LOVE WITHOUT LIMITS

Introduction

-{Matthew 5}

-In his book, “Through the Valley of the Kwai,” Earnest Gordon tells the following story after being released from a Japanese POW camp. He wrote:

We found ourselves on the same [train] track with several carloads of [wounded] Japanese [soldiers] after we were freed from the Kwai prison camp. These unfortunates were on their own without medical care. No longer fit for action in Burma, they had been packed into railway cars which were being returned to Bangkok.

They were in a shocking state. I have never seen men filthier. Uniforms were encrusted with mud, blood, and excrement. Their wounds, sorely inflamed and full of pus, crawled with maggots. ... It was apparent why the Japanese were so cruel to their prisoners. If they didn’t care for their own [soldiers], why should they care for us?

The wounded [Japanese soldiers] looked at us forlornly as they sat with their heads resting against the carriages, waiting for death. They had been discarded as expendable, the refuse of war. These were the enemy. They were more cowed and defeated than we had ever been. Without a word most of the officers in my section unbuckled their packs, took out part of their ration and a rag or two, and, with water canteens in their hands, went over to the Japanese train.

Our guards tried to prevent us.... But we ignored them and knelt down by the enemy to give water and food, to clean and bind up their wounds. Grateful cries of "Aragatto!" ("Thank you") followed us when we left.... I regarded my comrades with wonder. Eighteen months ago they would have joined readily in the destruction of our captors had they fallen into their hands. Now these same officers were dressing the enemy’s wounds.

We had experienced a moment of grace, there in those bloodstained railway cars. God had broken through the barriers of our prejudice and had given us the will to obey His command, "Thou shalt love."

-I want you to think about that for a moment. These men were prisoners of the Japanese. They were mistreated by the Japanese. Many of their comrades died at the hands of the Japanese. These were truly enemies at the time. And yet, they did what they did. Could you have done it?

-Gordon mentioned being given grace to follow God’s command to love—an often repeated command and one of the hardest to follow. And yet, that is our great calling.

-We are studying the Gospel of Matthew and have been in the Sermon on the Mount for a bit. In this particular section, Jesus has been giving the values of God’s Kingdom, explaining the righteousness that reflects God’s own. Jesus contrasted His teaching from that of the religious leaders of the day who were just putting on a show. Jesus said:

Matthew 5:20 LSB

20 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

-And He has been interpreting what that means. Not only do you not murder, you also don’t hate. Not only do you avoid adultery, but you don’t lust. And so on… And in today’s passage He might give the hardest of them all. Today we learn that a righteousness that is reflective of God’s Kingdom includes love without limiting who it is that we love. My we develop a love that does not limit its scope:

Matthew 5:43–48 LSB

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is 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 do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 “And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

-{pray}

-What does Jesus teach us about this very tough love—this love without limits. There are four quick lessons we want to touch upon, and first Jesus gives us:

1) A challenge to love (vv. 43-44)

-As He had in other sections, Jesus mentions a command from the the Mosaic law that had been misunderstood or misinterpreted. Here, in v. 43, He mentions something that comes from:

Leviticus 19:18 LSB

18 ‘You shall not take vengeance, and you shall not keep your anger against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am Yahweh.

-Now, its interesting that right before today’s passage Jesus talks about not retaliating against others. And here, the law says not to take vengeance but to love your neighbor. We know that elsewhere Jesus calls this one of the greatest commandments. Later in Matthew He’s asked what the greatest commandments are, and His reply:

Matthew 22:37–39 LSB

37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 “This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 “And the second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

-The Jewish religious leadership had no problem with that. The problem came from what they added to it. Jesus says in v. 43 that the general teaching of the time was to love your neighbor and hate your enemies. The problem is that nowhere in the Old Testament does it say to hate your enemies. This appears to be rabbinic interpretation that was added later.

-It seems that within this rabbinic teaching they limited what was meant by the word NEIGHBOR. For the Jews, neighbor meant faithful Jews who lined up with your religious way of thinking. So, if somebody was outside of your circle, or if someone wasn’t a Jew at all, then you didn’t have to love them.

-You can’t help but think of the parable of the Good Samaritan. A scholar of the law asked what he had to do to inherit eternal life and Jesus quoted the commands of loving God and loving neighbor. So, to justify himself, he asked who was his neighbor. And Jesus used a Samaritan as the hero of the story. Samaritans were hated by the Jews—thought of as low-class half-breeds. That rocked their world, because they believed they had a right to hate those who were not like them, whether an enemy in truth or not.

-And now, in our passage, Jesus says something hard to swallow, not only for the Jews, but for us as well: LOVE YOUR ENEMIES. Your concept of neighbor is not limited, but is broadened to include everybody, including people you might consider enemies.

