Ragebait | Pastor Adrian Vega | Overflow Church

You're faithful today, Lord God.

You're faithful right now.

You're faith.

Do you guys believe He's faithful this morning?

He is faithful this morning.

He is faithful right now.

He's faithful in your circumstances.

He's faithful in the things you're believing for.

He's faithful to show up.

As we're seeing that, I'm reminded of the scripture that says that God is not a man that he should lie.

That means his word is enduring, his word is truth.

If he said it, he is faithful to fulfill it.

And what you're believing for, God will meet you there.

God will meet you there.

Man, sometimes it's so quick for us to forget where we started in the journey.

From the moment we said yes to where we are today, it doesn't look the same.

You're not in the same place.

It's like those moments where uh you you kind of get distracted and you're driving, and in one moment you're at one light, and in some miraculous way you made it home.

He said, I don't remember getting here.

And this song is just telling us, hey man, sometimes we forget how faithful God is because you forgot that there was this whole space in between, but God got you here.

God got you there.

God got you there, and if he got you here, he's gonna take you over there.

And I believe that he'll be faithful to take us to the next thing.

And I don't know about you guys, but I'm believing in the faithfulness of God today.

Man, I'm crying out for the faithfulness of God to show up in every area of my life today.

Let's lift up our hands and let's pray right now, Lord God.

We thank you for your faithfulness.

We thank you, Lord God, that your word is enduring today, God.

Lord God, I felt this in my spirit coming up, Lord God, but we cast out today depression in the name of Jesus.

Depression has no power here, right now, Lord God.

You are faithful today, Lord God.

You're faithful to set us free, you're faithful, Lord God, to liberate.

You're faithful, Lord God, to show up today, Lord God.

So we speak today, Lord God, of freedom in the name of Jesus today, Lord God.

I pray right now, Lord God, freedom over sickness, freedom over disease.

I pray right now in the name of Jesus, Lord God.

You are faithful today to meet us, Lord God, and make us whole right now, Lord God.

We honor you today, Lord God.

We love on you in this moment, Lord God.

We give you all the honor and all the glory in Jesus' mighty name.

And the church said, Amen and amen.

Let's go.

Amen, man.

If you guys can say hi to a few people around you this morning, let's go.

Nothing like some good worship.

Get you going in the morning, amen.

I'd be loving me some good worship.

Well, guys, good morning, man.

We're excited to have you guys in the building today.

Uh man, we're we're excited to see family out here today.

Uh, you know, I like to start every service with uh the best thing I heard this week.

And uh man, again, I mean, I ran into so many so many different things I listened to uh this week, but uh this one just really captured me.

I think it just kind of spoke to the heart of where I'm feeling right now in my own spirit.

But it says uh God starts a fire.

Everybody say fire.

So the fire starts, and conveniently, hopefully, there should be a good supply of logs.

But if you keep the fire going and consume all the logs, then there's a threat that the fire will go out.

And that's when you find out how desperate you are.

Not just talking about cutting down another tree or getting more lumber.

If you really want to keep the fire going, I start burning off the stuff I love.

If I run out of logs, I throw in my favorite jacket.

I care more about keeping the fire going than my favorite things.

We keep the fire going.

We keep the fire going.

I got to stay burning.

And and and as I was listening to this, the the idea that the communicator was sharing was this idea that, hey man, God begins to stir something in our hearts and we we catch on fire.

Everyone felt that like, man, I could just I could take on anything, right?

I've been in some services, I've been into some like uh um like uh conferences and stuff where man, you leave and you're like, man, I could leap over the walls today.

Watch out, Superman.

Uh like you're you're fired up.

And the idea here is that sometimes we can get so fired up and that can last for a little bit.

And the logs are the things that we are believing for, the faith that we're putting to our fire.

But at some point, when those logs run out, when when the little bit of that last word that you heard of the conference or the last word that you heard in the service, and when that kind of dwindles away, how desperate are you to keep that fire going?

And and the invitation is hey man, what God invites us to is you know what keeps that fire going?

Hey man, let me let me surrender these things that don't serve me.

Because when I surrender those things, man, the fire picks up again.

When I surrender the friends that God says, hey, you need you need to let those people go, man, the fire begins to spark up again.

When I begin to release the things that aren't serving my faith, man, I provoke the fire to keep burning.

I gotta stay burning.

Everybody tell your neighbor, I gotta stay burning.

So I hope that that stirred you up.

I I listened to that this week, and man, I thought it was so good because I believe that's what God's invitation is is, hey man, it's not just about the things that we're doing, but the things that we're surrendering.

Amen.

Man, so we've been in a series called Follow Me the Way, and we've been building again precept over precept on how to live a faith forward and spirit-led life.

We've been talking around this idea of Psalms 119, 105.

And it says, the word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

So this morning, let's, before we get into the word, let's close our eyes and we're just gonna pray.

Man, Lord God, we just thank you today.

We thank you, Lord God, that you are in the midst of us right now.

I thank you, uh, Lord God, for everyone that's hearing this word today, Lord God.

I pray that it would change and transform them.

I pray that it would challenge them, challenge the listener today.

Let this word be a seeking word that would find us, Lord God.

Even in our week, let it find us, Lord God.

