Class Lesson March 6, 2016 NEW SERIES BEGINS

Don’t deny your needs. Find Who you need. 

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We all long for peace, security, and fulfillment. Denying those needs is pointless. Trying to meet them in unhealthy ways is counterproductive. Languishing in frustration when they are not met is unnecessary.

God has a better plan:

• ”I am the bread of life” (John 6:35).
• “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12).
• ”I am the gate” (John 10:7, 9).
• ”I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11).
• ”I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).
• ”I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).
• ”I am the true vine” (John 15:1).

Are you tired of the treadmill of human effort, running on the personal fulfillment track to nowhere? Are you burned out by people—tired of being let down again and again? Are you ready to give up searching for significance at the mall or on the car lot?



For everything you need, Jesus said, “I am.” And that’s more than enough.

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

People today want more:

• The average home has 189 TV channels.

• We can choose from over 50 brands of toothpaste; most of those brands offer multiple choices. 

• The seven-ounce soft drink size of 1955 has been replaced with 42-ounce cups—and larger.

So many people in our society are convinced that more is always better, bigger is always best, and getting our way always equals prosperity and happiness. It’s easy to believe that if we race to the top, gain all the privileges, or have the most money—we will finally be satisfied.



Thankfully, Jesus taught a better way. 

John 6:26-27

26Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

In 1928, Herbert Hoover ran for president with this campaign promise: “A chicken in every pot and a car in every garage.” He was elected. Voters were drawn to the candidate who promised prosperity.


Jesus never promised prosperity, but He did something for the people that led them to think prosperity was just around the corner. Earlier in John 6, Jesus multiplied five barley loaves and two fish into enough food to feed 5,000 men—with still have enough leftovers to fill 12 baskets (see vv. 12-13). This was an impressive miracle that convinced people Jesus was a prophet from God who should be their king.


There’s a problem with the kind of prosperity the people expected from Jesus: it doesn’t last. Sure, the miracle provided a great meal for one day, but the people were hungry again the next day.


In verses 26-27, Jesus confronted their misplaced priorities. The miracle of the loaves and fishes was supposed to draw people to God, not motivate them to trail after Jesus in search of a perpetual buffet. The people were pursuing “food that spoils,” but Jesus had come to offer “food that endures,” meaning eternal life, as a gift from God through the “Son of Man”—Jesus Himself.


People today often struggle with the same misplaced priorities. When we try to satisfy our deepest needs with bigger TVs, sportier cars, or fancier clothes, we waste our time and only become more frustrated. We think such material things will give us the security and significance that only comes through a relationship with Jesus.


We need to get off the “get more” treadmill and enjoy the eternal satisfaction only Jesus provides. 

John 6:35

35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

The crowd had already seen extraordinary things, but apparently that wasn’t enough. They asked Jesus what sign He planned to offer so they might believe in Him. They mentioned God’s earlier provision of manna for their forefathers, as if to say Jesus’ recent culinary miracle was not all that special. They wanted Jesus to do a real miracle to establish His credibility.

We often exhibit the same self-centeredness. We ask God to prove Himself by meeting our needs or by intervening in our lives. We ignore all God has already accomplished—both through the work of Jesus and in our lives over the years—when we require God to act “in the moment” before we affirm faith in Him.


Jesus declared that God had given them “the true bread from heaven” and further clarified, “the bread of God is the bread who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (vv. 32-33). 

In response, the people cried out, “Sir ... always give us this bread” (v. 34). They were still thinking about themselves, expressing their desire for perpetual meal service and not yet recognizing the spiritual significance of Jesus’ words.

Jesus then made His most direct statement: “I am the bread of life.” He also added thirst to the metaphor. By coupling hunger and thirst, combined with the previous food miracle that had started the entire sequence, Jesus underscored His ultimate goal even more strongly. Jesus promised, “Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (v. 35).


Jesus appealed to His hearers to rise above focusing on themselves and their temporal desires for immediate gratification. He promised eternal satisfaction to every person who believes in Him—an infinitely more significant gift than food and drink.

John 6:36-40
36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

After rebuking His followers’ selfishness, Jesus sought to teach them the truth by highlighting two key elements of God’s work in accomplishing salvation.
 

