Pandemic Preaching - Real Joy Part 9
Teaching about Revenge
“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also." Matthew 5:38-39
In this ongoing series, we have been discussing about joy and the other fruits of the Spirit, today we will talk a little bit more about what comes out of a person who the Spirit of God dwells in.
Self Control
Jesus of Nazareth is one such person. He walked this earth as a human being but He was not controlled by this world or the flesh but by the very Spirit of the Living God.
Walked the Talk
He taught about God, Our Father not just by what He said but more so by what He did.
He particularly showed this to His closest followers when on the night He was being arrested, He scolded the hot tempered Peter who in his usual manner (acting out of impulse) cut the ear off of the servant of the high priest. Jesus told Peter that He could have legions of angels to protect them but He chose not to.
Then after this, every step of the way leading up to the cross, He showed this same kind of self control.
He was tortured and interrogated to wear Him down, He was falsely accused, slandered and humiliated and then nailed to a wooden cross and left to die. Yet He said nothing.
Lesson
In our daily life, we go through our own personal trials. Our life has not always been what we expect or planned it to be.
Even when we are living the life we dreamed and planned for, still unexpected or extremely difficult things still happen. For the most part nothing we have planned for or worse none of our dreams do come true.
But there will always be the tender whispers and the gentle proddings of the Spirit of God, every moment.
Pandemonium
In our impulsiveness, eagerness or impatience, anger or fear, or in the heat of the moment, or because of the noise and the chaos it will be very easy to preempt or we may not be able to hear or notice God's Spirit.
Such as during these pandemic times. Even me, in putting these words down, I need to stop myself from merely adding things that look good, sound good or show that I know what I am talking about. Some who share the words of God do so because of a personal agenda or out of obligation or duty. God is not a personal agenda. He does not force anything on us, His very nature is contrary to all this.
Throughout this series, we have already shown that the Spirit of God, the very nature of God and God Himself is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
Jesus Himself showed us this to be true. And true believers who have the same Spirit of God will know this to be true.
We all show our true colors when the going gets tough and not when everything is peachy. And it has been a very tough year for humankind. In fact it has been a very hard countless number of years for many. By now we can assess and find out if the Holy Spirit is living and active in our life. Or if we are just going through the motions and living our life being led by what is happening around us or by our own desires, inclinations and aspirations.
Remember there is nothing, no law against these fruits of the Spirit. In any situation, it will flow out naturally from inside us. Or it will not, if there is no fruit. A lemon tree will not produce a peach.
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