WEBVTT 00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:14.179 Today on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. 00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:17.519 Is there someone in your life that has hurt you 00:00:17.519 --> 00:00:21.100 or someone that you love and you just can't get 00:00:21.100 --> 00:00:24.059 past it? I mean, when you're honest, you're bitter, 00:00:24.199 --> 00:00:26.920 you're resentful, and you just don't know how 00:00:26.920 --> 00:00:31.620 to get unstuck? If so, today's the day. Hang 00:00:31.620 --> 00:00:33.679 with me. You're going to get answers to that 00:00:33.679 --> 00:00:38.340 issue. Welcome to Living on the Edge with Chip 00:00:38.340 --> 00:00:41.399 Ingram. Today, Chip takes us to two of the most 00:00:41.399 --> 00:00:44.579 demanding passages in all of Scripture. First, 00:00:44.700 --> 00:00:47.000 to Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, where he 00:00:47.000 --> 00:00:49.520 commands us to love our enemies and pray for 00:00:49.520 --> 00:00:52.700 those who persecute us. And then to the Apostle 00:00:52.700 --> 00:00:55.299 Paul in Romans chapter 12, where that command 00:00:55.299 --> 00:00:57.780 gets spelled out in the most practical, specific 00:00:57.780 --> 00:01:01.539 terms imaginable. It's a challenging but liberating 00:01:01.539 --> 00:01:04.459 message titled, How to Overcome the Evil Aimed 00:01:04.459 --> 00:01:07.219 at You. And it's part of our series, God's Dream 00:01:07.219 --> 00:01:09.769 for Your Life. Well, as we get started, I want 00:01:09.769 --> 00:01:12.010 to ask you to go to a place that you may not 00:01:12.010 --> 00:01:15.269 really want to go, but I'll tell you in advance, 00:01:15.489 --> 00:01:18.549 it'll be worth it. I'd like you to lean back 00:01:18.549 --> 00:01:22.269 just a little bit, be reflective, and I want 00:01:22.269 --> 00:01:25.030 you to answer this question in your mind. Feel 00:01:25.030 --> 00:01:27.230 free to even close your eyes for just a moment 00:01:27.230 --> 00:01:31.870 if it's helpful. Of all the people in your life 00:01:31.870 --> 00:01:36.109 to date that you would say have hurt you the 00:01:36.109 --> 00:01:41.769 most, Who comes to your mind? Who's wounded you? 00:01:43.209 --> 00:01:46.349 Who sexually or physically abused you when you 00:01:46.349 --> 00:01:50.750 were younger? Who's been ungrateful and humiliated 00:01:50.750 --> 00:01:56.370 you? Who's betrayed you? Have you got it? I want 00:01:56.370 --> 00:02:00.890 you to follow along and I want to read to you 00:02:00.890 --> 00:02:04.370 what I think are the most radical words that 00:02:04.370 --> 00:02:07.469 have ever come out of any person's mouth. that 00:02:07.469 --> 00:02:10.610 has walked on the earth. They're familiar to 00:02:10.610 --> 00:02:13.050 some of you, which is unfortunate because they 00:02:13.050 --> 00:02:16.949 lose their power. Matthew chapter 5 in the Sermon 00:02:16.949 --> 00:02:21.009 on the Mount, you have heard it said, love your 00:02:21.009 --> 00:02:25.090 neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, 00:02:25.129 --> 00:02:30.250 love your enemies and pray for those who persecute 00:02:30.250 --> 00:02:33.810 you. What's it look like practically to love 00:02:33.810 --> 00:02:36.259 your enemies? Open your Bibles, if you will, 00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:41.599 to Romans chapter 12. He begins to clearly tell 00:02:41.599 --> 00:02:44.439 us how to respond to the evil aimed at us in 00:02:44.439 --> 00:02:48.060 verse 14. In verses 14 to 16, he's going to give 00:02:48.060 --> 00:02:50.419 us a positive command. This is how you respond 00:02:50.419 --> 00:02:52.900 to that person that came to your mind that I 00:02:52.900 --> 00:02:55.539 started this message with and asked you to think 00:02:55.539 --> 00:02:58.099 about. And he's going to say, here's how you 00:02:58.099 --> 00:03:01.159 respond to that person. Now, I'm going to warn 00:03:01.159 --> 00:03:03.520 you, it's going to sound ridiculous and impossible. 00:03:04.880 --> 00:03:07.219 Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not 00:03:07.219 --> 00:03:11.419 curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn 00:03:11.419 --> 00:03:15.500 with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one 00:03:15.500 --> 00:03:18.539 another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate 00:03:18.539 --> 00:03:22.099 with people of low position. Do not be conceited. 00:03:23.259 --> 00:03:25.599 He's going to say, you need to bless them, and 00:03:25.599 --> 00:03:28.599 that's how. Then he gives a negative command. 