In Matthew 5 we have the sermon on the mount, which includes the Beatitudes, Jesus' teaching on murder, adultery, divorce, turning the other cheek and love for our enemies.
Jesus starts with Beatitudes, in it he basically says turns the world upside down. He says that poor will be given the Kingdom, He says those who mourn will comforted, and the meek will inherit the Kingdom. Well, he doesn't turn the world upside so much as to say that the when the Kingdom of God comes, things will be completely different from the way they are now. He preaches good news.
Then he preaches bad news. He says that if you are angry with your brother or sister that you have committed murder, when we lust after someone we have committed adultery and we are not to return violence with violence but instead love our enemies. He finishes the chapter by saying "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Jesus wants us to do what is not possible... we know it's not possible and so does he. But have we really tried to be perfect? Or has our theology of grace given us an excuse to live without discipline? I have made no effort to love my enemy... I don't even have enemies, just people I don't get along with. I just delete them as a facebook friend and move on.
Which is why Jesus turned the world upside down on a Friday morning. He took the violence of humankind without fighting back. He forgave as he was dying.
He was perfect because we can't be.
I couldn't resist:
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