HOW?

Matt 5:43-48

 

I came across a statement that speaks exactly to what is before us this morning. “Returning evil for good is satanic. Returning good for good is simply human. Returning good for evil…now, that is divine.”

I want you to think of the worst kind of

person throughout history? But! I also want you to think a little closer and more personal. Who is the person that makes your blood pressure rise

just at the mention of their name? In light of your answers how do we emulate what Jesus is saying here in this text? (Read Matt 5:43-48)

 

Put yourself at the feet of Jesus to what He has already revealed. Because before this day you are thinking “I’m a pretty good person” But Jesus destroys that theory and wrong thinking.

 

Because….. To be truly blessed there are a multitude of things that I need to exemplify. In order to be a useful for the Kingdom, I need to be a strong preserving light for His glory. Before you spoke I thought I was doing ok until you told me every part from the smallest letter “iota” to littlest of strokes “dot” of Scripture is “truly amen”

I was doing ok with my anger, until Jesus revealed that I murder others in my heart daily. I was doing ok in the area of lusting and adultery, until Jesus revealed it begins in the heart and God’s greatest desire is reconciliation. I was doing ok when it came to the restrictions of retaliation but then Jesus pulls the carpet from underneath my feet to say I have no rights to retaliation, no rights to things, no rights to my own time and no rights to my money.

 

And now you come to the point of dropping this bomb of truth for us to ponder and think about. “love your enemies…” but not only love them, but “pray for those who persecute you.” (v44) This passage elevates the Beatitudes, the righteousness, that supernaturally flows from the “poor in spirit”, “the meek”, “merciful” to the “pure in heart.” This is the last illustration that Jesus uses to contrast the false righteousness of the religious elites with the true righteousness of God. What Jesus has been doing is contrasts their hypocrisy of love with the truth of God‘s love.

 

John MacArthur said “Nowhere had God’s standard been so corrupted as in the way the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees viewed themselves in relation to others. Nowhere was it more evident that they lacked the humility, mourning over their sins, meekness, yearning for true righteousness, mercy, purity of heart and peacemaking spirit that are to belong to God’s kingdom citizens.”

God is love. Love is an attribute of God.  Love is a core aspect of God’s character, His Person. Think about this…. God’s love is in no sense in conflict with His holiness, righteousness, justice, or even His wrath. All of God’s attributes are in perfect harmony. Everything God does is loving, just as everything He does is just and right. God is the perfect example of true love. In John’s epistle we read “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:8

 

Knowing that reality of who God is, Jesus quotes from Leviticus 19:18 that says “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.” Jesus is speaking about personal standards of righteousness, not civil law. The “enemy” spoken of here is not an enemy on the battlefield of war. But an individual whether they are: a fellow countryman, or a foreigner, who is in some way or another is antagonistic, hostile, or unfriendly.

 

The Israelites were commanded to help their fellow countrymen. “You shall not see your brother's ox or his sheep going astray and ignore them. You shall take them back to your brother. And if he does not live near you and you do not know who he is, you shall bring it home to your house, and it shall stay with you until your brother seeks it. Then you shall restore it to him. And you shall do the same with his donkey or with his garment, or with any lost thing of your brother's, which he loses and you find; you may not ignore it. You shall not see your brother's donkey or his ox fallen down by the way and ignore them. You shall help him to lift them up again.” Deut 22:1-4

 

But God’s people were also to show the same favor for an enemy. "If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.” Exodus 23:4-5

 

So, who is my neighbor or enemy?

What does that love look like?

 

There are three reasons for us to love our enemies and do good to them. One is simply because God said to; the second is because God loved us first. The third one is that it reveals something of the way God is. God is merciful.

 

How are we to love our enemies 

as we do our neighbor?

 

1. Loving Our Enemies Shows Others That God Is Our Father (v43-v44)

 

Love them…… “Love” is a verb, this demonstrates that this isn’t a passive love, but reactive, because love is an action. This is a call of continuous action, not when we feel like it, or when it suits us. This is at all times, constantly and consistently. Paul referred to this best as we mature in Christ. “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Cor 13:4-13

 

The Good Samaritan is another action of love because he didn’t ignore the hurt individual.  Luke 10:23-37 In the gospel of Luke we read “But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.  He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.'” Luke 10:33-35

In the Greek “Compassion” means it comes from the deepest part of one’s soul……”to have the bowels yearn” See “compassion” is to recognize the suffering of others and then take action to help. Compassion embodies a tangible expression of love for those who are suffering. He loved him by serving him without reservations or expectations. He just simply loved the hurting man and cared for him. And what’s amazing about this story is what Jesus asked at the end. “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said to him, "You go, and do likewise." Luke 10:36-37

 

Pray for them… “Pray” is a present imperative, this word calls for “habitual actions.” Why is this important for us to do? It’s putting one’s enemy before the Throne of the King. By praying for them you’re committing their welfare to the only One who can know all things, and sees all things. Think about that! What did Stephen do? What did Stephen do as he was being crushed by the stones of his enemies? We read in Acts 7:54-60, “Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together at him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

 

Prayer is a powerful demonstration that reveals who our Father is. Paul taught the church the same principles that Stephen endured, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.” Rom 12:12-14. Further down in his letter to the Romans, Paul would say “To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Rom 12:20-21

 

What was Jesus’ response before the full force of the wrath of God was poured on Him? And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34. Love them and pray for your enemies, because this shows others that God is our Father.

