In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus famously said, "Blessed are the peacemakers". What does that statement mean to you? Does it just seem like a nice little thing Jesus said, but didn't really mean it? What is a peacemaker? In a world soaked with violence, racism, greed and control - maybe it's time we take a serious look at what Jesus actually meant.

Blessed are the peacemakers

For they will be called the children of God.

Sounds pretty awesome, right? Jesus actually gives us instructions on how to be like our Father in heaven. That's what the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5-7) is all about. Jesus is our model. He is our mentor. He says - Follow Me. This is about how to have the heart of God. Jesus wants to teach us how to get as close as we possibly can to live a divine-like life. And he teaches enemy love at the core. This is probably going to make you a little uncomfortable and squirm a bit - let's dive in...

Let me clear before I move on. I know many people will have a hard time reading this. But I encourage you to keep an open heart and an open mind. Give your brain a work out! See what Jesus reveals to you. And I'm not making this stuff up - I'm just taking an honest look at the teachings of Jesus that I see in the scriptures. And it changed my entire life.

At the end of Matthew Chapter 7, Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount by saying:

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine 

and puts them into practice is like a wise man 

who built his house on the rock.

Do you see what's snuggled in the center of that passage?  Puts them into practice. This is critical. Jesus is talking to a crowd here. The people listening have a choice. Just like we have a choice today. Do you want to be a wise person who builds your house upon a rock? I do. This is not about studying the right theology, or showing up at church every week, or just calling yourself a Christian. This is about living your life the way Jesus is teaching us to.

Throughout the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus makes many statements like, "you have heard it said...but I say to you...". Jesus is teaching a new way - a change. Famously we even quote Jesus when he says, "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth". This commandment was to keep things fair - preventing escalation. This IS fair if fair and justice is your ultimate goal. If that's your goal, Jesus is saying you're going to miss this teaching. Jesus is saying - this goes beyond justice and fairness - I'm going to take you to mercy. 

You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for an eye, and tooth for a tooth.’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.  

And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 

If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.

Jesus is not teaching - if someone hits you, just let them! If someone sues you, just let them! This is not what Jesus is teaching. Instead, Jesus gives us non-violent, peaceful ways of responding that will hopefully generate teaching moments. Does it mean the aggressor or other person will give in to this? No! This is not a technique to dismantle hostility. 

Someone slaps you, then you TURN towards them. There is an ACTION to take. Jesus says "the right cheek". This is important. Ancient texts assume the right hand as the dominant hitting hand. Sorry lefties. This would be a backhand slap - a slap of superiority. Like a master to a slave. But now you have the opportunity to turn towards that person - human to human - in the image of God - and now there is a chance for the aggressor to respond. A chance for them to realize what they've done and meet you eye to eye. Let's see another example.

If a Roman soldier forced you to go one mile (which was the Law for a soldier to require someone to carry their gear as they passed through a town) it was a law of limitation. Jesus says, if a soldier asks you to carry their gear - then go two miles. What!? A Roman soldier was their enemy! This would be the equivalent of a soldier of ISIS making a US citizen carry their gear. Let that sink in. The Romans were hated and despised by the Jewish community - on every level. "The first mile is slavery, the second mile is freedom" (Bruxy Cavey). The first mile is Roman versus Jew, oppressor versus the oppressed - it is the pattern of earthly Kingdoms. The second mile breaks out of that model. Now you are no longer the powerless versus the powerful, now we are human beings. It is a "choice" to help and serve. You "choose" to extend mercy, grace and love. Why? Because that's what our Father looks like. And you have an entire mile to talk about it!

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you 

may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the 

good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those 

who love you, what reward will you get?

The Bible never even says 'hate your enemy'. This was added in as "extra" by the community. The Bible does say to 'love your neighbor' though. So if you love your neighbor, what else are you going to do with your enemies? But Jesus adds, "LOVE your enemies". If you just love people who love you - you are like everyone else who's considered a decent person. It's easy to love those who love you. But Jesus calls us to something MORE than that. Can you love someone who doesn't love you? This is what Jesus calls us to do. And it's not easy. But it was never promised to be easy. Remember, this isn't about being fair. This is about looking like Jesus.

This calls us to be more than a "good" person or a good "citizen of our country". Most people want to be that. This is about going above nationalistic norms. Jesus is saying - if you are about getting even - tooth for a tooth - and violently going to war with others or fighting and killing people in other countries, how are you living any differently than anyone else? Is this making you squirm yet? Are you saying to yourself, "but this doesn't make any sense?", "nobody really does that!" Remember, we are not called to be good, decent citizens. We are called to be loving, Christ-like imitators of God himself. To carry our own cross - to be willing to die for it - as a peacemaker. This is radical. And it's crystal clear. 

So how do we love our enemies? We are told three ways in Luke 6:27:

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,  

bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

First - act in a loving way towards people who don't like you. Bless them when they slander you. And when neither of those work - pray for them. We seem to get this backwards most of the time. We think if people are our enemy - we should pray for them first. Jesus says, as soon as you become aware of your enemy - go and SERVE them. Think about how this would change the Church and the world!

Ask yourself this question...If Jesus wanted to teach pacifism (NOT being passive and doing nothing), but a peacemaking, peace-living way of life, if he wanted to teach pacifism for his followers - is there anything more he could have said to convince you? Because if not, you might as well admit that you have a bias. And nothing Jesus says or asks you to do will ever change your mind. 

This can't be more clear than it is. Jesus teaches us (his followers) this and then gives us clear cut examples of how to live this in our actions and our attitudes. Jesus is saying, "be like your Father - who loves everyone - the just and the unjust." I don't know what else Jesus could have said. Jesus calls us to be ready to suffer and to die, but never to cause suffering and kill.

If you read this far - thank you! Stay tuned for Part 2 coming up next...

BT