How to... Respond

All right, so this morning, if I seem to be relying

on my notes a little bit more than normal, it's

because this all got rewritten yesterday and

this morning, just because of what's happening

in the world. If you've never joined us before,

thank you so much for being here. I would actually

love to meet you. Put your information on the

connection card at the end. I'll make sure to

connect with you. Again, my name is Greg Hampton.

I'm one of the pastors here. Today we are starting

a series called How To. And like I said, I did

write a sermon for this. I promise. I did my

job and I wrote a sermon. And then the world

was just what the world was this week. So throughout

the course of the next five weeks, we are going

to do some pretty practical how -to. We're going

to talk about how to pray, how to study the scriptures,

how to fellowship. Maybe the last one might be

how to serve. But this week, there was just too

much happening that it didn't feel right. Like,

I'm just going to go with this sermon that I

got into the can by Wednesday afternoon. As of

right now, by one report, 680 ,000 people have

died in Gaza. 680 ,000. And the majority of those

are believed to be children. Hundreds of thousands

of people have died in what seems to be a completely

senseless war between Ukraine and Russia. In

2025, there have been nine school shootings in

America. There have been 309 mass shootings in

America. In June, two politicians in Minnesota

were killed in their homes. Another two were

injured in their homes. And this week, a political

commentator and activist was publicly assassinated

of people on a college campus. Jesus said in

John 16, Do you now believe the hour is coming?

Indeed, it has come when you will be scattered,

each one to his home, and you will leave me alone.

Yet I am not alone because the Father is with

me. I have said this to you so that in me you

may have peace. In the world you face persecution

and will have troubles, but take courage, for

I have overcome the world. There are moments

when it does not feel like Jesus has overcome

the world. I said there are moments when it feels

like Jesus has not overcome the world. One thing

after another, as each thing happened this week,

my feelings told me that Jesus has not conquered

the world. Dr. King said, violence multiplies

violence, and toughness multiplies toughness

in a descending spiral of destruction. So when

Jesus says, love your enemies, he is setting

forth a profound and ultimately inescapable admonition.

Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern

world that we must love our enemies or else?

The chain reaction of evil, hate begetting hate,

wars producing wars must be broken or we shall

be plunged into the dark abyss. of annihilation.

We have to stop the chain action. We have to

stop the dominoes from falling one into the other.

And even when I don't feel like Jesus has overcome

all of the darkness of the world, I do believe

it. I may not feel it, but I believe it. The

challenging part is to get that belief to overcome

my feelings. Instead of the other way around.

On Thursday, someone messaged me. They said that

they felt so angry. They are a person that has

been pushed to the margins. They are a person

that is easy to cover with hateful words in the

name of religion. They walked away from church

many, many years ago, but they said they still

believe in Jesus. They messaged me because they

felt that they had said some things the day before

and that morning about what had happened in Utah

on Wednesday that didn't reflect what they thought

about Jesus. Because they were saying it out

of all the anger that they felt. They asked me

what they should do with all the anger that they

feel. Because the person that had died had said

a lot of things that made it easy for a lot of

people to mistreat them. But again, they said,

I know it's not what Jesus wants. I just don't

know how to turn it off. I said, read the Sermon

on the Mount. I said, but don't just read it.

Let it read into you. Really hear Jesus saying

it. The Sermon on the Mount is Jesus' words.

Read them, and if you believe in Jesus, then

hear Jesus saying them to you. Let the Spirit

shape you as you listen to the words that you

are reading, as you listen to the words that

we believe that Jesus spoke. And then, as you

pray through the words of those scriptures multiple

times, let the words of Jesus shape who you will

be now. what you will say next. As I thought

and I prayed on what we should do with our time,

I came to the same conclusion. My sermon about

what order the words belong, believe, and become

should be was going to be a great sermon, I promise.

