Losing Enemies
7 Things Worth Losing • Sermon • Submitted
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Kidnapped
Kidnapped
20 years ago a 10 year old boy, Chris Carrier, was kidnapped. He was found alive 75 hours later. He had been burned with cigarette burns and was stabbed by an ice pick numerous times. But is worst injury was being shot in the head. The bullet wend into his right temple and came out his left eye socket. Thankfully there was no brain damage, but he was lift blind in his left eye.
Fast forward 20 years. David McAllister, 77, lies in a nursing home. No friends, no family. He’s blind in both eyes and scared. David was always a prime suspect in the kidnapping after being fired by Chris’s uncle but with no physical evidence he was never arrested. However, he confesses to the crime. In addition to that, because the statute of limitation has passed, he will not be charged.
But Chris has the opportunity to confront the man who was his kidnapper and torturer. Nobody would have blames Chris for walking into the room and spitting on David - or worse. Instead, Chris transcends expectations. When David apologizes, Chris forgives. Not only that but he begins to visit David every day… sometimes bringing his daughter to talk with him and read Bible passages.
Lose Your Enemies
Lose Your Enemies
About 2000 years ago Christ was arrested for crimes he did not commit. In fact when given the opportunity to not pay unjust taxes to unjust tax collectors he supported the government that was persecuting His people and recommended for others to do the same (). He was beaten, mocked, tortured, and finally killed on the cross. On top of that, it happened to a great extent because the people He came to rescue, along with His closest friends, rejected Him. Incredibly after all that, while they are driving the nails through his flesh so that he can be lifted up on a cross where he needs to pull his beaten body up just to take a breath, he cries out, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” ()
To His greatest enemies he offered forgiveness before it was even asked for. He extended hope and love towards a people that were His enemies. To his friends that fled when trouble came. To the one who betrayed him for some silver and kissed him to point him out. To the one who rejected him and denied he even knew Him.... He did not count them as His enemies at all.
Jesus Weeps Over the Condition of His Enemies.
Jesus Weeps Over the Condition of His Enemies.
And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them. Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ. And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
Luke 4:38-
LETS NOTICE SOME THINGS IN OUR TEXT
LETS NOTICE SOME THINGS IN OUR TEXT
There was great rejoicing but their rejoicing was based in selfishness
“This is the King who will restore our nation.”
The Pharisees - the teachers wanted Christ to rebuke - not because they were getting it wrong, but because He was receiving glory.
Jesus Weeps.. Jesus Weeps .. Jesus Weeps
out of a great sorrow that they just didn’t get it.
because a people who don’t follow Him truly, calamity comes
Jesus loves his enemies.... in fact, to Jesus there aren’t enemies… there are simply lost sheep
Today we talk about Losing Our Enemies.
Today we talk about Losing Our Enemies.
We will talk about who Christs enemies are.
We will talk about how Christ treated his enemies.
We will spend a little time dealing with our own enemies before Christ.
Who are Christ’s Enemies?
Who are Christ’s Enemies?
2 Kinds
2 Kinds
Direct Enemies
Those who deliberately attempt to do harm to Christ and His Cause.
Pharisees
Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him. Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all
Judas Iscariot
He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.
The Jewish nation.
Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed.
There are people that are around today that intentionally look at the message of Christ and His purposes and oppose them deliberately.
We’ve seen this over and over again. Student and employees being suspended or fired for holding on to their beliefs while other religions or sinful lifestyles are promoted.
Indirect Enemies.
Those who by default cause harm to Christ and His purpose.
Everyone.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
ro 3:23
We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
YOU’RE THE REASON CHRIST TOOK THE NAILS. HE SAW YOUR LIES, YOUR HATRED, YOUR LUSTFUL THOUGHTS, YOUR JEALOUSIES, AND SAID… “THEY CAN’T TAKE THE PUNISHMENT… I WILL”
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.
Now this message is fairly unpopular today because every one wants to hear how great they are. but the fact of the matter is that we arent. The only thing that makes us worthy of anything good is that fact that Christ came to rescue us… But don’t be deceived into thinking that it’s because you deserved it.
All of us are enemies....
How Christ Treated His Enemies
How Christ Treated His Enemies
The thief
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
HE FORGIVE AND RESTORES IN AN INSTANT.
Those Deliberate Enemies.
And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
The Death for Those who are enemies by default.
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Conc.
Conc.
Now this sermons is supposed to be about how important it is to lose our enemies.
We do this by looking at Christ’s example.
We need to forgive and reconcile in such a fashion that we don’t have enemies.
At worst, we have people in our lives that desperately need Christ
BUT>>>>>
The only way to do that is to recognize that we are enemies....
He loves us so much that he weeps at the thought that we just don’t get it. The way of peace is provided right now. So while I say love our enemies the way Christ loves us I want to take a moment to restore our friendship with Christ....