First, our salvation is based on God’s initiative: “All those the Father gives me will come to me” (v.37). While it is essential for people to repent (see Acts 2:38) and place their faith in Christ to experience salvation (see Eph. 2:8-9), God always takes the first step in the salvation process. He sent Jesus as our Savior, empowered His resurrection, and assured His ascension. God’s plan for salvation has been set in place since before He created the world (see Eph. 1:4-5).



Still, acknowledging God’s initiative doesn’t diminish our need to respond. God prompts, convicts, and draws people to Himself. Yet repentance and faith are also biblical essentials for salvation. God invites people into a relationship with Him, and that relationship is sealed through our repentance and faith.

Second, Jesus taught that our relationship with God is permanent: “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away” (v. 37).


“And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day” (v. 39). 

Remember that the permanence we enjoy in our relationship with God is guaranteed by His power, not our efforts. God draws people into salvation and then sustains their eternal relationship with Him.

Nothing at all can threaten your relationship with Jesus (see Rom. 8:38-39). We can finally find true contentment when we base our lifestyle choices on this profound truth. We are no longer hungry, thirsty people striving to satisfy eternal cravings with earthly possessions, achievements, or accomplishments. We are secure in God through our connection to Jesus Christ.

LIVE IT OUT
How will you respond to the Bread of life this week? Consider the following options for seeking out even greater contentment: 

• Give it up. Identify something temporary you have been pursuing as a means of security—a possession, an achievement, an accomplishment, and so on. Stop your pursuit. Repent and ask God to grant you true contentment in Jesus.

• Give thanks. Commit to expressing gratitude this week when others serve or bless you. Thankfulness is a great way to avoid self-centeredness and promote satisfaction.

• Give it away. Volunteer with a ministry that serves others in need. While doing so, share the gospel with someone by using this Scripture passage to help them understand true satisfaction comes from Jesus Christ.

As a follower of Christ, you have access to more than you could ever hope for. Your security as a believer is eternal. You received it on the day you were saved, not on the day you die. Everything you need, and so much more, can be found in Jesus. 

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Our Lesson Today:

Man in a Hurry

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                          NEED FOR CONTENTMENT



Do any of you remember a short story in high school English called “The Necklace”. It’s about a young French woman who yearns to be in high society. She and her husband get invited to a swanky party, and she buys a new dress for the occasion, but she feels she needs some fancy jewelry to complete it. She borrows an expensive diamond necklace from a well-to-do friend, but ends up losing it. Her husband finds one exactly like it and purchases it for $6,000. He has to borrow money to pay for it, and it takes them years to retire the debt. Sometime later, the lady encounters the woman from whom she borrowed the necklace, and decides to tell her the whole story. To her surprise, she finds out that the necklace she lost was only a fake, and it was worth no more than $85.

“That is a parable about our life today. We labor for food that perishes, for things that have no permanent value. And like the couple in the story we give the best years of our lives working for things that are worthless.”

In our lesson today, we see some people who had followed Jesus all the way across the Sea of Galilee in hopes that He would feed them again. He used this occasion to teach them about the meaning of true contentment.

Our lesson opens with a question: When have you recently had too much of a good thing? And the thought being that - People today can’t seem to be satisfied with what they have – they always want more:

• Look at how many TV channels in the average home - 189. Look at the TV size now in the average home – 60”.
• It not enough to have a car – we need a big car and a fancy one too.
• Look at your fast food meals - we have to “Biggie Size” it!
• People are convinced that more is always better, bigger is always best, and getting our way always equals prosperity and happiness. It’s easy to believe that if we race to the top, gain all the privileges, or have the most money—we will finally be satisfied.

Jesus opens this series this morning by addressing this need for satisfaction with our need for contentment. He says I AM the Bread of life who gives you true satisfaction!



I. Dissatisfied - John 6:26-27
26Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

During the presidential campaign of 1928, a circular published by the Republican Party claimed that if Herbert Hoover won there would be “a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage.” He won a landslide victory over Alfred Smith, but the Republican Party's promise of prosperity was derailed seven months after Hoover took the oath of office. The stock market crash of 1929 plunged the country into the Great Depression and people eventually lost confidence in Hoover.

• One of the lessons we talked about in our last series had to do with making promises!
• What promises are being made in this year’s election?

Why were the people looking for Jesus?