00:03:28.759 --> 00:03:32.120 The temptation when our enemies and people have 00:03:32.120 --> 00:03:35.039 hurt us, there's a temptation. and he's going 00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:39.539 to hit it right between our eyes. Verse 17, do 00:03:39.539 --> 00:03:43.280 not repay evil for evil. Be careful to do what 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:46.439 is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, 00:03:46.539 --> 00:03:49.379 as far as it depends on you, live or be at peace 00:03:49.379 --> 00:03:52.979 with all men. Do not take revenge, my friends, 00:03:53.060 --> 00:03:55.159 but leave room for God's wrath, for it's written, 00:03:55.300 --> 00:03:58.719 it is mine to avenge, I will repay, says the 00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:02.919 Lord. On the contrary. Here's how you're to treat 00:04:02.919 --> 00:04:06.120 that person that is in your mind. If your enemy's 00:04:06.120 --> 00:04:10.159 hungry, feed him. If she's thirsty, give her 00:04:10.159 --> 00:04:13.639 a drink. In so doing, you will heap burning coals 00:04:13.639 --> 00:04:15.960 upon their head. And that doesn't mean God will 00:04:15.960 --> 00:04:18.480 blow their brains out. We'll learn a little bit 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:21.769 what that really means. And then there's a supernatural 00:04:21.769 --> 00:04:24.509 result. There's this thing that when you act 00:04:24.509 --> 00:04:27.310 the way Jesus acted toward his enemies, because 00:04:27.310 --> 00:04:29.949 Jesus lives in you by his spirit, and you do 00:04:29.949 --> 00:04:31.850 it in the power of his word and authentic community, 00:04:32.089 --> 00:04:35.949 he says, do not be overcome by evil. And it's 00:04:35.949 --> 00:04:38.810 an evil world. But he says there's something 00:04:38.810 --> 00:04:43.949 more powerful than evil. Overcome evil with good. 00:04:45.410 --> 00:04:47.149 Now, what I want to do in the remainder of our 00:04:47.149 --> 00:04:50.459 time is I want to... I want to break down very 00:04:50.459 --> 00:04:53.459 specifically and practically what it looks like 00:04:53.459 --> 00:04:58.439 to bless those who persecute you. That's the 00:04:58.439 --> 00:05:00.779 first and positive command. And the command is 00:05:00.779 --> 00:05:05.639 this, bless them that persecute you. That's what 00:05:05.639 --> 00:05:10.680 you're called to do. In verses 14, 15, and 16, 00:05:10.920 --> 00:05:14.560 he's going to give you three specific ways to 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:16.879 bless them. The word bless, by the way, this 00:05:16.879 --> 00:05:19.939 is not like, you know, someone sneezes and you 00:05:19.939 --> 00:05:23.060 go, oh, bless you. This is not that, okay? This 00:05:23.060 --> 00:05:26.459 word literally means to desire the salvation 00:05:26.459 --> 00:05:31.019 of another person. It means to desire and long 00:05:31.019 --> 00:05:35.000 for God's blessing and favor to be upon them. 00:05:35.379 --> 00:05:38.310 I mean, it's like for that. enemy, that actually 00:05:38.310 --> 00:05:40.670 their life would work out well, that if they're 00:05:40.670 --> 00:05:42.250 married, their marriage would get deeper. If 00:05:42.250 --> 00:05:43.810 they're a parent, their kids would do well. If 00:05:43.810 --> 00:05:45.310 they have a job, they would. I mean, it's blessing. 00:05:46.610 --> 00:05:49.389 That's what you're praying. And there's three 00:05:49.389 --> 00:05:51.810 components here. The first component of blessing 00:05:51.810 --> 00:05:57.089 others is forgiving them. This is hard. Forgiving 00:05:57.089 --> 00:06:01.370 them. I mean, if you're to pray for and blessing 00:06:01.370 --> 00:06:04.750 is for their salvation, if you want God to forgive 00:06:04.750 --> 00:06:06.050 them, guess what? You've got to forgive them. 00:06:07.600 --> 00:06:09.819 And you know that little section sort of in, 00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:13.060 we call it the Lord's Prayer? Forgive us our 00:06:13.060 --> 00:06:17.980 sins just as we forgive others. See, the premise 00:06:17.980 --> 00:06:22.500 is going to be, and this is the key to loving 00:06:22.500 --> 00:06:26.100 your enemies. You and I have to come to the point 00:06:26.100 --> 00:06:30.800 where we really grasp how merciful and God has 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:33.560 not given us what we deserve. And there's part 00:06:33.560 --> 00:06:35.500 of it where it's a dark place you need