Sunday’s message from The Sermon on the Mount series was called Radical Love Over Revenge, taken from Matthew 5:38-42. Here is a brief outline of the message:

I. The Old Testament taught justice – “eye for an eye” (38)
   A. Excessive punishment was prohibited (Deut 19:16-21)
      1) The punishment fit the crime
      2) Evil was restrained
   B. Personal revenge was forbidden (Deut 32:35; Romans 12:19)
      1) Let the courts do their job
      2) God will repay

II. Jesus taught radical love over revenge (39-42)
   A. Do not resist an evil person (39a)
      1) Spoken to individuals in their personal relationships
      2) Different set of Scriptural commands for those in authority (Romans 13:1-4)
   B. Four examples of radical love over revenge:
      1) Personal insults: turn the other cheek (39b)
      2) Lawsuits: Let him have your cloak as well (40)
      3) Forced actions: Go the second mile (41)
      4) Requests: Give to the one who asks (42)
         – cf. Psalm 112:5; Proverbs 3:27, 11:15; 2 Thess 3:10

Three applications:
   1) Practice mercy rather than justice (James 2:13)
   2) Go beyond what is required (Matthew 5:47)
   3) Trust God with the results (1 Peter 2:23)

Note: Click on the Sermons tab at the top of the blog for this and other messages.