LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

Lesson Text

Matthew 5:43–45 NET

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Matthew 5:43–48 ESV

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 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. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matt

Curses You

Persecutes You

Spitefully Uses You

1. WHO IS MY ENEMY?

An Adversary or foe; one who dislikes or hates another and seeks to the person.

Anyone Who Persecutes You

ANYONE WHO:Curses You, Persecutes You; Spitefully Uses You

Acts 26:9–11 NET

Of course, I myself was convinced that it was necessary to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. And that is what I did in Jerusalem: Not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons by the authority I received from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote against them when they were sentenced to death.I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to force them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged at them, I went to persecute them even in foreign cities.

Curses You

Curses You

those who persecute you

Anyone Who Hates You

John 15:18–19 NET

“If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me first.If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you do not belong to the world, but I chose you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you.

John 15:

Matthew 5:44 ESV

But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Anyone Who Spitefully Uses You

Matthew 27:27–30 NET

Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s residence and gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe around him, and after braiding a crown of thorns, they put it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand, and kneeling down before him, they mocked him: “Hail, king of the Jews!”They spat on him and took the staff and struck him repeatedly on the head.

Luke 6:27 ESV

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

2. WHY LOVE YOUR ENEMIES?

Greek Words for Love

StStorge – empathy bond.Philia – friend bond. Eros – erotic bond.Agape – unconditional "God" love.

Be Like Jesus

Matthew 5:43–48 NET

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don’t they? And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do? Even the Gentiles do the same, don’t they? So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matt 5:

Philippians 2:5 NET

You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had,

Be Unlike Sinners

Phil.

Luke 6:32–36 NET

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to be repaid, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, so that they may be repaid in full.But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people.Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

3. HOW TO LOVE YOUR ENEMIES?

By Blessing Them

1 Peter 3:9 NET

Do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead bless others because you were called to inherit a blessing.

By Doing Good To Them

Galatians 6:10 NET

So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.

By Praying For Them

Romans 10:1 NET

Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God on behalf of my fellow Israelites is for their salvation.

Acts 7:60 NET

Then he fell to his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” When he had said this, he died.

Questions Received

Do you think some people are your enemies because they’re jealous?

Romans 12:18 NET

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people.

Romans 12:8 ESV

the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Rom 12

When someone really close to your hurts you, how do you continue to love them and not treat them as an enemy?

When someone really close to your hurts you, how do you continue to love them and not treat them as an enemy?

When someone really close to your hurts you, how do you continue to love them and not treat them as an enemy?

Philia – friend bond.

Eros – erotic bond.

Agape – unconditional "God" love.

Anyone Who Spitefully Uses You

Luke 6:38 ESV

give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Luk6

Adversary or foe; one who dislikes or hates another and seeks to harm the person.

Persecutes You

Persecutes You

Spitefully Uses You

Spitefully Uses You