to go 00:06:35.500 --> 00:06:37.100 and you kind of need to look at your motives 00:06:37.100 --> 00:06:39.519 and some things that you've done and some stuff 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:42.639 that you have begged God, oh God, please, please 00:06:42.639 --> 00:06:44.620 don't let me get the consequences of that one. 00:06:44.660 --> 00:06:48.139 Oh God, pick me up and cleanse me. And he has. 00:06:49.759 --> 00:06:52.180 And then what he's going to say is, I want you 00:06:52.180 --> 00:06:55.240 to do for that person what I've done for you. 00:06:56.620 --> 00:06:59.339 Forgiveness has three phases. Jot these down, 00:06:59.420 --> 00:07:03.959 please. Phase number one is a choice. To forgive. 00:07:04.879 --> 00:07:08.259 It's when you, it is not emotional. It has nothing 00:07:08.259 --> 00:07:12.480 to do with your feelings. It is a choice. The 00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:14.720 second thing is the forgiving process. So you 00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:17.819 forgive and then it's forgiving. That's a journey. 00:07:18.420 --> 00:07:20.920 And that journey is where your emotions catch 00:07:20.920 --> 00:07:24.639 up with the choice that you've made. Because 00:07:24.639 --> 00:07:26.959 you can forgive and you do that and you say, 00:07:27.060 --> 00:07:30.579 and the word means to release or to loose. In 00:07:30.579 --> 00:07:33.000 other words, I'm going to take back my desire 00:07:33.000 --> 00:07:35.939 for them to get paid back, and I'm going to release 00:07:35.939 --> 00:07:38.339 them from that like God has released it. And 00:07:38.339 --> 00:07:40.980 so I'm not going to say anything negative about 00:07:40.980 --> 00:07:42.839 them. I'm not going to wish negative for them 00:07:42.839 --> 00:07:44.879 anymore. I'm going to release them to God, and 00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:46.480 I'm going to forgive them the way God's forgiven 00:07:46.480 --> 00:07:49.779 me, freely. See, there's poison in your soul 00:07:49.779 --> 00:07:51.420 when there's bitterness and you've been wounded. 00:07:51.819 --> 00:07:54.660 And as someone wisely said, when we refuse to 00:07:54.660 --> 00:07:57.399 forgive, it's like we drink poison and think 00:07:57.399 --> 00:08:00.560 the other person's going to die. Can I just make 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:02.459 a comment? Because I think there's a lot of confusion 00:08:02.459 --> 00:08:05.240 about forgiveness and emotions and, well, I don't 00:08:05.240 --> 00:08:07.899 feel like I've forgiven him. Forgive is a choice, 00:08:07.959 --> 00:08:11.560 and then you bless them. You pray for them. We're 00:08:11.560 --> 00:08:13.019 going to learn in a minute you not only pray 00:08:13.019 --> 00:08:15.480 for them, but you start doing good things for 00:08:15.480 --> 00:08:17.000 your actual enemies. Like if they're hungry, 00:08:17.079 --> 00:08:18.740 you feed them. If they're thirsty, and there's 00:08:18.740 --> 00:08:21.079 specific ways that you do good things for people 00:08:21.079 --> 00:08:24.160 who don't deserve it. But I'd like if you would 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:29.810 think about Jesus in the garden. He died. to 00:08:29.810 --> 00:08:33.470 forgive you and to forgive me. And sometimes 00:08:33.470 --> 00:08:35.210 we make this, you know, Jesus loves me, this 00:08:35.210 --> 00:08:37.190 I know. Can I let you in on a little secret? 00:08:37.470 --> 00:08:41.429 He didn't feel like forgiving you. Did you ever 00:08:41.429 --> 00:08:45.330 think of that? He's in the garden. He's sweating 00:08:45.330 --> 00:08:48.549 like drops the stress like blood coming out of 00:08:48.549 --> 00:08:52.509 his pores. And he's fully God, but he's fully 00:08:52.509 --> 00:08:54.990 man. He didn't die with some S on his chest like 00:08:54.990 --> 00:08:58.269 I'm going through the motions. As a man, he could 00:08:58.269 --> 00:09:02.129 die, As God the Son, he knew that when he was 00:09:02.129 --> 00:09:04.730 going to get on that cross, your sin and my sin 00:09:04.730 --> 00:09:07.090 and the sin of all people of all time would be 00:09:07.090 --> 00:09:09.769 placed upon him. He became our sin offering. 00:09:09.990 --> 00:09:12.929 And when the moment sin came upon him, the Father 00:09:12.929 --> 00:09:15.129 would turn away and for the first time in eternity, 00:09:15.370 --> 00:09:18.049 the Father and the Son would be separated and 00:09:18.049 --> 00:09:20.590 he would experience that isolation and the price 00:09:20.590 --> 00:09:24.710 of sin. And do you remember what he prayed? Father, 00:09:24.769 --> 00:09:26.909 let this cup pass. You know what he's saying? 