HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2010-09-23, Page 15THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2010. PAGE 15.From the Minister’s StudyStop violence now by loving your enemyBy Perry ChuipkaPastor at Trinity AnglicanChurch in Blyth and St. John’sAnglican Church in Brussels
A lawyer died. At the same
moment, the Pope also died. They
arrived at the gates of heaven at the
same moment. They spend the day
in orientation and as they're getting
their heavenly vestments, the Pope
gets a plain white toga and wings
like everyone else, and the lawyer
gets much finer apparel, made of
gold thread, and Gucci shoes.
Then, they get to see where
they’re going to live. The Pope gets
what everyone else gets – a replica
of a Holiday Inn room. The
lawyer gets an 18-room
mansion with servants and a
swimming pool.
At dinnertime, the Pope receives
the standard meal, a kosher TV
dinner, but the lawyer receives a
five-course meal including
caviar, prime rib and chocolate
truffles.
By this time, the lawyer is
beginning to suspect that an error
has been made, so he asks one of the
angels in charge, “Has there been
some kind of mistake? This guy was
the Pope and he gets what everyone
else gets, and I’m just a lawyer and
I’m getting the finest of
everything?”
The angel replied, “No mistake,
sir. We’ve had lots of Popes here, but
you’re the first lawyer we’ve ever
had.”
God surprises us sometimes. In
our gospel today Jesus surprises not
only his disciples, but all Christians
who follow him by commanding
them to “LOVE THEIR ENEMIES.”
A few years ago my family and I
attended a family reunion on Lore’s
side. People travelled from all over
Ontario and even Lore’s sister
Margaret made a special trip from
Saskatchewan to be with the family.
I remembering telling Margaret
how great it was to see her and
Frank.
I also commented that it was great
that they could take time off work
and drive all the way from
Saskatchewan to be with everybody.
She told me , “that’s what family is
all about”, getting together.
Making our families a high
priority is something most all of us
do, and when the need to be together
and celebrate special times arises we
don’t mind the cost. We will take
whatever time and energy it takes to
make those moments happen.God wants us to love our families,right?In the Bible we have often heard
Jesus say to love our enemies. Who
of us would consider going to great
trouble of changing our schedules
and incurring great costs for some
enemy? If you had a relative who
had alienated himself or herself
from your family would you travel a
great distance to make amends?
My guess is that you would be
unwilling to do any of these things.
We are not accustomed to doing any
good to those we consider our
enemies. It is not our nature. It’s
easy to love those who love us. On
the other hand it is virtually
impossible to love our enemies.
Then why does Jesus give us
instructions that seem so unrealistic?
Why does Jesus tell us to “love our
enemies?”
At the time of Jesus, striking
someone deemed to be of a lower
class with the back of the hand, was
used to assert authority and
dominance. If the persecuted person
“turned the other cheek,” the
discipliner was faced with a
dilemma. The left hand was used for
unclean purposes, (helping to pick
up after a washroom break) so a
back-handed strike on the opposite
cheek would not be performed. The
other alternative would be a slap
with the open hand as a challenge or
to punch the person, but this was
seen as a statement of equality.
Thus, they argue, by turning the
other cheek the persecuted was in
effect demanding equality.
Therefore, Jesus was not changing
the meaning of “If someone strikes
you on one cheek, turn to him the
other also” but restoring it to the
original context. Jesus starts his
statement with “you have heard it
said” which means that he was
clarifying a misconception, as
opposed to “it is written” whichwould be a reference to scripture. The common misconceptionseems to be that people were using
Exodus 21:24-25 (the guidelines for
a Judge to punish convicted
offenders) as a justification for
personal vengeance. In this context,
the command to “turn the other
cheek” would not be a command to
allow someone to beat or rob a
person, but a command not to take
vengeance.
Which leads me to say that Jesus
knew that the practice of vengeance
only makes us like the one who
committed the crime in the first
place. My wife and I have heard all
the cases in the last 10 years of
people who have been wrongfully
convicted and spent years in prison
unjustly.
People like David Milgard, and
maybe now Steven Truscott. My
wife often says, thank God we don't
have the death penalty in Canada.
