Enemy of the State
Notes
Transcript
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
It is an ancient proverb dating back to around 4000 BC. It became a popular thought in Europe in the 1700’s. The oldest English translation of the phrase was in 1884.
The most famous example of this was in World War II when FDR and Churchill saw the need to cooperate with Stalin to defeat the Nazi’s.
The Enemies of the US.
The Enemies of the US.
Prior to 2001 most Americans had never heard of Al Qaida, The Taliban, Osama Bin Ladin, Khalid Sheik Mohammad. But on September 11, 2001 the US had a new enemy.
Yesterday I was asked by an ASU reporter two very thought provoking question.
Can you describe what you were thinking at the time?
I thought it was an accident.
Learned it was a passenger jet.
Watched the 2nd Plane
We are at war
Attack on the Pentagon
Learned of United Airlines Flight 93
What can I do?
What does the 20th Anniversary mean to me?
One Nation under God.
Probably how our previous generations felt after Pearl Harbor.
How do we get to where we were in the sense of togetherness as a nation on September 12th, without having to go through September 11th?
Who is your enemy?
Who is your enemy?
If you watch any old murder mystery, the investigator will ask the question, “Did he have any enemies?”
Now, most people only think of enemies in the sense of a group, not an individual.
If I were to ask you individually, most of you would probably say, you didn’t have any enemies.
You would be wrong.
Definition of enemy
Definition of enemy
1: one that is showing or feeling active opposition or hostility toward another
especially : one seeking to injure, overthrow, or confound an opponent
We have and make enemies everywhere.
Look at social media.....We look specifically for the things we disagree on . We might agree with someone on 99 out of 100 things, but we make that one thing a deal breaker to have any sort of relationship.
A version of a joke I recently heard goes like this:
A police Chaplin sent to talk to a guy on a bridge about to jump. The Chaplin said, "Don't do it!" The guy said, "Nobody loves me." The Chaplin said, "God loves you. Do you believe in God?"
He said, "Yes." The Chaplin said, "Me too!, Are you a Christian or a Jew?" He said, "A Christian." The Chaplin said, "Me, too! Protestant or Catholic?" He said, "Protestant." The Chaplin said, "Me, too! What franchise?" He said, "Baptist." The Chaplin said, "Me, too! Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?" He said, "Northern Baptist." The Chaplin said, "Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Liberal Baptist?"
He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist." The Chaplin said, "Me, too! Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region, or Northern Conservative Baptist Eastern Region?" He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region." The Chaplin said, "Me, too!"
Northern Conservative† Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879, or Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?" He said, "Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912." The Chaplin said, "Die, heretic!" And pushed him over.
We make enemies everywhere:
Inside and outside our own country, community, church, and home.
This should not be a surprise to any of us.
Not only did Jesus tell us that we would have enemies everywhere, but He even claimed responsibility for it.
51 “Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division;
52 for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three.
53 “They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
Notice what is absent: Husband against wife.....The two shall be one flesh.
The important thing is not that you have enemies, but what you do with them.
The important thing is not that you have enemies, but what you do with them.
In the same passage, Jesus said:
58 “For while you are going with your opponent to appear before the magistrate, on your way there make an effort to settle with him, so that he may not drag you before the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.
The consequences of not settling is this:
59 “I say to you, you will not get out of there until you have paid the very last cent.”
Two practical ways to deal with enemies.
Two practical ways to deal with enemies.
1. How you live your life; 2. How you treat your enemy
1. How you live your life; 2. How you treat your enemy
1 But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.
This is in contrast to the previous verse which is directed at false teachers. About them:
16 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.
Older Men
2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance.
temperate: Specifically in regard to alcohol… Particularly in general moderation.
dignified: worthy of respect.
sensible: sober minded. Moderate.
Older women
3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,
Hold Holy what is holy.
Not malicious gossips.
drunks
Teaching what is good.
Young Women.
4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,
5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.
This is not to, “put women in their place” So that you, ladies, will understand the fantastic power of influence that you have over your entire household.
The serpent couldn’t convince Adam to be disobedient to God, but he knew Eve could.
Young Men
6 Likewise urge the young men to be sensible;
If you have spent any time around young me, you know that sometimes, that’s all you can hope for....
Key verses for this morning in regard to our enemies.
7 in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified,
8 sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.
Example of good deeds:
purity in doctrine,
dignified
sound in speech which is beyond reproach.
Opponent will be put to shame having nothing bad to say about us.
That is to say. If you were to try and talk about Danny, and say that he was a hot head.... You would be like, “Are we talking about the same Danny?”
Nothing bad to say about us.
God said, in Leviticus, which Peter later referenced: Be Holy, for I the Lord your God am Holy.
I can’t…your right, but He can through you.
Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
You cannot live a sinless live…Not on this side of the Grave.
But what you can do is this. You can tether yourself so closely to the Holy Spirit of God, that when you sin, weather it be lust, anger, jealousy, covetousness, which starts in your heart. You will be convicted, and repent before it ever manifests itself into an outward expression.
You can live your life in such a way that the only witness to your sin is you and God.
“I’m not there”..
Me neither.....
I want to give you a practical Starting point.
The Love Dare.
Say nothing negative to anyone.....
If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.