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Loving your neighbour, enemy, maybe a family member or former friend, or variations thereof who you may consider to be unlovable, is one of the most challenging scriptural calls. Practically aligning our hearts to this directive is tough, and we are inclined to look for a myriad of reasons why an escape clause validates our sentiment for not practicing this Christian principle. But that's just wrong. Jesus invites us to be part of His new humanity and to strive towards living life with more faith, more freedom, more formation - to be OUT OF THE ORDINARY!
Message Notes 11/08/2024
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:43-48 (NIV)
Scripture is very clear:
1/ "Love your neighbour and hate your enemy," Matthew 5:43 | Agape Love - unconditional, benevolence and goodwill towards others.
2/ “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself," Leviticus 19:18.
3/ "But I tell you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Matthew 5:44.
View scripture with a Judicial and Spiritual lens - God is not confused - he is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow!
Judicial lens | Holiness, Glory, Zeal, Justice and Mercy of God rather than individualistic:
Rejection of God's grace & mercy = destruction
Sin is dealt with on the cross OR eternal separation from God
For the wages of sin is death - Romans 6:23
Spiritual lens | Enemies are not people but spiritual forces at work:
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12
Pray against the spiritual forces and not against the people
Who is my neighbour? Jesus expands neighbour to include our enemies -
Luke 10:25-37 (NIV) | The Good Samaritan
Be neighbourly following the Samaritan's example:
Show compassion and love; and
Class, race, religion must not influence our Christian practices.
Go and do likewise!
Matthew 5:45
Motivation: Show Christian love to your neighbour just as a parent would treat their child with unconditional benevolence.
"That you may be children of your Father in Heaven."
"He sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" - Why does God allow good things to happen to bad people?
1/ We are influenced by others, what they do and think of us - we play judge and jury.
2/ Superiority complex - "Well at least I'm not ..."
3/ We must trust God to bring about justice.
46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? [have you done anything out of the ordinary? (GNT)] Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:45-48 (NIV)
People think Christians are: | But, a follower of Jesus has: |
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Do you look like God? Do you resemble the character and nature of God?
Differentiating characteristics of a Christian:
Attitude | Affections | Actions | Handling afflictions and trials | Worldview | Belong in a completely different realm / kingdom
Does this describe you? Feeling condemned? Take action: confess, receive forgiveness, be cleansed, empowered and transformed into the likeness of Jesus
To be perfect: Teleios {Gk}- grow up, mature, full the purpose, brought to its end, finished; complete
You are called to be OUT OF THE ORDINARY!
1/ Decide to love | Love your enemy as yourself - as God loves
2/ Respond with prayer | Pray for everyone - we are all created in God's image and likeness
3/ Surrender your will | Don't judge but trust God for justice and for His will to have precedence.
"Loving and greeting only those who love us, Jesus says, is simply a mechanism of bondage. It’s keeping us in a small world of warm fuzzies, but actually inoculating us from the often dark and daring world of real love. It actually protects and perpetuates the world of scapegoats, victimization, and projection." Richard Rohr
13 "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility." Ephesians 2:13-17
Our call to action:
Be an active, intentional participant in God's new humanity!
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