But today, we need to do the same thing that

I asked them to do. Because the next day I saw

on their Facebook page an apology saying that

they know that they need to learn how to love

people that don't love them. And that was not

me. That was the words of Jesus. We all need

the words of Jesus. The world needs us to have

the words of Jesus inside of us, guiding our

feet and our hands and our mouths. So that the

way that we act does something to remove the

domino from all of the things that are falling

one after another. We have to remove something

from the chain reaction, y 'all. And if we, if

we will douse ourselves in the waters of our

baptism, we will not be ignited by the hatred

of the world. If we will let ourselves be covered

and identified by the blood of Jesus Christ,

then we will not be ignited by the fires of rage.

Because I believe that Jesus loves this world.

I believe that Jesus has taught us how to love

the world. And I hope that today that this will

shape our hearts to break the cycle wherever

each one of us is in that cycle. So what's going

to happen is I'm going to read the longest passage

of Scripture that's ever been read on a Sunday

morning at the house. It's chapters 5, 6, and

7. I was telling people earlier, there's a pastor,

social activist, Christian activist. who co -founded

something called the Red Letter Christians. And

back in 2006, he went to the Youth Specialties

Conference, or whatever it was called back then.

10 ,000 people that worked in youth ministry

in an arena. I happened to be there because I

was living near Atlanta. And he came out, and

he'd been paid to come and bring some great message

as one of the speakers of one of the main sessions.

And he came out. He opened his Bible. He read

Matthew 5, 6, and 7. He closed his Bible, and

he left the stage. And when people were angry

with him that all he did was speak the words

of Jesus, he said, there was nothing better that

I could have said to you. So I'm going to read,

and then we're going to go back through it, and

I'm going to pick out sections for us to pray

about. I'm going to have a couple of the elders

around the building. And if at any point, as

something that we're praying, if it feels difficult

for you, if it feels like something that you

don't know how to remove that part of you from

the chain reaction, or if you know something

that's happening that you need to pray about,

then come to one of those people and we will

pray. I will not ask you to stand because it

will be very long. Father, may your... Spirit,

bring to life the words of Jesus as though he

were saying them to us now. When Jesus saw the

crowds, he went up the mountain. And after he

sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he

began to speak and taught them, saying, Blessed

are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom

of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they

will be comforted. Blessed are the meek for they

will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who

hunger and thirst for righteousness for they

will be filled. Blessed are the merciful for

they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure

in heart for they will see God. Blessed are the

peacemakers for they will be called children

of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted

for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom

of heaven. Blessed are those Blessed are you

when people revile you and persecute you and

utter all kinds of evil against you falsely in

my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward

is great in heaven, for in the same way they

persecuted the prophets who were before you.

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has

lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored?

It is no longer good for anything, but it is

thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the

light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot

be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it

under a bushel basket, but on the lampstand.

And it gives light to all in the house. In the

same way, let your light shine before others

so that they may see your good works and give

glory to your Father in heaven. Do not think

that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.

I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For

truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass

away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter

will pass from the law until all is accomplished.

Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of

these commandments and teaches others to do the

same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.

Whoever does them, and teaches them will be called

great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you,

unless your righteousness exceeds that of the

scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the

kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was

said to those of ancient times, you shall not

murder, and whoever murders shall be liable to

judgment. But I say to you that if you are angry

with a brother or sister, you will be liable

to judgment. And if you insult a brother or sister,

you will be liable to the council. And if you

say you fool, You will be liable to the hell

of fire. So when you are offering your gift at

the altar, if you remember that your brother

or sister has something against you, leave your

gift there before the altar and go. First be

reconciled to your brother or sister and then

come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly

with your accuser while you are on the way to

court with him. Or your accuser may hand you

over to the judge and the judge to the guard

and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell

you, you will never get out. until you've paid

that last penny. You've heard that it was said,

you shall not commit adultery. But I say to you

that everyone who looks at a woman with lust

has already committed adultery with her in his

heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear

it out and throw it away. It is better for you

to lose one of your members than for your whole

body to be thrown into hell. And if your right

hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw

it away. It is better for you to lose one of

your members than for your whole body to go in

hell. It was also said, whoever divorces his

wife, let him give a certificate of divorce.

