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November
20
2016

The Sermon on the Mount: The King’s Mandate-Jesus! You Want Me to Love Who?

Sermon Series: The Life Of Jesus: From Creation to the Cradle to the Cross to the Crown

Sermon Title: The Sermon on the Mount: The King’s Mandate-Jesus! You Want Me to Love Who?

Sermon Text: Matthew 5: 43-48

Sermon Date: November 19, 2016

We are called to love those who hate us.  We are called to love our enemies but we aren’t to love everything.

 There are some things we are called to hate. 

  1. Psalm 97:10 says we are to hate evil.
  2.  Romans 12:9 we are to abhor that which is evil
  3.  1John 2: 15-17 we are commanded to “love not the world.”

Why?

  1. Because of the world’s prince-Satan
  2. Because of the world’s philosophy-unbridle passion, unlimited possessions and unquestioned position.
  3. Because of the world’s purpose-which is to draw us away from God.
  4. But not the world’s people.

 

  1. The Custom Mentioned – verse 43
  1. The Tradition-You have heard it said Leviticus 19:17-28

    Tradition is useful but only in that it lines up with Scripture.

  2. The Truth-Thou shall love your neighbor
  3. The Tragedy-and hate your enemy

    1. This speaks of limited love-not willing to love outside of their own realm.

    2. This speak of fact less doctrine-nowhere in scriptures does it say to hate your enemies.

     

  1. The Correction Made – verse 44 – But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
  1. Unconditional Love “Love your enemies”
  2. Unhindered love “bless them that curse you”
  3. Undeniable Love “do good to them that hate you”
  1. 1 Thes.5:15 – See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
  2.  Rom.12:20-21 – Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. [21] Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
  1. Unlimited Love “pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

     

  1. The Character Modeled – verse 45-47
  1. The Relationship- verse 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
  2. The Reflection-verse 46-47 – For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? [47] And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

    If we are to reflect the change that has been made in our lives and the Lord we serve, we must be willing to love all people, regardless of color, creed, denomination,  sexual orientation. That does not mean we must love their ways or ideals, but we must love them!  We can’t win them if we don’t love them.

     

  1. The Command Manifested-verse 48
  1. The Expectation-Be you therefore perfect”
  2. The Example-“as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”

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