Matthew 5

Jesus caused quite a stir in the Jewish communities where He preached. He wasn't all like the Messiah that they had expected. They expected King David to be reborn and to smite the Romans with a flaming sword and free them from their human rulers. Well, maybe not a flaming sword. The point is that they had read the prophecies of the Messiah for so long from the perspective of humans bound this earthly realm that the reality of a Messiah freeing them from a spiritual imprisonment was a huge hurdle to overcome.

I wonder how many things we've come to expect about heaven based on the application of our culture to our interpretations that when we finally get there will prove to be vastly different? I wonder how many things about God's word we've missed out on or misinterpreted because of our limited insight? I'll bet it's not much different than the mistakes that the Jews made. I just hope that I'm able to recognize those things when I'm challenged with the truth of God.

Regardless, Jesus was trying to reconcile these expectations with the spiritual relationship that God wants everyone to have with Him. He starts out telling them that it's okay to be under the rule of another country here on earth. It's okay to not be able to fight back physically. It's okay to be persecuted for following God. In other words, there is nothing that the Romans can do to you to force you to lose your faith.

They can't put out the light that shines from those that are in a relationship with God, and the Jews should not be ashamed of that. They should let it shine brightly and proudly for all to see regardless of the physical consequences. I've never lived in or even visited a country where people are not free to worship God, so I don't know what that kind of persecution is all about, but I hope that even just in a country where many people don't really understand what it means to be a Christian, that my light shines to show others the way.

Additionally, Jesus says that the Messiah won't replace the Law. He'll fulfill the Law. He can't break the Law to free them from tyranny anymore than they can break the Law to divorce their wife of murder their neighbor. He must fulfill it, and they must have it fulfilled in them to enter into heaven. Fulfilling it then goes one step beyond just following it to the letter. You can follow every letter of the Law and still not fulfill it, Jesus explains, because the spirit of the Law is what's important.

Specifically to the Jews, He is saying that if they are even angry at the Romans for taking over, they've broken the Law. It doesn't matter whether they kill anyone or not. Just wishing that you could is the same thing. What are the things that you wish for or that you lust after that you don't get because you want to keep the letter of the Law?

Finally, Jesus tells us not to hold prejudice against anyone. God is not particular in sending sunlight or rain or even grace. He extends those things to all people if they choose to get out of the shade, out from under the roof, or accept the free gift. Why should we be any different? Even the most godless people in the world understand basic courtesy and can be friendly with one another. What kind of example do we set when we don't extend the same courtesy to our "enemies"? We're supposed to be the godly ones. Besides, as Jesus explains more later in His ministry, there's not really any such a thing as any enemy here on earth. Everyone is your neighbor because we are in the same boat. We're all sinners. We're all in need of grace. We're all in need of God. Don't let your judgment of someone be the reason that they don't see your light.