An expository sermon on the sermon on the mount. Specifically on Mathew 5: 44 to 48 on the subject of love your enemies

1. INSIDE OUT Part 7 – Love your enemies Mathew 5:44 to 48

2. I – INTRODUCTION Historical and Contextual background Based on Old Testament prophecy a Messiah or a king was predicted to come and establish his kingdom. When Jesus came and presented himself as the Messiah and the King, the Jews thought he was finally going to come and rescue them from Roman oppression and setup his earthly kingdom. True, Jesus was the Messiah and King but his Kingdom was not of this earth but a spiritual Kingdom. The Jews, being eager to get into the kingdom wanted to hear how this could be achieved. In Mathew 5 to 7, known collectively as the sermon on the mount, Jesus describes the characteristics of Kingdom citizens (verses1 to 12), the function of Kingdom citizens (13 to 16) and the basis of conduct of Kingdom citizens which is God’s laws (13 to 17) He clarified to them that the standard of righteousness required to get into the Kingdom anchored on God’s which is internal righteousness. (vs. 20) He shows them how they had been concerned so much on the external instead of what God really wants them to do, to be concerned with what is on the inside. Jesus gives them six illustrations to show them what he means and how they missed the point. (Verse 21 to 48) In verses 38 to 42, Jesus gives here the sixth illustration on how they have deliberately twisted the concept of loving your neighbor and hating your enemy

3. II – The teaching of Moses as written in the Old Testament “ Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.” "Kamo nakaduingog na nga giingon, `Higugmaa ang imong silingan, dumti imong ka-away” (Cebuano) Where the Scribes and Pharisees got this teaching: “ Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.” – Leviticus 19:18 “ Dili ka magpanimalus, ni magbaton ug pagdumot batok sa mga anak sa imong katawohan: kondili hinoon higugmaon mo ang imong isigkatawo ingon sa imong kaugalingon. Ako mao si Jehova.”

4. What the Old Testament teaches about showing your love to your neighbors: “ Thou shalt not see thy brother's ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy brother. And if thy brother be not nigh unto thee, or if thou know him not, then thou shalt bring it unto thine own house, and it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it, and thou shalt restore it to him again. In like manner shalt thou do with his ass; and so shalt thou do with his raiment; and with all lost thing of thy brother's, which he hath lost, and thou hast found, shalt thou do likewise: thou mayest not hide thyself. Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again.” – Deuteronomy 22:1 to 4 “ Dili mo pagtan-awon ang vaca sa imong igsoon kun ang iyang carnero nga mahisalaag, ug magalikay ikaw kanila; kinahanglan nga dad-on mo kini pagbalik ngadto sa imong igsoon.Ug kong ang imong igsoon dili haduol kanimo, kun wala ka makaila kaniya, pagadad-on mo ang nawala ngadto sa imong balay, ug diha kana kanimo hangtud nga ang imong igsoon magapangita niana, ug igauli mo kana kaniya.Ug mao kini ang pagabuhaton mo sa iyang asno; ug mao kini ang pagabuhaton mo sa iyang bisti; ug mao kini ang pagabuhaton mo sa tanang nangawala nga butang sa imong igsoon, nga nawala kaniya, nga imong hikaplagan: dili ka magalikay sa imong kaugalingon. Dili mo pagtan-awon ang asno sa imong igsoon kun ang iyang vaca nga mapukan sa dalan, ug maglikay ka gikan niini; tabangan mo gayud siya sa pagbangon niini.” (Ceubano)

5. What the Old Testament teaches about how to treat your enemies “ If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.” – Exodus 23:4 to 5 “ Kong hikaplagan mo ang vaca sa imong kaaway, kun ang iyang asno nga nahasalaag, dad-on mo gayud kini sa pagbalik ngadto kaniya.Kong makita mo ang asno sa nagadumot kanimo nga napukan sa ilalum sa iyang lulan, ug ikaw andam unta sa paghaw-as niini alang kaniya, niini: haw-asan mo gayud kini uban kaniya.” (Cebuano) “ If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:” – Proverbs 25:21 “ Kong ang imong kaaway pagagutomon, hatagi siya ug tinapay nga makaon; Ug kong siya pagauhawon, hatagi siya ug tubig nga imnon” (Cebuano)

6. OLD TESTAMENT EXAMPLES OF HOW MEN OF GOD TREATED THEIR ENEMIES: 1.) Job – “Have I rejoiced at the extinction of my enemy, or exulted when evil befell him? "No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin by asking for his life in a curse.” – Job 31:29 to 30 Kong gikalipay ko ang pagkalaglag niadtong nagdumot kanako, Kun nagpahataas ako sa akong kaugalingon sa diha nga siya hingkaplagan sa kadautan:Oo, wala ko pasagdi ang akong baba nga makasala Sa pagpangayo sa iyang kinabuhi uban ang usa ka panghimaraut (Cebuano) , ug ako wala mahibalo niini; Gikuniskunis nila ako ug wala sila mohunong:

