Love your Enemies

Northwest Bible Church – March 1, 2-26 – Matthew – Alan Conner

Matthew. 5:43-48

Love your Enemies

Intro

A. THE FAULTY JEWISH VIEW (Matthew 5:43).     

1.  Love your neighbor.  

a. Who is our neighbor?

b. Their answer:  fellow Jew with whom you have good relations.

2. Hate your enemy.     

a. Not in the O.T. so what is the justification for this attitude?

b. Who is our enemy?

B.  JESUS CORRECTS THE FAULTY JEWISH VIEW (Matthew 5:44).

1. Love your enemies.     

a. Note the present tense and it is plural.

b. Love for the non-Jew in the O.T.   Leviticus. 19:3-34;  Exodus. 23:4-5; Proverbs. 25:21

2. Pray for those who persecute you.    Cf. Luke. 6:27-28

C.  REASONS TO LOVE OUR ENEMIES (Matthew 5:45-47).

1. You will be sons of your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:45a).    

2. You will imitate God’s common grace love to all His creatures (Matthew 5:45b).  

3. Your love will be greater than mere friendship love (Matthew 5:46-47).   

a.  Question #1.   “If you love those who love you, what reward do you have?”   

b. Question #2.   “Do not even the tax collectors do the same?”  

c. Question #3.  “If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others?” (Matthew 5:47).   

d. Question #4.  “Do not even the Gentiles do the same?”    

D.  BE PERFECT AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS PERFECT (Matthew 5:48).

1. Your love should be perfect.  

2. This is what we aim for.   

Conclusion