 

2.Loving Others Without Discrimination Is To Act Like God Our Father (v45)

How do I do that? Loving our enemies doesn’t make you a child of God, but it does show you are a child of living God. When we love our enemies, we reflect God and His holy character. That’s why we are to as Jesus said… “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matt 5:16. God demonstrates this with two examples. God gives sunlight on all, and rain to all. This is what we would call “common grace”; this grace pertains to the sovereign grace of God bestowed upon all of mankind regardless of their eternal position. In Psalm 145:9 we read “The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.” There is a special grace “a benevolent grace” that is given to God’s elect through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But here God demonstrates this “common grace” to all image bearers of God.

What does this mean?

 

God demonstrates His grace to all by blessing all with the warmth of the sun, to the rain that nurtures the ground. God blesses those who hate him “evil” and he blesses those who love Him. “Good” The sun, the stars, the complete solar system, belongs to God, and His creation speaks of His common grace to a fallen world. As David penned God’s big book to all creation “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.” Psalm 19:1-6

 

From the born again adopted child of God, to the denying Atheist, and Satanist…. We all receive equally, the common blessings of His grace without reservations. We all get the light of sun and nourishment of the rain. What Jesus is saying is “That when we love our enemies we are extending a common grace that God gives to us.” When we love our enemies we are acting like our Heavenly Father, who brings the rain and the sun on the just and the unjust.

 

3. Loving Others Without Discrimination Sets Us Apart From Those Who Do Not Know God As Father. (v46-v47)

 

The child of God lives distinctively different lived as we live as new creations through the gospel. Understand as one theologian said “To love only those who love you in return is nothing more than ‘self-serving pragmatism’.” What is Jesus saying here? Lost people do this all the time and we as God’s children are not to lower our standard to be like the world. We are to rise above or stand as a strong light to all. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” 2 Cor 5:17-20

 

We don’t just love people who love us in return, that’s not the gospel that saved us. Our lives have been completely transformed by God’s display of love through His Son.

 

We have been made new.

We are to live new.

We are to do things new.

We are to persevere as we wait our new home.

 

Jesus says, “If you love those who love you,

what reward is there in that.”

 

Take the “Tax Collector”, they were despised and hated, they were Jewish sellouts for the Romans. They were thieves and swindlers and they took advantage of their countrymen for personal financial gain. The word on the streets during this time is that they were “Licensed robbers”. The Religious leaders despised them “And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2:16-17. But even amongst all this hatred towards them, the tax collector had tax collecting friends.

 

So what makes us any different than them?

If we only love those who love us what makes us any different?

 

Take the “Gentiles or the pagans” they were outside the circle of God’s concern, mercy, and they were destined for destruction. So they thought! Another group hated by the Jews that was evident in Jesus’ story of the “Good Samaritan”, because this Samaritan broke those rules. But the Gentiles, had friends to hang with that loved them as well. But what makes us any different if we only hang out with those who love us in return?

According to Jesus “What reward is there in that?”

 

One thing is for sure the Scribes and Pharisees were certain that they were far better than everyone else. And we have those people in church today as well! But Jesus cuts to the heart by exposes their lies, because they are no better or greater than the “tax collector or Gentile pagan.” We as His children are to have a higher standard of love and a righteousness that exceeds the rest of this world. We are not to only love what loves us in return. But to extend that love undiscriminatingly.

Why? “Because how we treat our enemies says a

lot about us, and what we truly love.”

4. Loving Our Enemies Imitates Us To The Likeness Of God Our Father. (v48)

 

“God is” an important statement! Because…..

 

God is holy……1 Peter 1:16

God is Spirit…..John 4:24

God is a consuming fire…..Deut 4:24

God is true…..1 John 5:20

God is love…..1 John 4:8-16

 

Jesus here adds another “God is Perfect” We are to emulate the character of God by loving our enemies. As the Apostle Paul said to the church “Be imitators (follow) of me, as I am of Christ.” 1 Cor 11:1. As Albert Barnes said “As I deny myself; as I seek to give no offence to anyone; as I endeavor not to alarm the prejudices of others, but in all things to seek their salvation, so do you.

 

The conclusion Jesus brings it to, is for us, to be like our Heavenly Father who is perfect and merciful.  (v48) That word “perfect” can make us cower back with another depressing reality due to our fallen disposition.

Why? Only God is perfect.

 

But the word perfect in the original Greek means “complete”. It means to reach an intended end or a completion, and this often translated “mature” But here it is referring to perfection because our “Heavenly father is Perfect.” God’s perfection is absolute perfection and this perfection is utterly impossible in man’s own strength or power. But what did Jesus say? “But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matt 19:26. See! God’s righteousness becomes possible for those who trust in Jesus Christ, because He gave them His righteousness.

“A righteousness that is perfect”

 

What Jesus is doing is setting goals for us as His children. What Jesus is saying is for us to make it our goal to “love like our Heavenly Father loves.” This love separates God’s children from the world that does in kind; but without the love of God over their lives. The world loves until it no longer fits their purpose or goals. We on the other hand, we love because He first loved us.  “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom 5:8. John wrote in his epistle. “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:9-11. If I could summarize this portion and the righteousness that exceeds the Scribes and Pharisees and that is to love your enemies the way God the Father through Jesus Christ does.

As one theologian said “When we love our enemies we will imitate our Heavenly Father and grow towards the perfection that salvation in Christ will eventually complete in us.”

 

The Lord’s point in all this is to lead His listeners and onlookers to an overpowering sense of our spiritual bankruptcy. A spiritual bankruptcy that reveals our desperate need for a Savior because we were once an enemy. 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.” Rom 5:10. A Savior who can enable, who alone can empower our hearts by the transformation of the gospel.

 

To meet the standards and perfection that our Heavenly Father has. The power to be merciful is that we have been satisfied with God’s mercy toward us. And the ultimate reason for being merciful is to glorify God, that is, to help others magnify Him for His mercy.

 

We want to show that.. 

God is glorious.