Even as we sleep, let that word find us today, Lord God.

But I pray in the name of Jesus, let me simply be a vehicle and a vessel that you would speak through today, Lord God.

Not my word, but your word today, Lord God.

Let your spirit fill this space today, Lord God.

In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

Let's go.

Man, as I was thinking about the message today, uh, it it's really centered around this idea of revenge.

Everybody tell somebody revenge.

Man, I'd say revenge.

That's that's heavy.

That's that's revenge is serious stuff right there.

And and of course, many things to talk about as it relates to revenge.

And I don't know why.

I and I'm gonna, I maybe it was just because Pastor Michelle made me watch this movie.

Um, but I think of John Wick, right?

Uh she made me watch it.

I don't know.

Uh, don't recommend it.

Uh uh, but anyways, the whole premise of this movie is a revenge movie.

Everybody shaking that, because you know you watch.

What was that movie?

I never heard of that.

You know, you know what's up.

You know what's up.

Uh, but anyways, in this movie, the premise is around this idea of revenge, right?

They man, they killed his dog.

Don't don't be killing nobody's dog out there.

And what happens, man, it sets off a chain reaction.

And you know, the end result and the reality of it is is man, revenge there's nothing you profit from it.

Because at the end you still leave and end up still empty, doesn't it?

It's not fulfilling, it doesn't change the circumstance or the scenario.

You stay the same.

And that's why, in this next part of this message that Jesus is gonna give on the sermon on the mount, he's targeting this specific thing.

Why?

Because, hey man, we we have to change the way we see things, we gotta change the way that we preview experiences in life.

Amen.

So here we are again at the Sermon on the Mount.

We're at the heart of the different things that God is challenging us with, and and Jesus here again is redefining righteousness from an external rule following system where we're doing right things, activities, it looks right because everyone can see it, but internally it's a disconnection.

And Jesus is addressing this, right?

His message came to reveal, deal, and deliver us into heart transformation.

Everybody tell your neighbor transformation.

It's all about transformation.

Jesus is here to change our heart, it's heart revival, making something new, right?

In the Hebrew, uh, renewal is said it the Hebrew word is shedash and it means renew, a renewal.

Jesus invites us to this experience where heart revival is a personal reawakening to God.

Why?

Because at some point we're again we're doing right things, our heart is disconnected, and our heart begins to build up walls because of that disconnection.

So it's right actions, but an unmotivated heart.

We can show up in a space, but we don't experience transformation because we just showed up in the space.

You get what I'm talking about?

We showed up, and just because I sat in a chair doesn't mean that transformation is gonna come to me.

Amen.

I invited by surrendering my heart, opening up my heart, opening up the doors of my heart to allow God to begin to move.

Okay, God is the great physician, that's one of his things.

He's a great physician.

He needs to get in there with the scalpel.

I know a lot of us don't like the doctor.

Okay?

It's like I don't really care if there's a dentist ever listening.

I don't like the dentists.

I mean, we love the people of God that are dentists, okay?

I feel it's such an invasive experience.

But what happens?

Hey man, they there's a work that got to get done, right?

But what happens?

We have to allow God the opportunity to do that work, and it's only until we surrender and bring down the walls that separate us.

You see, it moves a person from spiritual coldness, tiredness, or apathy back to a living, active faith.

Living, active faith.

Man, I remember, you know, and and I say always, you know, and part of my prayer always is, man, God, keep that fire burning.

We were talking about fire earlier this morning in our team rally this morning.

What a powerful time of prayer uh this morning.

But you know, as I'm thinking about that, I'm remembering uh, you know, I was reading this book on on revival and awakening, and uh there was this one account uh a long time ago, it was a revival that happened.

And uh man, they were in such a place that the faith was so active in that space where they were meeting.

I think it was like a hotel room that they were meeting in.

Uh, and at some point, uh people that were around the building saw fire on top of the building, and they began to call the fire department.

Hey man, there's a fire at this hotel, there's a fire in this building.

And so the fire department gets there and they're like, There's no fire.

And they're like, No, but we see a fire.

See, what there was was the Holy Spirit, there was a flame, almost like the burning bush.

There was a flame that people could see on top of the building, but it was the Holy Spirit moving.

Why?

Because man, when God begins to awaken things in us, we activate something in the spirit.

Everybody say amen.

Tell your neighbor, let me get activated.

So this process brings us to new life, it's an inner relationship with God.

This starts with a private prayer and surrender.

God, He starts here, He starts here always.

This is not about this global thing.

Every movement starts with one person.

God says, hey man, if I can revive you, then you become the inspiration for the next person and the next person, and it's almost like a domino.

I see this little word, you guys are my my example.

Uh I see the domino uh that hits.

Frankie, you're the spark, right?

And and you set it all ablaze, right?

Because it's a domino.

Because the moment I catch on fire, the moment I invite revival, it sets a spark in motion.

So it starts with private prayer and surrender, it cleans out personal hidden sin and coldness.

And again, it serves as a tiny spark that feeds a bigger movement.

Man, you're the spark for somebody.

You know, I remember watching a video a long time ago, and uh it was like the it looked like some some kind of like uh a carnival or event, and uh, anyways, there was like live bands and like literally in the in the giant field, and uh everybody's like sitting down and they got like the little you know blankets on the floor and everybody's eating, you just gotta listen to the music.

