SERMON OUTLINE Sunday Oct 25th, 2020
When You Want To Hate – Matthew 5:38–42
• Sticks and stones can break my bones but words will never hurt
me. NOT.
• You Have Heard It Said
You have heard the law that says the punishment must match
the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’
• “Let the punishment fit the crime” Leviticus 24:19–20
• But I Tell You
“But I say, do not resist an evil person!”
• An Important Distinction: Government Authority vs Personal
Relationship
• “If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.”
• “If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your
coat, too.” (Also see Exodus 22:26–27)
• If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two
miles.
• Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to
borrow.”
• Here’s The Deal:
– if you live your life protecting yourself from ever being used or
abused by another, you might be successful but you heart and
soul will shrink.
– Faith says God is bigger than that person,
grace is greater than hurt,
mercy is greater than offense.
– Generosity frees me to receive more of God’s blessings and
releases me from fear of not having enough.
• Who Lives Like This?
Isaiah 53 – The Suffering Servant
Matthew 27:11–12

• Surrender – Follow – Listen – Do
A. The Gospel – the Good News of Jesus – is that we are forgiven
by God. Because we are forgiven, through the Spirit of God we
have been given the power to forgive.
B. In Jesus, we have the power to live the Kingdom Life.
2 Timothy 1:7
Luke 4:17–19
• “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him
we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21,
• So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” John 8:36
– Free to be broken. And free to be better.
• “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”
Luke 19:10

SERMON STUDY GUIDE
We meet in Life Groups to: Connect deeper with God and each other through
prayer and relationship. Connect the Bible to life. Connect with our community
through serving.
ICE BREAKER: If you could instantly be an expert in a subject, what would it be
and why?
PRAYER: God is worthy to be sought – take time to pray together in your group.
HOW TO READ THE BIBLE
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to
make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and
teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do
every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NLT)
Ask yourselves the following questions as you read this week’s Bible
passage…What is God asking me to believe? What is God asking me to do?
How is God preparing me to live more effectively for him?
For free tips and resources on what is in the Bible and how to read it, visit
www.thebibleproject.com. The Bible Project creates free videos that show the
Bible as a unified story that leads to Jesus. To find out more about this ministry,
check out this short video: https://youtu.be/vFwNZNyDu9k.
SERMON SERIES: “Unshakeable: Living The Words of Jesus”
In this sermon series we explore how to live according to Jesus’ teachings in
Matthew chapters 5-7. This is the Gospel of the Kingdom. It is something we
are not only to know, but to do, to live. And when we do that, we are
immoveable, unshakeable because the foundation is Jesus and he is the Rock
of our salvation that is immoveable and unshakeable.
Reference: The Essence: Unpacking Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (2020). Winslade. Wipf Stock Pub.
THIS WEEK: Matthew 5:38-42 “When You Want To Hate”
Watch the weekend’s sermon: http://www.coldspringschurch.net/sermons.html.
EXPLORING TOGETHER
There is value in sharing perspectives about the weekend message in
community. With dialogue around God’s truths, perspective broadens and
impacts transformation.
1. What is something from this weekend’s message that stood out to you?
TAKING IT HOME
Responding to those who show us kindness and warmth is easy; but how do we
cope when people behave towards us in ways that are mean and hurtful or
deeply offensive? It was an issue Jesus addressed in his sermon on a Galilean
hillside in this week’s text.
2. Following Jesus means living by a different set of values to the world in which
we live. What are some examples of that difference from your experience?
3. What do you understand to be the meaning of the phrase: “An eye for an eye,
and a tooth for a tooth”?
4. Does v.39 mean that Christians should always be pacifists? How would you
explain Matthew 5:10–12 to someone who was a brand-new Christian?
5. Jesus reference to tunics and cloaks in v.40 implied forgoing our rights for
the sake of others. What is an example of waiving rights in our twenty-first-century context?
6. Is there a legitimate place for standing up for justice and fighting back when
we’re offended?
WEEKLY REFLECTION
According to Jesus, the way of the kingdom is vastly different from the ways of
the world. When people do as Jesus suggests, they disempower the ways of
this world, and they show forth the Kingdom of God here on Earth (2 Tim 1:7).
7. What is the best way to disempower someone who is bullying you?
Some may be suffering undue pressures or even injustice. It may feel as if their
personal rights are being infringed, and that their experience of being bullied is
mean and unfair.
What might happen if in the week ahead they tried an experiment? If instead
of meeting injustice with a spirit of indignation, seeking retribution or behaving in
a passive-aggressive way—they implemented Jesus’ advice—taking it seriously, turning their cheek and giving less thought to protecting their personal rights,
leaving revenge in the hands of God, (who is so much better at it than we could
ever be); what would the result be?
Jesus’ advice here will be a bitter pill for some to swallow. But what if it
works ?
Surrender – Follow – Listen – Do (2 Corinthians 5:21, John 8:36, Luke 19:10)
The Gospel – the Good News of Jesus – is that we are forgiven by God.
Because we are forgiven, through the Spirit of God we have been given the
power to forgive. No forgiveness, no freedom. In forgiveness, there is freedom.
Freedom to love and be loved.
8. What do you need to surrender, follow, listen or do this week to respond with
Jesus’ values rather than those of popular culture?