All eyes are on the Middle East. Savagery eclipses that of anything we’ve seen in modern times. There are simply no limits to the cruelty humans will inflict upon one another. In the days of the Noah, “the inclinations of men’s hearts became only evil all the time.” It seems were still living in the days of Noah, or perhaps even the Last Days. I am NOT drawing any moral equivalence between Israel nor Hamas. Both sides of the conflict see the other as “animals.” That might be generous. Even animals demonstrate more restraint than do humans. Instead of acknowledging one another’s humanity, instead of aspiring to Divine goodness, a kind of diabolical vengeance has been unleashed of such a character, it may very well trigger a world war. Some believe Armageddon, the final war, is upon us.
In the Middle East, Israel has been deemed the oppressor. In Luke’s gospel, Rome was the oppressor, and Israel weakened. Rome lorded power and authority over the Jew in every way. The barbarous soldiers terrorized Jewish citizens at every turn. Brutal crucifixions were a regular spectacle around Jerusalem. Don’t forget, out of sheer paranoia, Herod slaughtered all the babies under 2 years of age in Ramah. It was so horrific mothers refused to be comforted!
It’s a fact of human nature that the oppressed nurture a bloodthirst for vengeance. The oppressed (in Jesus’ day and ours), have a neurotic obsession with justice. And pain, whether real or perceived, small or very great, present or long past. . . becomes one’s justification to do evil. . . and evil on any scale.
This vengeance thinking now permeates our world—the more oppressed, the more justified. The more oppressed, the more morally vindicated you are to do whatever evil you deem necessary! So, at Harvard, at Yale, in cities around the world, in our cities like Chicago, student groups, groups like BLM are expressing solidarity not just with the oppressed, but also justifying the murderous tactics employed, even the wholesale slaughter of children. The oppressed are justified in whatever evil they do because their pain is so great! In the Marxist way of thinking you’re oppressed because you’ve been wronged, hurt, felt pain, had bad luck in life, were born on wrong side of the tracks, because maybe you’re non-Jew, non-white, non-western, non-Christian, non-privileged, non-this-class or non-that-class, non-cisgendered, non-hetero, non-binary, not able-bodied.
“Social justice” is the cry of our age. But by social justice, we mean personal vengeance. When man metes out his own justice, it’s not just “eye for eye, or tooth for tooth.” It’s often “eyes for eye, teeth for tooth, even baby lives for an adult life.” So then as each side viciously returns volley, evil multiplies exponentially.
Again, keep in mind that in Luke’s Gospel, Israel was the oppressed party. What might Jesus say to the Oppressed people everywhere? For that matter, what might Jesus say to Oppressors everywhere? This morning I’d like you to consider five calls Jesus makes to evil, blood-thirsty societies—evil blood-thirsty men and women.
First, Jesus Calls Us to Responsible Repentance. The word “Responsible” means you (and every other human being) is response - able. You are not a slave to all the hurt, the pain, injustices, whatever grievances you’ve stored up. You can repent, you can change, no matter your past you have personal and moral agency.
But the word “Responsible” also means nobody is perfectly innocent. There is no one righteous, no not one. Neither the oppressor nor the oppressed occupy a moral high ground. In Luke’s gospel, yes, the Roman Oppressor, the Soldier, Herod must repent. Yes, the Roman collaborators, those tax collectors, who tried to play both sides. And yes, even the Jew, the Pharisee, the Priest. They were all invited into waters of baptism, to be cleansed and forgiven.
One of the most striking sayings of Jesus is in Luke 7:47. A “sinful” woman comes to Jesus weeping, washing his feet with her tears, touching him. The pharisees are aghast that Jesus receives such a woman. The Pharisee’s core problem was they thought everyone needed more forgiveness than they themselves needed. Jesus tells them, “Her many sins have been forgiven; that’s why she loved much. But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” Our world doesn’t change without repentance. Our world doesn’t change until we realize our personal responsibility, and personal response-ability and come to Jesus for his cleansing forgiveness.
