Sermon on the Mount | Pt.7 : Revenge

·38 min·3 clips

Jesus teaches that when someone slaps you on the right cheek, a backhand of disrespect, you should offer the other cheek instead.

The episode is a sermon focused on Matthew 5:38-42, continuing a series on the Sermon on the Mount. The speaker opens with prayer and scripture reading, then uses a personal story about a fake spider prank to illustrate how revenge naturally escalates. He introduces the Old Testament 'law of retaliation' (lex talionis) from Leviticus, which aimed to prevent feuds by limiting punishment to 'an eye for an eye.' Jesus, however, teaches a different way: do not resist an evil person but respond creatively. The sermon walks through four specific scenarios Jesus gives. First, if slapped on the right cheek (a backhanded insult), offer the other cheek to reclaim dignity. Second, if sued for your shirt, give your coat too, exposing the greed of the oppressor. Third, if a Roman soldier forces you to carry his gear one mile, carry it two miles, transforming coercion into voluntary sacrifice. Fourth, be generous to those who ask, grounding the extreme examples in daily practice. The speaker emphasizes that Jesus's teachings were for disciples, not just the crowd, and that he lived them out himself. He details how Jesus turned the other cheek during his beating, was stripped of his clothes, carried his cross, and died generously for sinners. The sermon ties this to Easter, describing a Good Friday ritual where congregants nail written sins to a cross, symbolizing reasons God could seek revenge. Instead, God asks, 'Where are you?' inviting reconciliation. The message concludes with an altar call, encouraging listeners to declare faith in Jesus, receive forgiveness, and break cycles of revenge. Practical next steps are offered, including a 'good news box' with a Bible and resources for new believers.

As heard by us

A demanding sermon gives Jesus' teaching on retaliation a costly, immediate edge.

Church on the Rock frames Jesus' words on retaliation as a test of what happens when harm is met with an open hand instead of a clenched one. Beginning with Matthew 5:38, the sermon works through the slap, the lawsuit, and the forced mile, treating each scene as a direct…

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Why you'd press play

When one harsh comment has you drafting a courtroom speech, this sermon offers a different next move.

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