And at some point, this guy uh gets up and he just starts dancing, and everybody's looking at you know, some people were laughing, and some people like, and then after a little bit, someone else got up and started dancing with them, and then somebody else got up, and before you knew it, that one person galvanized literally, it was like almost a hundred people at some point, all dancing in the field.

But it always starts with one whose spark are you?

You're a spark for somebody, but at some point when you when you become the spark, it looks different.

It's easy to ridicule.

We talked about this, you know.

You hear phrases like, oh, you're doing too much.

Oh, that's too much.

I mean, come on, that's that's not necessary, yo.

But I don't know about you guys, but uh the God that I serve, let me tell you what he gave me, there ain't nothing too much.

Like I will show up, I will show up, I'll talk about it.

I'll show up, man.

I'm gonna be about it.

Why?

Because I know what God did for me.

And every day my life is like, yo, how do I get, you know, almost like you remember like back in the day, you'd like rub the two stones together, like and it to kind of spark the fire?

Every day, you know what I do?

I wake up, I grab my stones, and it's faith, and I said, Man, I gotta get this fire going again.

And the next day I wake up and I said, Man, I gotta get the fire going again.

Because I cannot be content.

So at some point, yeah, it may look different, but that's where revival starts.

That's where transformation happens.

That's okay.

I'm not here to be cookie cutter, I'm not here to look like everybody else.

I'm looking, I'm here to be, you know, last week I was at a business meeting, and you know, at some point you you get around enough people long enough, and and and and they start getting it very apologetic around you.

And and and so I'm I'm talking to this guy, and he's like, Man, uh Adrian, uh, we're gonna go over here and and man, I just want to apologize in advance because you know sometimes you know the the you know they they use a little bad language, and and and and I'm looking at them, why?

Because they already know.

I haven't told them, hey, I'm a pastor or I'm this.

No, they just know, hey man, this got something different about this guy, and he ain't like us.

Uh but so man, I feel like when I'm around him, I gotta just man, I gotta like do things right.

I feel a little bit different around him.

Why?

Because I'm a spark, I'm a light, and they can't help but have to adjust to my light.

Man, are you a spark where you are?

I don't know about you.

I'm fired up.

I'm fired up this morning.

Man, I gotta show up fired up.

Who's fired up this morning?

Let's get fired up about something.

Let's get fired up about something today.

So we're gonna jump into it in Matthew chapter 5, verse 38.

Matthew 5:38

So we're here we are deep into the Sermon on the Mount, and we're gonna hit the next one.

Uh and it's about revenge.

All right, so in verse 30 it says, uh, you have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.

Be getting serious out here with Jesus.

He don't be playing, okay?

He be calling some stuff out.

Uh, so again, you hear, you get the gist.

We've been talking about this week after week after week, where he's reminding people, hey, I know that you have heard this generational saying, you have heard this in a synagogue, you've heard this from maybe uh another religious leader, maybe you heard this from your mom, maybe you heard this from your dad, maybe you heard it from grandma, but but you at some point you have heard this law that has been passed down.

And this law is found in the law of Moses.

I'm gonna read it for you guys.

It's in Exodus chapter 21, verse 23 and 25, and I'm gonna read it from the New Living Translation.

Exodus 21:23

Uh verse 23 says, But if there is further injury, the punishment must match the injury.

A life for a life.

24, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise.

Man, I'll tell you what, sometimes the word of God be getting a little savage out here.

You know what I'm saying?

They they they will cut you up, okay?

Uh, and in this, what what do we see?

He's laying out the gravity of, hey man, uh in one in one respect, what they're trying to lay out is like, hey, an injury may happen, something may happen, but don't let the injury or or or the repayment of that be more than the injury, right?

That was the original premise of this.

But what happened is that people began to then say, hey, you know, I can handle this myself.

We don't want people to handle stuff themselves, okay?

Let me just tell you right now.

Uh, so when you think about this, even that idea of the an eye for an eye uh is actually there's a legal term for this now.

Uh in in it it says uh Lex Telionis or the law of retaliation, meaning that a punishment should match the exact size and harm of the crime committed.

Now, I don't know about you guys, but like I'm reading this and I'm studying this all week, and and at some point I'm like, man, at some point there must have been a lot of one-eyed people out there, a lot of one-handed, toothless people in communities.

Like, yo, what happened to you?

I you ain't gotta tell me, I know what happened to you.

Like, they just know.

Um why?

Because at some point, people were not taking legal routes, but they were taking it upon themselves to say, oh, well, I will execute what I feel is the remedy for what happened.

And that's just what Jesus has come to address.

And Jesus is like, hey, hey, I I mean, I know that you have heard this, but but it's not like that.

Everybody tell your neighbor, it's not like that.

In verse 39, he says, but I say, everybody say, but I say do not resist an evil person.

Or in another version, it says, Don't repay an evil act with another evil act.

If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.

I'll tell you what, this this this is a hard word right here, okay?

Because I say, people looking at me like yeah, I don't know about that one pastor.

That's I mean, I saw a lot of like stretching, like, mmm, where do I sit with that?