Second, Jesus Calls Us to Radical Detachment. Everywhere in Luke there is a call to radically detach from material things. It’s seen in Jesus resisting Satan’s temptation—Luke 4:4, “man must not live on bread alone.” It’s seen in Jesus beatitudes, Luke 6:20-22, “Blessed are you who are poor… hungry… who weep… who are hated, insulted, slandered…” It’s seen in Jesus’ lifestyle. In Luke 7:25 Jesus asks what did you come out to see? Someone dressed in soft clothes? Those who are splendidly dressed and live in luxury are in royal palaces! It’s seen in Jesus’ commissioning of the Twelve. He sends them out, “take nothing… no staff, no traveling bag, no bread, no money, don’t take an extra shirt.” It’s seen in his call for us to take up his cross. Luke 9:25, “For what does it benefit someone if he gains the whole world, and yet loses or forfeits himself.” Luke 9:58, “Foxes have dens, the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
I think it’s James the brother of Jesus who helps us see the connection between violence and materialism. James 4:1-2, “What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don’t they come from your passions that wage war within you? You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and wage war. . .” Where is the perspective of Paul in 1 Timothy? We brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Or of the writer of Ecclesiastes? Whoever loves money never has enough! Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. Luke 12:20-21 the conclusion of Parable of the Rich Fool. God says to him, “You fool! This very night your life is demanded of you. And the things you prepared—whose will they be? That’s how it is with the one who stores up treasures for himself and is not rich toward God.”
Third, Jesus Calls Us to Reliant Faith. Luke 11:2,3, “Whenever you pray, say… Give us each day our daily bread.” The feeding of the five thousand. Send the crowds away, this place is deserted, there is no human way to feed so many! There isn’t money enough, nor food enough. Luke 9:16-17, “Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke them. He kept giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd. Everyone ate and was filled. They picked up twelve baskets of leftover pieces.” James 4:2 says, “you don’t have because you don’t ask God!” How might our world be transformed if we looked to God as Provider? We fight, wage war, murder, covet, plot vengeance.
Fourth, Jesus Calls Us to Ridiculous Love. This is really the heart of Jesus’ teaching. Luke 6:27-36, “But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If anyone hits you on the cheek, offer the other also. And if anyone takes away your coat, don’t hold back your shirt either. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and from someone who takes your things, don’t ask for them back. 31 Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them. 32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do what is good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High. For he is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.”
Do you see how all these themes fit together? What hope of change is there, if there isn’t first responsible repentance. Change begins with me! What hope of change without radical detachment from material things? What hope of change without a reliant faith that says, God, I trust you to Provide. I trust you to make right whatever needs to be made right! What hope of change without a Ridiculous Love—which is really not so ridiculous as it is Redemptive and Divine—a mentality that trusts and allows love to triumph over hate!
A profound application of Jesus’ teaching is Romans 12:9-21! “Let love be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. 10 Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another. 11 Do not lack diligence in zeal; be fervent in the Spirit;[c] serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. 13 Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. 18 If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord. 20 But If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head. 21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.”
It isn’t social justice, which is social vengeance in disguise… it’s only a social generosity, a Divine Generosity, a Cross-shaped Generosity, that can tear down the divine walls of hostility, and render terror itself obsolete! Where Christ’s love reigns, there is no need for terror, nor vengeance, nor war, nor fights.
Last, Jesus Calls Us to Resurrection Hope. Three times Jesus predicts his suffering, death, and resurrection. In Luke 9:21-22, before his Transfiguration. In Luke 9:43-45 after his Transfiguration! [By the way, in Luke 11 Jesus declares just as Jonah was in belly of whale three days and lived, so Son of Man would be in belly of earth three days and be raised!] But over in Luke 18 we find Jesus third prediction. He will be handed over, mocked, insulted, spit on, flogged, and killed. But then Luke 18:32-33, “. . . they will kill him, and he will rise on the third day.”
The only logical reason we’d forgive, is recognition we’ve been forgiven much. The only reason we’d love, is recognition that we’ve been loved much. The only reason we’d take up Christ’s cross… only reason we’d obey Christ’s call to responsible repentance, radical detachment, reliant faith, or allow ridiculous (Divine) love to triumph over impulse to hate and avenge… is if we truly believed our taking up cross is followed by resurrection hope. Only gospel of Jesus can save man from himself.