“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”

Matthew 5:38–39

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In this Sunday’s message, we are invited to confront our default reactions to injustice not with numb passivity or impulsive retaliation, but with the compelling love and power of the Kingdom. Pastor Ryan Schlachter unpacks Matthew 5, drawing a striking contrast between the justice of this world and the self-emptying way of Christ. We are challenged to ask: Are we clinging to control and our rights, or are we submitting to a better way, His way?

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Relationship Over Revenge

• Jesus refers to being slapped on the right cheek, something culturally symbolic of insult and humiliation, a dishonoring slap, likely backhanded that communicated, “you are beneath me.”
• This was about more than pain it was about public shame and the assault of your image.
• Jesus isn’t commanding us to ignore the pain or pretend it didn’t happen. 
• He’s calling us to a posture of holy dignity. One that neither strikes back in rage nor simmers in bitterness.
• He calls us to emotional honesty without emotional bondage. To respond not react.

‍Our Love Is Expensive

• “And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.”
  —Matthew 5:40
• In Jesus’ time, most men wore two main garments: an inner tunic and an outer cloak. According to Mosaic law (Exodus 22:26–27)
• Your cloak was used for warmth and sleep and could not be permanently taken.
• So why would Jesus say to give it away?
• Because He’s teaching us that our integrity matters more than our inventory. 
• That our love, if it’s true, will sometimes cost us more than we expected.
• He’s not commanding us to be reckless with what we have but to live in such a way that nothing, not even justice for ourselves is more valuable than reflecting His nature.
• This kind of generosity confuses the world. It’s costly. It makes no sense unless you trust in the One who settles every account.

‍Heaven Is Our Home

• Jesus calls His followers to live according to their true citizenship, Heaven, rather than earthly powers. 
• The command to “go the second mile” is a reminder that while earthly systems like Caesar’s rule have authority, they do not have the final say.
• Our actions flow from where we ultimately belong, not just where we currently live. 
• This heavenly citizenship shapes how we respond to injustice, oppression, and conflict. Romans 12:17-21 
• This call is difficult because it goes against natural desires for justice and retribution. 
• Jesus knows our hearts and calls us into a faith that trusts God’s perfect timing and justice.
• Our true home is not here; it is with God. This eternal perspective transforms how we live daily and how we respond to hardship.

‍We Don’t Pick And Choose

• Jesus’ teaching is not a selective checklist but a wholehearted call to live out Kingdom values in all circumstances. 
• We can’t pick which commands to obey based on what feels convenient or comfortable.
• The challenge is that this way of love is countercultural and costly. It calls us to sacrifice our rights, bear personal loss, and trust God to uphold justice in His perfect timing.
• This isn’t about legalism or blind rule-following, it's about a posture of faith that says, I trust God more than my desire for immediate vindication.
• Living the way of the cross means surrendering our need for control and embracing God’s perfect justice.
• We don’t pick and choose when to love or when to trust God’s timing. We live fully into the Kingdom’s values, knowing that our reward is not in this world but in the next.

Discussion Questions

1. How does Jesus' teaching on 'turning the other cheek' challenge our natural instincts for retaliation, and what might this look like in our daily lives?
2. How does the concept of 'expensive love' as described in the sermon challenge our understanding of forgiveness and generosity?
3. How might our approach to conflicts and personal insults change if we truly viewed ourselves as 'citizens of heaven' first?
4. In what ways does the cross of Christ serve as a model for forgiveness, and how can we apply this in our most difficult relationships?