Love your enemies

Joke -

May those who love us, love us.

And those that don't love us,

May God turn their hearts.

And if He doesn't turn their hearts,

May he turn their ankles,

So we'll know them by their limping.

Intro

Title - Love your enemies

Q. Who is your biggest enemy?

all of the married people are thinking about their mother in laws right now.

some of you have wandered into the dark web of political foes

even others have mind may go to military foes.

Whoever has treated you poorly recently is likely your enemy

Q, What is your hearts position twoards them

Jesus in sermon on the mount

Jesus is correcting the view of many teachers in his day that added hatred to the mosaic law.

Supernatural Love

The New King James Version Chapter 5

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’

you have heard it said - reference to a false teaching about a truth from the mosaic law

Leviticus 19:18 ESV

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Do you know what they call this.

GOLDEN RULE !

Love eachother

They ADDED the obligation to hate your enemy -

gentile/ Uncircumcised / good Samaritan

Like adding ketchup to your hot dog

adding even a little bit of false teaching to the truth is very dangerous

imagine adding a little bit of dog poop to the coockie batter+tf

Be careful about what you may be adding to the scriptures

The New King James Version Chapter 5

44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven;

As christians we are sons of our father in heaven

Jesus details how sons of the father act towards our enemies

SUPERNATURAL LOVE

-Riff - not natural - Supernatural Life

Jesus Example on the cross

luke 23:34 “And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.”

praying for his murderers.

Brings us to a wonderful theme in scripture

1 peter 3:9 “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.”

This is not a suggestion

we are to Love everyone and bless everyone

And let God bring the wrath.

STORY: jail - soups - matt hoarst-

Im Still convicted of this because I struggle to truly love those who hurt me and attack me.

We need to constantly be remided of Gods grace to love our enemies

because we too were enemies of God.

God is gracious to all

The New King James Version Chapter 5

for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?

first part of the passage details a term called

Common grace- term used to describe the goodness of God to all mankind

Sun and rain come to both the evil and righteous.

we are in a time of grace

examples- sun and rain- crops

water, food of the earth, families, minds, bodies, emotions

All good things given to all mankind.

Romans 2:4 “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”

Grace for a season- judgment is around the corner

picking up in verse 46-

Q. What reward is there to loving those who already love you.

This is given and natural to all people.

even the tax collector

tax collector- regarded as most evil betrayer in society-

like a military deserter- teaming up with enemy

-This whole sermon has detailed how the Christian is called to be different

(preach) kingdom culture detailed by Jesus

How are we different?

we are called to a different life.

A life that blesses those who curse us.

Listen closely- Christians are meant to shine brighter than the rest of the world.

We should be the---

hardest working people * the most respectful * Forgiving

do quality work * have high moral standards

We have been called to a highrer standard.

Not as a means to salvation but as a correct response to the citizenship of the kingdom of God

Perfection is the standard

The New King James Version Chapter 5

48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Jesus closes his thoughts on this supernatural love to calling us into perfection.

Jesus was always making his disciples think deeply.

Q. How do you understand this statement?

I would be like no way, not possible, Im out.

This is the right response

This whole chapter has essentially called you to a higher standard in the law and set you up to know that you will fail.

lust equals adultery- unjust anger equals murder- God hates divorce-blessed are the persecuted- right response is love and grace to your enemies

These are the standards of kingdom life and we fall misserably short

But this is the standard-

Moral perfection because God is HOLY

The only way to friendship with God and salvation is perfection to His holy Law and these holy standards.

SO How can sinners like us be right with God

Story: I remember telling my friend that I would come to Christ after I cleaned up my life for him.

I always thought He wanted good people.

Thats a lie.

come broken and He forms you into the citezen of His kingdom over a lifetime.

The father calls you,

The son makes the way through life death and Resurrection

The spirit sanctifies you and gradually conforms you further into the character of Christ

James 2:10 ESV

For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.

Jesus has 2 Goals in the sermon on the mount

1st is to show you the characteristics of His followers

2nd to expose you as guilty of sin and in need of Him as your savior.

you can not be perfect

praise be to God because

Jesus has been perfect on your behalf.

Outro

And this is the gospel

God is holy and Just and true

We are cursed with sin

But God made him who knew no sin to become sin so that we might be the righteousness of God.

God is good to all men

makes the sun shine on all

in patience He gives time for sinful men to come to Him

When we do the spirit gives power to love in a supernatural way

By the spirit we can bless those who curse us and love our enemies

and dear friend - When we fall short of Gods standard we can put our trust in the one who was perfect on our behalf.

Our King Jesus

Lets pray