You know what I'm saying?

Um man, Jesus, you know, in the first part of this, he's clearly asserting his authority over the word again, but I say, right?

Um, but Jesus, you know, he'd be taking us into some hard places.

Why?

Because Jesus is trying to challenge again.

Think about this.

I said this, and I can see the reaction of everyone in the room, right?

Uh, this is the advantage of being up here.

I see everybody.

Uh, and and and what happens, man, everybody heard that, and in the hearing, I can imagine everybody on the hill with Jesus, like, yo, what is this dude talking about?

Because that's what all you guys said.

I don't know about that scripture.

Uh, let me get you another translation.

But what happens?

Jesus again is challenging.

Hey, you've been trained in a certain way, but I have to disarm what you've been trained by.

Because this is what you, again, heart remaining heart revival.

He's here to transform the way we see and live the life that we're living.

Revenge is not it.

Tell your neighbor revenge is not it.

And this is a hard one.

All right, let's be for real.

When I read this, I was like, yo, this is a crazy one.

The idea here is if clearly what Jesus is saying, hey, if somebody comes and slaps you, like the sound effect.

Um, you're supposed to invite the other cheek, right?

Ethan, let's try this.

No, I'm just kidding.

Relax, relax, relax.

Uh I mean, I'm just taller because I'm up here.

Uh but what happens?

Hey man, the idea is that, hey man, this is hard to kind of justify in our mind, right?

Because we're hearing something that in our mind was like, hey man, you come and hit me, try me.

Right?

Have you heard that expression?

I mean, clearly you guys are very spiritual.

You wouldn't say that.

But other people have heard.

Trinity is like, yo, come and hit me, we'll see what happens.

The idea here is understanding, hey man, these are hard things to hear.

It's challenging the way that I think.

What does revenge mean?

Revenge means doing harm to Someone to punish them for wrong they did to you.

This is an act of getting even or paying someone back out of anger.

Everybody say anger.

What does the scripture say about anger?

And I don't think God got this one because I just put this one on earlier today.

In James chapter 1, verse 19 through 21 in the Passion.

James 1:19–21

It says in verse 19, My dearest brothers and sisters, James 1, 19 and 21, 19 and 20 through 21.

My dearest brothers and sisters, take this to heart.

Be quick to listen and slow to speak.

And be slow to become angry.

Jesus is saying, yo, slow your roll.

Sometimes it's take a deep breath.

Everybody now just take a deep breath.

I feel like it got a little tense in here.

Everybody's talking about slapping and everybody got a little bit worked up.

Like, yo, I remember.

I don't know what you remember right now.

Take a deep breath.

Okay, take a deep breath.

Alright, verse 20 says, For human anger is never a legitimate tool to promote God's righteous purpose.

What is he saying?

Hey, man, if we're called to look like him, that's not a reflection of who he is.

When you're motivated by anger, you're not a reflection of him.

Because, hey, you're not promoting righteousness.

You're representing, or in this moment, promoting retaliation.

21, it says, so this is why we abandon everything morally impure and all forms of wicked conduct.

Instead, with a sensitive spirit, we absorb God's word, which has been implanted within our nature.

For the word of life has power to continually deliver us.

And what God is simply challenging us, or Jesus is challenging us in this moment, is hey man, reframe conflict in your mind.

Reframe, reframe the challenging things that you're confronted with in your daily living.

Hey man, uh there's people that that literally are out there trying to provoke some stuff.

There's angry, everybody, somebody just angry?

Like they're just looking for problems.

Like relax.

Right?

And there may be like some real Road Ragers out there.

I mean, like intense.

I mean, where we're like they drive by you and like I'm like, like, relax, bro.

You're like, you're gonna make it.

You'll be alright, okay?

But what happens?

They've given themselves to anger.

And this is where Jesus is is the counterintuitive.

He's saying, man, you gotta abandon this spirit of anger.

How many know that anger is a spirit?

And guess what, man?

You got that's why you gotta abandon this way of thinking.

You have to invite the Holy Spirit to resensitize your heart.

And what happens?

So when you do that, you begin to respond differently.

You see conflict different.

You're thinking in a different way when things are beginning to transpire around you.

I'm sorry, when conflict is coming up, I mean, you can feel conflict coming.

You know what I'm saying?

Like, you know, like it's getting a little bit right.

Have you ever been in?

I've been in there like, yo, and and I start doing the sign of back up out of here.

Why?

Because I can sense it.

Why?

Because, man, I have the Spirit of God on my life, and what happened?

He's just, hey, step away, walk away.

Because that's what Holy Spirit begins to do.

And this is why the beginning instruction is hey man, be quick to listen, slow to speak.

I think we struggle with a little bit of slow to speak.

Then, but what happens to me?

It's a chain reaction.

When I listen more than I speak, it usually diffuses everything.

But what happens?

We want to have something to say.

And usually when we have something to say, what does that do?

Well, you're sparking some other things up, right?

But man, if we're slow to speak, then what happens?

Man, we begin to diffuse the whole situation.

Why?

Because then we become slow to become angry.

Sometimes it's understanding, hey man, you know, there's moments that it's not even about you.

That person's got some stuff going on.

I'm like, yo, sort yourself out.

