The Fullness of the Love of God
Notes
Transcript
21 “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ 22 “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. 23 “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. 25 “Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 “Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; 28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 “If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 “If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell. 31 “It was said, ‘Whoever sends his wife away, let him give her a certificate of divorce’; 32 but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
33 “Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ 34 “But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 “Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 “But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.
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 an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 “If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. 41 “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 “Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
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 “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.
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When it comes to someone’s character very often the most important things are the unseen things. Who are they when there is no no one watching? Who are they when there is no cost or reward on the line? In truth the roots of someone’s character often go unseen in a moment, but they become very evident over time.
When Rachel and I moved into the new house, we had three nice trees in the front yard. It was just a few months before three become 2 (at least 2 standing up and one laying in my front yard). It was some weeks after cutting up the tree itself that Caleb and I took on the task of cutting out the stump and all the roots. It didn’t take long to realize why that tree had fallen over. That 30ft tree barely had any roots to keep it upright. Rolling up to the property for the first time you would have never recognized that the roots of the character of the tree were compromised. It looked perfectly fine on the outside, and yet time and a strong wind revealed what was really under the surface.
As Jesus is beginning his teaching ministry and calling his disciples to true righteousness, in many ways he begins with the unseen things. He goes beyond the external things that many would agree with and challenges his disciples to consider the roots if you will. What’s in the heart? Is righteousness simply abstinence from evil or is the fullness of the love of God actually rooted in the heart? When temptation arises where are the heart’s affections? Has time proven to everyone this is a person of integrity or is some momentary oath required to convince people? When things get hard and people sin against us how do we respond? It’s in the hardest of circumstances that Jesus says the character of the heart is revealed. It’s in the middle of the storm that the integrity and character of the tree is really tested. In the end the heart of the Christian towards others looks like the heart of Christ toward us. In Christ’s darkest hour when enemies surrounded him, He loved them. He prayed for their forgiveness. That is our calling. That is the heart that we’ve been given in Christ!
As we work through the text this morning we really do need to begin with Jesus. This calling to love from the heart is really a call to imitate what we’ve already seen - a call to give what we’ve already received. Jesus has already established that He has come to fulfill the law, not abolish it. As we go, I hope we might be challenged to see the love and righteousness found in the person and work of Jesus Christ, a love and righteousness that we could never attain. Should we find ourselves lacking in response to Jesus’ examination of the heart might we run to Him who is our perfect High Priest. It’s there that God changes hearts. Through repentance and faith the Lord saves and sanctifies. It’s in the salvation of Christ graciously given and the sanctification of the Holy Spirit we press on to perfection, the fullness of the love of God not just received but extended freely to all.
The love of Christ for us and in us is evident in the heart’s disposition toward neighbors, truth, and enemies.
The love of Christ for us and in us is evident in the heart’s disposition toward neighbors, truth, and enemies.
5 times Jesus is going to address a law that everyone would have agreed with.
The first two address the disciple’s treatment of their neighbors.
The third addresses the truth.
The last two address an enemy’s treatment of the disciples.
(Neighbors, truth, and enemies) addressed in five parts.
Jesus says, “You have heard it said… but I say...”
Anger is guilt
Lust is adultery
Make no oath
Do not resist an evil person
Love your enemies
Anger is guilt
Anger is guilt
Jesus begins with what you might say is the most obvious of evils. He starts in the most elementary of places.
21 “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’
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It’s a commandment that everyone would nod in agreement with. It goes all the way back to Noah even before the law was given to the people of Israel
Genesis 9:6-
6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man.
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Even many Gentiles would agree with this one, but it’s not just common to man it’s the one commandment that most everyone would consider themselves faithful to. “Don’t have to worry about that one, I’m no murderer. Surely I would be found blameless before the court.”
You’ll see this pattern throughout this text, Jesus presents a common and ordinary law that many would agree with and then says, “But I say to you...”
Again, this isn’t Jesus saying do away with that commandment. He’s not abolishing the law. He’s actually calling His disciples to treat the commandments of God more seriously than they’ve ever been treated before. He’s asking them to examine their hearts before the law of God, not just their actions.
22 “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.
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Jesus uses the same words used to describe a guilty murder, “Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.” the same words are used of the one angry with his brother, “shall be guilty (liable - same Greek word) before the court.” The truth is the murderer was guilty before God before he ever actually committed the evil deed. Additionally those who never follow through with the deed, but hold to that anger are still guilty!
