A question that would invite personal reflection, a question that would invite someone to reveal
a little more of themselves, or sometimes, like this one here, a question can challenge
prevailing assumptions and wrong ideas.
So just as we did last time, we're going to think about this question and ask ourselves,
why is Jesus using it, in this case, in the Sermon on the Mount?
What is he asking of us, and what can we learn from Jesus and his question?
His question there, verse 46, if you love those who love you, what reward will you get?
So Jesus makes clear that everyone is capable of love.
We're made in the image of God, God who is love, and so everybody is capable of love for
family, for friends, in community, in a church, for example.
Now the challenge that Jesus identifies is how do we do when it comes to those who are unlike us?
Are we able to love those who don't like or love us?
Perhaps related.
You know, everybody I imagine would agree that forgiveness is a good idea as an aspect of love
for others. It always seems a really good idea and such an important thing to ask until we are wronged.
And then it becomes the challenge.
Am I able to put it into practice?
So Jesus forces us to ask ourselves the question,
can I seek the best for someone who seeks my worst?
How are we able?
How can we be able to do that?
I mentioned at the beginning that event with Dr. Brayhain for Release International.
So Eritrea is in the top, certainly in the top five most persecuted places on earth.
So there are tens of thousands of Eritrean Christians in prison camps,
and Dr. Brayhain spent time there,
and now he's actively serving Christians who are persecuted for their faith.
And I have no doubt that to listen to somebody speaking from that kind of context,
bringing that powerful story of the grace of God that enables him to love,
even in that setting,
we'll find ourselves asking,
could I do that?
How can he do that?
This challenge to love our enemies is real.
John Stott, a preacher down in London at the end of the 20th century,
commented that nowhere, in his view,
is the challenge of the Sermon on the Mount greater than in this little section.
Nowhere is the distinctiveness of the Christian counterculture more obvious.
Nowhere does it become more obvious that Christians are set apart as different,
and nowhere is the need of the Holy Spirit more compelling
than when it comes to the question of who we love and how we love.
So from this question, this conversation,
we're going to think about three things briefly together.
One, the mistake that we often make,
which we see from the Pharisees that Jesus is responding to in their false teaching.
The model that we're called to follow,
and the mercy that we need to receive.
So let's begin with a mistake that we often make.
In verse 43 and 44,
Jesus is correcting a twisting of the law.
You have heard it said.
This isn't you have heard it said in the Bible,
but they've heard it said by their religious teachers.
They've heard it said by the Pharisees.
But it's a twisting of the law that can so easily take place in a society,
and indeed in our own hearts.
So it seems that what's happened is that they've taken that quotation from Leviticus 19.18,
which we read,
you shall love your neighbor,
and in the hands of someone with a sort of legalistic view,
the logic applied is,
well, in that text,
it's written to Israelite people,
and it only mentions fellow Israelites.
Therefore, my neighbor must be somebody who is like me,
who's part of my community.
Therefore, and this is the extra step that they're taking,
I am permitted to hate anyone who is an enemy,
anyone who is a stranger,
anyone who is other.
So they take a demanding law,
love your neighbor as yourself,
and they're twisting it to try and read it in as convenient a way as possible,
to make it comfortable for themselves.
So they set a really low bar,
and they have a really limited focus.
And so Jesus wants to explode that logic,
because Jesus rejects, first of all,
he rejects the narrowing that takes place in that thinking.
The narrow reading of love.
So they hear,
love your neighbor as yourself,
and they think,
well, my neighbor is somebody who is like me.
We read to the end of Leviticus 19,
where the command continues,
to love the foreigner who lives among you.
In Exodus 23,
we could go there,
where Moses teaches from God,
if you happen to be walking in the open country,
and you meet your enemy's animal,
it is your duty and responsibility to bring it back to them.
So God's law says,
there's not to be a double standard,
based on differences between people,
there's not to be a double standard,
based on preferences.
So Jesus rejects any attempt at narrowing this command,
this reading of love.
He also rejects the narrow standard of love that they are applying.
