If God is For You

What does it really mean to be or have an enemy or and advasry? I mean lets think about that for a second.... enemy is defined as:

Enemy: one that is antagonistic to another, especially one seeking to injure, overthrow, or confound an opponent.

So if we are to hold to this strict view of an enemy it begs the question how many enemies do we really have?

We might have people that irritate and frustrate us but do we really have any real enemies? Do we have people that are intentionally antagonistic toward us, seeking.....seeking to injure us, over throw us, or confound us?

That seems like a pretty high bar when it comes to having an enemy…

Let’s put that thought on hold....And ask another Question....Are there people in your life that consider themselves to be your enemy?

This is possible....You don’t have any control over what others think about you....

There may be people who consider themselves to be your enemy or they consider you to be their enemy.

They are ugly to you, they look for ways to frustrate you....they believe that you are out to get them so they are going to get you first.

What is a reasonable reaction to such people?

We all will have or have had a situation where we find ourselves at odds with people feeling the need to protect ourselves or go on the offensive.

God has been showing us the last few weeks that whenever we react negatively we are giving up control of our Christian witness.

Last week we see how Peter talked about how Jesus responded to people who called themselves enemies.

1 Peter 2:23 “23 He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.”

Just Because someone claims to be our enemy does not mean we must return the favor

In fact it seems as if we are being told to live as though we have no enemies.

I have said it before there is not a person or ideology on the face of the earth that is your enemy....we are not to live in and adversarial relationship with the world…we are not allowed to label any person or group as unredeemable....

God is all powerful and God is for us and is for the whole human race.

We do have an enemy that seeks to destroy our faith and our witness by getting our eyes off the overwhelming love of God.

This is not on the Screen

1Peter 5:8-9 “8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.”

How dow we do this?.......By not treating others as and enemy even if they treat you and I like one.

This is tough and you may be saying…I get it…I understand what you are saying but what assurance do we have that our Under-Overreaction will be the right one?

Why should we not treat people who sin against God and man as er think they deserve?

Paul tells us in Romans:

Romans 8:28 “28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

Now before we move on if anyone ever understood this to be true it was Paul…we talked a little about his journey…Paul endured beatings, prison and people actively plotting against him.

Yet…he never returned the favor…becuase he knew God’s outcome was assured.

Romans 8:29 “29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”

Romans 8:30 “30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.

Romans 8:31 31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?

In other words like we talked about last week we are to leave the outcomes to God....God will lead us through whatever plans others have for us to accomplish greatness.....Paul is not making this up we see in:

Mark 9:38-40 “38 John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.” 39 “Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. 40 Anyone who is not against us is for us.”

The disciples had a very sectarian world view that Jesus was trying to eliminate. That is the disciple had an ingrained us verses them mentality.

Not much has changed in the world sense the 1st century…Yet as we look through history we see the results of such thinking always leads to a less than ideal world.

These ideas lead to wars, racial mistrust, religious infighting and a loss of an overall sense of personal peace or world peace.

Paul and Jesus refused to treat even those outside of their influence as enemies. Jesus even on the Cross treated His self proclaimed enemies with forgiveness....Father, Forgive them for they know what they do.

If we are treating others as enemies we are not walking in the way of Christ.

If someone claiming to be a Christian is treating you as an enemy they are not walking the way of Jesus.

We must refuse to believe and or treat anyone as an enemy....even if they are!

What if our reactions were seen as a way to make a Holy difference in the world. What if our reactions pointed to a confidence that God is in control of the outcome.

These are the key points to the last two message and today we are wrapping things up with the reason we are supposed to treat enemy’s or perceived enemy’s.

There is not need to live as though you need to win becuase God has already won....Isaiah 54: 17 “17 But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord; their vindication will come from me. I, the Lord, have spoken!”

The benifit of living for God is that you are protected by God…even if it does not feel like it.

Romans 8:32 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?”

The reason we are to treat everyone as a brother or sister in Christ is becuase that is the very foundation of Jesus teaching....It is a non negotiable. This is what it means to Die to Self....Long Pause

The truth is if you are a Christian you do not have a choice....making room for everyone to belong is what we are required to do as followers of Jesus.....

It is also the key to the contentment and peace we all crave.

Matthew 7:12 “12 “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.”

Our Reactions to those who would seem like enemies is a direct reflections of our understanding of Jesus teaching....Our Reactions are indeed Greater than Words.

Are there people in your life that you have labeled unredeemable?

Are there people in your life that have labeled you and enemy?

Communion Doug