But I say to you that anyone who divorces his

wife, except on grounds of unchastity, causes

her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a

divorced woman commits adultery. Again, you have

heard that it was said to those of ancient times,

you shall not swear falsely, but carry out the

vows you have made to the Lord. But I say to

you, do not swear at all, either by heaven or...

for it is the throne of God, or by the earth,

for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for

it is the city of the great king. Do not swear

by your head, for you cannot make one hair white

or black. Let your word be yes, yes, or no, no.

Anything more than this comes from the evil one.

You've heard that it was said, an eye for an

eye and a tooth for a tooth, but I say to you,

do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes

you in the right cheek, turn the other also.

And if anyone wants to sue you and take your

coat, give your cloak as well. If anyone forces

you to go one mile, go also the second mile.

Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not

refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. You've

heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor

and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your

enemies. Pray for those who persecute you so

that you may be children of your Father in heaven.

For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on

the good and sends rain on the righteous and

on the unrighteous. For if you love those who

love you, what reward do you have? Do not even

the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet

only your brother and sister, what more are you

doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do

the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly

Father is perfect. Beware of practicing your

piety before others in order to be seen by them.

For then you have no reward from your Father

in heaven. So whenever you give alms, do not

sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites

do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that

they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you,

they have received their reward. When you give

alms, do not let your left hand know what your

right hand is doing, so that your alms may be

done in secret, and your Father who sees in secret

will reward you. And whenever you pray, do not

be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand

and pray in the synagogues and at the street

corners so that they may be seen by others. Truly,

I tell you, they have received their reward.

But whenever you pray, go into your room and

shut the door and pray to your Father who is

in the secret, and your Father who sees in secret

will reward you. When you are praying, do not

heap up. empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for

they think that they will be heard because of

their many words. Do not be like them, for your

Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Pray then this way. Our Father in heaven, hallowed

be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be

done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this

day our daily bread and forgive us our debts

as we also forgive our debtors. And do not bring

us to the time of trial, but rescue us. from

the evil one. For if you forgive others their

trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive

you. But if you do not forgive others, neither

will your Father forgive your trespasses. Whenever

you fast, do not look dismal like the hypocrites,

for they disfigure their faces so to show others

that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they

receive their reward. But when you fast, put

oil on your head and wash your face so that your

fasting may be seen not by others, but by your

Father who sees in the secret. And your Father

who sees in secret will reward you. Do not store

up yourself treasures on earth. where moth and

rust consume, and where thieves break in and

steal. But store up for yourselves treasures

in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes,

and where thieves do not break in and steal.

For where your treasure is, there your heart

will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body.

So if your eye is healthy, your whole body will

be full of light. But if your eye is unhealthy,

your whole body will be full of darkness. If

then the light in you is darkness, how great

is the darkness. For no one can serve two masters.

For a slave will either hate the one and love

the other or be devoted to the one and despise

the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. Therefore

I tell you, do not worry about your life. What

you will eat or what you will drink or about

your body, what you will wear. Is not life more

than food and the body more than clothing? Look

at the birds of the air. They neither sow nor

reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly

Father feeds them. Are you not of more value

than they? Can any of you? By worrying, add a

single hour to the span of your life. Then why

do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies

of the field, how they grow. They neither toil

nor spin. Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all

of his glory was not clothed like one of these.

But if God so clothes the grass of the field,

which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into

the oven, will he not much more clothe you, you

of little faith? Therefore, do not worry, saying,

what will we eat or what will we drink or what

will we wear? For it is the Gentiles who strive

for all these things. And indeed, your heavenly

Father knows that you need all these things.

But strive first for the kingdom of God and for

his righteousness. All these things will be given

to you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow,

for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's

trouble is enough for today. Do not judge so

that you may not be judged. With the judgment

you make, you will be judged, and the measure

you give will be the measure you get. Why do

you see the speck in your brother's eye, but

do not notice the log in your own eye? How can

you say to your neighbor, let me take the speck

out of your eye while the log is in your own

eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of

your own eye. And then you will see clearly to

take the speck out of your neighbor's eye. Do

not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw

your pearls before swine, or they will trample

them underfoot and turn and maul you. Ask, and

it will be given you. Search, and you will find.