Because notice a phrase has been missed out.
In Leviticus 19.18,
God's law says,
love your neighbor as yourself,
but the Pharisees are only talking about,
love your neighbor.
When we think about how much love and care we show to ourselves,
if we miss that out,
it becomes much easier.
But Jesus wants to have the more demanding level of love applied.
One of the books I've been reading over the summer,
rereading is C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity,
which is a really interesting, helpful book in many parts.
One thing he says there is that as people,
we consistently apply the saying,
and we'll probably know the saying,
you know,
hate the sin,
but love the sinner.
He says the one person that we always apply that principle to is ourselves.
You know,
we will hate the sin that we see in ourselves,
but we will still love ourselves.
And C.S. Lewis says,
and Jesus says,
we need to apply that same principle to everyone.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
So Jesus rejects that narrowing of the standard.
And he also rejects that narrowing of the object of love.
Because remember,
they added the phrase,
and hate your enemy.
That doesn't come from the Bible.
It certainly is not what we see from Jesus.
Remember Jesus' famous parable of the Good Samaritan.
Why was that told?
It was told to challenge another man who had a very convenient idea about how to keep the law.
Jesus,
tell me who is my neighbor?
What do they look like?
And I'll tick the box.
And Jesus tells the parable to say that any human being who we meet,
who is in trouble,
if we have the capacity to help,
they're our neighbor.
So Jesus is rejecting all of this narrowing.
Maybe it's something of the natural tendency that we have as people
to be exclusive in how we love.
We love our friends and our family.
And there are certain types of people that we naturally connect with
and we find them easy to love.
But if we push that too far,
and where we can go wrong is we can ignore those who are unlike us.
We can indeed despise people who are other than us.
We see it,
don't we,
in our society?
Perhaps we see it sometimes in our own hearts,
that tendency to divide into them and us.
That tribalism that we see based on nationality or race or status
or even a person's point of view.
Jesus says that way of love is too narrow,
and he isn't loving at all.
In many cases,
Jesus rejects the narrowing that goes on,
and connected to that,
Jesus rejects the judging that takes place.
In our relationships,
with people that we know,
and with people that we don't know,
sometimes we're thinking about it,
often we're not,
but we are assessing,
we can find ourselves assessing,
what does this person deserve from me?
And we often want to apply a rule of justice.
How does that work?
Well, if they do good to me,
then I will do good in return.
But if you do bad to me,
what's our instinct?
I will return bad to you.
If you snub me,
if you upset me,
if you disappoint me,
if you hurt me in some way,
we'll return like for like.
We can often apply a rule of justice.
What do your words and actions merit
by way of my response?
And when we think like that,
and Jesus points this out,
if our thinking is always judging,
what do they deserve?
Are they like me or not?
It plays out as love your neighbor,
yes,
but hate your enemy.
And so we end up with these cycles
of violence and revenge
and the breakdown of relationships
if we try to apply justice
without mercy.
So Jesus rejects that kind of narrowing
and judging,
and instead he teaches
active loving,
doesn't he?
You've heard that it was said,
love your neighbor and hate your enemy,
but I tell you,
love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you.
Remember John Stott saying
this is the most demanding part
of the Sermon on the Mount.
I remember years ago in Glasgow,
I was part of an interfaith dialogue
where we had eight minutes,
different faith traditions
had eight minutes
on the topic,
what does your holy book teach about love?
And this was the text
for explaining in eight minutes
what Christianity taught,
what Jesus taught about love,
and then the other faiths
did the same with theirs,
and there was like roundtable discussions,
and at the end,
the moderator asked for a vote,
which was the most demanding
of all the ethics
that were talked about.
And to a person,
everyone said,
well, of course,
it's the Christian ethic,
because it's not just love
for those who are like us,
but it's love across difference,
and it's love for an enemy.
It's a love that serves.
Jesus is calling us to a love
that seeks the good of others,
regardless of what they want for us.
This isn't just,
if somebody does wrong to me,
I will be passive.