00:09:27.259 --> 00:09:32.200 I don't want to do this. I don't feel like doing 00:09:32.200 --> 00:09:37.039 this. Forgiving and loving isn't doing what you 00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:40.620 feel like. It's choosing to give another person 00:09:40.620 --> 00:09:43.360 what they need the most when they deserve it 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:47.799 the least at great personal cost. And when God 00:09:47.799 --> 00:09:49.759 says to forgive this person, all we're doing 00:09:49.759 --> 00:09:51.740 is we're stepping in the same path of Jesus. 00:09:52.200 --> 00:09:54.340 And we're doing for this person. They don't deserve 00:09:54.340 --> 00:09:57.350 it. Of course not. Neither did I. Neither did 00:09:57.350 --> 00:10:01.269 you. You're listening to Living on the Edge. 00:10:01.509 --> 00:10:03.730 And Chip Ingram will continue today's program 00:10:03.730 --> 00:10:06.789 in just a minute. Today's message is part of 00:10:06.789 --> 00:10:09.750 Chip's series, God's Dream for Your Life. And 00:10:09.750 --> 00:10:13.269 you can hear it anytime at livingontheedge .org. 00:10:13.730 --> 00:10:15.669 Whether you want to revisit what you've heard 00:10:15.669 --> 00:10:18.629 today or pass it along to a friend, this message 00:10:18.629 --> 00:10:22.210 and hundreds more are available online. You'll 00:10:22.210 --> 00:10:24.649 also find small group resources and opportunities 00:10:24.649 --> 00:10:27.470 to help you live out God's dream for your life. 00:10:27.690 --> 00:10:32.129 It's all there at livingontheedge .org. Well, 00:10:32.129 --> 00:10:34.909 now here's Chip. And so the process of forgiveness 00:10:34.909 --> 00:10:39.090 is a choice. Second, forgive. Forgiving is a 00:10:39.090 --> 00:10:44.269 process. And then forgiven is it's done. And 00:10:44.269 --> 00:10:48.309 here's how you know when it's done. You can spontaneously 00:10:48.309 --> 00:10:52.929 rejoice at blessing in their life. Some of you 00:10:52.929 --> 00:10:55.490 are going to get out of prison today. Some of 00:10:55.490 --> 00:10:57.370 you have been pushing this down, and that's why 00:10:57.370 --> 00:10:59.789 you're depressed. Some of you eat when you're 00:10:59.789 --> 00:11:01.350 not hungry because you've been pushing this stuff 00:11:01.350 --> 00:11:04.470 down. Some of you have ulcers and migraines, 00:11:04.490 --> 00:11:07.730 and there's lots of physical causes, but a big 00:11:07.730 --> 00:11:10.129 part of why our bodies don't work very well and 00:11:10.129 --> 00:11:12.049 why we do stuff that doesn't make sense, and 00:11:12.049 --> 00:11:15.330 we have sanctified, quote, addictions and not 00:11:15.330 --> 00:11:18.519 -so -sanctified addictions. And a lot of it is 00:11:18.519 --> 00:11:21.779 rooted in this lack of forgiveness and be willing 00:11:21.779 --> 00:11:25.960 to release these people. And you can start that 00:11:25.960 --> 00:11:30.679 today. The final thing he says, not only do you 00:11:30.679 --> 00:11:32.500 forgive them, but he talks about identification. 00:11:33.480 --> 00:11:35.960 And so it's not just where you mentally are doing 00:11:35.960 --> 00:11:39.019 this. I mean, this gets like from hard to crazy 00:11:39.019 --> 00:11:42.000 hard. He says rejoice with those who rejoice 00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:43.639 and weep with those who weep. Christians, we 00:11:43.639 --> 00:11:46.600 usually quote that and we think it's how we're 00:11:46.600 --> 00:11:48.220 supposed to treat one another. You don't need 00:11:48.220 --> 00:11:50.320 any commands to rejoice with people that you 00:11:50.320 --> 00:11:52.240 love. And you don't need any commands to weep 00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:54.980 with people that you love that have cancer. The 00:11:54.980 --> 00:11:57.639 context here is this is how we bless or treat 00:11:57.639 --> 00:12:02.139 our enemies. And so your boss who ripped you 00:12:02.139 --> 00:12:06.620 off, who did terrible things to you, Or your 00:12:06.620 --> 00:12:09.200 mate that walked out on you and married some 00:12:09.200 --> 00:12:12.600 little hottie, male or female, and now is, you 00:12:12.600 --> 00:12:15.139 know, on the beach while you don't have any money. 