{{2009_10_27_t1.jpg}} {{2009_10_27_t2.jpg}} {{2009_10_27_t3.jpg}} [[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/de/doku.php/jn_de_2009_10_27|Deutsche Version]] [[Start|| Wiki Start]] [[topics_collection_i|| Topics Collection i ]] ======Enemies and Conflicts 2 - Defense or Attack? ...====== Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009. How do we deal with conflicts? Is the Christian answer to conflicts a defense strategy, or perhaps no defense at all? Or can there be a strategy of attack as well? What is it that God wants us to learn about conflicts and about our enemies? How are conflicts linked to the love of the eternal creator to all humans? We want to have a look into the life of Jesus today. How did Jesus deal with evil things? How did he deal with his enemies or with the enemies of God's kingdom? How did he keep up to his own teaching with his lifestyle and his decisions? {{2009_10_27.jpg }} Jesus had to deal with different types of conflicts and antagonism. There were, first of all, those who rejected him as a person who was teaching God's will and talking about God. These groups are named in the New Testament, they have been Pharisees and teachers or experts of the Jewish law. Jesus could be extremely aggressive towards these groups of people. He could attack them verbally. These attacks are not calm at all, they are strong and fierce! "But woe to you Pharisees!" he said according to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 11. Jesus knew how to use words to attack the evil. He did not attack these people by violence or force here, but he spoke to them and warned them and with them many other people. Jesus could also attack demons and cast them out. He could command the evil forces and by the authority of his words they had to leave. This is demonstrated many times in the New Testament. Once, the many demons which were torturing one man went into a horde of pigs and they drove the pigs into the lake. Jesus used force here, the power of his word. But it was a clear and strong force which he used to attack the evil forces and to make them do what he wanted them to do. Jesus used this force very consciously and he did not torture anyone. But he used force and he attacked. On the other hand, Jesus could be very defensive. He could block conflicts or calm them down. When people tried to stone a woman who had committed adultery, he used two sentences to calm down a whole crowd: He who is without sin among you, let him throw the first stone at her." (John 8: 7) When his disciples were annoyed by children, he put these children into their middle and made the the good example. Jesus could turn conflicts into examples, he could use them to teach the people around him. He could use conflicts to make prophesies and to teach his followers about eternal God. Jesus could and can turn our conflicts into blessings, he could do this during his lifetime on earth and he can do it still today! Jesus' main interest is not the conflict. His main goal is not to win. But he has a clear goal which is beyond such human things. He wants to relate to the persons he is dealing with. He wants to reach justice. He is angry about sin and evil, but he is trying to win and save those who are bound to any type of evil behavior. {{ 2009_10_27_2.jpg}} Finally, Jesus could bear conflicts. He could accept suffering. He could offer the other cheek when he was hit on the first one: "But I tell you not to oppose evil done to you - if someone assaults you on your right cheek, turn the other cheek towards him too." (Matthew 5: 39) Jesus went to the cross, he died there without taking up the fight. His fight was to stay quiet, to bear mankind, to bear the pain and forgive! He wanted to overcome evil with good. He wanted to bear death for those who tortured and killed him. He wanted to show that faith will receive victory, not by its own power, but by the power of the creator and savior. [[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/en/doku.php/topics_collection_i|... more texts]]