Jesus is saying,
you need to seek the good
and to pray for enemies and persecutors.
Again, to go back to C.S. Lewis
and mere Christianity,
he very helpfully gives this piece of advice
when it comes to relationships
with other people,
don't wait to feel love towards them.
Act as if you already do,
and allow the feelings to follow.
But Jesus calls us to a love that serves,
and even more than that,
he calls us to a love that prays.
And this is hugely significant.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said,
this is the supreme command.
What Jesus is saying to us here
is that,
in Bonhoeffer's words,
through the medium of prayer,
we go to our enemy,
we stand by his side,
and we plead for him to God.
It changes how we feel about another person
when we pray for them.
It is hard to continue to feel negatively
towards someone
when you go to a God of grace and mercy
and you seek that in their life.
And when we think about a love that serves,
and when we think about a love that prays,
and we think that this is Jesus
who's speaking to us,
we know that he practiced what he preached.
Isn't this what we see and hear at the cross?
Jesus,
in serving sinful humanity,
in serving his own people,
went to the cross to suffer and die,
and died praying,
Father, forgive them.
They don't know what they are doing.
Well, let's move from there
to think about what Jesus says
in terms of the model
that we are called to follow.
It's from verse 45 onwards.
Jesus says,
Love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you
that you may be children
of your Father in heaven.
It's interesting that modeling
and imitation
is an important part
of the Christian faith.
You go to the Old Testament
and you find that
the responsibility of passing faith
down through the generations.
That would be through teaching,
but also through imitation.
Think about the ministry of Jesus.
He called his disciples to him
and they learned from him
by watching,
by listening,
by observing,
and then they were commissioned.
Now go and do likewise.
Think about Paul the Apostle
being able to say to young Christians,
imitate me
as I imitate Christ.
To the extent
that you see something
Christ-like in me,
pursue that.
So modeling and imitation
is a feature of our faith.
It's a good thing, I think.
We need and value role models.
Here are the rules.
Here are the principles.
Here are the examples
by which we live and work
and carry out relationships.
Perhaps we see modeling
most clearly
in a family setting.
We have that related phrase
like father,
like son.
So when people use that,
sometimes that's purely
about physical appearance.
But it's often the case as well
that children will pick up
habits of speech,
specific practices
that they see
from their parents.
It's the more time
that we spend watching
and listening,
the more likely we are
to become
like the person
we observe.
And think about
what Jesus does here
in his teaching
on the Sermon on the Mount.
He has challenged,
he said,
no to having
a low bar of love
that frees you up
to hate your enemy,
only to love those
who are like you.
Now Jesus raises the bar.
Love
like your Father in heaven.
Show you are his children
by the way
that you love
others.
And I want us to notice
two aspects
of the Father's love
that Jesus draws
attention to.
First of all,
it's inclusive.
Look at verse 45,
continues there,
speaking about
the love of the Father.
Father,
he causes his Son
to rise on the evil
and the good
and sends rain
on the righteous
and the unrighteous.
There is no
Christian weather forecast.
There is no
Christian weather system.
There is no sense
that Christians
receive one thing
and a person
who has no thought
of God receives
something else
when we think about
common grace,
the good things
that we enjoy
as we live
in this world
that God has made.
We all enjoy
the kindness
of God.
Everyone in our city
right now,
we experience
the same weather patterns.
We have the same
provision being made.
It's part of God's
goodness
to the people
that he has made,
giving us the things
that we need
and enjoy in life.
Of course,
we recognize
that there is
saving grace.
That's of a different
nature.
But Jesus here
is saying that God
gives his everyday
kindness to all people,
whether they're evil
or whether they're good,
whether they're righteous
or whether they're
unrighteous.
The worshiper
on his knees,
the average person
on the street
who has no thought
of God,
the atheist
who says,
I hate God,
the same creator God
gives the same breath
to each of their lungs
that enables them
to either bless
or curse.