-This actually shouldn’t have been a new concept, because in the Old Testament they were told:

Proverbs 25:21 LSB

21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;

-But here’s the thing about what Jesus is saying. It is not enough to just merely not hate or do bad things to an enemy. Jesus is calling for an active love that seeks the good of the other person. Yes, you are to seek the welfare of the other person, even if they are your enemy. If they have hated you, slandered you, done bad things to you, you are to actively seek their good.

-Here in the Matthew version he mentions that we are to pray for those who persecute us. No, He is not saying to pray for their harm. We are not to pray that a meteorite would fall on our enemy’s head or anything like that. We are to pray for their welfare. We are to pray that God would bless them. The Luke version is a little bit expanded, where Jesus says:

Luke 6:27–28 LSB

27 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who disparage you.

-Do good...bless...pray. Jesus isn’t calling on a passive love that just merely tolerates or not hates someone. It is a call to actively do good, bless, and pray. How in the world can we do that? Jesus continues in the second lesson by reminding us that this demonstrates we are:

2) A child of God (v. 45)

-In v. 45 Jesus says that you love your enemies so that you may be sons of your Father. Jesus isn’t saying that loving enemies saves you or ushers you into the Kingdom, but it demonstrates that you are saved and have been ushered into God’s Kingdom. When you believe in Jesus Christ and are born again, you are given a new heart and a new mind and you are given the Holy Spirit that enables you to have a love that can only come from a supernatural source.

-We often comment on the fact that children many times reflect the character and mannerisms of their parent. They might reflect a parent’s soft-spokenness. They might reflect a parent’s sense of humor. Of course, with human parents, they might reflect some of the not-so-good things as well.

-But Jesus indicates that we are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father and we reflect this love for enemies just like He does. God does good things for everybody. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good. He sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous. With all the rain we’ve had this season that might not sound like a good thing, but in an agricultural society like Israel, rain was very important for crops and watering animals and the like.

-Jesus is pointing us to the example of the Father because He shows love and compassion and goodness toward everybody, whether they recognize it or not. This is called common grace. Common grace is defined as God's unmerited favor extended to all people, characterized by God’s general care and blessing, regardless of their faith or righteousness.

-Think about what God has done. Today He has caused His sun to rise on everybody alive on this earth. God has given another day of life to everybody. We are here today because God has caused us to live another day. But think of this—that Muslim terrorist over in Iran, God gave him another day of life as well. God has given rain to the farmers in Alabama so their crops flourish. God has also given rain to that Buddhist monk running a farm over in Tibet.

-God has demonstrate unmerited favor and love and care to 8 billion + people, the majority of whom don’t believe in Him, are still in rebellion against Him, or outright hate Him.

-But there is another way that God shows love to His enemies in that He sent His Son to die for their sins. Everybody is an enemy of God because of their sin. Everyone is in a hostile relationship with God because His justice demands sin be dealt with. And yet, even when we were still sinners and enemies, Christ died for us so that all who receive and believe may be saved. God gave His most prized possession, His Son, for His enemies.

-And here we are as sons and daughters of God through faith in Christ, and do we think that we are to love people any less than God does? Do we think that we are somehow morally superior to God in that we can choose whom we will and will not love? Even when wronged, God gave all that was needed for a sinner’s redemption. Think of Christ, as nails were being driven through His hands and feet, crying out FATHER FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO, and willingly giving Himself to the pain and torture and experiencing the wrath of God out of love for an unlovable, ungrateful people.

-And do we think that somehow we get a pass on loving our enemies in the same way? Do we actually think we are in the right by holding that grudge and clinging to that bitterness and hating that person because of what they have done? If God had acted like that we’d all be lost.

-Again, God’s love was not such that He just winked at sin or overlooked sin, patting the sinner on the head saying try better next time. God’s love does not somehow trump His holiness and justice. God’s attributes are not separated like that—they all work together. It was at the cross that His love of enemies and justice for sin could both be satisfied. And when we show love like that—desiring the ultimate good for those who hate us and persecute us and mock us and even try to destroy us—then we are most like our Savior and most like our Father who is in heaven. Then there is a third lesson, where we make a:

3) A claim to uniqueness (vv. 46-47)

-Jesus further elaborates on His point:

Matthew 5:46–47 LSB

46 “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 “And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

-Jesus is saying that the natural, fleshly thing to do is to love people in your inner circle. It is natural to love people who are like you, part of your family or friends or clique. Everybody does that.

-Jesus uses the example of tax collectors. They were some of the most despised people in Jewish circles. They were considered traitors and the lowest of the low. Jesus probably couldn’t have shocked His audience much more. But He pointed out that even the hated tax collectors love people that love them back. These people, considered the lowest of scum, loved their family and coworkers and the friends that would actually hang out with them. If you just love your friends and family and coworkers and that’s it, how are you any better than a tax collector? That doesn’t make you different or unique. Jesus says look to the Gentiles—look to the nations. They are all loving and kind to their own people.