00:12:15.960 --> 00:12:21.019 Is this real stuff or not? Right? And then they 00:12:21.019 --> 00:12:24.700 get cancer or they're in an auto accident. You 00:12:24.700 --> 00:12:26.840 know what this says? You rejoice with those who 00:12:26.840 --> 00:12:29.159 rejoice, you weep with those who weep. What would 00:12:29.159 --> 00:12:33.120 happen if you walked in that hospital room? Said, 00:12:33.159 --> 00:12:35.929 you know, I know it's been five years. You can't 00:12:35.929 --> 00:12:38.210 believe how much I've prayed for you. You don't 00:12:38.210 --> 00:12:41.809 have to tell them why. And I want you to know 00:12:41.809 --> 00:12:43.629 that I have forgiven you for what you've done. 00:12:44.289 --> 00:12:46.509 But when I heard about this cancer, I felt compelled 00:12:46.509 --> 00:12:49.389 by God to come tell you that Jesus really loves 00:12:49.389 --> 00:12:52.289 you. And I would love, would you allow me to 00:12:52.289 --> 00:12:56.470 pray for you right now? Can you imagine them 00:12:56.470 --> 00:13:00.070 scratching their head? Or when something good 00:13:00.070 --> 00:13:03.509 happens to them, rejoicing with them. You know, 00:13:03.529 --> 00:13:05.789 maybe they remarry and they burnt you, but they 00:13:05.789 --> 00:13:07.570 have a kid and they have a baby and something 00:13:07.570 --> 00:13:09.330 happens and you've completely forgiven them and 00:13:09.330 --> 00:13:12.070 you're praying for blessing. What if you jotted 00:13:12.070 --> 00:13:16.009 a note and said, I really, I praise God, I've 00:13:16.009 --> 00:13:17.750 been praying for your family for two years and, 00:13:17.789 --> 00:13:22.149 you know, it's exciting to see this blessing 00:13:22.149 --> 00:13:25.549 in your life. And for some, because here's the 00:13:25.549 --> 00:13:27.929 disclaimer, if you were sexually abused or this 00:13:27.929 --> 00:13:30.049 person hurt you or did something, there's some 00:13:30.049 --> 00:13:33.100 people you can't get involved with. But you could 00:13:33.100 --> 00:13:36.480 send them an anonymous gift. Because here's what 00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:40.480 it does. It changes you. And before you keep 00:13:40.480 --> 00:13:43.100 looking at me like this is the craziest stuff 00:13:43.100 --> 00:13:45.159 you've ever heard, isn't this what Jesus did? 00:13:45.820 --> 00:13:49.259 Didn't Jesus come to a planet and those who were 00:13:49.259 --> 00:13:51.980 his own did not receive him but rejected him? 00:13:52.519 --> 00:13:56.440 So we are his enemies. Paul would call us while 00:13:56.440 --> 00:14:00.500 we were still his enemies, Christ died for us, 00:14:00.600 --> 00:14:03.259 Romans 5 .8. And so why were his enemies? What 00:14:03.259 --> 00:14:05.840 did he do? He went to weddings and rejoiced with 00:14:05.840 --> 00:14:08.379 us. He raised little kids from the dead. If you're 00:14:08.379 --> 00:14:10.120 hungry, why don't we just feed everybody right 00:14:10.120 --> 00:14:13.600 here? Or with Lazarus, what did he do? He wept. 00:14:14.960 --> 00:14:19.379 See, Jesus wasn't playing, okay, when you clean 00:14:19.379 --> 00:14:21.659 up your act and when everything gets okay, then 00:14:21.659 --> 00:14:25.340 I will love you. He rejoiced with those who were 00:14:25.340 --> 00:14:28.039 rejoicing, and he weeped because it is the kindness 00:14:28.039 --> 00:14:32.210 of God that leads to repentance. People will 00:14:32.210 --> 00:14:35.610 probably, this is so counterintuitive. This is 00:14:35.610 --> 00:14:40.190 so bizarre. When you, by his power and his grace, 00:14:40.289 --> 00:14:43.889 choose to do this, something happens. And the 00:14:43.889 --> 00:14:46.049 grace of God works through you in ways where, 00:14:46.149 --> 00:14:47.950 you know what, people start to believe maybe 00:14:47.950 --> 00:14:51.250 this Jesus is real. And so it begins with forgiveness. 00:14:51.929 --> 00:14:54.169 And then there's identification. And then notice 00:14:54.169 --> 00:14:57.809 the very last part, verse 16. He says there's 00:14:57.809 --> 00:15:00.230 an association that you need to be very careful. 