Hi, I'm Robert Jeffress and I'm glad to serve as your Bible teacher every day on this great radio station on today's edition of Pathway to Victory.

Jesus said you have heard it said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but I say whoever slapped you on the right cheek turned the other to him also.

Today, our study on the sermon on the Mount has brought us to perhaps the most familiar but least understood passage. Let's look at these 11 verses. How do you deal with your enemies?

Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress. When someone wrongs us, our natural response is to get mad and get even.

But Jesus prescribed a far different approach for dealing with our enemies, so different that many write it off as impractical. Today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffress teaches us to turn the other cheek when we're struck by injustice.

Now here's our Bible teacher to introduce today's message. Dr. Jeffress?

Thanks, David, and welcome again to Pathway to Victory. Jesus was a masterful teacher. He was a magnificent storyteller. He was succinct and captivating.

And gratefully, he spoke in terms anyone could understand about issues that confront us all. Is it any surprise that his famous sermon on the Mount has endured generations as the most powerful message ever preached?

Well, right now on Pathway to Victory, I'm presenting a brand new teaching series about Jesus' epic sermon. It's called 18 Minutes with Jesus.

I titled the book this way because the entire sermon on the Mount can be read in 18 minutes. In addition to these daily studies on Pathway to Victory, I've also written a brand new hardcover book for you.

It too is called 18 Minutes with Jesus. The subtitle is straight talk from the Savior about the things that matter most. And I truly believe this may be the most life-impacting book you'll read all year.

Jesus spoke with boldness and practicality about issues such as dealing with your enemies, managing your money, and dealing with anxiety in your life.

To receive a copy of my brand new book 18 Minutes with Jesus, just give us a call or go online to ptv.org. The book is yours when you give a generous gift to support the growing ministry of Pathway to Victory.

David will repeat these details later and he'll give our complete contact information as well.

But for right now let's turn in our Bibles to Matthew chapter 5. As we continue to examine the masterful sermon on the Mount, I titled today's message straight talk about your enemies.

Today we're going to look at some straight talk from the Savior about how to deal with our enemies. If you have your Bibles turned to Matthew chapter 5, Matthew chapter 5, how do you deal with your enemies?

Verse 38 to verse 42, Jesus said first of all we're to release our rights and not retaliate. And then in verses 43 to 47 he says we are to love rather than hate.

Now let's start with release. Don't retaliate. Verse 38, you have heard it said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

And we've carried that idea into our legal system. Today the Latin phrase is lex talionus, the law of retaliation.

If somebody wrongs us there is a measured retaliation the Old Testament said. Well the Pharisees took that rule and applied it to personal relationships where it didn't belong.

And so in verse 39, Jesus said when it comes to relationships do not resist an evil person. Not only are you not to engage in excessive retaliation, you shouldn't seek retaliation at all.

Now again we're not saying something Jesus isn't saying. Don't make Jesus say something he didn't say. He didn't say don't defend yourself. Don't defend others around you.

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