Greater Love Challenge 4

Love Your Enemies

The Greater Love Challenge – Part 3

Greet the people – It IS good to be back together

· OCCUPY SERIES – we asked a question --- WHAT DOES THIS GENERATION NEED FROM US?

· 1. THE REVEALED TRUTH OF JESUS MUST NEVER BE COMPROMISED!

· 2. WE MUST ENGAGE WITH A GREATER LOVE

· We began in Matthew 24

MATTHEW 24 :11Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

· That Greek word for grow cold – PSYCHO – Love will grow psycho!!!

· ANOTHER rendering of that phrase is that LOVE WILL BECOME INACTIVE!...LOVE WILL BECOME INACTIVE

· The Days are not conducive the God kind of Love flowing into the culture

• The Body of Christ we must fight to LOVE Biblically in a culture that doesnt

MATTHEW 22.

· 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which isthe great commandment in the law?”37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And thesecond islike it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

· THE WHOLE LAW, ALL THE WRITINGS OF THE PROPHETS – ARE SUSPENDED BY THESE 2 COMMANDMENTS LOVE GOD AND LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR

• The essence of the LAW is in these commandments - and as when God instructed the children of Israel in Deuteronomy - “He said this is FOR YOUR GOOD!”

• Again we have the conceptions about love and what it is and how it feels and how it should be done - whereas the Bible can present a much more layered perspective?

• We asked How do I love God?

• Well guess where it BEGINS - With HIS LOVE - 1 John 4.19 19 We love Him because He first loved us.

• The Scripture is clear - the only way we could Love God - is first by being the recipients of His love - OUR LOVE towards Him is the response to His love towards us

• SO Practically How do we Love God according to the Scripture?

• 1. Obey His commandments -

•• 2. Loving God involves Love Jesus - 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. (Jn 8:42)

• 3. Love for God must be Expressed

• Love MUST BE EXPRESSED

• a) Delight in worship and in God’s House

• B) We express our Love for God with a Love for God’s Word

• C) Your Love for God is expressed in SELF SACRIFICE

• Your love for God might mean you have to forsake your love for something else - for someone else...

• D) Your Love for God is expressed in your Giving -

• E) TO LOVE GOD YOU HAVE TO LOVE OTHERS - you cannot love God and hate your brother!

• WE LOOKED DEEPER INTO THE SECOND COMMANDMENT - Love your Neighbour as YOURSELF - Particularly in the idea of loving your enemies

• In John 15.9- Jesus said as the Father has loved me so I have loved you - Continue in MY LOVE!

•The natural inclination of all people is to hate their enemies. Some have even misconstrued God’s law to teach hatred.

Jesus turns this upside down in the Gospels

Matthew (Chapter 5) 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, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father 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 have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

“”To share and show God’s love, we must be willing to love in situations where love may be undeserved, unmerited, or unrequited.

Enemies should be 1. Loved. Mat. 5:44. 2. Prayed for. Acts 7:60. (Stephens example) 3. Assisted. Pro. 25:21, with Rom. 12:20. (if your enemy is hungry give him bread and drink) 4. Overcome by kindness. 1 Sam. 26:21. 5. Rejoice not at the misfortunes of. Job 31:29. 6. Rejoice not at the failings of. Pro. 24:17. - Do not rejoice when you enemy falls and dont let you heart be glad when they stumble! 7. Desire not the death of. 1 Kin. 3:11. Solomon in his wisdom did not desire the death of his enemies and recorded that as noble 8. Curse them not. Job 31:30. 9. Be affectionately concerned for. Psa. 35:13.

• 4 Concepts of love that the world needs

• 1. Tough Love -Real Love is corrective

The Lord disciplines those he loves” (Heb. 12:6 NIV). A.The Lord disciplines his children because he loves them and wants the best for them. He is looking out for their good

• CORRECTION IN LOVE ALWAYS HAS REDEMPTION AT THE END OF IT

• RESTORATION AT THE END OF IT

• 2. Tender Love - Gods Love is Tender

Tender Love“For thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to … thy tender mercies” (Ps. 69:16).A. God’s love is not only tough but it is also tender. He cares, understands, and “is touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Heb. 4:15).B. God’s love, mercy, and grace are extended to all people in all places, at all times.C. Emulate God’s tender love. Heed his words: “Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another” (Eph. 4:32).

3. Trustworthy Love - LOVE SHOULD BE FAITHUL - STEADY - ENDURING

“I have loved thee with an everlasting love” (Jer. 31:3).

