Love Your Enemies (Westwood)

Introduction

There have been about 150 films produced in the last year who’s central theme is revenge or vengeance.

top 5 in the last 5 years

John Wick 4

The northman

Wrath of Man

Equalizer Series

Why do we like revenge movies?

We want justice to be done, but our view of justice has been corrupted by sin.

I think we all struggle with revenge and loving those who mistreat us because we often forget our need for mercy and grace. . . and we doubt that God will righteously judge our enemies and defend us.

We try to fight our battles because, in the moment of opposition, we don’t believe God will fight for us.

In short, we try to be our own deliverer and savior instead of trusting in Christ.

We struggle to show people mercy in not taking vengeance on them because we have forgotten the mercy God has shown us in Christ and our own need for mercy.

We are slow to love people who hate us because we have forgotten how much we need God’s grace and how we were once his enemies.

Key Point: Because Jesus demonstrated mercy and grace to us while we were his enemies, through faith in him, we can also show mercy and grace to those who are our enemies.

Place in the Passage:

Matthew 5:38–48 concludes Jesus’ instruction in the interpretation of the law. Those who heed it will follow a righteousness that “exceeds that of the scribes” (v. 20).

The fifth and sixth statements continue to compare what they have heard to what Jesus says. The statements push disciples to a deeper grasp of righteousness in varied ways.

The last two statements contrast two approaches to mistreatment.

First, as his disciples and sons of the Kingdom, Jesus teaches us that we should show mercy to others by not retaliating and returning evil for evil.

1. Show Mercy: Do Not Retaliate (38-42)

Matthew 5:38–42 ESV

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Big Hero 6, Baymax, Tedashii example

“Im Baymax. . . your personal healthcare companion”

An “Eye for an Eye” was given in Exodus 21:24 to issue proper judgment and restitution based on the crime. Essentially that the punishment would fit the crime.

This code is also known as the “lex talionis” which is Latin for “law of retaliation.”

An “Eye for an Eye” was a good law given by a good God to offer a just punishment that would prevent vendettas and vengeful excess.

Privately, however, the lex talionis can foster vindictiveness, as victims dream of making a foe suffer everything they have endured.

In this context, Jesus then says in verse 39: “Do not resist the one who is evil.”

What Jesus is Not saying:

Never resist or oppose evil.

Jesus teaches us to ask God to deliver us from evil in this same sermon (Matt. 6:13).

Peter commanded Christians to resist Satan (1 Pt. 5:8-9).

Paul opposed Elymas the evil magician (Acts 13:8) and even Peter when he played favorites with the Jews (Gal. 2:11).

It is never right for the government to use force and resist evil.

Jesus is not ruling out the just judgment of the government or law, but personal vindication (see Luke 3:12-14; Rom. 13:1-4; 1 Pet. 2:13-14 for examples of the need for government to use force).

Never practice self-defense.

Theologian Charles Quarrels says: “In the case of a more serious assault, Jesus’ words should not be taken to prohibit self-defense or fleeing from evil, for often a failure to resist a violent attack leads to even more serious abuse. Acting in love toward an attacker (Matt. 5:44; 22:39) will often include taking steps to prevent him from attempting further attacks. Jesus’ teaching must be applied with wisdom in the light of related Scriptures that address similar situations.”

What Jesus is saying:

Jesus is saying that even though it is right to enact just punishment from the civil system when you are personally wronged, it is better to not seek personal retaliation and vengeance when you are mistreated.

This is what Jesus, himself, did when he was on the cross.

He was like a sheep led to the slaughter and was silent before his accusers (Matt. 26:63).

He did not revile in return for being reviled, but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. He looked to God for his vindication (1 Peter 2:23).

After the command to “not resist the evil person” Jesus gives three practical examples in verses 40-41 with the phrase “if anyone”. . . of what this means

First, when one slaps you on the cheek, turn to him the other also.

Second, when one sues you for your tunic, give them your cloak as well.

Third, “Go the extra mile”. . . Go above and beyond what is compelled or forced out of love and service for your oppressor or accuser.

