Taking A Chance On Love

Matthew 5:39-44

39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Introduction: In Matthew Chapter 5, we find six of the most neglected verses in the bible. In all of my years I don’t believe I have ever heard a single Christian testimony that references the contents of the five verses listed above.

We openly relegate these words to grunts of skepticism and humorous laughter. In neglecting these words, the Church is dangerously avoiding one of the most significant, the most powerful strategies in God’s system for governing his people. Our worship and praise services are fervently devoted to the benefits of faith and hope, about asking and receiving, about healing and about victory over the enemy. But worship is seldom devoted to the details featuring the risk factors that are ordained of God for the perfection of his people. In the midst of a culture bent on hatred and self preservation, let me submit four specifics on behalf of love.

( I ) Love Perfects Human Behavior- In the Divine scheme of order, love is God’s system for governing the behavior of every aspects of human endeavor. Love is not only a commandment of God, but God is love! It is this description of love that reveals the power by which God governs the behavior of his people’s love for him. Love for your neighbors. Love for oneself. And most significant of all, love of ones enemies. So, the first order of business for the believer is to be governed by the system on which hangs all the law and the prophets. As a child of God, I am compelled by a blood bought and a born again kinship, to take a chance on the adventures of love.

You want to know why? Its right there in verse 45: “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: . . . .” But let us face reality: If love is the most powerful force in the world, then the second most powerful force in the world is hatred — the product of sin. The power that killed God’s Son. And here is the shocker: Just as love energizes the soul and creates satisfaction in the act of doing good, like wise hatred generates a satisfaction in evil words and deeds of destruction. Have you ever noticed the difference in the countenance of a person who loves and the person who hates? And how lovely we look when love abides?

Have you ever notice the countenance of a newly born baby? But oh, if we could only see how we look after “the adventures of hatred” has itched its marks in our faces. I am tempted to ask you to turn to your neighbor and ask, Do you know what you look like? But I mustn’t bother with that. But hatred generates the environmental conditions for war, for recruiting Satan’s army and the weapons of war, while love is God’s plan for behavior, in confronting evil.

( II ) Love Subjects It’s Self To Measurement- By Divine comparison, love is the easiest things in life to measure. Like faith, love is subjected to measurement. You have a lot of love or you have a little love, or you have no love. ( John 15:13) Love is not measured by the amount of weight or size I feel in my heart, but by the amount of love I give from the heart. Here it is in John 3:16: For God SO LOVED . . . . the world, that he GAVE his ONLY begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Here it is again: “That ye love one another; “as” I have loved you. . .”

The words “So Loved” reveals the measurement of what God gave from the heart. The words, “As I have loved you,“ is a measurement that the Master expects his disciples to live up to. This is the yard stick by which the Father measures the love of his children. The love of God in me is not measured by how I love those who love me, but by how I love the people which despitefully use [ me], and persecute [me.] Therefore, I am to learn that the measure of my love does not always win those on whom I share my love. I am to learn that I can get on some folks nerves just by loving them. I am to learn that the more I love some people, the more they will hate me and want to destroy me. But that’s where the power is! If I am a child of God, the power of his love in me measures up enough to lift me above the power of sin in them. And I dare not stop loving my enemies. For then I would cease loving God. Therefore in the face of my enemies, I am compelled to take a chance on measuring up to the love in me, and to what the Lord expects from me.

( III ) Love Is A Risky Business- It is undeniably clear: Love is designed as a risk taking adventure. Even now, the Father risks his love to be honored and used in the life of his children. And the children are compelled to risk the power of love in facing the enemy. In this respect, we see the vulnerability over which love has to over come. Jesus makes this notion crystal clear in the amazing statement: “Whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” And then it gets really difficult. The enemy may not take the offer of another cheek. But beyond the offer of another cheek, is the ultimate burden: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despite-fully use you, and persecute you;”

Though there is power in love, love creates problems. Love leaves good people open to the onslaught of evil people. Just as love energizes the soul and creates satisfaction in the act of doing good, hatred also generates a satisfaction in evil and destruction. But as a child of God, I am trapped in a commitment to a strange, nonviolent strategy. Love has made me a prisoner of the Lord. “The love of God constrains me.” I can never know all the pain that love will take me through. Herein is the answer to why bad things happen to good people. Love draws us into dangerous situations, because discipleship is designed for such adventures.

