Loving Our Enemies, Moving Them Toward God

1. Loving Our Enemies, Moving Them Toward God Matthew 5:38-48 Bedford Road Baptist Church Sunday, May 5, 2019

2. Veneer of Civilization “There were times when it was very difficult to keep the men under control…particularly if we had taken casualties on the way into a village. One of the things that I learned is that the veneer of civilization is very thin on me, probably on you and I think on everybody. I just saw over and over again some nice young guy out of, say, Huron, South Dakota, who back in Huron helped old ladies across the street and went to church every Sunday. It did not take long for that veneer of civilization to erode. And he was now capable of doing things that just simply are inhuman.”

3. Jesus Veneer

4. Be Perfect?? Note: All readings are from ESV (Pew Bible), unless otherwise noted. When reading is from NKJV, it is because the Majority Greek Text (NKJV) varies from the Critical Greek Text (ESV).

5. Be Perfect - Context “This perfection is to be restrained to the subject Christ is upon, love to men, and not to be referred to any, or every other thing.” John Gill Exposition of the Whole Bible

6. Be Perfect – Word Meaning (1) Greek – teleios English - complete Hebrew - tamiym

7. Be Perfect – Word Meaning (2) “And when anyone offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering from the herd or from the flock, to be accepted it must be tamiym; there shall be no blemish in it. Animals blind or disabled or mutilated or having a discharge or an itch or scabs you shall not offer to Yahweh or give them to Yahweh as a food offering on the altar.” Leviticus 22:21, 22

8. Be Perfect – Word Meaning (3) “These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, tamiym in his generation. Noah walked with God.” Genesis 6:9 “When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a tam man, dwelling in tents.” Genesis 25:27 “There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was tam and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.” Job 1:1

9. Be Perfect – Word Meaning (4) “Therefore, just as your heavenly Father is complete in showing love to everyone, so also you must be complete.” Matthew 5:48 (CEB)

10. Be Perfect – Comparison

11. Merciful (1) Greek – oiktirmōn Hebrew - rachûm “Man Covered”

12. Merciful (2) “Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been upheld by Me from birth, who have been carried from the womb (racham): even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.” Isaiah 46:3, 4

13. Abolish the Law (1)

14. Abolish the Law (2) “If we consider the law as a vessel that had some water in it before, [Jesus] did not come to pour out the water, but to fill the vessel up to the brim.” Matthew Henry

15. Lex Talionis “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’.”* Matthew 5:38 * Exodus 21:22-25 Leviticus 24:10-13 Deuteronomy 19:15-21

16. Not Resisting Evil “But I say to you, ‘Do not resist the one who is evil.’” Matthew 5:39a

17. Resisting Evil “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand (anthistēmi) in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” Ephesians 6:13 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist (anthistēmi) the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 “Resist (anthistēmi) him [devil], firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.” 1 Peter 5:9

18. Repaying Evil for Evil “Repay no one evil for evil but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. … Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says Yahweh.’” (Romans 12:17-19 [Deuteronomy 32:35])

19. Good vs. Evil

20. Glorify (1)

21. Glorify (2) “Covering of the Tent”

22. Glorify (3) Like the stars, God’s perfections are numerous, massive and brilliant. Glorifying God is an ever-increasing appreciation for and satisfaction with the sum, substance and stunningness of Yahweh’s perfections.

23. Glorify (4) “You can magnify like a telescope or like a microscope. When you magnify like a microscope, you make something tiny look bigger than it is. A dust mite can look like a monster. But when you magnify like a telescope, you make something unimaginably great look like what it really is. God created us for this: to live our lives in a way that makes Him look more like the greatness and the beauty and the infinite worth that He really is. In the night sky of this world God appears to most people, if at all, like a pinprick of light in a heaven of darkness. But He created us and called us to make Him look like what He really is.” John Piper Don’t Waste Your Life

24. 1. Attack on Personal Dignity “If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Matthew 5:39b

25. Bless Your Revilers “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called. Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” 1 Peter 3:9-15

