Every time I preach a sermon on “Loving Your Enemies” it seems to conjure up more questions than answers. Such was the case with the sermon last week. I was hardly out of the pulpit when people wanted to know: What about truth and justice? How could Jesus teach non-violence and then announce that he came not to bring peace but a sword? Did not the same Jesus who said turn the other cheek also turn the tables in the temple and drive out the moneychangers in a moment of, at best, righteous anger if not indignant rage?

Searching minds want to know and rightfully so. So we turn to a well-known phrase in the book of Ephesians for our text today that I think will help us understand. Here is what it says. Speaking the truth in love, we will in all ways grow up into him who is the head, that is C…