The story goes, that a man found a snake freezing to death one cold day, and out of compassion, he put the snake in his bosom to warm it up and save its life. When the snake gained it’s strength, it bit the man. The man asked, “Why would you do that to me? I’m the one who saved your life.” The snake replied, “You knew I was a snake when you picked me up. I’m a snake.” The lesson: Love is risky business. Yet, I must love “snakey” people.

( IV ) Love Is A Guaranteed Strategy- I have learned that love is not always rewarded with win-win situations. For love is a strategy. A strategy that looks beyond winning battles to a loftier goal. Love is not justified by win-win situations. But by reaching over and beyond losing situations . . .to the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus. It was with eyes on a crown, that love prevailed over the crime of a crucifixion on Calvary’s hill.

Let me see if I can help somebody with this. The average person does not or will not get smitten on the cheek. Turning the other cheek, and going the second mile and giving up your overcoat is predicated on an “if” factor. The text with this “cheek episode” is not an itemized certainty in the natural routines of life. But as a child of the Father – Matthew 5:45 – this “cheek predicament” and the other items described, is a Christian mind set, a willingness to accept every opportunity to take a chance on what love is structured to do. Jesus was tested, tried and tempted on every hand. He took a chance on love in a court of unjust men. As is the natural thing the accused is expected to do. Jesus turned not only his cheek, but his whole body over to those who hated him. Jesus strategized! And he died! His death was a strategy of love. Yes, he died! He went to the grave. He didn’t win all the lives that needed to be saved before he went to the grave. But he won a victory over death for those who wanted to be saved. And then he got up! He lost some battles, but He won the war!

( V ) Love Is Something To Be- Finally, love is something to be. Better still, love is somebody to be. God is love. I am made in the image of God who loves me. And love is something for me to be. And somebody for me to be. Now, here comes the power. Not only is love a strategy for behavior. Love is a power that prevents failure. For God is love! Let me put it like this: As Dr. Miles Jones would say, “God be(s) love.” Love is not just something God does. “God be(s) love.” And since God “be(s)” love. . . .and love is what God does in me and through me . . . then . . . what I have in me, is the most powerful force in the world. I can be love. I said, I can be love. I am not empowered to win every battle, but I am empowered to be love, to be lovable, to be lovely, and empowered to be unconquerable. Love never fails to be! For God is love.

Millions of believers can testify to his truth. (1 Corinthians 13:8) . Love prevails! Herein is the power! Jesus didn’t win all those he loved. But he prevailed over death to receive all those given to him by the Father.

With this power, look what Jesus says I can be: I can be the salt of the earth, be the light of the world, be a disciple, be the temple of God, be a representive of the body of Christ, be a son of God. I can be all of that. And I can be like Jesus.

Conclusion: We are living in a drug and lottery driven society. With pleasurable excitement, people ( young and old ) are gambling with their lives. Every generation invents new and powerful ways with which to die, or take chances with their lives. How powerful is love? Let me put it to you this way: God was high and lifted up. His train filled the temple. He was high. High in might. High in Holiness. High in reputation. High in self-reliance. High! He was high, I tell you! I said he was high. But guess what happened: Love brought him down. Listen: It was love that brought God down. Down from the throne! Think about it! All the way down. I said, all the way down. To see about us.

We were failing! But love brought God down . . . . all the way down . . .to see about us. Down in humble submission. Down to the cruel hands of his creatures. Down to the clutches of the grave. Down to the depth of hell. God came down! All the way down! But he didn’t stay down. Love lifted him back up. Hey! When nothing else could help. . . .love lifted me!!!!.

© 2008 The Council of Love.