• Jesus had just recently fed thousands with five loaves and two fish, and many of that same crowd followed Him across the Sea of Galilee. They were surprised to find Him at Capernaum. They knew He was not with His disciples when they left in a boat, and no other boats had left the dock (v. 22). Jesus had crossed the sea on foot (vv. 18-21).
• Jesus never promised prosperity, but He did something for the people that led them to think prosperity was just around the corner. There’s a problem with the kind of prosperity the people expected from Jesus: it doesn’t last. Sure, the miracle provided a great meal for one day, but the people were hungry again the next day.
• The wonderful things Jesus does for us are signs of who He is as God’s revelation of Himself to us.

Why did Jesus reject the people that were looking for Him?

• Jesus knew they were seeking Him for the wrong reason. He had fed them the day before, and now they wanted breakfast. Physical food only satisfies for a short time. The fact that the people were hungry again proved His point. Jesus urged them to seek for spiritual food that truly satisfies. This kind of food comes only from Jesus.
• In verses 26-27, Jesus confronted their misplaced priorities. The miracle of the loaves and fishes was supposed to draw people to God, not motivate them to trail after Jesus in search of a perpetual buffet. The people were pursuing “food that spoils,” but Jesus had come to offer “food that endures,” meaning eternal life, as a gift from God through the “Son of Man”—Jesus Himself.

Why do people seek satisfaction in things that don’t last?

• People today often struggle with the same misplaced priorities. When we try to satisfy our deepest needs with bigger TVs, sportier cars, or fancier clothes, we waste our time and only become more frustrated. We think such material things will give us the security and significance that only comes through a relationship with Jesus.
• We need to get off the “get more” treadmill and enjoy the eternal satisfaction only Jesus provides.
• We act foolishly when we spend all our energy and effort to acquire things that do not last.
• For what true purpose should they have been seeking Jesus?
• We are admonished to focus our attention, our efforts, and our energy on that which Jesus gives to us – that is, everlasting life.

II. Complete Satisfaction - John 6:35
35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

How had the people continued to misunderstand what Jesus was saying?

• So the Jews ask Jesus for a sign that He was sent from God (as if the miraculous feeding and the walking across the water weren’t enough). The people misunderstood what Jesus meant. They asked Him for a sign. This was a foolish request, since they had just seen Him do a miracle the day before. They mentioned that Moses had provided manna for the Israelites.
• He accuses the crowd of ignoring His miraculous signs and only following Him for the “free meal.” He accuses the crowd of ignoring His miraculous signs and only following Him for the “free meal.”The crowd had already seen extraordinary things, but apparently that wasn’t enough. They asked Jesus what sign He planned to offer so they might believe in Him. They mentioned God’s earlier provision of manna for their forefathers, as if to say Jesus’ recent culinary miracle was not all that special. They wanted Jesus to do a real miracle to establish His credibility.
• We often exhibit the same self-centeredness. We ask God to prove Himself by meeting our needs or by intervening in our lives. We ignore all God has already accomplished—both through the work of Jesus and in our lives over the years—when we require God to act “in the moment” before we affirm faith in Him.
• In response, the people cried out, “Sir ... always give us this bread” (v. 34). They were still thinking about themselves, expressing their desire for perpetual meal service and not yet recognizing the spiritual significance of Jesus’ words. Jesus then made His most direct statement: “I am the bread of life.” He also added thirst to the metaphor. By coupling hunger and thirst, combined with the previous food miracle that had started the entire sequence, Jesus underscored His ultimate goal even more strongly. Jesus promised, “Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (v. 35).

How did Jesus use the conversation about bread to teach the people something about who He is?

• They were so enthralled with the food, they were missing out on the fact that their Messiah had come.
• Jesus clarified that God, not Moses, had given manna to the Israelites. However, that was nothing compared to the kind of “bread” Jesus had to offer. Jesus doesn’t just give everlasting food; He is the everlasting food (the word “I” is emphatic in the original Greek language). He satisfies our deepest needs. Our need for forgiveness. Our need for significance. Our need to be loved. Our need for hope beyond this life.
• Jesus appealed to His hearers to rise above focusing on themselves and their temporal desires for immediate gratification. He promised eternal satisfaction to every person who believes in Him—an infinitely more significant gift than food and drink.

Why was bread a fitting metaphor for Jesus to use to identify Himself in relationship to humankind?

