June 29, 2003
Matthew 5:43-48
 

We’ve been doing a series this month on “Unique Lessons from the Teachings of Christ.” We’ve looked at his call to go the Extra Mile. Many of you have shared with me ways that you have put his words to use in your life in going the extra mile. The Children helped us examine his most unique teaching technique - Parables - Good Samaritan, Prod. Son, Parable of the Vineyard. Jesus taught in stories so that we might understand his teachings and become part of his ongoing story in this world. Last week we looked at Jesus’ call to compassion. “Go & Tell, John,” he said, “The Messiah is at work because mercy is being poured out on those who need it the most - the poor, the hungry, the sick.” This is central to Jesus’ message. It’s so central that he even says, “when you love the least of these you’re loving me.” Today, we’re going to look at his most difficult teaching - love your enemies. Please read the passage.

We’re studying the personal ethics of Jesus. There is none more central or better known than this one. “Love your enemies.” Even people who seldom darken the doors of a church know that Jesus said this. And they know and we know that it’s hard.

Vacation Bible School this week included some wonderful dramas. One day a little 4-year-old boy named Drew was asked to play Jesus in the skit. And he said, “No. No. I can’t. I can’t!” He knew that playing Jesus was big - high & mighty - and so he was taken back by the thought of playing him. This passage also causes us to take a step back or two, and say, “No. I can’t. I can’t!”

Trying to act like Jesus is a tall order. He could do it, but I’m not sure I can, especially in this instance. So let’s take a careful look at the text. I learned this week some of the background of this text.

Jesus says in Matthew 5: “You have heard it said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.”

Jesus is referring to the teachings of the religious authorities of his day. They taught - “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’” These teachers took seriously the Old Testament command to love your neighbor as yourself. But they did not believe that this command to love applied to your enemy. Leviticus 19 (16-18) says, “You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The teachers of Jesus’ day felt that this meant, “Love your family & friends, the people that you are close with.” They never extended the teaching to an enemy. They felt that only God was capable of loving an enemy.

One passage that does stand out in the OT is Exodus 23 (4-5): “When you come upon your enemy’s ox or donkey going astray, you shall bring it back. When you see the donkey of one who hates you entangled in danger, you must help set it free.” Jesus was saying to the people of his day, “See it was there all along - we’re called to love everyone, all of God’s children . . . even our enemies.”

One of keys to understanding and applying this passage is to look at the Greek word that is translated “love” in this text. The Greek Language has several words for love.

1. One is Storge.
It’s the word for family love - the love that binds family members to one another. It’s the love a parent has for a child, - the love a child has for the parent. It’s that automatic - we are family - kind of love. Matthew 5 does not use the word “storge” in this text. Jesus does not expect us to love our enemies in the same way we love our family. He does not expect you to invite your enemies, those that do not like you & vice versa - he does not expect you to invite them to your 4th of July picnic! The word for “family” love is not used in this passage.

2. A second word the Greeks had for love was Eros.
It’s the word for sexual love, erotic love. Let me be quick to point out, this is also not the word used in this passage!!

3. A third Greek word for love is “Philia.”
It’s the word for “brotherly love” or “friendship.” Philia - Philadelphia, City of Brotherly Love. Phila was used in the Greek language for affection among one’s closest friends. It’s a very warm, tender love between nearest & dearest friends. Is that the word that is used here in Matthew 5? - “Love your enemies as if they were you nearest & dearest friends?” No! That’s not the word that is used!

4. Agape is the word used here for love.
- Agape your enemies. Agape, as we talked about a few weeks ago, is the word for Unconditional Love - love that is unearned, unmerited, perhaps undeserved at the time. It does not mean warm & fuzzy affection, but rather it means acting in good will toward everyone - those we like and those we don’t like. Agape your enemies - act with benevolent kindness towards that person, seeking only their highest good. We seek a person’s highest good, regardless of whether we like them or not! - or whether they like us or not. Now this doesn’t mean you never confront your enemy or tell them you think they’re wrong. Jesus said in Matthew 18:18 - “If a brother sins, go & tell him. If he doesn’t listen to you, take another brother along and tell him again.” Sometimes confronting another with their behavior is a very loving thing to do. Galatians 6 - “If anyone is caught in a sin, restore such a one gently.” The confrontation is done in love and out of a spirit of wanting the best for the other.

A few weeks ago I mentioned the person we once hired to assist with weddings, how he left the candles on and showed up an hour late for a rehearsal. Now confronting him was a loving thing to do - for his own good and for his growth. I confronted him with respect and clarity - for his own sake, as well as ours. The concept of Agape love is a very helpful one. It’s unconditional love - to act in goodwill toward another person, even if that person is currently “an enemy.” This love is not warm & fuzzy, or overwhelming, like being swept off your feet in romantic love. It’s an act of the will. With God’s help and Holy Spirit, we will ourselves to do it!

Inspired by David Letterman, I came up with a Top 10 list dealing with today’s topic.
 

10. Three words: Jesus said so.
George Barna Study - what guides in making decisions?
#1 answer - my feelings & emotions = 31%
13% said the Bible guides my decision making.
We must strive to love our enemies because the bible tells us so.

9. They just might have something to teach us.
Benjamin Franklin: “Our critics are our friends for they tell us what we need to hear and learn.”
Sometimes, in fact, even often, our enemies have a point.
They often get carried away & make it personal, or distorted or divisive.
But often there’s some truth to what they are saying.

8. They just might be future friends.

7. Anyone can love their friends.
- even the pagans love their friends!

6. You just might run out of friends someday.
- if we can only love those who agree with us, we’ll be very lonely

5. To avoid, reject and overcome negativity.
- when we respond to negativity with goodwill, we reject negativity.

4. To help heal the world. Gandhi “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” only leaves us blind & toothless

3. If we saw the pain & wounds of our enemies it would melt our
hearts.
- difficult people have often been through difficult, trying times

2. To follow in Jesus’ footsteps.
- Jesus practiced what he preached

- From the Cross he prayed, “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.” He loved his enemies even while dying on the cross they put him on.

And . . . . the number one reason for loving our enemies is . . .

1. When we do so, the love of Jesus is living & loving through us.

This is one of those times when we can know that we’re in the will of God, and that God is living and loving through us. Because loving an enemy is not natural. We can only do it with God’s help, with God Holy Spirit empowering us! That’s why Jesus told us to pray for our enemies. How do we gain the power, the self-control to love our enemies? We pray for them. William Barclay put it this way: “No one can pray for another man and still hate him. When a person takes himself and the one he is tempted to hate to God, something happens. We cannot go on hating another person in the presence of God. The surest way of killing bitterness is to pray for the one we are tempted to hate.”

I would imagine that as I’ve been talking this morning, there’s been a person or two come across your mind. I’ll bet most of you thought of someone. You might not like to call them your enemy, but for you they’re difficult, if not impossible to feel good about. But Agape Love is not about warm feelings but acting in good will toward another, seeking their highest good. And the way to get there is through prayer.

So let’s close in prayer now.

Gracious Jesus,
You modeled this teaching for us. You lived it. Help us to love like you.
We bring before you the person or persons we’ve been thinking about this morning. You know those we wrestle with, those we resent, those we’re tempted to hold a grudge against. They are also your children, people you love and for whom you died. Help us to see them as children of God. Give us the will and self-control to act in love. Give us your love and compassion for them. Live through us. Love though us, that we might show ourselves to be you children as well.
In your name. Amen.