Love Your Enemies, Not Just Your Neighbor
Notes
Transcript
Do you love everyone, or only people who love you? There is a story from the American Revolution, there was a preacher named Peter Miller who grew up with George Washington. He went to see General Washington to get a pardon for Michael Witman, who was being hanged for treason. As he was helping the British. Miller walked around 60-70 miles for this. When he got there, and told Washington his business for being there. Washington was not willing to pardon Wittman, and told Miller, “I will not pardon your friend.” Miller replied “Friend?! He is no friend, he is the bitterest enemy I have had.” Miller was moved by this passage, and asked for forgiveness for someone who opposed and humiliated him. Washington granted him the pardon. While some might say it is untrue, the principles is what matters. Would you love an enemy that much? Do you love your enemies or only those who like you?
Here we are in the final section of the law portion of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus was correcting false teaching from the Pharisees.And he He is correcting when it comes to who you love. From what I could read, is that when it says “love your neighbor” it meant to the Pharisees, that only love the people who love you. Also “the hate your enemy” seems to be a mischaracterization of the laws, that punished other nations for their sin. God used Israel to execute judgment on the other nations. And it seems that the Pharisees twisted it, to be individual. Again, taking God’s commands for a nation, and making it individual. God calls us to not just not retaliate and be a benefit, but also to love our enemies, do good to them that hate us, pray for them who oppose us. Do you love everyone or just those who are for you, and those who enjoy you? You must love everyone including your enemies
Why should you love your enemies?
It is your father’s character
You will be the children of the Highest
Meaning you will show God’s character. Jesus is saying that when you love the world’s way there is no different, but when you love God’s way you will be showing our father who is kind to the unthankful and evil.
Notice it says God gives rain to the unjust, which is a way He shows love towards those who are His enemies
God wants you to love others in the same way He loved you. He loved you that He sended His son to die for you, not because you were worthy, but you were His enemy
Colossians 1:20–22 “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:”
Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
1 John 3:16 “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
God gives blessings not jus
And when you show God’s character, you will be “perfect” or mature
Your life needs to show Jesus. People often have similar mannerisms and quirks and other things that are similar to their parents. They reflect different parts of their parents. Some people are almost like a mini-me of their parents. And just like we reflect our earthly parents, we should seek to reflect our Heavenly Father.
Does your life reflect God’s love?
It is different from the world
Jesus then says that publicans and pharisees do the same, if you only love those who love you
Meaning that there really is no distinctness about you, if you love like the world. It is nothing to be rewarded for.
But Jesus says that we should be known by our love
John 13:35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
In Sunday School, we are going over the Fruit of the Spirit, and the first one is love
The world’s version of love is a self-centered, version “I love them because they make me happy”. But true love is not self-centered by God-centered and others-centered
Would the way you characterize your love be that of the world, self-centered
How do you love?
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