You might imagine in that moment how all the “Amen’s”, the nodding, and the agreement die down pretty quickly. That one commandment that everyone agrees with, the one commandment that most people thought they didn’t have to worry about, Jesus uses to expose guilt in the most ordinary of people. The husband who was angry with his wife that morning, the boy who was angry with his brother for taking his toys, the fisherman who was angry with his coworker for not working as hard as everyone else. All of a sudden that category of “criminal” includes us. In a moment the just penalty of death sits over the heads of so many who formerly were considered innocent. At this point it’s important for us to ask, “Who’s the judge?”
Jesus has been using civil courtroom language from the beginning here. It’s what most everyone is familiar with, but Jesus is only using this as a starting place. A civil court by its nature is incapable of judging the thoughts and intentions of the heart. There must be evidence and facts and witnesses of very real actions for judgement to be delivered in a civil courtroom. How is anger, a hidden and unseen motive supposed be judged in the court? See where Jesus takes his argument.
22… whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.
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I don’t believe Jesus is creating three categories of sin here. For this sin you go to this court for one verdict, for this sin you go to this court for a different verdict etc. I believe He’s emphasizing the same simple point while progressively moving the place of judgement from the civil that everyone is familiar with to the divine. He starts with the court, he moves to the supreme court (The Sanhedrin), and he ends with divine judgement, “guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.” When we see where this ends up the first statement makes sense. An ordinary judge on earth cannot see the heart. But God who alone condemns sinners to fiery hell he can. Only He can discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Only He can perfectly and justly judge by the full standard of His Word.
12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
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To be a disciple of Christ, to be a Christian is to desire to be pleasing in the eyes of God not merely guiltless in the eyes of men. Furthermore, the law of God is not just for those guys out there who are criminals. It’s for us that our hearts and lives may be directed to holy and pleasing worship.
Notice Jesus’ two points of application. It’s a call to be reconciled both of which have their orientation toward God.
23 “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. 25 “Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26 “Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.
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The perfect law of God rightly applied - the righteousness of Christ among us - the work of salt and light they all work to expose sin and lead us toward reconciliation - A reconciliation that allows us all to worship and glorify God together, but it’s not just a reconciliation before God it’s a reconciliation with one another. There’s something unnatural about coming to worship our God who has reconciled us all to Himself while not seeking reconciliation with one another. James touches on this in James chapter 3. It’s unnatural to wrong our brother on Saturday with our words and then with the same mouth come before God in praise on Sunday. If the overarching call here is to worship and glorify God we must attend to the state of our hearts not just on Sunday, but on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Are we fixated on what our fellow church members can see on Sunday or are we concerned with what God can see on Tuesday. Is there a heart of bitterness or a word that was spoken to a sibling, a friend or spouse that we need to address before coming together in worship?
Jesus goes so far as to say if anyone has a legal case against this disciple, they have the means to be reconciled. Go do it! It’s unnatural for fellow citizens of the kingdom to be exacting debts from one another. For those who’ve been wronged, do we not have a gracious God who is merciful - A Savior who died on the cross for our sins? For those who may be at fault, might we examine our own hearts before God and consider where there may be wrongdoing and seek the mercy of our brother or sister.
It’s maybe a disturbing picture at the end their but it’s good news. As disciples of Christ, as those who know the fullness of the love of Christ we have a pathway to reconciliation where the world seeks retribution and prison time. The power of the gospel to change the hearts and lives of the redeemed allows enemies to gather together in worship as brothers and sisters. Jesus’ call is to go beyond the surface. Where we might consider ourselves guiltless, “I’m no murderer” let’s consider what our heart is doing. And for those moments when the fault is visible, let’s consider how the love of Christ in us might guide us to reconciliation with one another from the heart.
This first commandment Jesus handles is really breaking the ice of a new line of thinking. It’s important we spend a little more time there, but you’ll see the same line of thinking continue through different commands.
Lust is adultery
Lust is adultery
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; 28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
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Again, Jesus begins with the blatant evil that everyone would agree with: Another wrong that is deserving the death penalty in the law. There probably aren’t as many amens in the crowd this time because they know where this is going. Where did the guilt actually begin with the adulterer? It began with a look of desire for something that wasn’t his. It’s a look and a heart posture that no earthly judge could discern, but God can. The evidence in this courtroom is not exclusive to what was done, it includes what was desired. The question is not only, “What did you do?” it includes, “What did you want?”