Knock, and the door will be opened for you. For

everyone who asks receives, and everyone who

searches finds. For everyone who knocks, the

door will be opened. Is there anyone among you?

who if your child asks for bread will give a

stone, or if the child asks for a snake will

give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know

how to give good gifts to your children, how

much more will your Father in heaven give good

things to those who ask him? And everything do

to others as you would have them do to you, for

this is the law and the prophets. Enter through

the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the

road is easy that leads to destruction, and there

are many who take it. For the gate is narrow

and the road is hard that leads to life, and

there are few who find it. Beware of false prophets

who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly

are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their

fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns or figs

from thistles? In the same way, every good tree

bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad

fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor

can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that

does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown

into the fire. Thus you will know them by their

fruits. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord,

will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the

one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

On that day, many will say to me, Lord, Lord,

did we not prophesy in your name and cast out

demons in your name and do many deeds of power

in your name? Then I will declare to them, I

never knew you. Go away from me, you evildoers.

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and

acts on them will be like a wise man who built

his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods

came, and the winds blew and beat on that house,

but it did not fall because it had been founded

on rock. And everyone who hears these words of

mine and does not act on them will be like a

foolish man who built his house on sand. The

rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds

blew and beat against that house, and it fell,

and great was the fall. Now when Jesus had finished

saying these things, The crowds were astounded

at his teaching, for he taught them as one having

authority, not as one of the scribes. The first

thing I want to pray about is all of the marginalized

people that you know. You can interpret that

how you want. When Jesus gives the Beatitudes,

the blessed bees, He's praying for all of the

ones that are marginalized, telling them how

they will be blessed in all of the ways that

the wealthy think that they can buy. So let us

spend a moment praying for that. If Marissa would

come up over here, and if Eric would come up

over here, if anyone wants to pray about any

of these things with an elder, they will be present.

He says we need our saltiness, that we need our

light. He's telling us not to be bland. He's

telling us not to be dimly lit. Let us pray for

our own courage. That we might shine in the way

that Jesus calls us to. He tells us to be careful

with how we use our anger. He says we can use

our anger in a way that is the equivalent of

having murdered someone. That how we think and

feel in our hearts about other people matters.

Let's take a moment to confess and turn away

from the way we have held anger against others.

He gives one of the most difficult lessons, to

not resist an evildoer, to let them take your

shirt, to go the extra mile, to let them slap

you again, to love our enemies, to pray for those

that persecute us, because as the Proverbs had

said, he causes the sun to rise on both, the

wealthy and the poor, the righteous and the unrighteous.

Let's pray for the ways that we have fought when

Jesus has asked us to let go. He tells us it

matters what's behind our eyes. That if there

is not light in our eyes, that it affects our

entire lives. He's telling us that it matters

what we look at, what we fill ourselves with.

Let's let God shape us now about how we're using

our eyes and our time, what we ingest, and what

comes out because of it. Jesus reminds us that

with the measure that we judge, we will be judged.

That we have keen vision to see the tiny speck

of sand in someone else's eye when we're ignoring

the two by four we're holding in front of our

face. Let's pray about the ways that we have

found ourselves judging others while we have

ignored. The sins of our own hearts and our own

lives. He teaches us the golden rule. To do unto

others as you would have them do unto you. Let's

just pray for a moment about how we have switched

that. How, at times, we do to others as we feel

they've done to us. Instead of offering the kindness

that we hope that we would receive, or the love,

or the gentleness, the forgiveness, the benefit

of the doubt. Finally, he tells us to be doers

of the word, not just hearers of what he has

said, because it shapes and forms a house that

is either built on sand or rock. The love of

Jesus is immovable. It cannot be shaken. And

yet there is something about how we follow Jesus

that affects the foundation of the house of faith

that we build. Spend a moment praying for a good

foundation. If you feel you have built on sand

by ignoring the words of Jesus, then start over.

Build on rock. Jesus, we thank you for your words.

Pray that you would help us to remove ourselves

from the chain reaction that leads from war to

war, from violence to violence, from hate to

hate. That you would fill our eyes with light,

for you are the light of the world. Fill us with

your very presence. Help us to be doers of your

word. not just hearers, so that this house might

be built on rock as each of our individual houses

of faith in each of our hearts is built on your

word. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.