A.This is the opposite of a culture where Love is waxing COLD

B. God’s love is trustworthy. He keeps his promises (see Eph. 2:7).

C. We should be steadfast and dependable also, loving “in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18).

4. Love is triumphant - LOVE NEVER FAILS

The New King James Version (Chapter 13) 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away

• We sometimes value the other things way more than LOVE

• BUT THERE IS A VICTORY IN LOVE THAT YOU WONT EVEN FIND IN PROPHECY, IN KNOWLEDGE!

Now as we close out this teaching - I wanted to LOOK at some PRACTICAL WAYS THAT WE SEE IN SCRIPTURE THAT ARE DESCRIBED ARE ALLUDED TO AS WORKS OR ACTIONS OF LOVE

In 1 Corinthians 13 we are told about the greatest gift - AGAPE and its pre-eminence in all things - the depth of it, the weight of it and in chapter 14 we are told to pursue LOVE …The KJV uses the word “Charity” — and that Word is used again indicate that its more than just a feeling/emotion but that love is truly realised in Action!

We are told to pursue after that kind of love that does not just stay in the realm of saying and not doing!

Word are powerful BUT actions speak much louder that the words

John(Chapter 13)

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Love is proved out in how we treat one another…so I want to give you quickly 5 ways that you can show/act/love on someone!

1. Pray for people - Jesus expressed His love for the disciples by praying for them

“I have prayed for you”

“I have prayed for you”

“I pray for those you have given me father”

You taking time and sacrifcing your prayer time not just on yourself but for someone else is an act of love

Pray that they might have:

Peace

Comfort

Wisdom

Knowledge

Composure

Trust

Courage

Strength

Provision

In this season of the Greater love challenge make sure you have some prayer assignments

Dont do - “ I will pray for you”…Thats the prayer!!!

2. Pray with people - you show love to others for praying WITH them…Pray for them but also pray with them!

When someone pours out their troubles, their trials, their tribulations, struggles and flaws --- take some time out to pray for them - This is an action of Love

Jesus asking his disciples to watch and pray with him in the garden of gethsemane — you couldnt love me how i loved you?

Praying with one another is one of the ways we share our burdens - Whatever we are going through we dont need to go through it alone!

3. Love people by encouraging them - The word “encourage” comes from an Old French word that means to “make strong.” When we encourage another, we are making their spirits strong. We are strengthening the hope, their faith, and their resolve to keep going.

Hebrews (Chapter 3)

13 but exhort one another daily

Encourage -

1 Thessalonoians (Chapter 5)

14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.

Don’t hesitate to speak life-giving words into someone’s circumstances. It can’t hurt, and it most certainly can help someone gain strength in their life.

The New King James Version (Psalm 69)

20 Reproach has broken my heart,And I am full of heaviness;I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none;And for comforters, but I found none.

Powerful verse ---- When shame is present people dont need more shame…They dont need Christian scorn!!! They dont need Holy anger!! … The psalmist goes on to say — for my thirst they gave me vinegar!!

Encourage PEOPLE!

4. Show Love by being friendly

Be a Friend – Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity” (NIV).

What is a good friend or what expectation should we have from someone whos a friend

Time spent with one another

Listening to one another

In today’s culture, it seems like so many voices are speaking (and often shouting). Communication is always at our fingertips through email, text, social media, and the 24-hour news cycle.

While social media has increased communication, it has also given us the false appearance of true connection and real relationships. In fact, Generation Z, who are the most “connected,” is considered the loneliest generation.

It is rare for people to feel truly heard.

Commit to slow down, ask questions, and really listen to people. Listen to understand, not just to prepare your response. Allow people to speak their mind without interruption or judgement. People will feel valued (and loved!) when they are heard and understood.

Friends consider one another - esteem each other better than themselves - Philippians 2.3

5. We Show Love by inviting others into our lives

A loving Chrtistian is a hospitable christian

In Hebrews 13, the author writes: “Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (v. 1-2, ESV).

Whether you are entertaining angels or not, hospitality is a great way to show brotherly love to one another

The root word of entertain - is friend - kiss

in Romans 12 we are told to be given to hospitality

(Chapter 12)

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

The idea is To truly show love we are going to have to open up our lives to others

More than just friendship, hospitality is making an intentional effort and going out of your way to make sure the other person feels included, loved, and valued.

For that is how God sees them, too. Thus, by showing hospitality to them in this way, you act as the hands and feet of God, sharing with the person that they are loved by God.

Hospitality can mean opening up your home

Cooking meals for someone

Doing chores for someone

Helping someone with transport - Lifts to church and meetings

AND all this LOVE - we dont do alone

We do it with the Help of the HOLY SPIRIT

He has given us a helper, the Holy Spirit, to empower us, strengthen us, and encourage us with God’s love. In this way, we are overflowing with God’s love and are able to pour love into other people without exhausting ourselves.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)

BECAUSE GOD IS LOVE - HIS LOVE IS IN US!