Let’s go beyond even the look for a moment. So often this passage is used to emphasize the look and if I’m afraid if we stop there we still end up thinking on the surface level. Did you look or not? It’s good discipline certainly, it’s an important conversation in overcoming temptation, but Jesus is doing more than just giving advice for overcoming temptation. He’s exposing the heart. What do you desire?
Israel’s infidelity to God started all the way back when they started complaining. Their hearts weren’t content with God’s presence and God’s provision in God’s timing. They were already desiring, they were already lusting after what God had not provided.
The sin and guilt of Israel found punishment when the calf was finally built, but the sin did not start there. It started in the heart! Adultery is a sin of the heart before the pursuit even begins.
This is an important baseline, because I’m afraid we can miss the point if we look at the next verses.
Jesus goes on to application that I believe is still driving home this point from the start.
29 “If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 “If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.
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Just like before with the heart of anger the heart of lust finds judgement before God. Only God has the authority to condemn to hell. Jesus is challenging his disciples to look beyond their righteousness in the eyes of an earthly judge, but their righteousness before the eyes of God whose judgement is final and discerns the heart. According to the law of Moses the murderers and adulterers were to be cut off in order maintain the holiness of the people except now he’s using it of each individual.
Rather than looking for the murderer and the adulterer amongst the people of Israel to cut off Jesus says look at yourself. Does your eye cause you to stumble? Does your right hand make you stumble? To those listening who may have been eager to deal with the sin in the nation Jesus calls them to treat themselves with the same eagerness. The overarching theme here is calling his disciples to a righteousness greater than that of the Pharisees, and before we get to the fullness of the love of God from the heart we need to address the white washed facade and expose it for what it is.
I believe Jesus intends to lead his disciples to a place of holy desperation. Ensure there is no facade that can stand before the justice and holiness of God. The hyperbole Jesus uses about cutting off hands and cutting out eyes (It is hyperbole, and not to be taken literally) this figure of speech has a logical conclusion to it. If we are to remove the unholy parts of the body that cause us to sin some day we must arrive at our own minds and hearts.
Luther comes to the same conclusion before he comes to faith. He deprived himself of every opportunity to sin and used every means available to him apart from Christ and finally concluded, “Look, exclaimed I, thou art still envious, impatient, passionate!”
There are no ordinary means no matter how severe we can use to cut away the sin that plagues us. If sin and righteousness find their root in the heart then that is where we need to begin! In view of those sinful desires of the heart might we come before God as David did on the heels of his adultery.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.
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It is God who cleans the heart! It’s God who grants us the Holy Spirit as a seal of our salvation with all the benefits of His presence. It’s God who sustains the repentant with joy and a willing spirit. Might we come before God desperate and honest with the condition of our hearts and all it’s sinful desires. It’s only when we’ve dealt with our sin and our hearts before the cross can we hope to do battle with sin. That remains true 10, 20, and 30 years into our walk with Christ. The fervency with which we deal with sin is fueled by the love of Christ for us. Knowing the price that was paid for our sin, knowing what the faithful bridegroom endured to redeem his bride, we desire all the more to put away the sin that made Him endure the wrath of the Father.
Jesus further challenges those who justify themselves by using legal means to be unfaithful to their wives.
Anyone who would use the permission to divorce given in the law to be unfaithful to their wife is as guilty as the adulterer. They clearly did not see God’s faithfulness to them amidst their infidelity. God had every reason to abandon Israel in their unfaithfulness, but He was faithful to His covenant promises! Jesus calls us to the same. Because of the fullness of the love of God we know in Christ for us, because we have received a new and better covenant in the blood of Christ having changed our very hearts let’s go beyond what is permitted on the surface. Let’s commit ourselves to showing the fullness of the love of Christ to our spouses.
Let’s run to Him desperate with our sin and go on to run our race driven by the fullness of the love of Christ for us.
Right at the center of our text is not exactly a personal relationship like the others, but you might say it invites us to consider our relationship to the truth.
Make no oath
Make no oath
33 “Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ 34 “But I say to you, make no oath at all...”
He says don’t swear by anything, not heaven, not earth, not Jerusalem, not even your own head. None of this is really under your dominion. You can’t even change the color of your hair. It’s all under the dominion of God. Why is that important?
The law makes it very clear that no one is to swear falsely by the name of God. That is if you make a promise in the name of God you had better keep it! It’s calling upon God as witness and invoking his authority to provide assurance. So what happens if you want to provide assurance, but you don’t want to caught swearing falsely.. Suppose you were unable to keep your promise? Evidently people got used to swearing by heaven, the house of God. I won’t swear in the name of God, but I’ll swear by Jerusalem, the city of God.