7. 2.) David – “They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.” – Psalm 35:12 to 15 “ Gibalusan nila ako ug dautan tungod sa maayo, Aron sa pagpaguol sa akong kalag. Apan mahitungod kanako, sa nanagmasakiton sila, nagbisti ako ug sako: Gisakit ko ang akong kalag nga may pagpuasa; Ug ang akong pag-ampo nagabalikbalik sa akong sabakan.Naggawi ako nga daw ingon nga kini akong higala kun akong igsoon: Nagpailub ako nga nagbalata, ingon sa usa nga nagminatay tungod sa iyang”(Cebuano) a.) How David treated Saul - 1 Samuel 24:3 – 7 b.) How David treated Shimei – 2 Samuel 16:5 to 10

10. IV - What was God’s intentions according to Jesus “ 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; 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. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” – (vs. 44 to 48) Apan magaingon ako kaninyo, Higugmaa ninyo ang inyong mga kaaway ug pag-ampo kamo alang sa mga magalutos kaninyo,aron mahimo kamong mga anak sa inyong Amahan nga anaa sa langit; kay siya nagapasubang sa iyang Adlaw sa ibabaw sa mga dautan ug sa ibabaw sa mga maayo, ug nagpadalag ulan ngadto sa mga matarung ug sa mga dili matarung. Kay kon mao ray inyong higugmaon ang mga nahigugma kaninyo, unsa may balus nga madawat ninyo? Dili ba ang mga maniningil sa buhis nagabuhat man sa ingon? Ug kon mao ray inyong yukboan ang inyong mga kaigsoonan, unsa may inyiong nahimo nga labaw pa kay sa uban? Dili ba ang mga Gentil nagabuhat man sa ingon?Busa, kamo kinahanglan magmahingpit ingon nga hingpit ang inyong Amahan nga langitnon. (Cebuano)

11. IV - What was God’s intentions according to Jesus “ But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away” – Mathew 5:39 to 42 Apan magaingon ako kaninyo. Ayaw ninyo pagsukli ang tawong dautan. Hinonoa, kon may mosagpa kanimo sa too mong aping, itahan mo kaniya ang pikas usab; ug kon may makigburoka kanimo ug moilog sa imong kamisola, ihatag pa usab kaniya ang imong kupo;ug kon may mopugos kanimo sa pagpauban aniyag usa ka milya, ubani siyag duha ka milya.Hatagi ang magpakilimos animo, ug ayaw balibari ang buot mohulam kanimo. (Cebuano)

12. In five statements Jesus teaches the kind of love that characterizes Kingdom citizens. “ . . . But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you . . . “ vs. 44a 1.) LOVE YOUR ENEMIES - Human tendency is to bas love on the desirability of the object of our love. We love stuff that attracts us. True love however responds to need not that which attracts The Greek word used here is the strongest kind of word for love. It’s the word “agape.” (1 Corinthians 13) A strong Greek word for love that includes action. Agape love, is the love that God has for us. “ . . . because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. . . God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5: 5, 8 “ . . . kay ang gugma sa Dios gikahuwad man nganhi sa atong mga kasingkasing pinaagi sa Espiritu Santo nga gikahatag kanato. . . .Apan ang Dios nagapadayag sa iyang gugma alang kanato pinaagi niini, nga bisan sa mga makasasala pa kita si Cristo nagpakamatay alang kanato.” (Romans 5:5,8)

13. “ . . . a nd pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you . . . “ (vs. 44b) 2.) PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PERSECUTE YOU “ Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.” (John 15:20) “ Hinumdumi ang pulong nga akong giingon kaninyo, `Ang ulipon dili labaw sa iyang agalon. Kon ako ilang gilutos, kamo usab ilang pagalutoson; kon ang akong pulong ilang gibantayan, ang inyo ila usab nga pagabantayan.”

14. “ . . . 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. . . (vs. 45) 3.) SHOW YOUR BEING A TRUE CHILD OF GOD - To love our enemies and pray for our persecutors show that we are true children of our father in heaven. “ By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” – John 13:35 “ Ang tanang tawo makaila nga kamo nga tinun-an ko pinaagi niini, kon kamo maghigugmaay ang usa sa usa.“ (Cebuano) - If God gives the just and the unjust his common grace, shouldn’t we be that generous too ?

17. "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." 2 Corinthians 5:19 “ Nga mao kini, nga diha ang Dios kang Cristo, nagpasig-uli sa kalibutan ngadto sa iyong kaugalingon sa walay pag-isip batok kanila sa ilang kalapasan, ug nagpiyal kanamo sa balita sa pagpasig-uli.” "And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ , the righteousness which is of God by faith." Philippians 3:9 “ Ug makaplagan ako diha kaniya, dili nga nagabaton ako sa pagkamatarung nga akong kaugalingon pinasikad sa kasugoan, kondili nianang pagkamatarung nga pinaagi sa pagtoo kang Cristo , ang pagkamatarung nga gikan sa Dios, nga nagasukad sa pagtoo;” (Cebuano)

18. Most of the Notes in this slide are lifted from John MacArthur’s Bible Commentary on the book of Mathew. For Bible study Guide notes, sermon notes and the audio message of this series by John MacArthur visit www.gty.org . Other inputs and notes are done by Zigfred Diaz To download other slides that can be used for sermons visit the Master’s Community Fellowship website at www.tmcf.zdiaz.com