So we can't look out
over Edinburgh
and say,
well,
there's someone
who's clearly
a Christian
because look,
the sun is shining,
their garden is growing,
they're enjoying barbecues,
but over here
their neighbors
must be pagans
because there's hailstones
and their gardens
like a wilderness.
God is kind
to his creation.
And we see this patterned
in Jesus,
in his ministry.
It never ceases
to be amazing
that when you come
to the Last Supper,
the disciples
to a man
can be left confused
and wondering,
who is it
that's going
to betray Jesus?
Because Jesus
is treating them
all the same.
Judas had his feet
washed,
though Jesus knew
he was the traitor.
It's a remarkable
quality of God
and of his Son,
this ability
to show
inclusive love.
But also
we recognize
that the love
of God
is a merciful love.
Because Jesus
spells out
this is a love
that is even shown
to the enemies
of God.
Good gifts
are received.
While God
is perfectly
within his rights
to retaliate
for dishonor,
for rejection,
he demonstrates
a love
that is patient.
And Peter,
as he thinks
about that,
recognizes 2 Peter 3,
this is good news.
That God
is patient,
gives us
a chance
to repent
and to turn
to God
and to be saved.
God's love
is inclusive.
God's love
is merciful.
faithful.
Then we come
to the love
question itself.
Verse 46,
if you love
those who love
you,
what reward
will you get?
And verse 47,
and if you greet
only your own
people,
what are you
doing more
than others?
So again,
Jesus returns
to this point,
everybody loves,
even those
who are
considered the
most immoral
in their society,
even tax collectors,
show love
and kindness
to one another.
But Jesus
understands
that the instinct
of our heart
is that our love
be at least
somewhat self-serving.
Let me make sure
that I show love
to those who are
of benefit to me.
Let me make sure
that I show love
to those who are
of my kind,
of my tribe.
And Jesus says
the mark of Christian love
is a loving
more than others
kind of love.
It's above
and beyond
kind of a love.
It's a love
for one's enemies.
So we are called
as children of God
to imitate
the Father's inclusion,
that the model
that we are
to follow
is not that
that we see
in the world
and the society
around us,
but to look
to our Father
and say,
I want to be more
like my Father
in how I love.
Of course,
Jesus does expect
us to love
nice people,
and it's a good thing
that we have friends
and family
and people
that we connect
with easily,
but we understand,
I think,
our own hearts,
and we know
even that in itself
can be testing
at times,
but he certainly
also does expect
us to love
the unlovely,
those who are
not nice to us,
those who would
make themselves
enemies towards us.
Jesus says
we are to do that
because it's the way
of our Father
in heaven.
Our Father
in heaven
who sustains
and provides
for all kinds
of people,
sent Jesus
to be the Savior
for all kinds
of people,
demonstrated his love
in giving his Son
to make peace
with enemies,
to turn enemies
into adopted children.
So we're to imitate
that inclusion
and to mirror
our Father's
mercy,
not applying
that measure
of justice.
What does this
person deserve?
Because that will
always tend
to limit
and to exclude,
especially when it
comes to people
who are different
to us.
And we're not
to do that,
Jesus says,
because remember
the Father
poured out mercy,
he's always
pouring out mercy,
and he's
pouring out mercy
on unlovely,
undeserving sinners,
people like us.
He didn't say to us,
clean up your act
first and then
you can join my family.
He showed grace,
he showed mercy.
So we're called
to the Father's
family values.
And again,
where do we see
them displayed
most clearly
and perfectly?
We see them
displayed in Jesus
Christ,
the Son of God.
We see it in the
glory of his love.
Think about his love
and who he called
to follow him.
Some of the least
likely candidates,
many who were
rejected
and ignored
and despised
in society,
but loved,
valued,
honored,
saved by Jesus.
Jesus,
who showed the full
extent of his love
in giving himself
over to his enemies
to be put to death,
praying forgiveness
all the while
for his enemies,
dying
that enemies
and those facing
the wrath of God
may be saved
and be drawn to him.
And when we believe
and when we experience
the power of his love,
we can be enabled
to share it
as we allow
the love
of our Father,
the love
of our Savior
to overwhelm us.
