JSM | Uprightness .9 | Love Your Enemies .2 (10/20/24)

 JSM | Uprightness. 9 | Love Your Enemies .2

By Rev. Nicholas Sybrowsky

Invocation:

Holy Father, your instructions indicate that if we’re at the altar and recognize that someone here on earth has something against us, Your Word says, that we are to first go and be reconciled to that person then come and offer our gift at the altar.

You LORD don’t desire that we offer ourselves or anything to you for your divine purposes without peaceable relationships with our fellow man and creature here on earth.  Help us to understand what it means according to your perfect will; what it means to make peace personally and interpersonally.

We now enter into a time of song and expressive worship of you and for you that you may hear our love, adoration, confessions, thanksgiving and we invite your mighty supplication.  Have your way in the saints assembled here today and anyone tuned in online today.

Opening Word & Reading for Worship:

Ps. 58:10 “THE RIGHTEOUS WILL REJOICE WHEN HE SEES THE VENGEANCE.  This verse expresses the joy and satisfaction that God’s people experience when evil is defeated.  Then God will judge and make everything right.  Followers of Christ should pray and look forward to the time when all evil will be removed and God’s kingdom in the new heaven and earth is established (see Rev. 6:9-10; 11:15-17; 18:20; 19:1-4, 13-18; 21:1-7)” (DCJ Cite 1)

[Psa 58:1-11 ESV] 1 To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David. Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods? Do you judge the children of man uprightly? 2 No, in your hearts you devise wrongs; your hands deal out violence on earth. 3 The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies. 4 They have venom like the venom of a serpent, like the deaf adder that stops its ear, 5 so that it does not hear the voice of charmers or of the cunning enchanter. 6 O God, break the teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD! 7 Let them vanish like water that runs away; when he aims his arrows, let them be blunted. 8 Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime, like the stillborn child who never sees the sun. 9 Sooner than your pots can feel the heat of thorns, whether green or ablaze, may he sweep them away! 10 The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked. 11 Mankind will say, "Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth."

Vengeance Belongs to God.

Intro:

In the course of nine weeks we have observed six teachings:  Anger, Adultery, Divorce, Vows, Revenge & Loving Your Enemies. These teachings of Jesus that very well reflect if not perfectly mirror the Torah and the Prophets of which Jesus declares he came to fulfill not destroy.  In these teachings, Jesus is showing us the Greater Uprightness possible within the law; the Law of Love & the 11th commandment.  We return from our one-week intermission in this 6th teaching where Jesus continues to flip the script on everyone by telling us to Love our Enemies.  

Points covered last week were: 

1. Instead of retaliating, turn the matter over to God.  

2. God is faithful to provide.  

3. More money, more problems for the Creator the perfect engineer.

Let’s get back into our main text and hear it from the Lord Jesus Christ ourselves.

 Main Text:

 [Mat 5:43-48 ESV] 43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Valuing peace over getting even means loving your enemies and praying for those who persecute you so that you may be sons and daughters of your Father who is in heaven.

4.   Strike back with ‘prayer’.  

Instead of lying, cheating, thieving, breaking or killing.  Instead of using the same tactics as your adversary; pray.

The Gospel narrative describes Peter to be a very reactive type of person. In the garden of Gethsemane Peter cut the ear off of ‘the servant of the chief high priest’ who was invited by Judas, 1/12 disciples and sent by the Pharisees and elders.  Jesus Christ divinely healed the man among the band of men who was going to detain and arrest the Lord.  Jesus wasn’t ignorant to the purpose of this search and seizure party intention.  In fact, he did exactly what was needed to carry out the will of God in that moment.  Jesus submitted to their authority and struck back with mercy.  Peter in an effort to protect the Lord struck them in the only way he knew and had observed in the environment of Roman occupation and the religious partnership of Jesus’ own people (Betrayal See (Mt. 26:27-68; Mk. 14:53-65; Lk 22:66-71; Jn 18:12-14, 19-24).  

Hindsight 20/20 vision is clearer with the events behind us.  I wonder what Peter would say in retrospective conversation regarding that evening of fasting from sleep and prayer in the garden.

Years later, In (e. pray) 1 Pet. 2:23 and 3:9, Peter an apostle of Jesus Christ writes to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia; to the elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through the setting apart of the Spirit, unto obedience and the blood of Jesus Christ(1Pe1:1-2).  We pick up in this Epistle within the topic of submission to authority and persecution, he reminds us of the great example above reproach:

 

[1Pe 2:18-25 ESV (See Cf. Rom. 13:1-5)] 18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 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. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 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. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

5.  Strike back by ‘Enduring Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake’.  

Peter heard the agony of his Rabbi in the garden during prayer (Mt 26:36-46, Mk 14:32-42 & Lk 22:39-46) of which the Lord asked His disciples to ‘watch with’ him. 

