Sermon on the Mount 10 - Love for Enemies | Sunday Service 2/9/25

The love Jesus is talking about here is something we choose, not something we feel. One of the footnotes for this passage reads: “ The key to understanding this and other statements about love is to know that this love (the Greek word agape) is not so much a matter of emotion as it is of doing things for the benefit of another person, that is, having an unselfish concern for another and a willingness to seek the best for another.”

Our natural bent is to desire the worst for our enemies, not the best for them. We like to see them as different from us and underserving of compassion, grace or help. Justice for you and grace for me is often the posture we take. But for a Christian, it must not be this way. Love for our enemies is foundational both to our understanding of the gospel and in our call to be like Jesus.  The Holy Spirit in us is our source and strength in loving others as Christ first loved us. May it be so, Lord, all for the praise honor and glory of Jesus!

To prepare for this week’s message think of an enemy and begin praying for them and for your own heart posture towards them. As you read Matthew 5-7, give special attention to 5:43-48