Offer Your Other Cheek to Those Who Strike You

The sermon explores three categories of difficult teachings in Scripture: hard to understand (like being born again), hard to believe (like Jesus' claim to pre-existence), and hard to practice (like forgiving seventy times seven). Jesus' teaching to love enemies, do good to those who hate us, and offer the other cheek is difficult in all three ways. The author argues this is not an impractical ideal but a realistic teaching for ordinary working people who understand the harsh realities of human conflict.

Jesus lived out these teachings when arrested, tortured, and crucified, still forgiving and praying for His enemies. This teaching educates disciples in the balance between justice and mercy, rooted in the revelation through the prophet Micah about doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God. Jesus both condemned the Pharisees and scribes severely while showing compassion, patience, and forgiveness to sinners.

Offering the other cheek does not mean passivity or allowing continued harm. Rather, it teaches believers to speak truth demanding justice while maintaining inner peace and freedom from hatred. This differs entirely from natural human reactions—neither passive silence nor revenge, but speaking truth in love with the goal of reconciliation and relationship restoration. Someone offering their other cheek tells the person who hurt them: I am ready to give you a new opportunity to begin again, to kiss rather than strike.

This is illustrated through King David with Saul: although spared once, David continued offering Saul opportunities to repent. True love does not deny truth but speaks truth in compassion; remaining silent when knowing someone does wrong means becoming complicit in their sin. The ability to practice this teaching comes from the transformed position and status of believers—from sinners to children of God, indwelt and guided by the Holy Spirit. Only when we have experienced Christ's love and forgiveness—His loving us while we were still enemies of God—can we love our enemies and offer the other cheek. Forgiveness is a choice and commitment with the Holy Spirit's help, bringing great reward and the privilege of becoming children of the Most High.