00:15:01.289 --> 00:15:04.309 He says, live in harmony with one another. Do 00:15:04.309 --> 00:15:06.970 not be proud, but willing. Circle that word associate 00:15:06.970 --> 00:15:10.409 with people of low position. And then as though, 00:15:10.570 --> 00:15:13.549 you know, do not be conceited. In a fallen world 00:15:13.549 --> 00:15:15.850 with evil people, and especially those that don't 00:15:15.850 --> 00:15:17.889 know Christ and are very antagonistic, the Apostle 00:15:17.889 --> 00:15:20.049 Paul is saying, we need to be people that don't 00:15:20.049 --> 00:15:23.899 just cling to our rights. In the fray of life, 00:15:24.100 --> 00:15:27.179 I mean, it's a selfish, dog -eat -dog manipulative 00:15:27.179 --> 00:15:30.100 world. I mean, welcome to the NFL. So how does 00:15:30.100 --> 00:15:33.559 a Christian live that out? If possible, he says, 00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:37.440 live in harmony with one another. And then here's 00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:39.500 the deal. When you're blessing your enemies, 00:15:39.759 --> 00:15:43.159 see, if you're not careful, it can be like, you 00:15:43.159 --> 00:15:45.679 know what? I'm going to do this. I'm going to 00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:48.220 jot a card. I'm going to visit them in the hospital. 00:15:48.440 --> 00:15:50.659 I'm going to pray for them every day. You know 00:15:50.659 --> 00:15:53.330 what? I'm sort of this wonderful, spiritual, 00:15:53.509 --> 00:15:56.710 amazing person loving this scumbag of the world 00:15:56.710 --> 00:16:02.289 who walk out on me. That's kind of the opposite 00:16:02.289 --> 00:16:06.830 of do not be conceited. See, this is hard for 00:16:06.830 --> 00:16:14.049 some of us. On a given day, the very thing that 00:16:14.049 --> 00:16:17.710 that person did to you in a moment of weakness 00:16:17.710 --> 00:16:21.169 and under pressure, you could do that to someone 00:16:21.169 --> 00:16:29.529 else. So we come not as the superiors. We come 00:16:29.529 --> 00:16:32.970 associating with, connecting with our humanity, 00:16:33.110 --> 00:16:36.809 people of low position, and we're not conceited, 00:16:36.809 --> 00:16:40.389 but it's with humility that we bless them with 00:16:40.389 --> 00:16:44.350 a sense of, but for the grace of God, I would 00:16:44.350 --> 00:16:47.750 be doing those things to others. Doesn't this 00:16:47.750 --> 00:16:50.639 really just sound like Jesus? Doesn't it just, 00:16:50.740 --> 00:16:52.720 isn't there like a trail being blazed that we're 00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:56.799 to follow? And so that's the positive side. Bless 00:16:56.799 --> 00:17:00.700 those, and notice, who persecute you. They're 00:17:00.700 --> 00:17:04.779 after you. The second command is a negative one. 00:17:04.920 --> 00:17:09.380 Don't take your own revenge. Verses 17 through 00:17:09.380 --> 00:17:13.119 20. Don't take your own revenge. I mean, it's 00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:17.420 just a command. Do not repay evil for evil. And 00:17:17.420 --> 00:17:19.119 then he's kind of like in a following world. 00:17:19.180 --> 00:17:21.799 He says, be careful. Circle that word above it. 00:17:22.099 --> 00:17:25.660 Literally, it's take thought. New American Standard 00:17:25.660 --> 00:17:28.980 says, respect what is right in the sight of all 00:17:28.980 --> 00:17:31.940 men. If possible, as far as it depends on you, 00:17:32.019 --> 00:17:35.059 live with peace with everyone. And then he goes 00:17:35.059 --> 00:17:36.839 on to say, just wait a second. Don't take your 00:17:36.839 --> 00:17:38.480 own revenge, but leave room for God's wrath. 00:17:39.400 --> 00:17:41.200 He's the one who's going to be the judge. He's 00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:45.119 going to mete out justice. Here's the point. 00:17:46.659 --> 00:17:48.720 Personal retaliation is a prohibited response 00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:53.240 for God's people. Personal retaliation. In other 00:17:53.240 --> 00:17:56.359 words, they did evil to you, you get them back. 00:17:57.119 --> 00:18:00.220 They did evil to you, you get them back. They 00:18:00.220 --> 00:18:02.279 did this to you, you say bad things about them. 00:18:02.619 --> 00:18:04.720 And if you're a Christian and you have some experience, 00:18:04.799 --> 00:18:07.140 you can do it in such passive, aggressive ways. 00:18:07.799 --> 00:18:11.160 And you add a verse to it. Throw in, it's a prayer 00:18:11.160 --> 00:18:15.140 request. It works, believe me. And you just go 00:18:15.140 --> 00:18:18.039 left -handed like this and you whack them. Because 00:18:18.039 --> 00:18:22.000 your real goal is revenge. It's payback. You 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:23.980 use your power, you use your intellect, you use 00:18:23.980 --> 00:18:29.339 your relationships, you use nuances. And you 00:18:29.339 --> 00:18:32.240 go like this. One more drink of poison, please. 00:18:33.140 --> 00:18:36.319 It's going to kill him sooner or later. But it 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:42.390 doesn't. Never pay back evil for evil. Instead, 00:18:42.490 --> 00:18:46.230 take thought and consider how people think. Respect 00:18:46.230 --> 00:18:48.569 and realize that they don't have your values. 