• Jesus declared that God had given them “the true bread from heaven” and further clarified, “the bread of God is the bread who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (vv. 32-33).
• John 6:35 says, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” Bread is considered a staple food—i.e., a basic dietary item. A person can survive a long time on only bread and water. Bread is such a basic food item that it becomes synonymous for food in general. We even use the phrase “breaking bread together” to indicate the sharing of a meal with someone. Bread also plays an integral part of the Jewish Passover meal. The Jews were to eat unleavened bread during the Passover feast and then for seven days following as a celebration of the exodus from Egypt. Finally, when the Jews were wandering in the desert for 40 years, God rained down “bread from heaven” to sustain the nation (Exodus 16:4).

Even though everlasting life is a gift, what are we to do to obtain it?

• We receive the gift of life when we come to Jesus and believe fully on Him.

What words indicate that Jesus satisfies completely?

• Jesus is what we need and all we need to have eternal life. In Jesus, we find complete spiritual satisfaction.

III. True Contentment - John 6:36-40
36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”


What was the critical issue with which Jesus confronted the people?


After rebuking His followers’ selfishness, Jesus sought to teach them the truth by highlighting two key elements of God’s work in accomplishing salvation.

1. Our salvation is based on God’s initiative. “All those the Father gives me will come to me” (v.37). While it is essential for people to repent (see Acts 2:38) and place their faith in Christ to experience salvation (see Eph. 2:8-9), God always takes the first step in the salvation process. He sent Jesus as our Savior, empowered His resurrection, and assured His ascension. God’s plan for salvation has been set in place since before He created the world (see Eph. 1:4-5).

Salvation becomes real for us when we respond to God’s initiative by believing in Christ. God prompts, convicts, and draws people to Himself. Yet repentance and faith are also biblical essentials for salvation. God invites people into a relationship with Him, and that relationship is sealed through our repentance and faith.

2. Jesus taught that our relationship with God is permanent. “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away” (v. 37). “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day” (v. 39). Remember that the permanence we enjoy in our relationship with God is guaranteed by His power, not our efforts. God draws people into salvation and then sustains their eternal relationship with Him.

Nothing at all can threaten your relationship with Jesus (see Rom. 8:38-39). We can finally find true contentment when we base our lifestyle choices on this profound truth. We are no longer hungry, thirsty people striving to satisfy eternal cravings with earthly possessions, achievements, or accomplishments. We are secure in God through our connection to Jesus Christ. In Christ, we are forever secure; nothing can take us away from Him. In Christ, we have the promise of the resurrection to eternal life.


Conclusion: Another presidential election year is upon us, and we’re already hearing all kinds of promises from the candidates. They promise to fix the economy and take care of terrorists and bring necessary reforms to the government. Certainly I believe Christians ought to do their civic duty and vote, but we need to keep things in the right perspective. Unfortunately, politicians have a long history of making grandiose promises and not keeping them. Will Rogers used to say politicians “go in on promises and come out on alibis.” He said if we got one-tenth of what they promised us, there would be no inducement to go to heaven! Besides, even when political leaders have the best of intentions, they’re only capable of doing so much. They may satisfy some people for the short term, but they can’t bring us true contentment.

I’m glad to know that our world is not ultimately in the hands of politicians. In Him we have everything we need. This world may be unfair, but we can rest in the assurance that He will win the final victory (John 16:33). In the meantime, we can trust Him to provide for our needs and give us the necessary strength to face the trials of this world. Through Jesus Christ, we can find true and lasting contentment.


Prayer of Commitment

Feed me, Lord, with the Bread of Life, for only then can I know satisfaction and contentment fully sufficient for eternity. Amen.

Hope to see everyone on Sunday!


In His Love,


David & Susan

Class Lesson February 28, 2016 Final Lesson in Series

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

In America today, we “love” everything. Think about all the ways you use that four-letter word during a given week. We love burgers, children, puppies, ice cream, college football, spring days, vacations, action movies, romantic movies, and gazillions of other things.



Isn’t it amazing that, with the wealth of words we have at our disposal in the English language, we use the same term to describe our feelings about a hot dog as we do to describe our relationship with our mothers? Surely we can’t feel the same way about a cat video on the Internet as we do about our own children.



Most of the time, we use the word “love” to describe anything that makes us feel good at a given moment. With that definition, it’s no wonder we fall out of love with people at about the same rate we fall out of love with certain kinds of food.