Those poor innocent souls would
have never had seen any light of day,
but even more importantly, the
wrongs committed would never
have been righted. As of 2006 it is
estimated that at least 9 million
people are currently imprisoned
worldwide. The United states is at
the top of the list with Canada
coming in fifth place with over
100,000 people in Canadian prisons.
In our Bible study last week we
spent a lot of time talking about the
Robert Picton case. He committed
all this violence against 49 women
and maybe even more. Does any
good come out of him simply going
to prison? What if he had to go and
help these women on the street.
Maybe develop a program for young
woman who end up on the street.
One of the things that we often say
in the church is (to make lemonade
out of lemons) “to transform a bad
situation into a better one.” Our
greatest example is that Jesus’sdeath was transformed into aresurrection experience.So let me return to my original
premise. Why does Jesus call us to
love our enemy?
I believe that Jesus was
encouraging his followers to break
the cycle of violence, even if it
means putting the law of love above
the laws of the justice system. Jesus
never advocated violence under any
circumstances. He was about peace,
harmony and community. His
ministry was a life of love in action.
His good deeds matched his words.
His lifestyle embodied God’s love
and grace. His ways may have been
radical, but he always worked
getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Living Water Christian Fellowship
10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School
at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
Tuesdays 7:30 pm - Wingham Small Group
1st & 3rd Wednesdays 7:30 pm - Women’s Ministry
Fridays 7:00 pm - Youth Group
Christ-centred, Bible-believing,
Fellowship-friendly, Growth-geared
Sept. 26: Rev. 17
The Beauty on
the Beast -- and
the Bride.
Coming Oct. 3:
Our 9th Anniversary!
Guest Speaker, Potluck
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Blyth United Church
Sunday, September 26
Worship Service and Sunday School
at 11:00 a.m.
Office: 519-523-4224 Rev. Gary Clark
All Welcome
Please join us for worship
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00am
Evening Service 7:30pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor John Kuperus
Hwy. 4, BlythHwy. 4, Blyth
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
Rev. Elwin Garland
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
519-887-2664
10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
119 John’s Ave.,Auburn
519-526-1131
www.huronchapel.org
9:30 a.m.
Sunday School
10:30 a.m.
Morning Worship Service
Guest Speaker:
Rev.Eugene Neudorf
Olympians is Underway!
If you have children in grades
JK-6 then this Bible-based
program is for them. Lots of
music, fun, snacks, games and
teaching time combined
into one night.
Wednesday evening
from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Come on out and register
your children.
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Welcomes you to come
and worship with us
Trinity, Blyth
9:15 a.m.
Church Office: 519-317-4883
St. John's, Brussels
11:15 a.m.
519-887-6862
Sunday, September 26
Rev.Perry Chuipka
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, September 26
Brussels Public School
at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
6:30 pm - DVD series on the Book of
Revelation by James MacDonald
Sunday School for children
4 to 11 years of age (mornings only)
Childcare provided for infants and toddlers
Coffee & cookies after the morning service
For additional details please contact:
Steve Klumpenhower 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
Chris McMichael 519.482.1644 YOU ARE WELCOME
9:45 a.m. Sunday School for all ages
10:30 a.m. - Sunday Morning Worship
Mid-week Bible Study
C H U R C H O F G O D ,ANDERS
O
N
,
I
N
D
I
A
N
A
Timeless Truths
For Today
308 Blyth Rd. E., Blyth
Pastor Les Cook ~ 519-523-4590
Blyth Community Church of God
Brussels Mennonite
Fellowship
Sunday, September 26
9:30 a.m. Together for Worship
Guest Speaker: Warren McWaters from Listowel
sharing his faith story and providing special music
10:30 a.m.Coffee Break
11:00 a.m.Sunday School for all ages
Everyone welcome
Pastor Brent Kipfer 519-887-6388
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - beunitedchurch@gmail.com
Sunday, September 26
Ethel United Church
Worship Service and Sunday School - 9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
Worship Service and Sunday School - 11:00 a.m.
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
Continued on page 20