Jesus had already said some outlandish things. He had disappointed the folks who wanted the kingdom of God to come through political power by telling them the kingdom belonged to the “meek”– those who do not assert themselves over others for their own agendas in their own strength.[1] He had already said that God’s purposes are not furthered by violence, but rather it is the “peacemakers” who are the true sons and daughters of God. He had already said that the “Jesus way” not only doesn’t murder, but it even resists anger and divisive speech and instead is quick to seek reconciliation. But this last statement just went too far:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons and daughters of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t corrupt people do that? And if you are kind only to your friends, what more are you doing than others do? Even the pagans do that. But you must be mature, complete, just like your Father in heaven.” (Matt. 5:43, paraphrase)
Many didn’t want to hear what Jesus said, but those who had ears to hear listened.
THE HEROD WAY AND THE JESUS WAY
Many wanted Jesus to change the world the “Herod way.” Herod was the “king” of the nation of Israel at the time (subject to Roman rule). Herod would make our political leaders, Democrats and Republicans alike, proud—he was ruthless, vengeful, and he knew how to get things done. Many thought “all Jesus had to do was adopt and then adapt Herod’s political style, his skills, his tested principles, and put them to work under the rule of God.”[2] The Herod way says the means justify the ends. But Jesus would have none of that. To follow Jesus “means we can’t separate what Jesus is saying from what Jesus is doing and the way that he is doing it. Way comes first. We cannot skip the way of Jesus in our hurry to get the truth of Jesus as he is worshipped and proclaimed….The North American church at present is conspicuous for replacing the Jesus way with the American way.”[3] The Jesus way is not the Herod way, and you cannot separate means from end. The means are part of the end, a transformation of our character—the way we treat everyone, the way enemies are transformed by our forgiveness and love. Christians are known for their “ways,” the ways of Jesus.
YOU HAVE HEARD THAT IT WAS SAID…
We live in a violent, aggressive, vengeful world that is just exhausting. We read and hear it constantly–on our phones, on television, everywhere we turn, it is constantly “us” versus “them.” Social media inflames it. But then you see someone who doesn’t go along, who turns the tide by doing exactly what Jesus said—the Jesus Way. For a moment, light breaks in, the weight is lifted, we feel hope for the future of humanity, and healing begins. Such was the beautiful expression of forgiveness from Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk who was senselessly murdered. Listen again to her words:
On the cross, our Savior said, “Father, forgive them for they not know what they do.” That man, that young man. I forgive him. I forgive him because it was what Christ did, and is what Charlie would do. The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the Gospel is love and always love. Love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us.
I have a friend who is not a Christian who can’t stop talking about what Erika said and did. What she did moved him more than any logical argument for Christianity ever could. To hear about how much God loves us is one thing; to see it lived out in the flesh is world changing.
But this is not the way of the world. Not more than 10 minutes after Erika Kirk sat down, President Trump stoked the fires again: “That’s where I disagreed with Charlie. I hate my opponent, and I don’t want the best for them.” Both the left and the right are to blame; neither has clean hands. But we shouldn’t be surprised. Unity and reconciliation are not what politicians want. Division feeds their base. Theirs is the Herod way. The same can be said for Silicon Valley and those on social media who get so many followers through division. Division means money. Greed and lust for power are destroying our nation.
But there was one refreshing political voice. He was soon drowned out by the voices who were bent on playing the “us” vs. “them” game. But for a quick minute, it looked like we might have at least one politician who sought to bridge, instead of stoke, division. Hopefully you heard the words of Utah governor Spencer Cox, but listen again:
Every person you meet is more than a party, more than a label, more than a post online. Everyone deserves dignity and respect. That means talking to people you disagree with, listening even when it’s hard, and forgiving even when it feels impossible. I want to challenge you to spend less time online, where outrage has become so normal, and more time in the real world. Put down your phone. Read something that lifts your spirit. Go outside, laugh with your friends. Serve your neighbors. Remember, what happens online is not real life. You can build a culture where we embrace differences without letting hate divide us, where hope is stronger than cynicism, and where forgiveness breaks the cycle of violence. The question is, do we escalate, or do we walk down the better path?
BUT I TELL YOU…
The early church did change the world precisely because it did not go the way of Herod but rather the Way of Jesus. In fact, the early church was called “The Way” (Acts 9:2; 19:8, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). Historian Robert Wilken writes that Christianity succeeded not because it won all the arguments or achieved any sort of political power, but “because it put forward a new and powerful idea of community which recalled men and women to a life of meaningful participation.”[4] Jesus said the way the world will know his followers is the way we love each other (John 13:35). James, the brother of Jesus, put it this way: “Who is wise and understanding? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts…this is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peach by those who make peace” (James 3:13-17).
How should we as Christians, reading these words of Jesus and James, live the Jesus Way in today’s world? I submit that at the very least, our social media posts would be less divisive and mean-spirited, and more unifying and kinder. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your minds…Repay no one evil for evil…Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:2, 17, 21).
Martin Luther King, Jr. was used by God to bring about amazing changes in our society, and he accomplished it by the most powerful force in the universe: Love. In a letter to American churches, he wrote: “In a world depending on force, coercive tyranny, and bloody violence, you are challenged to follow the way of love. You will then discover that unarmed love is the most powerful force in all the world.”[5] The principalities and powers that drive this world to destruction will not be overcome by political maneuvering or struggles for power, but through the sacrificial, disarming love of God revealed in Jesus and planted into the transformed lives of those healed by his love. The Jesus Way.
Listen again to the transforming words of Jesus (from the Message):
You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves.
This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.
NOTE: The picture image is taken from “He Gets Us” Gallery of images and articles. See https://hegetsus.com/en/resources.
[1] From the footnote to Matthew 5:5 in the ESV Study Bible (Crossway, 2008).
[2] Eugene Peterson, The Jesus Way: A Conversation on the Ways that Jesus is the Way (Eerdmans, 2007), 203.
[3] Peterson, The Jesus Way, 4, 5, 22.
[4] Robert Wilken, The Spirit of Early Christian Thought (Yale, 2003), 192.
[5] Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love, 144-145.