious faith should draw people closer together.
But, instead, all over the world this Sunday morning there are wars being fought
and people being killed in the name of religion. The news media has not
really explained that in many countries in the Middle East the current unrest is
actually the latest outbreak of long-standing animosity between rival branches
of Islam, which have been engaged in an ongoing civil war with each other for
centuries. Until recently the Protestants and Roman Catholics in Northern
Ireland had waged a similar sectarian war against each other for decades.
In just the past few months there have been hundreds of Christians massacred in
Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Nigeria, and other countries, including many pastors and
missionaries martyred for their faithful service to Christ. But, this ungodly religious warfare isn’t limited to strange religions
in far-off lands. Near Fort Wayne, Indiana this Sunday morning a small
country church stands empty. It is empty because the congregation there
was destroyed by year after year of religious warfare. Not with missiles,
bombs, and bullets, but with harsh words and angry emotions. Year after
year in this little church brother fought against brother, the feud passed down
from generation to generation. Like many country churches they were all
interrelated, so it was not only a church squabble but also a big family
squabble. Pastors came and went, unable to negotiate peace. The
bitterness and hatred drove people away to other churches. But, even in
the end, when there were only a handful of members left, they still fought and
argued until that congregation was totally destroyed. Like a war memorial,
the quaint old white wooden church building still stands, deserted and lifeless,
a silent testimony to the destructive power of harsh words and angry emotions. But, the reality is, that same awful fate could befall any Christian
congregation, or any family. For, none of us is immune from the temptation
to fight with one another, to wage war with harsh words and angry emotions.
As Paul warns in Galatians, “If you keep on biting and devouring each other,
watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” In today’s Old Testament Reading, the God of peace gives his peace
plan, for his church family, and for within your own family. “Do not seek
revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as
yourself.” The dictionary defines revenge as “repayment for a wrong that has been
inflicted.” Perhaps you have truly been wronged by someone, perhaps you
have had a deep emotional or spiritual wound inflicted, perhaps you feel
justified in taking revenge. But, God says, “Do not seek revenge or bear a
grudge.” It is very revealing that the Hebrew word used for “bearing” a grudge
is the same word used when someone “tends” crops or “cultivates” a garden.
God is saying: Your anger and bitterness would eventually die down, but you
won’t let it. Instead, you tend your anger, you actually cultivate your
bitterness. It may have happened years ago, but you’re not going to forget, you’re
not going to forgive. Keep the feud going, keep the hatred boiling,
cultivate your bitterness, tend your anger, and someday you will get your chance
to get even, to take revenge. But, God pleads with you: “Do not seek
revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as
yourself.” Forgiveness and love; that is the attitude we should have toward one
another. The Good News is, despite our sins and failures, that is the
attitude God does have toward you. For God himself does not seek revenge
for your sins. He does not bear a grudge for your wrongs. As Psalm
32 says, “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are
covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against
him.” The Good News is, that psalm is speaking about you. Your
transgressions are forgiven, your sins are covered. You are blessed, for
the Lord does not count your sins against you. Why? Paul puts it
this way in Galatians: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming
a curse for us.” God’s own Son took your place. In his suffering and death, he
took upon himself the punishment, the curse, the damnation your sins deserved.
As Paul says in Colossians, “He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body
through death, to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from
accusation.” On account of Christ’s sacrifice your sins are all forgiven,
you are now “holy in [God’s] sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” The Apostle John says, “He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning
sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love
one another.” In response to God’s gracious love and full forgiveness
toward you in Christ, you as a follower of Christ will show gracious love and
full forgiveness toward others. “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also
ought to love one another.” Paul describes in Ephesians how your Christian love will demonstrate
itself in your life: “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and
slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one
another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Be imitators
of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as
Christ loved us and gave himself up for us.” And in Colossians: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly
loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and
patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have
against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues
put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of
Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to
peace.” Jesus beautifully expressed at the Last Supper how his followers will
show his love in their lives: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I
have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know
that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” At the Last Supper Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Holy Communion,
which in the New Testament is called the “love feast.” It is called a love
feast, first of all, because here we remember the great love of Jesus for us, so
great that he gave his body and shed his blood to earn forgiveness for our sins,
and not only ours but for the sins of the whole world. He loved us and
gave himself up for us as an offering and sacrifice to God. “This do,”
Jesus says, “in remembrance of Me.” In remembrance of his love toward us. Holy Communion is called the “love feast” also because communing
together at the Lord’s altar is a symbol of love and harmony, and this Sacrament
is also a means God uses to increase our love and harmony. This is
expressed in a familiar prayer, written by Martin Luther for use after
Communion: “We give thanks to you, almighty God, that you have refreshed us
through this salutary gift, and we implore you that of your mercy you would
strengthen us through the same, in faith toward you, and in fervent love toward
one another.” Jesus describes the attitude of his followers in the Sermon on the
Mount, in today’s Gospel Reading: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for
eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If
someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if
someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.
If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who
asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
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 sons of your Father in heaven.” Jesus refers to the “law of retribution” as contained in the Old
Testament civil law, “Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.” Unlike God’s
moral law summarized in the Ten Commandments, which is timeless and still fully
in force for us today, the civil law was time-limited, valid only for the Old
Testament nation of Israel, and no longer applies to us in the New Testament
era. As Paul says in Colossians, “These are a shadow of the things that
were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” Christ’s followers are still permitted self-defense of ourselves and
our loved ones. Jesus actually told the disciples at the Last Supper as
they faced imminent danger, “If you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy
one.” Also, in the New Testament era properly constituted government still
has both God’s authority and a divinely mandated obligation to punish
wrongdoers. As Paul says in Romans, “The authorities that exist have been
established by God. . . if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear
the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring
punishment on the wrongdoer.” And Peter writes, “Submit yourselves for the
Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men . . . who are sent by him to
punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.” But, besides the exceptions of self-defense and the government
punishing criminals, in all other circumstances Christian love must be willing
to patiently suffer wrongs against us, and not seek revenge. “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have
against one another.” “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving
each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” “By this all men will know
that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” “Beloved, if God so
loved us, we also ought to love one another.” In the midst of so much strife in our world, keep your church family
and your own family an island of peace, by following in your life “God’s Peace
Plan”: “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but
love your neighbor as yourself.” Return to Top | Return to Sermons | Home | Email Church Office
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