26. Jesus’ Example “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth. When He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but continued entrusting Himself to Him who judges justly.” 1 Peter 2:21-23

27. 2. Attack on Personal Security “If anyone would sue you and take your tunic (chiton) let him have your cloak (himation) as well.” Matthew 5:40

28. Suing for Tunic, Getting Cloak

29. Pray for Your Persecutors “Father, grant that my enemies would come to hallow Your name. Grant that they would treasure You above all, and reverence You, and admire You more than anything. Father, grant that my enemies would come under the saving, purifying sway of Your kingly rule and that You would exert Your kingly power to make my enemies Your own loyal subjects. Grant, Father, that my enemies would love to do Your will the way the angels do it in heaven with all their might, and without reservation, and with the purest motives, and with great joy. Grant, Father, that my enemies would have all the physical resources of food and clothing and shelter and education and healthcare and transportation that they need to fulfill Your calling on their lives. And forgive my enemies their sins, as you bring them to repentance, and make them forgiving people, and protect them from overpowering temptations and from the destructive power of the devil.”

30. 3. Attack on Personal Liberty “And if anyone forces (aggareuō) you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” Matthew 5:41

31. Aggareuō “As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry His cross.” Matthew 27:32 “I give order that the beasts of the Jews be not pressed for our service; and let their sabbaths, and all their festivals, and three days before each of them, be free from any imposition.” Antiquities of the Jews, 13.2.3

32. Do Good to Your Haters

33. 4. Attack on Personal Property “Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.” Matthew 5:42

34. Giving to a Needy Enemy “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and Yahweh will reward you.” Romans 12:20

35. Heaping Burning Coals? “Heaping ‘coals of fire on their heads’ sounds like taking vengeance to us. In the Bible lands, almost everything is carried on the head. In many homes the only fire they have is kept in a brazier, which they use for simple cooking as well as for warmth. They plan to always keep it burning. If it should go out, some member of the family will take the brazier to a neighbor’s house to borrow fire. Then she will lift the brazier to her head and start for home. If her neighbor is a generous woman, she will heap the brazier full of coals. To feed an enemy and give him drink was like heaping the empty brazier with live coals – which meant food, warmth and almost life itself to the person or home needing it and was the symbol of finest generosity.” Barbara Bowen Strange Scriptures that Perplex the Western Mind

36. Overcoming Evil w/Good Summary “How can I best react to this person who has hurt me, so that they will be drawn to ...

37. Love Neighbor, Hate Enemy? “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” Matthew 5:43

38. Love Neighbor? Yes! “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am Yahweh.” Leviticus 19:17-18

39. Hate Enemy? “Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! They speak against You with malicious intent; Your enemies take Your name in vain. Do I not hate those who hate You, O Yahweh? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.” Psalm 139:19-22

40. King Jesus vs. King David Man with God’s Heart Matthew 5 is Teaching Love of Enemies Man after God’s Heart Psalm 139 is Praying about Hate of Enemies

41. Jesus’ Business “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” Luke 9:56 (NKJV)

42. Evidence of Sonship

43. Incomplete vs. Complete Love

44. Sun & Rain = God’s Kindness

45. God’s Kindness & Our Repentance

46. Our Kindness & Our Enemy’s Repentance “The Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.” 2 Timothy 2:24-26

47. Kind (Epios)

48. Kind (Epios) Epios “was frequently used by Greek writers as characterizing a nurse with trying children or a teacher with refractory scholars.” William Edwy Vine

49. Gentle (Praotes) Praotes “is that temper of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting. … This meekness, however, being first of all a meekness before God, is also such in the face of men, even of evil men, out of a sense that these, with the insults and injuries which they may inflict are permitted and employed by Him for our chastening and purifying.”

50. Love & Correction “You must not hate your fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your fellow Israelite strongly, so you don’t become responsible for his sin. You must not take revenge nor hold a grudge against any of your people; instead, you must love your neighbor as yourself; I am Yahweh.” Leviticus 19:17, 18 (CEB)