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Here's our text for Sunday, May 20, 2007:
If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church! I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother goes to law against another - and this in front of unbelievers!
The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers.
Boy is this irrelevant in today's world or what?! Who would expect someone who's been cheated out of their rightful money or position, even if by another Christian, to just sit idly by and let some uneducated church leader figure out how to make it right? I'd go straight to a lawyer and GET WHAT's COMING TO ME! If this is an example of the Bible being a guide for me to live by I guess I know where to put the Bible...on the SHELF!"
Was this angry response even a little like your own when you first read the text above? I think it might have been a bit like mine as well! Of course, that was many years ago for me, and I've learned a little about how God works and why this is a most relevant text for us to live by today. Let me explain...
First God wants us to live in harmony with one another. Of course He knows we don't very easily so he recommends (Matthew 18:15-17) that we take all disputes between ourselves and other Christians AND non-Christians to the person we feel hurt by as soon as possible after the hurt is felt. But what if that person just laughs at us and walks away from our feelings of hurt? Then is it alright to lob a stone, or a lawsuit, at their departing figure? Nope!
Jesus says in Matthew 5: 38-41 that we are to turn the other cheek...to give walk two miles if someone demands one....to illustrate our love of Christ, not our ability to fight back with the one who we are hurt by.
"OK...so we are to be dumb, stupid door mats as Christians then? Yeah, like that'll get back my money or my pride."
You are right. It may not get back your money, or your pride. However seeking ways to talk out differences so that both parties come to a "right" conclusion in the argument is what Jesus is all about.
In legal terms, we sue each other like bandits (no pun intended) in America. Jesus calls us to another legal term instead. We should be willing to "argue" like Christians. You think it can't be done? Come our to a Hope Church softball game sometime and see the way Coach Keeler works out those occasional differences between players and teams. His behavior can teach you volumes about both of the Bible texts above!
And come to worship this next weekend where we'll have a whole lot more to say about what Jesus has to say about how Christians deal with angry situations with other Christians and unbelievers.
This should be a very interesting message! I hope you'll come join us on Sunday for "The Rest of the Message!"
Pastor Ken
NOTE: Unless otherwise stated, all Bible verses quoted in this website are from the New International Version (NIV). Any words from those verses that are in "red" are words spoken by Jesus.
Pastor Ken sends a Weekly Newsletter that includes his devotional message for the week and an update of the current happenings at Hope Church. If you would like to receive his newsletter, just click below and he'll add your email address to his list of subscribers.