Like, I know you're looking to get into some kind of verbal argument.

I'm not trying to get in that verbal argument with you.

And I've had those moments, especially like if you work out there in the retail world, like I remember back in the day, I used to be like kind of more front-facing retail.

And I mean, you get some people that like for nothing.

Like, and I remember one time I was in uh in a store, and um I was visiting a location, I was like a district manager, and uh just happened to be at a store, and man, one of the nicest ladies, I mean, incredible older lady, very nice, she's taking care of a customer at the register, and just happening, I was like kind of behind the the register area, and um at some point she goes to hand the guy some some money back, but the guy's not paying attention, so she puts it on the on the counter, and then the guy like looks back and I mean name the the adjectives and phrases that came out, and I was like yo, was because she didn't hand him the money, but he wasn't paying attention and is that when I talk about like a it's like a grandma, it's like an older lady, and I'm like, yo, how are you gonna talk to this old lady?

And he was like this big dude, and I'm like, who talks to people like that?

What happened?

The spirit of anger, right?

For no reason, she didn't do anything to provoke that.

But what happened?

Now we have a right in that moment of how we're going to respond back, and she just looks at the guy.

Well, I'm sorry.

You have a great rest of your day, and that made him even more mad.

Why?

Because he was looking for a verbal altercation, and we didn't give him the satisfaction.

That's why, hey man, I'm here to defuse.

And it's the invitation that she's giving us.

Hey man, you can choose to allow these things to stir you to wrath.

Because that's what the enemy be coming trying to pick a fight.

He'd be like, right?

And and he be trying to like just get something instigated.

And that's where Jesus is like, hey man, don't fall for that.

Don't fall for it.

Slow to speak, just listen.

And man, the more you sit back, the more the Holy Spirit kind of comes in, grabs the controls, and like, hey, back it up, man, man, bag it up, bag it up, right?

And that's where hey, it's time to exit right.

Amen.

Jesus is here to renew our mind and to change our heart.

This is the mercy principle where Jesus shared in the Beatitudes.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

In Romans chapter 12, verse 17 through 19, it says, Never pay back evil with more evil.

Romans 12:17–19

Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.

Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

Dear friends, never take revenge.

So here in Romans, he's literally telling us, hey, don't take revenge.

Leave that to the righteous anger of God.

For the scripture says, I will take revenge, I will pay them back, says the Lord.

What does that say?

Hey, do the right thing, I got your back.

Man, I don't know about you guys.

I like when God got my back.

And God is literally inviting us, hey man, do the right thing and let let it let let me sort this out for you.

And as I was reading this, uh, I remember this one, and I'll give you this short story.

Uh man, I remember when I was coming up, my dad was in the military, and we lived in Philadelphia in the Navy base, and uh he was stationed there for a little while.

And I remember one night, uh it my brother was out, I think it was a walking the dog or something, and there was a guy that had a really cool car.

And it just so happened my brother was walking by, and uh he was, you know, kind of like kind of leaned over and he was looking at the side of the car, right?

And uh at some point the the owner of the vehicle shows up, right?

And it seemed like he probably had a couple drinks on him, right?

And um, now mind you, my brother at that point is like 15-16.

Now, granted, my my brother, he probably looked about 25 uh when he's 15, 16.

Uh, but at the end of the day, he's only like like 15, 16 in this at this point.

And um the guy comes up to him and he had a couple other guys with him.

And this guy's they're they're Navy guys, they're in the Navy, we're in the living in a Navy base.

And uh they're like, oh, what did you do to my car?

And my brother's like, Oh no, man, I was just checking out your car, super cool, whatever.

And my brother's like, whatever.

It's like uh, you know, I'm just walking by, I'm walking the dog.

And um this guy's like, hey, what'd you do to my car?

And he's like, Yo, I didn't do anything to your car.

Anyways, long story short, the guy hits my brother.

And his his buddies are like, um, hey, hey, man, you know, like relax.

They kind of like, uh, because I guess the guy wanted to keep going, and they're like, yo, yo, relax.

He didn't knock my brother uh down, um, but he kind of like you know, kind of got a woozy, and they're like, hey man, like who are you?

Like, you know, like what what in it?

Because we're in the military base.

So they're like, hey, like where where are you stationed?

Like what what are you in the Navy, Marines, whatever?

Because it's multiple uh branches that were in the base.

And he's like, My dad is in the Marines.

And the moment they heard my dad is in the Marines, they're like, yo, we gotta go.

We get out of here.

And so they threatened my brother.

Oh, if you say something, we're gonna get your father like kicked out of the Marines or whatever.

They try to just threaten him.

Uh, anyways, my brother goes home.

Um he, you know, at some point he talks to my mom, and um, my mom's her immediate response is we need to pray.

She's like, Are you okay?

I'm okay.

Um, but I can't believe that happened.

And she's like, Well, let's pray.

And uh, so they prayed, and uh it was funny because I don't know what's going on.

I'm I'm we're like a year apart, but I'm at home.

I'm I was like, I think sleeping at that point.

The next morning, I could see it had like a little bruise on his face.

So, you know, yo, which you got beat up last night?

I don't know.

Very sore subject, clearly.

Um, I I did not read the room.