What’s the heart of the law that Jesus is trying to get to here? There ought to be no reason for an oath at all!
We may not use oaths commonly today, but I recognized the same heart in myself sometime ago. Someone pointed out to me a bad habit I had developed and that I still struggle with at times. Sometimes I say “Honestly” before saying something with sincerity. “Honestly, I totally forgot.” I don’t remember who it was, but they gently challenged me. Were you not honest before? Why not just say it. Saying honestly, kind of brings into question everything else you say. If the honest label isn’t there is it less true? If there’s no oath by something greater than yourself is it less true?
We see it with food all the time! Have you ever seen the label, “Made with real meat.” For the first second it’s reassuring and after that it’s kind of disturbing. Why did you have to say that? Have I been eating fake meat this whole time?
Jesus is challenging the label if you will. Stop marketing yourself as a sincere and honest person by swearing by everything from heaven to earth. Be men and women of integrity that don’t need a label.
37 “But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.
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That sounds like an extraordinary statement doesn’t it? Evil? If I say “Yes… I promise” Is that really in an “evil” category? If we run down that road for a moment it starts to make more sense. You can also read that short phrase as, “anything beyond these is from the evil one.”
How does the evil one like to present Himself?
Consider Paul’s argument for a moment as he defends the integrity of His ministry.
12 But what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting. 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
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The devil is a deceiver! He’s the master of disguises. He presents himself as glorious and righteous but behind the disguise is nothing but evil. Jesus is saying don’t fall into the way of the evil one by using disguises, fancy labels, and respectable oaths so as to appear a certain way before others. It’s deceitful!
What does that mean at the end of day? Well it means letting our brothers and sisters see who we really are at times. It might mean letting people down. “I’m sorry I can’t do that right now.” It might mean committing to something while admitting we need some help. “I will do my best, but I may need a hand.” It’s that kind of loving honesty that makes our words actually mean something. When we say, “Yes I can do that!” People aren’t going to wonder if the job is going to get done. That kind of honesty also gives credence to our encouragement. When we don’t dress up how we present ourselves in the ordinary, the word of encouragement is going to be received as genuine!
If we’re going to love one another well we need to be people of integrity.
As we approach the final stretch here Jesus reframes the scene a little bit. Rather than talking about our deeds toward others or our words toward others, he focuses on our response to unrighteous deeds.
Do no resist an evil person
Do no resist an evil person
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 an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 “If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. 41 “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 “Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.
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If we weren’t in shocking territory yet we’re there now. Let’s just be honest, this is hard to hear. By the world’s standards Jesus isn’t exactly going to draw a crowd with that one. People want justice and retribution. People want to be winners and victors. People want to see the hero get back at the villain for what he did. Have you ever noticed how many story lines are driven by retribution? “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” is a great summary for a lot of popular movie scripts, but Jesus isn’t concerned with being popular. He’s concerned that they walk righteous and godly lives to the glory of God. He’s concerned that His disciples look like Him.
I believe this calling really only makes sense when you see what Christ endured for us and specifically the heart behind His endurance. Isn’t the epitome of righteousness found in the person and work of Jesus Christ? Isn’t the essence of love found in what He graciously did for us on the cross?
When the soldiers find Jesus in the garden Jesus is faithful to His own Word given here.
He did not resist evil as His enemy was before Him. Peter sure wanted to. He was all about the eye for an eye script. He was ready to be the hero, and yet the hero in the kingdom doesn’t win the hearts of men with swords. He goes to the cross for them. He was beaten again, and again, and again. At any point he could have justly resisted, but he withheld the fullness of justice in that moment. They literally took his shirt and he was hung naked on a tree. They put a burden on his back until he physically couldn’t carry it any longer. They cried for his death and He gave His life. With absolute righteousness and the fullness of love he endured what we could not and that without sin! He accomplished salvation and redemption through His death that day.
A centurion who assisted in his crucifixion worshipped that day.
A thief on a cross who mocked him was assured of salvation that day.
The very church would be born of many who cried for his crucifixion that day.
If not for Christ’s restraint there would be no salvation for us! Apart from His love for us we would still be dead in our trespasses and sins.
When we look at the commands there’s a temptation to carve out a comfortable space for ourselves isn’t there? Jesus didn’t really mean… Well this doesn’t actually mean etc. etc. and certainly there’s room for that conversation, but let’s not miss the fact we’ve been spared the wrath of God for all of our transgressions and sins and given eternal life with Him in glory because Jesus Himself held to this standard.
