A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW      

SETTLE MATTERS QUICKLY WITH YOUR ADVERSARY 

Matthew 5:25-26 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”   

Your sinful Old Adam desires to get its pound of flesh. When someone harms you in some way, your sinful nature wants to use every available avenue to punish that person. This is the “eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” way of dealing with adversaries.   

Instead, Jesus urged you to “turn the other cheek.” Rather than attempt to return harm with your own harmful behavior toward your neighbor, Jesus says love and forgive them. St. Paul wrote in Romans 13:10 “ Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.” 

Dr. Martin Luther explained these two verses in this way: “That is why He (Jesus) issues another warning here and shows that this commandment not only forbids wrath, but also requires a person cheerfully to forgive and forget injury that he has suffered. That is what God has done with us and continues to do when He forgives sin: He expunges it from the record and no longer remembers it.” (Luther’s Works, Vol. 21: The Sermon on the Mount and the Magnificat)   

Peter, in the Garden of Gethsemane, wanted to start a world war. Jesus told him to put away his sword. Jesus further said he had “legions of angels” at His disposal to overcome His Jewish enemies. However, Jesus chose a different road. He submitted to them and in love even went to Calvary’s cross in their behalf to shed His blood for the remission of their sins.   

Jesus gave Himself as an “atoning sacrifice” for your sins as well. Jesus loved you, in spite of your sins. He reconciled you to your heavenly Father. St. Paul therefore exhorts, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” (Colossians 3:13-14) 

Prayer: Lord, create in me a forgiving heart for Jesus’ sake. In His holy name. Amen. 

Forth in the peace of Christ we go;  
Christ to the world with joy we bring;  
Christ in our minds, Christ on our lips,  
Christ in our hearts, the world’s true king. 

King of our hearts, Christ makes us kings;  
Kingship with Him His servants gain;  
With Christ the Servant-Lord of all,  
Christ’s world we serve to share Christ’s reign. 

Priests of the world, Christ sends us forth  
This world of time to consecrate,  
This world of sin by grace to heal,  
Christ’s world in Christ to recreate. 

Christ’s are our lips, His Word we speak;  
Prophets are we whose deeds proclaim  
Christ’s truth in love that we may be  
Christ in the world, to spread Christ’s name. 

We are the Church; Christ bids us show  
That in His Church all nations find  
Their hearth and home where Christ restores  
True peace, true love to all mankind.  (LSB 920)