00:18:48.750 --> 00:18:51.670 They're not going to act the same way. The field 00:18:51.670 --> 00:18:55.329 is not level. They're really focused on them. 00:18:56.170 --> 00:18:58.269 Sometimes I hear Christians get all upset about 00:18:58.269 --> 00:19:00.009 non -Christians living like non -Christians. 00:19:01.569 --> 00:19:06.450 That guy's really greedy. She's so sexually immoral. 00:19:06.809 --> 00:19:09.369 I can't believe that, I mean, he just drained 00:19:09.369 --> 00:19:13.279 the whole company and all the employees. Oh, 00:19:13.339 --> 00:19:19.119 my. So what were we like before Jesus was controlling 00:19:19.119 --> 00:19:22.579 the interior of our life? Take thought for how 00:19:22.579 --> 00:19:25.380 people think. It will help you live in harmony 00:19:25.380 --> 00:19:28.539 with them. Personal retaliation is prohibited 00:19:28.539 --> 00:19:33.079 for two very important reasons. One, it usurps 00:19:33.079 --> 00:19:37.660 God's role as judge. Vengeance is mine. God says, 00:19:37.700 --> 00:19:40.390 look. I'm just. Yes, I'm holy, I'm compassionate, 00:19:40.430 --> 00:19:42.910 I'm slow to anger, but I'm just. And the word 00:19:42.910 --> 00:19:46.170 justice is rooted in a concept. You know, the 00:19:46.170 --> 00:19:50.049 scales of justice. Justice is rooted in a very 00:19:50.049 --> 00:19:54.049 clear concept of retribution. Retribution is 00:19:54.049 --> 00:19:57.710 simply this. When you do evil stuff, evil consequences. 00:19:58.130 --> 00:20:01.549 When you do good stuff, reward. Every man will 00:20:01.549 --> 00:20:05.970 get what they deserve. You just need to say, 00:20:06.009 --> 00:20:09.069 I need to take the ball of judgment, hand it 00:20:09.069 --> 00:20:12.410 to God, and say, I'm tired of trying to figure 00:20:12.410 --> 00:20:14.670 out all the ways in my anger fantasies and different 00:20:14.670 --> 00:20:17.750 ways to get back at my boss or my ex or one of 00:20:17.750 --> 00:20:20.289 my kids or the person who abused me, and I'm 00:20:20.289 --> 00:20:22.529 going to put that ball in your hands from now 00:20:22.529 --> 00:20:24.589 throughout eternity, and I'm going to trust that 00:20:24.589 --> 00:20:28.549 since you are just, that you will do what's right. 00:20:28.630 --> 00:20:31.069 I will never get a raw deal, but I'm stepping 00:20:31.069 --> 00:20:36.230 out. You own it, God. I release it to you. You're 00:20:36.230 --> 00:20:40.230 fair. You're just. And either on this side of 00:20:40.230 --> 00:20:44.410 heaven or on this side of after death, the scales 00:20:44.410 --> 00:20:49.009 will be absolutely and perfectly balanced. You 00:20:49.009 --> 00:20:52.990 can release that wound and that hurt and your 00:20:52.990 --> 00:20:55.950 desire for payback because he knows all things. 00:20:56.109 --> 00:20:59.670 He knows all the whys. He knows all the circumstances. 00:20:59.990 --> 00:21:02.809 And you don't. And you can give that to him. 00:21:03.980 --> 00:21:06.539 But there's a lot of us, if you demand to be 00:21:06.539 --> 00:21:08.400 the judge, then God doesn't get to be the judge. 00:21:08.980 --> 00:21:12.380 And when you judge people and you decide you're 00:21:12.380 --> 00:21:14.599 going to pay them back, you reap what you sow. 00:21:17.160 --> 00:21:19.779 This is Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. 00:21:19.900 --> 00:21:22.259 Today, Chip walked us through what it actually 00:21:22.259 --> 00:21:24.660 looks like to bless those who persecute you, 00:21:24.819 --> 00:21:27.819 forgiving them, identifying with them, and refusing 00:21:27.819 --> 00:21:31.339 to take revenge into your own hands. None of 00:21:31.339 --> 00:21:34.619 it is easy. All of it is possible, and it's central 00:21:34.619 --> 00:21:38.140 to God's dream for your life. Chip will continue 00:21:38.140 --> 00:21:40.339 this pivotal lesson when we return tomorrow. 