Love Your Enemies
Notes
Transcript
Intro:
Intro:
It’s been a week
Youth Revival
4 salvations in our youth group over the last week
Several of our students helped lead worship last night
Sam Bennett - one of our students was the emcee last night
Bryce Jones - who many of you know brought the word last night
What a joy it is to be a part of this church
If you have the time…
Jump in and serve on Sunday mornings
Jump in and serve on Wednesday nights
If this isn’t your church home
Get plugged in to your church
Ask you leaders where you can serve
What a joy it is to be a part of this ministry
I was asked the other day
What’s the dream? If I could be doing anything in the world what would I be doing?
I can’t think of a whole lot that I would change
May would do something about these love handles and my receding hair line but other than that I feel incredibly blessed to be living the life that I’m living
Specifically
I feel incredibly blessed to be a part of this ministry
Last week
15 or 20 of us sitting around and chatting life and the scriptures
Fantastic meeting with the D-Group leaders
Celebrating ways that God is moving in your lives
What a joy
What an honor
Praise the Lord
Open your Bibles to Matthew 5.
I feel obligated to tell you this…
I was struggling with the organization of this sermon
I checked out a Ben Stuart sermon on this topic and they way he broke it down was both simple and genius
Much of the structure of this sermon was heavily influenced by his sermon
Context:
Context:
Last week
Retaliation
What do you do when someone wrongs you?
What’s the limit on our revenge?
They had laws in place for this
An eye for an eye
A tooth for a tooth
The punishment cannot exceed the crime
Jesus…
Yeah that’s a necessary law for a well functioning society among broken people
That doesn’t mean you have to get revenge…
In fact…
If someone slaps you, why don’t you turn your other cheek to them
If they sue you and want to take away your coat, why don’t you respond with generosity giving them your shirt as well
If they mistreat you and take advantage of you, go out of your way to serve them
He’s introducing a new radical way of life
It’s not about what you have the right to do
It’s about what is best to do
And by best I mean best for you. Best for them. And best for the Kingdom of God.
He continues in this same theme and further explains what he means and his expectation for God’s people.
Passage:
Passage:
43 “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Pray
Pray
Father, open our eyes to behold the wonders of your law.
Image: The Lion King
Image: The Lion King
Have yall seen The Lion King yet?
Simba grows up believing he is responsible for his father Mufasa’s death
A lie told by his uncle, Scar, who actually caused Mufasa’s death because he wanted to take over the Pride Lands.
Simba then runs away for several years
Meets a warthog and a meerkat that teach him not to worry
And then eventually Simba returns to reclaim his rightful place as king
He confronts Scar in a battle, and Scar tries to manipulate Simba by blaming the hyenas and pleading for mercy.
Simba decides to spare scars life as long as he promises to leave the Pride Lands
Scar deserves to die
We all know that
He’s not a good man
Simba takes the higher route of forgiveness
This moment of forgiveness shows Simba’s growth and maturity
When he left he was just a kid
But now he’s grown up and the forgiveness that he shows is a sign of his maturity
Now after that scar attacks and Simba tosses him off the edge of a cliff but initially he chooses to forgive the man who killed his father and caused him years of emotional turmoil
Transition
Transition
And we know that’s the honorable thing to do
But it’s so hard…
While we respect those who chose forgiveness… we also really love resentment and revenge
John Wick’s dog is killed and we cheer him on as he goes on a rampage and murders 300+ people
In the news…
We love it when there’s tension
Drama
We like it when Taylor Swift takes a shot at Kanye
Or when Eminem makes a whole song dissing Machine Gun Kelly
That’s the stuff that sells
There’s a reason why it’s constantly in the news
That’s what gets people to tune in
This is where journalists make their money
Jesus’s call…
Is not toward resentment or revenge
But it’s the opposite
Love… Love your enemies
Introductory Details
Introductory Details
“You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
This exact line isn’t in scripture
But it was assumed from Leviticus.
Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.