Uh nonetheless, uh uh at some point, um, my dad finds out because my mom was like, yo, don't tell your dad.

And then my dad finds out.

And what does my dad want to do?

Everybody say revenge.

And my dad was, you know, my dad was a Marine, you know, and he Puerto Rican, he's trying to hurt somebody, okay?

Um so it it it all I know is that at some point in my house got tense, and I was like, what is gonna happen here?

And my mom is like, my dad's name is Tony.

Tony, you need to relax, okay?

Let's report this, and but don't don't do anything.

So my dad calms down, he makes a couple of phone calls, and in this moment, we chose, hey God, you got our back.

The guy shattered his hand on my brother.

He's in a cast the next day.

The military police go pick him up.

Within the week, he's in jail.

And then within the next two weeks, they kicked him out of the Navy.

Um, how many know when God's got your back?

Uh man, he he get he get it, he gets you right.

Amen.

Amen.

And we chose blessing.

We chose, hey, that's not the path we're gonna go.

As a matter of fact, I want to say, um, you know, because my brother at that point, I mean, he was uh man just plugged in, serving the Lord.

I think that guy prayed for that guy, as he was saying, hey, hey, I just want to say God bless you.

After he got hit, we're getting there, Trinity.

We all get in there.

We all get in there.

In other words, my brother didn't figuratively tell him, hey, take the other cheek.

But in other words, in other terms, he chose blessing over, hey, I'm gonna go get my dad.

Hey, this isn't over, hey, I'm gonna find you, I'm gonna get you.

Like there could have been a lot of different things that came in response, but he chose, hey man, God bless you.

God got your back.

God got your back.

Some of you guys were like, oh man, that might be a different story.

I might have been the one arrested.

Hey, God, hey, this is why God is showing you this today, okay?

Um, but what happens?

So we pick it up in verse 40, and it says, Man, if you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat to.

41.

Man, this is heavy.

Everyone's like, mmm.

41.

If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.

Verse 42.

Give to those who ask, and don't turn away from those who want to borrow.

And I actually pulled the same scripture from a different version in the Passion.

It says, I like the language, it says, learn to generously share what you have with those who ask for help.

And don't close your heart to the one who comes to borrow from you.

And in these different things, I mean, I can imagine everybody on that, and that listening to Jesus in this moment, everybody was feeling very uncomfortable.

Okay?

Why?

Because this is so countercultural.

The same as it is then today is the same.

Because I'm saying this, and everybody's in their seats, like, oof, man, Lord, I don't know if I got that in me.

That's okay.

They were all saying the same thing.

They were all literally like, oh, I don't know if I got that one in me, Jesus.

Uh I mean, the disciples are probably listening to that, looking at each other like, man, he's a better man than me.

That's why he's the rabbi.

Okay, we're just here to learn, though.

We're just here to learn.

I don't know if this is you know literal.

Um, but what happens?

He's challenging the way they're thinking, just as he's challenging the way that we think today.

It's radical non-retaliation, radical grace, radical generosity.

In verse 40, Jesus calls us to respond with surprising kindness and willingness to give more than what is asked.

These are hard, hard truths, right?

And what I say about truths, there's no hard truths.

There's just truths.

It's hard because, man, it's hard because it's countercultural to the way that we think, the way that we've experienced life.

I mean, in my home, I grew up eye for eye, okay?

My dad was like, yo, they come for you, come for them.

Again, my dad was a Marine, okay?

Uh, so he was like, he didn't play.

He was like, yo, and then you know, my my older brother, he was like, if they come for him, you better go for all of them, right?

Um so this is this this is what we were learning, right?

This is what I learned when I was a little kid.

This is why Jesus said, You've heard.

You've heard it said, you've all heard it said.

Ain't nobody here said, no, man, like my dad told me, like, yo, somebody come for me, get the teacher.

No, I'm pretty sure your dad was like, your mom was like, no, no, no.

You take care of business, okay?

I got you.

I take care of the principal parts.

We're gonna we're gonna redeem that, okay, in Jesus' name.

Man, he's like, oh, you're speaking to God's, everybody say, God's not done with me.

That's why we're here.

We're in process.

We're in process, right?

Um, but this is what he's speaking to, man.

Generationally, this is what we've learned.

But at some point, God is trying to reshape and reframe the way that we're seeing and experiencing the life that we live.

In verse 41, you know, back in the day, the Romans had a rule that the soldiers could force a local person to carry heavy gear for at least one mile.

So it was called the rule of one mile.

The law said that a person uh could stop at the end of the first mile.

You can ask them to do more, but they were obligated by law to take up the armor, the packs, and walk a mile.

And it was the idea was to relieve the soldier of the burden.

And as I was reading this, I was remembering uh, you know, you guys watch the show The Chosen?

You guys watch that show The Chosen.

You guys are very spiritual, very spiritual here.

Um, and and what happened there's they actually depict this in the show The Chosen.

There's a there's a scene where the you know Jesus is walking with the disciples, and at some point there's Roman you know soldiers that come in front of them and they're like, Stop! Uh man, you guys need to carry all our packs.

And for them, it was a big joke, right?

And I love this because it gives you almost like a visual, uh, like, oh man, this is kind of what happened.

This is what kind of what this look like.