-We are called to something different—something unique. We not only love those who love us or show kindness to those who are part of our group. We love those who hate us. We do good to those who persecute us. We pray for those who actively oppose us. We show compassion to those who assail us. Then we are like our Heavenly Father.

-Christian love reaches beyond what is normally expected in the world. The world loves its own. The Christian loves even the most despicable, vile, hateful, sickening person that you can think of, exactly because it is the same love that was extended to us.

-And so, we could say that the love that Jesus speaks of in this passage not only refers to the objects of love (everyone including our enemies) but it also speaks of the type or degree of love that we show. Because the love that God showed us and that we show others is not some mere toleration. We don’t show love but merely putting up with people or enduring people or being patient with people.

-The love that Jesus says we have for even our enemies is a sacrificial love where we give ourselves over for what is best for the object of our love. It means that you go out of your way so that you can bless your enemy and pray for your enemy and want the best for your enemy and doing it with the right heart attitude, knowing that you are being like your Savior, knowing that you are living as a child of God and a member of His eternal Kingdom. Love without limits is not some begrudging moment of service, but a lifestyle of doing what needs to be done so that everybody around you knows the love of God through you. You are the conduit through which God loves the world, including His enemies.

-In the early church, Christians faced persecution from both the Roman authorities and their own Jewish community. Instead of retaliating against their oppressors, many chose to respond with prayer and love. Great leaders like Stephen demonstrated this when he prayed for those stoning him, echoing Christ’s words. Their commitment reflected the radical and countercultural essence of loving one's enemies, ultimately becoming a testimony of faith that inspired generations.

-That’s what makes us different, and what makes the gospel such a powerful message. And then there is one final lesson, where Jesus gives:

4) A call to maturity (v. 48)

-Jesus ends this section:

Matthew 5:48 LSB

48 “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

-At first glance this sounds impossible. Perfect? We are to be perfect? Is there any human other than Christ who can live up to that? In the here and now, no—there is no one that can be perfect. But that doesn’t mean that we do not strive for holiness or strive in the power of the Holy Spirit to live out what He has called us to do—strive to love those that in some ways might repulse us.

-The word translated “perfect” also means mature and complete. While God the Father is perfect in every way, we allow Him to work in our lives to move us toward spiritual maturity—completeness in Christ. We actively and consistently move ourselves more toward Christ-likeness—more toward Christian perfection.

-In this world, in this life we will never be sinless. That is why we need Jesus—He saves us because we are imperfect sinners. But that doesn’t mean we sit back and do nothing. We grow so that, as hard as it may seem, we do love our enemies. As much as our flesh may despise them, we want what’s best for them. And this is especially true of wanting them to come to faith in Jesus Christ. We want them to respond positively to the gospel. This is the love we are called to.

-Honestly, this verse concludes this whole section of living with a greater righteousness than the scribes and Pharisees. It’s not merely that we don’t murder, but rather we don’t even hate. It’s not a matter of merely not committing adultery, but we don’t even lust. It’s not a matter of merely not lying or breaking oaths, but we have a lifestyle of truthfulness and integrity. It’s not a matter of merely not seeking retaliation, but we actually do good to those who mistreat us. It’s not a matter of merely not hating our enemies, but we actually sacrificially love our enemies. When we do that, we are living for Christ’s kingdom, our righteousness is greater than the scribes and Pharisees, and we are most like our heavenly Father.

-But we will never do it perfectly in the normal sense of the term. And that is why it is so good to know that when we sin and we fall short we have a Savior and our sins are forgiven. That doesn’t mean we don’t try, but we don’t have to worry of losing God’s love as long as we are in Christ, because through Christ we were turned from enemies into children of God.

Conclusion

-A pastor from a small town shared a story about his decision to invite the local gang members to his church youth events. Their reputation preceded them, yet he felt called to love them rather than fear them. Slowly, their relationship deepened, leading to transformed lives. This personal illustration reflects the challenge of loving those who might threaten our safety or comfort.

-I want you to think of someone who is your enemy, or who you hate or despise, or who has hurt you or persecuted you, and consider what can you do to love them in a real, active way? How can you show love to someone on the other side of the political aisle? How can you show love to someone who lives and actively promotes a lifestyle you know to be unbiblical? How can you show love to someone who chose to kill their child in the womb?

-Maybe God has laid someone on your heart—come to the altar and ask Him to show you how you can love on that person—and pray for their good. Or pray for their salvation.

-But there may be some here who are still enemies of God because they have not trusted in Jesus Christ. Do not die an enemy of God, because once you die there is no changing your mind. There are no second chances. You will forever remain His enemy, and forever suffer His wrath. Jesus died so you would not have to suffer that. Believe in Jesus, today, and be saved.