 In Mt. 26:38, 

 "Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding[ly] sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.”  Three times in the gospel he & the disciples were sleeping, hence the Lord asked them ‘could ye not tarry one hour’. ~Mt 26:38 (KJV)

Peter with a sharp memory of the agonizing time of prayer where he slept instead of praying, memory too of denying friendship with the Lord 3 times before the rooster crowed & memory of the painful crucifixion of his Rabbi, his Lord and Savior, Peter writes to share the truth of who Jesus was, is and will be.

[1Pe 3:8-17 ESV] 8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For "Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; 11 let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." 13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 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, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

6.  Strike back with loving them for even God loves them.

: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. (KJV HBP Cite 2) 

Job 25:3

[Job 25:3 KJV] 3 Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise?

If God’s light did not rise upon us all; believer, unbeliever, just and unjust then God would not be fair.  God is just!  God is fair!

[Psa 145:9 KJV] 9 The LORD [is] good to all: and his tender mercies [are] over all his works.

Even God loves his enemies.  In my own rebellion God yet loved me anyway.  A sinner loved by God and covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.

After running from the task of God, Jonah (prophet swallowed up by big fish) finally preached warning & repentance to the large city of Nineveh.  Nineveh repented and the prophecy of Jonah didn’t come true.  The story ends with God proclaiming his concern for even vicious Pagans.

This means that God loves everyone—even the enemies of His chosen people.  As Paul said in his letter to the Romans 5:8

 “[Rom 5:8 KJV] 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” 

(Know Your Bible Cite 3)

The Prophet Hosea helps us learn that God is faithful even when his people aren’t—and He’s always ready to forgive.  “[Hos 14:4 KJV] I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.” (Know Your Bible Cite 3)

During Ezra the priest’s time, Spiritual renewal begins after the Jews return from exile.  Something unique and unusual is that though God has said, “I hate divorce” (Malachi 2:16 NIV), Ezra urged Jewish men to separate from their foreign wives.  Why?  Possibly because they were warned not to intermarry, and these intermarriages were leading them away from proper living and worship before their God.  If there is abuse within marriage and couples aren’t equally yoked in their faith and practices, then the Bible actually helps us with proverbial advice for living peaceably on earth.

Additionally, from Ezra, God shows His willingness to offer a second chance—allowing a nation that had been punished for disobedience to have a fresh start.  Guess what that means?  He’s still in the second-chance business.  (Know Your Bible Cite 3) 

Praise God for his mercifulness!

[Luk 6:35 KJV] 35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and [to] the evil.

Next Week:  JSM | Uprightness . 9 | Be Complete

Recap & Conclusion:

Vengeance belongs to God.  As a child of God submission to this principle is God’s will.  Seek justice, love mercy & walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8).

1. Instead of retaliating, turn the matter over to God.  
2. God is faithful to provide.  
3. More money, more problems for the Creator the perfect engineer. 
4. Strike back with ‘prayer’.  
5. Strike back by ‘Enduring Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake’.  
6. Strike back with loving them for even God loves them.

Exhortation:

Value peace more than getting even, “so that you may be sons [& daughters ]of your Father who is in heaven.” (Mt. 5:45) Blessed [are] the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons & [daughters] of God. [Mat 5:9 NKJV] 

Altar Call to Action:

Do you recognize a sense of straying from the direction and path that the Almighty God of the universe would have you on?  Are you straying like a sheep from your Shepherd and Overseer of your soul? (1Pet 2:25) 

If that’s you, return to the Lord and Savior; Shepherd of your soul!  Let me pray with you for assured return to the God of Second chances, the God who loves everyone, even you.  

The God who is always ready to forgive!  The God whose tender mercies are over all his works.  God is merciful, kind and loving in all of His ways.  Return to Him!  He will receive you, for so he has promised.

Maybe you need strength to endure and sow mercy, for God is merciful and therefore we are called to be agents of this image.  Be ye merciful for your Father also is merciful (Lk 6:36 KJV)

Let’s pray for you that you may be strengthened to flexibly endure!

Prayer & song.  

After you share some prayer for enemies, pray for backsliders and weak brothers and sisters struggling to endure persecution.  Also pray for those who could be failing to pray for their enemies (See Ps. 23 "Table set before thine enemies").

 

Benediction:

[Num 6:24-26 NKJV] 24 "The LORD bless you and keep you; 25 The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; 26 The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace."'

Next Week:

Citations, Notes & Credits:

1- Donald C. Stamps Fire Bible.

2- Translation KJV HBP King James Version as published by Heirloom Bible Publishers (HBP) Gift from John W. & Nadine L. Johnson Preferred Risk Insurance Companies May 25, 1982.

3- From Know Your Bible, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Used by permission.

4-    Translations ESV, KJV, NKJV:  Blue Letter Bible App