Praying for our Enemies
Notes
Transcript
Matthew 5:38-48 contains so of the most difficult words of Jesus Christ. If you were to list the hardest teachings of Jesus to obey this would be towards the top- if not THE top of everyone’s list.
Jesus instructs us to pray for and bless your enemies. Now, I want to unpack this idea for a little bit today, and even place it into our current social context- because it may need slightly different application in 2020 than it did somewhere around 30AD.
Let’s face it, many of us feel more alienated in our society than ever. It seems that dividing people and placing them “against” one another is the tactic of the day. Even think about this in light of our current situation with Coronavirus, news and social media are filled with people attacking one another and degrading one another. I have been appalled at the words and behavior that people are having against one another- meanwhile 53k people have died in this country- that means that 53k families are morning, hurting, and broken, and 965k people have the virus, that means 965k people are living in some kind of uncertainty in their lives about what tomorrow may hold for them- and we have allowed the tactic of divide and make enemies to allow us to harm one another rather than care for those in need.
Please, hear me, I have deep and strong convictions about the handling of coronavirus, and politics, and sports teams, and everything else But my convictions do not give me license to treat other people badly. That is not the way of Jesus. Even though there were people all around him that he starkly disagreed with, he did not treat them badly.
So, today I want to think through 3 questions- 1) What, or who, is an enemy? 2)How should I pray for them? 3) How can I turn the check, give my cloak, walk 2 miles or bless someone who opposes me?
What is an enemy
Let’s think about this in its original context for a moment- followers of Jesus had real life enemies in their time. When you signed up to follow Jesus you became an enemy of the nation. There were people that would harm you, kill you, or discredit you if you stood against Rome, and that is what followers of Jesus were doing. So when Jesus says enemies to them it probably struck those images in their minds- much like if Jesus said these same words to Nigerian Christians who are running from Boko Haram.
But most of us are not being hunted by someone; we do not have enemies that cause us fear when we go to Walmart, and most of us will not have unease in our day to day lives with the thought that someone is trying to intentionally trying to kill us or harm us physically.
So, how should we understand “enemies?” I would offer that an enemy is anyone who directly or indirectly causes opposes you or causes you harm.
Some of us have had people directly cause us harm. You had a bad break up, or divorce, you left an abusive relationship, or left a job where someone tried to ruin your good name. Some of us have had to involve police and the legal system. For you, your enemy was intent on harming you.
While some of us have had direct opposition from someone- ALL of us have had indirect harm done to us. Every person on Earth will have their lives affected by someone else’s sin. Someone tells gossip and you get rolled up into it; your employer is dishonest in their books and you lose your job; etc..
We must also remember that as Christians we will have enemies- those who oppose us- simply because of who we follow and our morals and ethics. Paul wrote in Phil 3:18-20 that “18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things” and John wrote to us in his first letter 3:13 that we should not be surprised if the world hates us.
So, do not be surprised if people around you oppose you because of your stance on abortion, or marriage, or racism, or any other issue- of course they will! The morals, ethics, and values of Christians are completely contradictory to those of the world. In fact, John Piper once said that “if you faith has not gotten you a few enemies, then your Godliness is not showing very well”
How to pray for our enemies
How, then, do we pray for our enemies? Do we pray that they get what they deserve?
Jaron Lowenstine once wrote a song praying for his exgirlfriend- some of the things he prayed?
I pray your brakes go out runnin' down a hill
I pray a flower pot falls from a window sill
I pray your birthday comes and nobody calls
I pray you're flyin' high when your engine stalls
I pray all your dreams never come true
Just know wherever you are honey, I pray for you
No, no that’s not it- those are not the prayers we are to pray. Instead, let’s think about some of the prayers that are appropriate.
First, and primarily, pray for their salvation. What could show greater love for someone than praying that they would come to know Christ as their Lord? So many times our prayers are people’s behaviors- God stop them from doing that. But isn’t it true that the best way for someone to change the way they act is to change the one they follow?
Second, pray that their harmful behavior would cease. It is always ok to pray that evil would stop. We can always pray that God puts a stop to behavior that is against his character.
Third, pray that though their actions may be evil, that those actions would propel others to Christ. Think about Pharoah in the story of Israel- his actions were in opposition against God’s people, but those actions worked towards the ultimate freedom of Israel. Or think about Joseph being throw into the pit by his brothers. He himself said in Genesis 50:20 that “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” God took the evil that was being done to him and used it to put Joseph in a place to not only save himself and his family, but the entire nation of Egypt from famine.
How do you bless those who curse you?
Let’s just start by building on this understanding- you can forgive someone and still seek justice for the wrong that was done to you or others. Blessing your enemies does not mean ignoring their behavior; or acting as though they are not harming you. Blessing them is choosing to love them like Jesus in spite of the wrong they do to you.
What is the greatest blessing that we have ever recieved? Salvation, right? That gift of Jesus Christ being crucified for our sins on the cross. Well, Romans 5:8 tells us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Jesus did not wait for us to become his followers, even though sin makes us enemies of the cross; Christ chose to bless us by dying for us. So, if the love of Christ reaches out for us in midst of our opposition to the Gospel, shouldn’t we do the same?
So, what are some ways we can do this?
First, allow them to move from enemies, to neighbors. John MacAuthor once said that “we are not to be enemies to those who may see us as their adversaries. From their perspective they may see us as enemies, but from our perspective we should see them as neighbors.” You see, as long as we choose to see someone as an adversary, that is what they will be- we have labeled them. Think about the story of the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan could help the man from Jerusalem because he did not see him as a Jew, but as a neighbor in need.
Second, you can bless them with forgiveness. Jesus, hanging on the cross is the model- Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Even though they were killing him, Jesus offers them forgiveness and asks his father in heaven to forgive them too. We too should offer that kind of forgiveness. But notice 2 things
Forgiveness did not change the crowds actions. Even when Jesus forgave the crowd, the people did not stop and say- oh hey, let’s stop he forgave us. Sometimes we have to choose to forgive people knowing that they will not change their behavior.
Jesus continued to offer forgiveness in spite of the actions continuing. 70x7 times the Scriptures tell us to forgive.
Third, you can bless them with physical needs- as long as you are not empowering their sinful behavior with you gift. In other words, our blessings cannot help someone continue in sin. if a young lady get’s pregnant out of marriage and we rise up to help her with the things she needs to raise a child- then we are being the hands and feet of Jesus. However, if that same young lady wants to move into our basement, along with the boyfriend, and they want to continue to be sexually active with no intentions of getting married and building their family on godly principals- that is empowering sin and is really something that we should avoid as Christ followers. That does not mean that we cannot help them- diapers, formula, things that help them care for the child God created.
Remember, Jesus said that his followers gave food, clothes, and cups of cold water- and he never categorized who he was talking about, because he was talking about everyone.