Sermon Tone Analysis

Returning Evil for good is satanic.

Returning good for good is simply human.

Returning good for evil, now that is divine!

(Daniel Aiken) contains the 6th and final antithesis in the Sermon on the Mount that began in 5:21.

They teach us about the kind of righteousness that supernaturally flows from the poor in spirit (5:3), the meek (5:5), the merciful (5:7), and the pure in heart (5:8)

This is a righteousness that emerges from within citizens of the Kingdom of God who are the salt of the earth and light of the world (5:13-16), citizens who are on the way to being perfect as their heavenly Father is perfect (5:48).

All of this righteousness is a work of divine grace not human effort.

And this all becomes evident when responding to the command to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute you (5:44).

Jim Elliot was one of five missionaries to Ecuador who were killed by a tribe of Indians they were trying to reach with the gospel.

The Auca Indians were known to be very violent and they speared all five men to death even though they had had friendly contact with the the day before.

Later on, Jim’s wife, Elisabeth, a long with another lady named Rachel saint, the sister of one of the five men, went to live among the Auca Indians ad shared the gospel with them.

They loved and proclaimed salvation through Jesus Christ with the tribe and many Indians accepted Christ because of the ladies’s bold and loving witness.

We are to love our neighbors even when they are hostile and do evil acts against us.

Like obedient children, we are to emulate our Father and act toward evil people as He does.

If God can be merciful to wicked as well as good people, so must we.

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.

hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

Loving our enemies shows others that God is our Father.

verses 43-44.

What Jesus is about to say has been passed down by the scribes of old.

This is their perspective and interpretation on the inspired text.

The passage He cites is .

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

But if we look at as Jesus says this is what you’ve heard, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

Spurgeon said, “In this case the command of Scripture had a human antithsis fitted on to it by depraved minds for mischievous intent.”

Love Them (verse 44)

Jesus says but I tell you.

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Love is a verb, an action word.

It is also a present imperative — calling for a continuous action.

we are not to love our enemies periodically or once in a while.

We are to love them CONSTANTLY and CONSISTENTLY.

We are to give ourselves up and give ourselves away for the good of those who oppose, hate and even persecute us.

1 Corinthians 13

Luke10:25-37

We are to pray for them (5:44)

Not only do we love them , we also pray for them.

It’s interesting that the word “PRAY” is also a present imperative, a word that is calling for a habitual action.

As we pray, we commit their welfare to Him who knows all things and sees all things.

When I am persecuted?

When I am opposed?

When I am falsely accused?

When I am unfairly labeled?

When I am mistreated?

Romans 12:12-21

Jesus hanging on the Cross

Stephen’s response towards his enemies as they are stoning him to death.

Citizens of the Kingdom of God find this behavior normal and supernatural because we are in this world, we do not belong to this world.

We are simply following in the footsteps of our Father — we are simply following the example of Jesus.

Only God can give you the surpassing righteousness you need to enter heaven.

Only God can help you love your enemies

Christ died for us while we were still sinners.