Jesus calls us to something more. As His followers, we are called to love in the way He does. That standard of love is unconditional and knows no limits.

In fact, He wants us to begin by loving our enemies!

Now that’s distinct!

 

Remember This Song?

 

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I just called to say I love you
I just called to say how much I care
I just called to say I love you
And I mean it from the bottom of my heart

 

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Matthew 5:43-48

43 “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

45 so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

...............

46 For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?

47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same?

.................

48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”



Perfect (v. 48)—The term can mean flawless. It can also have the sense of mature, complete, or fully developed in a moral or spiritual sense. In reference to God’s people, “mature” or “complete” is the more likely meaning. 

 

Matthew 5:43-45

Most of the world operates by a simple premise: Love those who love you. In this worldview, people only get into relationships for what they can gain from them. Every relationship is self-serving; thus, if a relationship ceases to give you what you want, you simply move onto the next one.

The kingdom of God does not operate that way.

Jesus called us to love those who feel animosity and even hatred toward us. He gave us an example from weather: when the rain falls, the evil receive the benefit in the same way the righteous do. This is God’s “common grace.” It’s “common” because He extends it to everyone. This doesn’t mean God approves of everything that happens on the earth. It only means God’s love is completely distinct from our love. He extends His love to people not because they love Him, but because it’s in His character to do so.


Jesus gave us our marching orders: love and pray. And don’t just pray for people who wish you good; also pray for those who wish you evil.

• Prayer shapes our hearts. When we pray for someone who is difficult to love, we will find our hearts being bent toward that person. The reason is simple: it’s hard to hate someone you are asking God to bless and help.

• Prayer expresses our love. Prayer is one of the best ways we have to express our love for someone. We are asking the God of the universe to exercise His power on behalf of someone else, for his or her good. That’s powerful!

Matthew 5:46-47

If we only love those who love us in return, that’s easy. Tax collectors were locals who had gone over to the side of the Romans because of their own greed. They collected taxes for Rome, plus whatever additional money they deemed fit. Needless to say, the tax collectors were despised. But even they loved those who loved them.



Similarly, the Jews looked down on the Gentiles as irreligious people, pagan in both nature and customs. Gentiles didn’t have the first idea about who God is, and their actions showed it. But Jesus maintained that even the Gentiles greeted those they called brothers.



Jesus was not validating the contempt that flowed through the community toward the tax collectors and Gentiles. Instead, He was using the people’s own self-righteousness and judgment against them. Even the tax collectors and Gentiles loved in the easy way.



Jesus calls His followers to a harder kind of love. He wants us to put ourselves out there, risk rejection and ridicule, and then do it all over again—with no thought of reciprocation.



According to Jesus, the defining mark of His true follower is love. Love is the one element of discipleship that can’t be faked. Many people might perform miracles and do all kinds of other religious deeds, but that doesn’t mean they will enter the kingdom of heaven (see Matt. 7:22-23). We can become very adept at “playing disciple” by sheer acts of will. But you can’t manufacture genuine love.



Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Let me say it again: love is the greatest defining mark of a Christian. Those who truly love demonstrate they have experienced the love of Jesus Christ and are growing in their understanding of the great love of God in Christ.

Matthew 5:48

When we see the word perfect, we tend to think of something flawless. Without error. Pristine. If that’s what Jesus meant in verse 48, it becomes an absolutely crushing statement.



Thankfully, that’s not the case. Jesus didn’t have that kind of perfection in mind. The word He used here wasn’t so much about flawlessness, but function.



Imagine you’re a young parent preparing to assemble a crib. You open the box and see a dizzying array of diagrams and parts. As you assemble the crib, you notice a set of screws that require a special tool to tighten them. Fortunately, the manufacturer included a tool that fits just right; the bed finally comes together. That tool was the perfect tool for its function. You might never use it again, but for that moment, and on that particular occasion, it fit just right. Was the tool absolutely perfect, in terms of its flawlessness? Probably not. But to do the job it was designed for, it was good and right. It was perfect.



We need to look at Jesus’ call to be perfect in terms of our function. Verse 48 reminds us that we are distinct among God’s creation. We were created in His image to relate to Him in a unique way.



To be created in God’s image means we were made to display God’s character and glory in every part of our lives. We should strive to be the kind of parent God is. And we should love like God does:

• God loves those who don’t acknowledge Him.
• God is generous to those who don’t recognize or reciprocate His generosity.
• God provides for those who are ungrateful.
• And we are to be like Him.

