Sermon Tone Analysis

Background

Is it not enough to love good church people and share what I have with them?

You are just doing what comes naturally.

Anyone can return love for love.

Even those who persecute others love people who love them.

They do not act mean all the time.

They have some people in their own family and inner circle of friends.

The worst of people help somebody.

You cannot pick and choose whom to love.

Love everyone.

Is it not enough to love good church people and share what I have with them?

You are just doing what comes naturally.

Anyone can return love for love.

Even those who persecute others love people who love them.

They do not act mean all the time.

They have some people in their own family and inner circle of friends.

The worst of people help somebody.

You cannot pick and choose whom to love.

Love everyone.

Wait a minute, you complain.

Is that not going a bit too far?

After all, look at all the people I already love.

Is it not enough to love good church people and share what I have with them?

You are just doing what comes naturally.

Anyone can return love for love.

Even those who persecute others love people who love them.

They do not act mean all the time.

They have some people in their own family and inner circle of friends.

The worst of people help somebody.

You cannot pick and choose whom to love.

Love everyone.

What will you get out of all this?

You will be acting like your heavenly Father.

You will be showing mercy to others who do not deserve your mercy.

This is how God shows you mercy when you do not deserve it from him.

Act like that in love.

He will call you his sons.

Can you ask for anything more?

Let’s start with

For most of us, the verses in this study represents probably the biggest area for growth

Today, as a follower of Christ, who are our enemies?

Is love the same thing as tolerance?

How does this play out on social media?

Jesus teaches His followers that they must love all people, including their enemies (compare ).

This love involves more than tolerance; it expresses itself in doing good even to enemies who are hostile and full of hatred.

See .

Jesus teaches His followers that they must love all people, including their enemies (compare ).

This love involves more than tolerance; it expresses itself in doing good even to enemies who are hostile and full of hatred.

See .

The ability to bless those who do this depends on confident trust in God’s care and sovereign direction of the events of life.

Examples of praying for one’s abusers:

So, what should our position or focus be when dealing with an enemy of Christianity?

God has become our all-satisfying treasure and so we don’t treat our adversaries out of our own sense of need and insecurity, but out of our own fullness with the satisfying glory of God.

What takes away the compulsion of revenge is our deep confidence that this world is not our home, and that God is our utterly sure and all-satisfying reward.

So, in both these reasons for loving our enemy we see the main thing: God is shown to be who he really is as a merciful God and as gloriously all-satisfying.

Go to

The point of both examples is that, even though believers will often be subject to abuse or taken advantage of, they are to face such rejection differently from the world, that is, by being generous and compassionate rather than retaliating.

The backhanded blow on the right cheek was meant primarily as an insult, a challenge to one’s honor.

The striker could be taken to court and fined for this offense.

Look at .

How does this tie in to our study?

mt

Notice that when people see the good works of the disciples (like loving their enemies), they give glory to our Father.

Why?

Because our Father is in us helping us and enabling us to do the good works.

If we did the good works on our own so that we could then become children of our Father, the world should see our good works and give us the glory.

So Jesus not only says that God is already the Father of the disciples, but this is the very reason that they can do the loving works they do.

The light that they let shine IS the light of their Father's love within them.

The backhanded blow on the right cheek was meant primarily as an insult, a challenge to one’s honor.

The striker could be taken to court and fined for this offense.

Go to

6:30 Give to everyone who begs from you.

Jesus again stresses that believers must be “generous to a fault,” even when someone takes away your goods (cf.

note on ).

The standards by which Jesus’ disciples are to live are higher than the standards of the world.

6:30 Antiquity hosted many beggars and also robbers and exploiters ready to take the possessions of those who would not fight back.

Although Jesus may use hyperbole, he emphasizes trust in God’s provision and devalues desire for possessions.

6:30 See Matt 5:42 and note.

6:31 This is known as the Golden Rule: treating others with respect regardless of their conduct.

In comparison to similar expressions recorded in ancient writings, Jesus’ version of this rule emphasizes its positive effect.

He demands that His followers show love to all people—neighbors and enemies alike—regardless of their behavior toward them.

See Matt 7:12 and note.

6:31 Some earlier Jewish teachers offered this principle of wisdom, recognized in many cultures, though often in the negative form (see note on Mt 7:12).

6:31 The “Golden Rule” is to be practiced with respect to both friends and enemies alike.

See note on Matt.

7:12.

Go to

Different than sanctification

Notice these verses do not speak of a future attribute to attain; Jesus is expecting this behavior NOW if God’s light is truly within us

6:32–33 In vv.

32–35, Jesus gives three examples of the Golden Rule (v.

31).

Reciprocity is insufficient (cf.

14:12–14), because even sinners practice reciprocity.

The first two examples (If you love and if you do good) correspond to the first two commands in 6:27 (“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you”).

You will be sons does not mean “you will become sons” but “you will demonstrate that you are sons” by imitating God’s care and compassion even for those who are evil.

For Most High as an expression for God, cf.

note on 1:32.

6:35 love your enemies.

See notes on Matt.

5:44–45 and Luke 23:34.

Keeping the commands of 6:35a results in your reward being great (cf.