Retaliation. Revenge. Getting even. Who hasn’t experienced these feelings?

We all have. We all do. And we all will again; maybe even today.

In this week’s passage, Jesus turns things on their head once again. He tells us to not retaliate. To not resist.

That’s hard to do. Turning the other cheek goes against human nature.

But that is exactly how we are called to respond.

Personally, I find this passage very hard to apply into my life. I want to be right. I want to respond when someone treats me or my family wrongly. But Jesus says that’s not the right response.

Here’s a link to the passage at Bible Gateway.

Do you have trouble turning the other cheek? Let me know in the comments.

Last week, we started the passage on swearing and oaths.  This week’s passage is the second half of it.

Jesus makes things simple.  Let your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no”.  It really is that easy.

But it’s not always that easy to do, is it?  I don’t know about you, but sometimes I find that a simple “yes” or “no” isn’t sufficient.  It should be, but I crave more.  And it never rally adds anything.  You’d think I’d learn…

I’m working on it.

Here’s a link to the passage at Bible Gateway.

Do you ever add anything to your “yes” and “no”? Let me know in the comments.

The Sermon on the Mount is extremely timely. I often hear people say that the Bible is completely outdated.

Not true. Look at today’s passage, for example. You can find it in Matthew 5:33-35.

This passage speaks to swearing and keeping oaths. When was the last time you heard someone do this? When was the last time you did?

Face it. It’s hard not to swear by something greater than ourselves.

Here’s a link to the passage at Bible Gateway.

What do you do to prevent this in your life? Let me know in the comments.

With the rate of divorce in America, even among Christians, this week’s passage is especially timely.

I understand that this can be a touch topic, but Christ was very up front with the fact that divorce is hated by God.  In this passage, you can almost hear his pain as he talks about it.

The passage for this week is, of course, the divorce passage found in Matthew 5:31-32.

Here’s a link to the passage at Bible Gateway.

How has the divorce rate in America affected your family?    Let me know in the comments.

Today’s passage is one of the harder teachings of the Sermon on the Mount, in my opinion.  I would like to know if anyone has ever actually cut off a hand, or gouged out an eye. I think that would be extremely difficult to do, given our propensity for self-preservation.

I know, there are differences of opinion on whether this is literal or metaphorical.

But either way, the fact remains, following Christ may require some extreme sacrifices.

The passage for this week is Matthew 5:29-30.

Here’s a link to the passage at Bible Gateway.

What sacrifices have you had to make in order to follow Christ?  Which one is your favorite?  Let me know in the comments.

I love this section of the Sermon on the Mount. Not just today’s passage, but all of the “You’ve heard that it was said…” parts. Murder and hatred. Adultery and lust. Divorce. Oaths. Revenge. And love.

These statements from Jesus are so simple, and yet so profound. They hit me anew almost every time I read them.

The passage for this week the beginning of the paragraph about adultery, Matthew 5:27-28.

Here’s a link to the passage at Bible Gateway.

What are your thoughts on the “You’ve heard that it was said…” passages? Which one is your favorite? Let me know in the comments.

Moving right along in our memorization of the Sermon on the Mount.

This passage is a bit less poignant in my life.  I’ve never had to take anyone to court, or been taken to court.  It might happen someday, and so this passage will be good to have in my mind to draw on.

The passage for this week is Matthew 5:25-26.

Here’s a link to the passage at Bible Gateway.

Have you ever been taken to court?  Let me know in the comments.