Suffering and Yielding Rights

This sermon expounds Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5:38-42 on relinquishing the right to retaliate and surrendering personal rights. The pastor observes that although the Scripture teaches not to take personal revenge but to leave vengeance to God, this instruction does not apply to society, the state, or families when facing attack. Instead, it represents a higher level of maturity for believers—similar to how parents encourage an older child to yield to a younger sibling because the older child is more mature. Yielding rights is actually harder than suffering affliction, because it requires surrendering what legitimately belongs to oneself.

The pastor presents five areas where believers must yield their rights: first, the right to retaliate and return insult for insult; second, the right to defend one's honor and reputation; third, the right to accumulate and use possessions; fourth, the right to use one's time and strength; fifth, the right to use money earned by one's labor. To clarify each point, the pastor tells the story of Hudson Taylor, a missionary to China, who was pushed into mud by a rich man but instead of retaliation, invited the man to board the boat with him because his purpose was to testify to the Gospel. The pastor also cites Paul's words in Romans 12 teaching that one should not repay evil with evil but leave room for God's wrath.

The pastor carefully explains the meaning of each image in Matthew 5:39-42. Being struck on the cheek means humiliation, but Jesus teaches to offer the other cheek; allowing someone to take one's tunic symbolizes losing all possessions, yet the believer must yield; being forced to go one mile by Roman soldiers, yet one should go two miles. The pastor emphasizes that all material things—houses, vehicles, clothing, money—belong to God; believers are merely stewards. He recounts the example of his friend Eric, who lent him his mother's car for an entire summer so Eric could return home and take his mother shopping instead of the pastor using it.

The pastor uses Paul as an example to illustrate the principle of yielding. In Corinth, believers compared Paul unfavorably to Apollos, criticizing him. Although Paul had the right to marry and receive financial support from the church like other apostles, he surrendered these rights—working as a tentmaker to earn his living—because his aim was not to hinder the Gospel. This resolve demonstrates deep maturity in Christ and genuine love for God's work.

The sermon concludes with the ultimate example of Christ. God became incarnate as an ordinary human being, not using divine power to save sinful, depraved people. Christ was betrayed, abandoned by disciples, tortured, mocked, and died on the cross. Christ surrendered all the prerogatives of the Creator only to redeem mankind. Paul reminds believers in Philippi to imitate the mind of Christ—not seeking personal gain but the welfare of others, humbling themselves and taking the form of a servant, obedient even unto death.