Don’t take revenge on members of your community… Love your neighbor…
That sounds specific
We are to love fellow Israelites
Then it was assumed that if we are told to love those like us… that must mean we are to hate those who aren’t like us
Patriotic
It became honorable to hate the enemies of Israel
It was honorable to hate Rome
This is why it was so wrong to be a Tax Collector
You were working for the good of Rome and the detriment of your own people
The exact opposite of loving your neighbor and hating your enemies
To be a tax collector was to hate your neighbor and love your enemies
It was honorable to hate the Samaritans
They had intermingled with the enemies
They were only half Jewish
They’re not like us
They’re not a part of our community
Have nothing to do with them
This became the norm…
Jesus had a desire to put an end to that.
He had a new way he wanted them to live.
Love your enemies.
Who is our enemy?
Who is our enemy?
Enemy
Someone working against you
Someone who is hostile toward you
Someone who wants to see you fail
In the immediate context
Those who persecute you
Slander you
Come after you
Those who are evil
wicked
Unjust
The know the right things or the just thing to do
And they choose not to do it
Tax Collectors
Traitors
They would use others for selfish gain
Gentiles
Nations
Those who care about their tribe but don’t care about you
Last week
Those who slap you
Those who sue you
Those who ignore you
The enemy
Not just the person who persecutes you
But also the person who acts like you don’t exist
Simplify it
We may have people in our lives who are directly working against us but it’s not likely…
Meaning persecuted…
I doubt anyone in the room is truly being persecuted for their faith
Our enemies are likely much more subtle
The guy you work with who may be nice to you face to face but secretly he hopes you fail
Those who try to make you look bad in front of the boss in order to further their own career
The girl with her little back handed compliments that may sound nice on the surface but you know she’s harboring hatred or jealousy and they’re actually subtle little digs meant to get under your skin
Those who spread gossip and rumors about you seeking to ruin your reputation
Those who ignore you
Won’t acknowledge your existence and you have no clue why
The boss who just seems to have something against you
The teacher
The classmate
The former friend
The former boyfriend or girlfriend
That’s who our enemy is
Notice… The passage assumes we will have enemies
Sometimes people have enemies for doing evil things
If that’s you then an apology is what’s needed
The Bible actually assures us that we’ll have enemies for doing the right thing…
If they hated Jesus they’re going to hate us
The world hates us because we follow Jesus
Woe to you when all men speak well of you
That probably means you’re not standing for anything
Standing up for the truth doesn’t get you a lot of friends these days
Look around… If you don’t have any enemies it may be because you’re living for the approval of the world rather than following Christ and trying to have an impact on this broken world
Truth be told… I struggle with this
I really want people to like me
Enemies are a normal for the Christian
We must learn how to treat them
Jesus says love them…
Now what does that mean?
How do we love our enemy?
How do we love our enemy?
Love does not equal acceptance
In fact love often equals confrontation
The people who love you most are the people who will tell you you have spinach in your teeth
They’re not afraid to tell you the truth
Even when the truth hurts or the truth is embarrassing
The reason why I pick on Jason’s clothing all the time is because I love him
He needs to know that he dresses like a 12 year old
In fact I think more people should tell him
The people who love you the most are the people who will tell you the truth
Love does not equal acceptance
Don’t buy that lie
Love
By definition: Have warm regard for
This is interesting...
Hate: Have no regard for
Ignore
Think nothing of
We often think of hate as something you actively do to hurt someone
By definition it could literally just mean ignore
Live as though they don’t exist
Live as though they don’t matter
Hate - have no regard for
Love - have warm regard for
It’s to go out of your way to seek their well-being
Want the best for someone and then act accordingly
In the context of this passage we see a few examples
Pray for your enemies
Pray for your enemies
Though they may hate me… I’m praying for their well-being
Numbers 6:24–26 (CSB)
24 “May the Lord bless you and protect you; 25 may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.” ’
The most common Jewish prayer
Pray the Lord’s prayer over them
Matthew 6:9–13 (CSB)
9 “Therefore, you should pray like this:
Our Father in heaven,
your name be honored as holy.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And do not bring us into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
Lord help them to honor your name...