With that in mind what does it look like for us to walk in out master’s footsteps? What does it mean to live out the fullness of the love of Christ in us. Well it begins with turning our eyes from our entitlements to the salvation of those in darkness.
It means changing our desires from retribution and the destruction of the enemy to redemption and the deliverance of the enemy from darkness. We were once enemies of Christ! Now that we are in the kingdom do we shut the doors and simply let the enemy out there receive their just due? No, we are the light of the world. We are the salt of the earth. We are called to go to those in darkness... and sometimes first contact with darkness requires some endurance motivated by the love of Christ. And should we endure that person who despises us they will get the benefit of seeing the love of Christ for them... A Christian bearing the cross of His savior with the intent to deliver the undeserving out of darkness.
If I can summarize all of this, I believe this is less a standard to be imposed. “You’re not allowed to do that.” This is a heart to pray for. “Father give me a heart that’s willing to bear with the abuse of my opponents like Christ did that you might accomplish your saving work in their hearts.” “Father help endure those who take advantage of me that I might display Christ for their good and your glory.”
That’s the call here, and Jesus makes the goal explicit in this final command.
Love your enemies
Love your enemies
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 “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.
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One more time Jesus will come back to the plain Scriptural commandments everyone should know, “Love your neighbor.” except this time there’s a cultural norm attached to it: “and hate your enemy...” There’s a nice attractive interpretation added on, but you can see why it’s there. It makes the command comfortable. The cultural norm boils down the obligation to love to those we like. If we don’t like that person because he or she did this or that we can put them in the enemy category. “Until they get in line and make it right I’m not loving them anymore.”
As disciples of Jesus we need to be careful we do not fall into the world’s definition of righteousness. Not everyone in the world is propping up just blatant idolatry and immorality. That’s what we’re trained to look for. The real ugly stuff is what makes the news, but there’s plenty out there that doesn’t make the news. There’s a lot out there that may look praiseworthy, on the outside it preaches “You shall love your neighbor.”, but in private it lives out the rest, “and hate your enemy.” It is not as godly as it looks.
So what does godliness look like?
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.
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Godliness is gracious! That’s the heartbeat here. Seek the good of the undeserving. Worldliness looks for, “Who deserves my love?” “They wronged me, they don’t deserve my love.” Godliness doesn’t look for the deserving! The godly set themselves apart by loving their enemies and praying for those who oppose them. It’s these who live according to grace - giving gifts to the undeserving - who are called sons of the Father. Why? .. Isn’t it the sons of the Father who’ve been welcomed in by the grace of God? Wasn’t it the prodigal son who was welcomed back by gracious open arms a feast, a robe, and a ring on his finger. Even in the ordinary, everyday turn of the earth we see God graciously sending rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If God reserved his goodness for the deserving there would be no adoption or redemption. If God reserved his love for the deserving we would never see it! Who are we to say “I deserve grace, but they do not.”
As soon as we start thinking about, “Who deserves it?” we’ve given in to a worldly wisdom with no reward.
Jesus makes it pretty plain, who of us doesn’t love the one who loves us back. If that’s all that “love your neighbor” means well even tax collectors and unbelievers do that. We’re called to more than what is respectable in the eyes of the world. We’re called to the fullness of the love of God and His perfection. We will never be perfect in this life, but that doesn’t mean we ought not strive with all we are to display the perfections of Christ to the undeserving. Our Savior who went to the cross while were dead in our trespasses and sins, wandering like sheep going our own way. Our Savior who redeemed us the unfaithful and undeserving that we might be called sons and daughters of God. Have we not come to know the fullness of the love of God and His amazing grace for us? Let’s not hesitate to show that love to others especially the undeserving.
As we close, there are a lot of areas of application here, but again the root is where fruitfulness begins. If we are not rooted in the fullness of the love of God for us it’s unlikely our hearts will be changed and we bear the fruit described here. To the degree we see ourselves fall short of Jesus’ call here let’s run to Him who is gracious and merciful.
The more we see of His grace toward us the more our anger will be subdued.
The more we see of His faithfulness, the more we’ll be inspired toward faithfulness toward our spouses.
The more we see of His integrity, the more our hearts will grow discontent with a facade.
The more we see of His endurance on the cross for our salvation, the more likely we’ll endure with him.
The more we see of His love for us, the undeserving, the more the undeserving will see Christ in us.
Let’s Pray.
Austin and Kelsey - Lincoln, Madison
The Ridge Church
