Pastor Rory Shiner, from Providence Church joined Bec and Asa on Drive to discuss how to love your enemies.
The Sermon on the Mount
Pastor Rory began by discussing Jesus’ sermon on the mount.
But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.
Matthew 5:39
“First he says, ‘Do not resist an evil person.”
“I’ve been thinking about that. He doesn’t mean never go to court, never use HR, never call the police… He is saying, make peace with evil.”
Play Chess
Rory said that if ‘evil’ is playing a game of checkers, we must play chess.
“Do something more creative than just reply evil with evil. Turn the other cheek. Walk the extra mile.”
He argued that doing so does not mean you get walked over or get taken advantage of. You are a person who is gladly taking on the assignment to break a cycle.
“I just think it’s absolutely brilliant,” said Rory.
“There are so many situations in life where your gut reaction is to feel humiliated.
Break the Cycle
“You’ve hurt my feelings, I’m gonna hurt your feelings. And that’s a very strong instinct, but it’s one that just leaves us in the same place we started.”
“The cycle keeps going,” said Rory. “A friend of mine almost got mugged at the train station.”
Rory went on to say that the man took 10 dollars from his friend, then because he had been reading what Jesus said, his friend introduced himself as Jared.
“You don’t expect to be exchanging names with your mugger. The other guy just puts his hand out and says, ‘Oh, I’m James.”
“All of a sudden it goes from, you know, mugger and mugs to a dude called Jared and a dude called James on a bridge in Perth.”
The whole conversation took an interesting turn where they ended up discussing the Bible.
“My mate Jared gave him a Bible and they had this little interaction, and it just mixed it up.
Turn the Other Cheek
Rory said this is the reason Jesus is so brilliant. His death and resurrection, all the things he stands for.
“He gets slapped on the cheek and he doesn’t retaliate. He gives away both his shirt and his coat. He walks the mile with his cross. And it’s just such a powerful way that we get to live in the wake of Jesus. That’s how he wins his victory, not by retaliation, but by not repaying evil with evil.”
He said there are so many opportunities where our gut reaction isn’t our best reaction and we can then decide to mix it up and repay evil with good.
Matthew 26
“One thing I often say to people who aren’t followers of Jesus, do yourself a favour and read Matthew 26. Jesus faces trial and asks the question: Who is in charge here?”
“Because it’s actually Jesus, right? He’s the one who’s doing the thing that no one expects him to do and just like you say with the incident on the bridge, it’s actually the point of power is when you don’t respond from instinct but in love and with grace.”
Check out the full discussion with Pastor Rory Shiner below.