Lord may your Kingdom come in their lives
May they begin to do your will
Provide for them
Forgive them
Keep them from temptation
Deliver them from the evil one
Empathy and compassion will help us get to this place
Though you may hurt me, my primary goal is not to get even, but to understand and introduce you to Jesus
I think we need to learn to ask a lot of “Why” questions
Not to their face
Wrestle with them in your heart
I wonder why he treats me this way?
I wonder why she treats me this way?
I wonder why he said that?
I wonder why she said that?
I wonder why he ignored me?
Your answers to these questions will often lead you to a place of compassion
You’ll begin to see them as a victim of sin
Someone who got caught up in the wrong crowd
Someone who grew up in a broken home
Someone who is going through a terrible season of life
This is what Jesus prayed as they were crucifying him to the cross
“Father forgive them because they don’t know what they’re doing.”
It wasn’t that they didn’t understand the mechanics of a hammer and nail
They just didn’t understand the implications of what was going on
For the soldiers it was just a job
People were crucified all the time
Father forgive them...
Greet them
I think this is my favorite part of this passage
Hate - Have no regard for
Greet - Look people in eyes and say hello
This gets down into the minute details of love
I’ve heard it been said before...
“I don’t hate them… I’m just not going to talk to them...”
No that is hate...
And the opposite of that is to go out of your way, look them in eyes and say hello
Are you kidding me?
Even after all that they have done to me?
Even after what they said?
Jesus didn’t say this would be easy...
But this is the calling
Not just greet the people like you...
Only your brothers and sisters...
That’s nothing extraordinary
This gets down into the details of ministry
This is an explanation of a clique is it not?
This is what causes people to complain about churches and complain about ministries
“I went to that church and not a single person talked to me.”
Jesus is calling us out of that
Look people in the eyes and say hello
Shake their hand
Ask them how their day was
Even if they’re different
Look different
Act different
Talk different
Even if they’re your enemies
Constantly seeking your demise
Look them in the eye and say hello
This has to do with who we are at church
In restaurants
At ball games
Well I’m an introvert
It’s going to be harder for you
But this is still God’s calling on your life
Why should we love our enemy?
Why should we love our enemy?
We love our enemies so that we can be like our father
The Father
Causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good
Sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous
This was a farming society
What do you need to grow crops
Sunshine
Rain
God is indiscriminately generous with his sunshine and rain
Evil people often have fruitful seasons
The Son
Jason reminded us of this last week
Jesus set the example for us
Although we were his enemies he gave his life for us
We are his children so we imitate our heavenly father
People tell me all the time how much Denver looks just like me
Now that his personality is becoming more visible people tell us that he’s starting to act like us
Yeah… that’s what’s supposed to happen
As God’s children we are supposed to imitate Him
We love our enemies so that we can turn enemies into friends
This is fascinating to me
The expansion of Christianity
Against all odds
Persecution
Rumors / Slander
Orgies - Love feasts
Cannibals - abortion / infanticide / Lord’s supper
Anti-social
Atheist
Close-minded
What caused Christianity to grow?
Wasn’t mission pushes
Wasn’t attractive church services
The growth of Christianity was in large part due to the way Christians loved their enemies
12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.
They were in the position of your enemy
Making fun of you
Slandering you
Turning up their nose at you
Turning a cold shoulder toward you
Ignoring you
Spreading rumors about you
Spreading gossip about you
Seeking to step on you in order to fight their way to the top
But after watching your response...
They begin to get a little curious
You’re not fighting back
In fact you’re doing the opposite
You return insult with love
You continue to treat them as humans
speaking to them when you come in contact
That curiosity grows
Until they finally say, I want what you have...
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Perfect
Mature
Grow up
You want to know what maturity looks like?
Sometimes we think it’s bible knowledge
Or church attendance
Or church activity
I think this is a statement made as a conclusion to this whole section
People who care for others
No hatred within them
Pure in heart
Faithful
Trustworthy
They’re not quick to retaliate but instead their quick to serve and love
That’s the goal