Application

These examples should not necessarily be taken literally and applied specifically. . . rather they are general illustrations to communicate the point that as followers of Christ, we must lay down our rights to be right and our desire to retaliate and seek revenge for being wronged.

Instead, we must entrust our offender to God and trust that he will be the righteous judge who will judge them perfectly in his time.

When we are insulted, we should remember what Jesus said: we are blessed when we are persecuted, mistreated, or spoken falsely about (Matt. 5:10-12).

We should remember that we do not live for the applause and approval of people but for the praise of God. This world system we currently live is not our eternal home.

Romans 12:17-21. . . We should not pay back evil for evil but good for evil. By doing good to others when they mistreat us, God will use it as a witness to help the person see their need for Jesus.

Fire is not quenched by fire, but by water.

2. Show Grace: Love and Pray for Your Enemies (43-48)

Matthew 5:43–48 ESV

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 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 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 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

In verse 43, Jesus quotes from Leviticus 19:18-19, but the command “hate your enemy” is found nowhere in the OT.

In fact, Exodus 23:4 commands Israelites to care for their enemies possessions. Therefore, this idea of hating one’s enemy was assumed by Jesus’ contemporaries. If one was to love his neighbor, the thought was that they should hate their enemy. This understanding was found in the Qumran Rule of the Community.

This points to the importance of properly interpreting Scripture.

Jesus counters this thought in verse 44, and calls his disciples to bless, pray for, and love their enemies and those who persecute them.

Love and pray are mutually reinforcing commands. The more love, the more prayer, and the more prayer, the more love.

Our feelings toward someone change when we pray for them. . . it is difficult to be angry at someone you are bringing before the Lord and asking God to bless.

Jesus perfectly did this when he prayed for his enemies on the cross (Luke 23:32-37).

Verse 45 teaches that Only people who have experienced the new birth in Christ and are sons of God can imitate their heavenly Father and love their enemies just as he does (Ephesians 5:1).

It does not imply that love earns sonship. Rather, when anyone loves as the Father does, it demonstrates sonship.

Since God blesses and shows common grace to all people, the righteous and the unrighteous (Acts 14:17), his children should do the same.

As he closes out the section in verses 46-48, Jesus’ whole point is that if his disciples are God’s children, then they must live differently from the world and sinners (tax collectors and Gentiles).

Sinners love those who love them back, and sinners greet their friends and family.

Disciples of Jesus and Sons and Daughters of the Kingdom must go the extra mile, they must not only love and serve those who love them back and who are their friends and family, but they must also do the same to their enemies and those who would show them no love in return.

Alfred Plummer says, “To return evil for good is devilish; to return good for good is human; to return good for evil is divine. To love as God loves is moral perfection.”

“Perfection” is loving people like God loves us.

How did God love us? He gave his only Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins while we were still sinners! (Romans 5:8)

Love of neighbor fulfills the whole law (Romans 13:8-10).

If we love our neighbor, we will not be angry against them, quick to reconcile, not lust after them, not wrongfully commit divorce, not lie with our words, not retaliate. . .

This is “the Final apologetic,” and “true mark of a Christian.”

This is what God did when he gave his only Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins while we were still sinners! (Romans 5:8).

Response

We must be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. We must love the good and the bad, and show blessing to the just and the unjust just as God shows common grace to all people. Kingdom citizens are God’s children, therefore, we must act like his children if we are his children.

The only way we can be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect is by trusting in the perfect Son, who perfectly obeyed the Father’s will and gave his life as a ransom for sinners.

So, first, you must be a Son of the kingdom through faith in Christ’s sacrificial love in dying on the cross for your sins to be able to obey these commands.

Second, if you are a child of the Kingdom, you must continually put your faith in Christ, moment-by-moment, to sacrificially love your enemies.

Repent of ways you have not done this perfectly.

Remember Christ’s sacrificial love for you. Remember his mercy and grace.

Ask the Spirit to help you specifically love and show kindness to those who harm and mistreat you.