And so uh for them, it was like, oh, I got you, you got nothing to do, you got to do this, right?

And and for them, they're teasing them, and and uh it was a big, just a big joke for them.

Um, but for that that group, it was humiliating.

It was uh demeaning.

Now, if you think about this, in order for them to take it all their stuff, and they showed this in the in the show, they have to, I gotta take off all my stuff.

So you gotta so that means I got to go walk your stuff a mile.

Then what I gotta do, I gotta walk another mile back, and I gotta go pick up my stuff to go back where I was trying to get to.

And what I love is after the Sermon on the Mount, this is the next depiction happens in the show of this very moment.

And what happens?

At some point they get to the mile, and in the show, Jesus, it's like, okay, stop, you know, put all the bags down or whatever, we'll take it from here.

But Jesus keeps walking.

And the Roman soldier is like, I said stop.

And he said, Well, I'm offering freely to go another mile, and the next post is down the road.

So I am volunteering to do this for you.

And what I love is in that moment, it was a conflict that even the disciples were struggling with because they're like humiliated to carry the first mile, and then they see Jesus, hey man, with with with just the same spirit of like, hey man, we're good.

Like this, this is not, um they're not gonna get to me.

Like, as a matter of fact, I'm gonna do it with joy to the next mile, and in this moment you can see two things happen.

One, the the disciples begin to get challenged in their mind, and one of them says to another, hey, he just said this on the sermon.

This is the extra mile.

And the soldiers that are around, you see, their expression is bewildered, and they don't know what to do with it.

And they're like, This guy's willingly gonna go an extra mile for us, and what happens again?

He's shifting the narrative.

Is shift the narrative.

And now they were like, as they as they were walking the next mile, you saw those same soldiers were like, Hey man, let me grab the helmet from you.

Hey man, let me get the shield from you.

And it was a different spirit.

Why?

Because they they they were now having to respond to an act of generosity, not an act of submission that they were forcing them to do.

Again, God is shifting our mental narrative.

In verse 42, it says, Man, there's freedom in giving, open-handed generosity rather than guarding possessions.

Generosity is not about what people deserve, it's about living so open-handed that we invite God's direction because it's his.

That's what generosity teaches us.

When we walk in a generous way, I understand, hey man, I get to work because God enables me to work.

I don't know about you.

Have you ever been to a hospital where they cannot move?

But they don't get to work.

Man, I'm walking, I'm moving.

Man, what a joy.

I get to work.

God gives me the ability to produce wealth.

That's what the word of God says.

He gives us the ability.

Whatever your your your your work is, he's giving you that ability.

And what he's inviting us to say, hey, if I'm giving you this ability, then the resource that is in your hand, uh, I mean, I've helped you get that resource.

And in one essence, he he invites us hey man, tithe what's the Lord's, right?

And we got the 10% that that that's is one of those really is understanding that hey God this was yours to begin with the ten percent is yours like literally in my house 90 I don't even know what that hundred is uh ninety we live on ninety um because the ten is already is his technically the hundred is his if you look at the new testament the hundred is his in Acts the the the first church the hundred percent was his but God say hey I'm not trying to do all that ninety percent right but then what he's saying hey man but generosity is living in such a way that hey man if you have the opportunity to bless somebody be a blessing and this is again countercultural because in this instance he's saying hey again going in the same thread of what people deserve or you do this you deserve repayment you deserve retaliation hey uh you didn't earn this so I don't you don't deserve the money that I got and God says it's not about what people deserve it is doing what is right and if we live a generous life hey man then be generous where you can be generous and this is the invitation so for for for everyone that's listening again these are some of the most challenging thoughts they probably might have missed that part because they were still thinking about yo if he hits me I gotta just be okay with that like some people probably just got stuck right there and Jesus is still going why because he's here to liberate us in every area of our life and he wants to set us free free in the way that we think why because as we are living in his freedom what happens man we invite more of him to come and we become to we we get to become this expression that he intended for us to be everywhere we go that's why when you when you go to work you're just different why because hey man I'm surrendered I'm yielded and every and again it's every day we're learning how to yield and hey someday some days better than other days amen because I'll tell you what I mean unless you walk in the water please I'll give you the mic to help me but the reality of it is is hey man every day we walk in a little bit we sink in a little bit but the beautiful thing is I get to get up every day hey man I can do it better today man God I invite you today remember I'm gonna spark up my fire and today I'm gonna try to do a little bit better as we're closing this out it's a common thread that we can identify and Jesus is calling us to be different and to live different God's kingdom invites us to refuse to let revenge or offense control our response offense is a big one you know yeah there there's there's things that we harbor and you know we live in these spaces of all the Dulcie like internally made that that oh wait I got a long memory I don't forget what is that's revenge offense offense breeds revenge when I get offended I'ma show them and the word of God says and there's no offense for those who are in Christ Jesus hey man things happen I mean in my life I'm just like yo I I will definitely say like yo that that kind of sucked like that was not cool like I but I shrug it out and I say alright Lord I'm gonna keep moving because I know hey man uh God's calling me to something different and I'm gonna stay on that path God's kingdom invites us to refuse these things this is an invitation Jesus in this message on the sermon on the mountain again it's about hey I gotta get my DNA in you Jesus is trying to get his DNA in us when someone takes from us hurts us or demands from us we get a unique opportunity to show radical grace radical generosity there's something more beautiful to me personally man when you can show radical generosity where people are not expecting there's moments where even I've seen where man I've responded in kindness I remember one instance specific I had a guy came in one day and I I don't know what was his deal he was just he was mad he was mad at the world that day but I met his anger with kindness and literally hours later that day I remember this like it was yesterday my guy came walking back into the store he found me and he apologized and he said man I want to apologize because you were so kind and you didn't deserve the attitude that I gave you didn't certainly didn't deserve the words that I said and I just wanted to let you know and he just began to share his everybody going through something everybody got something and I said man you know what don't even worry about that man hey are you good I'm good hey man we'll see you back here tomorrow why because when we choose to invite grace man God begins to change the narrative I want to give you guys three points to pull out from this actually I'm gonna finish with this God's calling us to live in this full confidence that we don't have to fight for ourselves because God has us God sees us and he has the final say I love it because the word of God says that he's the author and the finisher of our race but what happens when we start writing our own narratives well man he's gonna let you write the rest of that story out.

