To introduce tonight’s topic, fighting, we are going to watch a clip from
Spiderman
In this clip, Peter Parker, gets himself into trouble…
[Spiderman]
11 mins – The school bell rings, Peter is sitting at the table
15 mins – Peter runs out of school, and is stood facing a wall
The middle bit
In the clip we’ve just seen, Peter got into a fight with Flash…
How would you have reacted if you were Peter?
What would you have done?
Have you ever been in a fight?
What happened?
Who do you tend to fall out with? Brothers? Sisters?
To start with Peter refused to fight…why?
‘I don’t want to fight you flash’
Was he chicken / coward?
What was everyone expecting him to do?
The Bible says a number of things about violence, For example:
Jesus said in Matthew 5:38-42 You know that you have been taught, An eye for an eye and tooth for a
tooth. ”But I tell you not to try to get even with person who has done
something to you. When someone slaps your right cheek, turn and let that
person slap your other cheek. If someone sues you for your shirt, give up
your coat as well. If soldier forces you to carry his pack one kilometre,
carry it two kilometres. When people ask you for something, give it to them.
When they want to borrow money, lend it to them
What do you think this means?
Why would Jesus tell us to do this?
God wants us to be different…
If you return violence with violence, you are no better than anyone
else…it’s like pouring petrol on a fire…
Martin Luther King…
Other readings…
Ephesians 6:12 ”Our fight is not against people on earth but against the rules and
authorities and powers of this world’s darkness, against the spiritual powers
of evil in the heavenly world”
Matthew 5:43-45 ”You have heard it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemies.’
But I say to you, love your enemies. Pray for those who hurt you….”
Psalm 11:5 ”The Lord tests those who do right but he hates the wicked and those who
love to hurt others”
Saying all of that, the Bible also says things like
Proverbs 31:8-9 ”Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; defend the rights of
all those who have nothing. Speak up and judge fairly, and defend the rights
of the poor and needy.”
In other words…we should stand up for those who can’t stand up for
themselves…
What kind of people are we talking about?
The young / old / mentally ill / foreigner / the disabled
How can we do this without getting into a fight?
Speak out / challenge / make people think
Campaign / politics
Conclusion
I hope that none of you get into a situation where you end up in a fight…
Jesus taught piece…
We should repay evil with good…two wrongs don’t make a right
But at the same time we should stand up for those who can’t stand up for
themselves
Sometimes, that may get physical…
That should always be the last option…
I know that doesn’t sound very heroic, but that’s what Jesus taught and
lived
Finish by reading out a story about a Vineyard owner