Developing a Love for Those We Dislike
2001025
Subject: love; brotherly love
Introduction:
A. Many things that Jesus taught that might be considered hard.
1. Lk. 17:1-5 – repentance & forgiveness. Need to do as often as necessary.
a) can you imagine what this might have seemed to a bunch of Jews who harbored resentment to all other people/nations around them?
b) Apostles knew to follow through on Jesus’ command – would involve much faith.
2. Many things in Christianity not easy. Bad habits to overcome. Attitudes must be changed. Hard feelings/bad language/dealing with petty differences must be worked through – can take time.
a) not impossible – w/help of Jesus.
B. Consider today’s text: Mt. 5:44-48 & Lk. 6:27-36
1. Jesus says plainly: love your enemies.
a) someone: that’s impossible!
b) How can I love someone who:
1) hurts me/abuses me
2) talks bad about me.
3) Hurts my family or baby.
2. When hearing Jesus’ words maybe we can identify just a little w/Jesus’ apostles when they asked Jesus to increase their faith.
C. We will consider this command of Jesus in depth in this AM’s lesson.
1. Tonight – we will consider Jesus’ teaching in Mt. 12:36-37 & the importance of guarding our speech.
2. The series of hard sayings continues next week w/turn the other cheek and don’t do alms to be seen of men.
I. What kind of love is Jesus talking about here?
A. Does this mean that I need to love my enemy like I love my wife/children? Warm fuzzy feeling/ tender affection
1. This not the kind of love described here.
2. Thayer: “love” (here) = agape love. Means: “to have preference for; wish well to; to regard the welfare of.”
B. Vines: Christian love; toward men generally; is not an impulse from feelings; it does not run w/natural inclination.
C. This kind of live is learned behavior. It is something that will b/c easier to practice as one grows up in Christ.
1. This is the kind of love that realizes each person – including our enemies has a soul and needs to be saved!
2. Ever had someone that “pushes your buttons?” Can’t stand to be around? Remember – they have a soul – and you/I can play a role in helping that person come to Christ.
3. This, I believe, is how we regard the welfare of those who wish to do hard to us.
4. This is a kind of love whereby we treat those we don’t like as if we liked them.
D. This love is one where you would be willing to help – even when you didn’t want to.
1. Lk. 10:30-42 – Samaritan helping a Jew?
2. Our love must be like God’s. Jhn. 3:16; Rom. 5:8-10
a) Did He send Jesus b/c He liked us?
b) Did He send Jesus b/c we were likeable/lovable people?
II. How do we specifically obey the command?
A. Jesus: Lk. 6:27 – do good to those who hare you.
1. initiate benevolent actions for spiteful actions.
a) first impulse if someone spiteful w/you?
b) Do good to him – hard to do – but expected behavior for Christians! See Rom. 12:20
2. If I’m injured by someone – I need to seek opportunity to do good.
3. I need to try to remove a stone/stumbling block from my enemies path – rather than add one.
4. Gen. 45 – Joseph
a) 1:8 – note his reaction as he reveals himself to his brothers.
b) What would I have done? Tempted to do?
c) That…. An example of doing good to those who hate us.
B. 6:28 – bless those that curse you.
1. Reply to bitter words with kind words.
a) natural thing: talk harsh in response.
b) Rom. 12:17
2. Consider also Peter’s writing: 1 Pet. 3:9
a) see 3:12b – here’s what to keep in mind – when blessing those who curse us! God will repay!
C. 6:28 – pray for those that mistreat you.
1. Hard to hate someone that you are praying for.
a) must get on our knees & talk to God about them!
b) Ask: “Why this person treating me like this? My fault?”
c) Keep in mind: remember this person sinning & will go to hell for such behavior.
2. Ex. In Num. 12:13 – Moses & Miriam – prayed that she be healed.
3. Acts 7:60 – Stephan prayed for those who stoned him.
4. Jesus Himself in Lk. 23:34 – perhaps the best example.
5. It helps not just to pray for them in general – but specifically.
III. Why Should I Obey this Command?
A. Negatively – Not to turn them into friends.
1. idea: if you’re nice to people; they’ll be nice to you.
2. Just a little sentimental isn’t it?
3. Not to try to pacify – just conform to Jesus’ teaching.
B. We obey – to demonstrate the love of God.
1. Object: to make them see themselves against the background of God’s love – which they can see in you.
2. God’s love demonstrated for us – 1 Jhn. 4:7-11. We can demonstrate a form of that love by following after God & heeding Jesus’ teaching.
a) you will stand out.
b) Might cause a person to stop and thing about his life; God, Salvation.
D. It = a condition of being a child of God.
1. Mt. 5:45 – so that you may be Sons of Your Father.
2. Implication: not a child of God unless we love our enemies.
3. How terrible to come up short on judgment b/c we didn’t follow through here.
E. 5:46-47 – it helps us be different; do more than others.
1. If we only salute our friends – what is special about that?
2. We need to be different in that:
a) we see people as creatures of God caught in sin & downtrodden by Satan.
b) That we go by the law - & will to have the spirit of Christ.
c) We realize God is our Father – and that we need to do everything possible that is pleasing to Him.
F. SO we can be perfect like our heavenly father – 5:48
1. Perfect – mean w/o sin?
2. Word commonly means: “finished/completed/pure/holy.
3. we need not only to be loving toward friends/neighbors – but we need to express our Christianity through our demonstrating our love to enemies.
Conclusion:
A. Someone says: preacher, everything you’ve said is great – but I just can’t do it.
1. yes you can! W/the help of God – Phil. 4:13
B. We can/will overcome by the power of God – we can b/c a new person & a new creation in Christ Jesus!
C. 2 Cor. 5:17-21
D. Have you b/c a new creation? Have you put on Christ?
E. I N V I T A T I O N