Hey that's not what I wrote that was not my the I mean that's not what I told you to do.

Right?

It's almost like uh you know in acting you got people that go off script we like to go off script a little bit and she's like that that's not what I wrote um you you kind of going in a different direction don't go in the wrong directions guys give you three keys number one don't let someone else's actions control your response again don't let someone else's actions control your response you may not control what someone does to you but you can choose how to respond Jesus calls us to respond from the heart he is transforming not from the hurt we experienced okay we in process but man while we're in process God is challenging us to be better number two kingdom people respond differently the word says get even or the world says to get even Jesus is saying go the extra mile man how how countercultural is that I've heard that expression so many times in my life get even our response should be so different that it reflects the character of Christ and when we choose to do it differently then we we cause the people around us to take a look at themselves and sometimes that and I always say sometimes that might might spark up a little more anger why because they're so frustrated why because hey again I said the anger is a spirit right and it's looking for the reaction and when it doesn't get that reaction it almost like it's manifesting but it can't do anything else why because the spirit of God is on it is on you amen lastly trust God with what's what is yours to carry trust god with what's yours what I'm sorry trust god with what isn't yours to carry you don't have to carry the weight of revenge retaliation or proving yourself give it to God walk in grace trust him to handle what you cannot I've seen God in so many instances man just show up when I just chose to trust him when maybe the response could have been different maybe something else was wanting me to do something but I chose no God I'm gonna trust you and every time I've seen God man just do something greater show up in a different way show me his goodness show me his favor and I said man God if I would have retaliated or if I would have chosen the other way this wouldn't have been the outcome I wanted we can stand to our feet we're gonna close out as we stand you guys close your eyes just create a space for prayer right now man Lord God we thank you today Lord God I pray right now Lord God we wanna not only pray with you we want to pray for you man I believe today that man if you're here and and you you have allowed offense you have allowed that that spirit of retaliation or or man I I'm gonna get you if that that that's been something that you've carried in your heart hey man God's saying man don't walk around with that hurt and offense anymore then this is here and and if it's in your heart it's been polluting your heart this whole time and God has said hey man I'm here to heal I'm here to heal the offense I'm here to heal hurt I'm here to heal these wounds they're not yours God is simply asking us in these moments to surrender that we again we don't have to carry that today choose forgiveness over revenge surrender over retaliation and trust over control man choose forgiveness over revenge I don't care what the offense was forgive man it's such such a a powerful act that comes out of forgiveness today and if that's you today man I invite you man just say man whoever it is man with man you can sit on your breath you can say say it to yourself but man I I forgive that person who offended me I forgive that person who did whatever God I'm not gonna live in this offense anymore I'm not gonna harbor man that that spirit that tells me revenge I'm not gonna harbor anger in my life anymore I choose peace I choose you today God I choose forgiveness today Lord God I pray today Lord God heart revival will begin to steady in you today today is the day that the Lord has made we will rejoice in it and if that's you this morning again with it with eyes closed I just invite everybody lift up your hands right now let's pray man Lord God I just pray right now Lord God that you are healing people right now in this room today God I pray today Lord God that Lord God hurt offense Lord God anger it has no power here in this room today God I pray God let the spirit of forgiveness begin to flow in us let healing begin to flow in us let the wonderworking power of Jesus work in us right now in Jesus' name Lord God we invite you Holy Spirit to begin to heal to renew and to restore we believe right now in the name of Jesus Lord God that you have come to set us free Lord God your word has come to liberate us from the things that have tried to shackle us broken Lord God in Jesus' name we never want to end a service without inviting reconciliation with Jesus or rededication maybe you don't know Jesus maybe you're like man God I just I've been walking outside of your will I've been walking outside of your purpose I've been skirting purpose I've been skirting my life with you and God I want to get back all in if that's you this morning man I want us to pray today man God's fighting us man follow him surrender he wants to save us he wants to pull us out of the mire and the muck today let's pray together repeat after me Father God I come to you in Jesus name I confess my sin I need your grace I believe Jesus died for me and rose again forgive me make me new be Lord of my life in Jesus name amen