We can be like
Stephen,
the book of Acts,
the first person
to die
for following Jesus.
We turn to
Acts 7
just for a moment,
a beautiful testimony
to Stephen
and his faith.
Acts 7
verse 59,
while they were
stoning Stephen,
I see verse 55,
first of all,
Stephen,
full of the Holy Spirit,
looked up to heaven
and saw the glory
of God
and Jesus standing
at the right hand
of God.
And then while
they were stoning him,
Stephen prayed,
Lord Jesus,
receive my spirit.
Then he fell
on his knees
and cried out,
Lord,
do not hold
this sin
against them.
When he had said
this,
he fell asleep.
Stephen was looking
to Jesus
and he was loving
like Jesus.
And when he died,
he went to be
with Jesus.
So that's the model
that we are to follow.
It's the model
of our Father.
And finally and briefly,
let's think thoroughly
about the mercy
that we all need.
Again,
to take Jesus'
teaching seriously,
I imagine,
is to give us
a sense of conviction,
perhaps of failings
that we are aware of.
You know,
if this is God's test,
if this is what he calls us
to,
love your enemies
and pray for those
who persecute you.
If he asks for us
to go above
and beyond
the most loving
and merciful
non-Christian
that we meet,
if the standard
that God expects
is the standard
of verse 48,
be perfect,
therefore,
as your heavenly Father
is perfect,
you can possibly
match up.
Now,
when Jesus says there,
be perfect,
he's not saying
there will be a point,
there should be a point
where sinless moral perfection
is possible in this life,
because remember,
Jesus teaches us
to pray,
forgive us our debts.
Jesus says,
blessed are those
who hunger
and thirst
for righteousness.
So,
what does he mean
when he's talking
about being perfect
as our heavenly Father?
He means put on
a love like our Father's.
Practice merciful,
inclusive,
extravagant,
patient love.
This is the requirement
truly no one measures up.
The law of love
stands to condemn us,
but at the same time
points us to Christ.
Because when we turn
to Jesus,
there is hope,
there is good news,
because Jesus perfectly
kept the love command.
He loved his neighbor
as himself.
He didn't hold
anything back.
He practiced
what he preached
in his conversations,
in his tears
over Jerusalem,
unwilling to repent
in the way he died
on the cross.
Jesus mirrored
the Father's love.
He is the glory of God
in human form,
so the love
that we see in Jesus
is the love of God.
Utterly unique.
Utterly transforming.
We mentioned the
Good Samaritan parable,
of course.
Jesus perfectly shows
what it looks like
to be the Great Samaritan.
Sacrificing himself,
giving everything,
paying everything
for helpless,
hopeless people like us
who could never
hope to live,
to enjoy God's presence
without his mercy
and grace.
It is Jesus
who shows us
the beautiful,
unique love of God.
Romans 5,
verse 10.
The love of God
that reconciles us.
The love of God
that saves us
from his wrath.
While we were enemies
through the death
of his Son.
When we think about
the question of love
and our lack of love,
often our greatest need
is first and always
to receive.
To receive this merciful love
for ourselves.
By faith,
to trust in Jesus as Lord
to find forgiveness,
eternal life,
and to be brought
into relationship
with the God
of perfect love.
And it's then
and only then
that the power
of the gospel
begins to grip
our hearts
and can control
who we love
and how we love.
As we understand
that we are first
and always
subjects
of a wonderful,
gracious love
from our God.
As we allow that
to shape our heart
and our will
so that we want
to live the Father's way
even when it's hard.
Even if we might
get rejected
or be ignored.
That the love
that we receive
would lead us
to share
the Father's love
so that people
around us,
including enemies,
including those
who wrong us,
including those
who speak badly of us,
including those
who think the worst
of us,
would come to experience
something of the Father's love
from children
who would follow
in His footsteps.
Let's pray together.
Lord,
our God,
we recognize
how incredibly
demanding
the teaching
of Jesus is.
We recognize
how often
we can lack love,
we can grow tired
of our love.