00:21:40.900 --> 00:21:43.779 And if today's message hit close to home, you 00:21:43.779 --> 00:21:45.599 can listen again or share it with someone who 00:21:45.599 --> 00:21:49.319 needs it at livingontheedge .org. You'll also 00:21:49.319 --> 00:21:52.039 find small group resources from this series designed 00:21:52.039 --> 00:21:54.660 to help you and the people around you go deeper 00:21:54.660 --> 00:21:57.319 together. And if the teaching you hear on this 00:21:57.319 --> 00:21:59.819 program has made a difference in your life, We'd 00:21:59.819 --> 00:22:03.000 love your help in keeping it going. Every broadcast 00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:06.319 exists because people choose to invest in this 00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:09.400 mission. Your monthly partnership creates the 00:22:09.400 --> 00:22:12.240 stability that lets us plan, grow, and reach 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:15.019 further. A one -time gift makes an immediate 00:22:15.019 --> 00:22:17.799 impact. Either way, you're helping put biblical 00:22:17.799 --> 00:22:20.460 truth, like today's message, into the hands of 00:22:20.460 --> 00:22:23.380 someone who needs it. To give, visit us online 00:22:23.380 --> 00:22:39.230 at livingontheedge .org or call us at 888 - And 00:22:39.230 --> 00:22:42.289 don't miss the Chip Ingram Sermon Podcast, a 00:22:42.289 --> 00:22:44.210 new feature on the Living on the Edge podcast. 00:22:44.769 --> 00:22:48.410 Every sermon, complete and unedited, now available 00:22:48.410 --> 00:22:51.829 alongside our daily broadcasts. Subscribe to 00:22:51.829 --> 00:22:55.009 the Living on the Edge podcast today. Well, now 00:22:55.009 --> 00:22:58.089 here's Chip with some final thoughts. As we wrap 00:22:58.089 --> 00:23:01.190 up today's program, I understand it is really, 00:23:01.250 --> 00:23:04.089 really heavy. And some of you right now are kind 00:23:04.089 --> 00:23:06.509 of putting up those emotional walls and you don't 00:23:06.509 --> 00:23:08.490 want to go there because the idea of forgiving 00:23:08.490 --> 00:23:11.609 someone, even though your intellect says, I know 00:23:11.609 --> 00:23:13.230 it's biblical. I know it's right. I know I ought 00:23:13.230 --> 00:23:16.089 to do it. Your emotions are going, no, no, I'm 00:23:16.089 --> 00:23:18.369 not going to take them off the hook. And so. 00:23:18.740 --> 00:23:20.619 Here's what I just want to do. I mean, I wish 00:23:20.619 --> 00:23:22.240 we could have a cup of coffee. I wish I could 00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:23.900 just lean forward right now, look you in the 00:23:23.900 --> 00:23:27.079 eye and say, look, man, you know, this is killing 00:23:27.079 --> 00:23:29.160 you. And that other person, they're sleeping. 00:23:29.420 --> 00:23:32.119 They're sleeping like a baby. Their life's going 00:23:32.119 --> 00:23:37.220 fine. You freely received God's forgiveness. 00:23:37.759 --> 00:23:40.319 Why don't you take this mess and everything you 00:23:40.319 --> 00:23:42.839 want to see happen to this person? And why don't 00:23:42.839 --> 00:23:45.019 you just say, you know what, God, I bet you can 00:23:45.019 --> 00:23:48.440 handle this better than me. And I'm going to 00:23:48.440 --> 00:23:51.079 do it right now. I'm going to release my desire 00:23:51.079 --> 00:23:54.440 for vengeance. I'm going to release my desire 00:23:54.440 --> 00:23:57.559 for them getting paid back by me. And Lord, I'm 00:23:57.559 --> 00:23:59.920 going to give that to you. And I'm going to choose 00:23:59.920 --> 00:24:03.140 to do something that makes no sense. Today, I'm 00:24:03.140 --> 00:24:05.579 going to write in my Bible, literally, or in 00:24:05.579 --> 00:24:08.720 my journal, I forgave and put their name there 00:24:08.720 --> 00:24:11.359 and put the date today. It was a choice. And 00:24:11.359 --> 00:24:14.220 then I'm going to start. the journey of blessing 00:24:14.220 --> 00:24:16.599 them. You're going to pray God's blessing, and 00:24:16.599 --> 00:24:19.579 if appropriate, only if appropriate, in some 00:24:19.579 --> 00:24:22.259 way, you will do something good for them. You 00:24:22.259 --> 00:24:24.579 may need to do it anonymously because of the 00:24:24.579 --> 00:24:27.559 relationship, but you're going to forgive, you're 00:24:27.559 --> 00:24:29.559 going to pray, and then you're going to act, 00:24:29.700 --> 00:24:33.180 and you will be set free. What do you do when 00:24:33.180 --> 00:24:35.400 someone makes your life miserable and there's 00:24:35.400 --> 00:24:38.480 no escape? When the anger builds and the bitterness 00:24:38.480 --> 00:24:41.369 takes root? Well, there's a way through it. And 00:24:41.369 --> 00:24:43.609 tomorrow, Chip Ingram explores the surprising 00:24:43.609 --> 00:24:46.150 freedom that comes from loving your enemies. 00:24:46.650 --> 00:24:49.650 I'm Dave Drewy. Join us tomorrow right here on 00:24:49.650 --> 00:24:55.569 Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. Today's 00:24:55.569 --> 00:24:58.130 program is produced and sponsored by Living on 00:24:58.130 --> 00:24:58.630 the Edge.