That’s what makes us distinct.

LIVE IT OUT

Showing love the way God loves is what makes us truly distinct. Let’s look for opportunities to stand apart from the rest of the world.

• Pray. Commit to pray every day for one person in your life who is difficult to love. Pray that God would bless that person. Notice how your heart softens toward that person.

• Thank. Have you ever been difficult to love? Think of someone who loved you during a time when you were hard to love. Make a call and express your thanks for the way his or her love reminded you of the way God loves all the time. 

• Sacrifice. Jesus loves us sacrificially. What is one practical way you can sacrificially love someone else this week?

It’s OK to love ice cream. And puppies. And college football. But don’t confuse all that love with God’s love—the love He calls you to walk in. God loves you. Now go and do likewise.


Our Lesson Today:

Video: Remember the Titans

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Jesus has been asking us to be and do some very abnormal things:

• Be more righteous than the religious of the day.
• Turn the other cheek
• Go the extra mile

This morning He wants us to Love everyone unconditionally – even our enemies!



I. Love Your Enemies - Matthew 5:43-45
43 “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.


Your lesson this week said that most of the world operates by a simple premise: Love those who love you. That people only get into relationships for what they can gain from them. So, that makes every relationship self-serving; thus, if a relationship ceases to give you what you want, you simply move onto the next one. Jesus says that’s not the way the kingdom of God operates!



Jesus called us to love those who feel animosity and even hatred toward us. He gave us an example from weather: when the rain falls, the evil receive the benefit in the same way the righteous do. This is God’s “common grace.” It’s “common” because He extends it to everyone. This doesn’t mean God approves of everything that happens on the earth. It only means God’s love is completely distinct from our love. He extends His love to people not because they love Him, but because it’s in His character to do so.



An old fellow was being interviewed by a reporter because he had just reached his 100th birthday. “Yes sir,” said the centenarian, “I’m 100 years old today and I don’t have an enemy in the world.” “That’s wonderful,” replied the reporter, “you must be proud of yourself.” “Yes,” the old man said, “my last enemy died about a year ago.”



How would you define an enemy in your life?

The possibilities of having enemies on this earth are pretty good. We will have personality conflicts, the clashing of egos, will, philosophies, or goals, inevitably put us at odds—sometimes viciously with someone else. The fact is we probably wouldn’t be much of a person at all if we didn’t have some enemies.

The Muslims, Islam, ISSIS, Russians, Syrians???

Jesus had His enemies. He wasn’t crucified because He talked about the lilies of the field or the birds of the air. He was killed because His goodness and righteousness were a threat to those with mean and prideful spirits, the religious hypocrites, and unjust authorities. Again and again we see Jesus’ enemies trying to trap Him in debate, to humiliate Him, and destroy His credibility. When Jesus out-debated them and avoided their malicious schemes, they began to plot His death. They could not stand the light of His truth so they hoped to get rid of Him once and for all.



Jesus says to Love your enemies!


How do you love someone you don’t like?

Martin Luther King says, in order to love your enemies, you must begin by analyzing self. “How is it that you see the splinter in your brother’s eye and fail to see the plank in your own eye?"

Discover the element of good in your enemy, and every time you begin to hate that person and think of hating that person, realize that there is some good there and look at those good points which will over-balance the bad points. Each of us is something of a schizophrenic personality. There is this continual struggle within the very structure of every individual life. And this simply means this: That within the best of us, there is some evil, and within the worst of us, there is some good. When we come to see this, we take a different attitude toward individuals. The person who hates you most has some good in him; even the nation that hates you most has some good in it; even the race that hates you most has some good in it. And when you come to the point that you look in the face of every man and see deep down within him what religion calls "the image of God," you begin to love him in spite of. No matter what he does, you see God’s image there and there is your element of goodness.

When the opportunity presents itself for you to defeat your enemy that is the time which you must not do it. There will come a time, in many instances, when the person who hates you most, the person who has misused you most, the person who has gossiped about you most, the person who has spread false rumors about you most, there will come a time when you will have an opportunity to defeat that person. It might be in terms of a recommendation for a job; it might be in terms of helping that person to make some move in life. That’s the time you must do it. That is the meaning of love. In the final analysis, love is not this sentimental something that we talk about. It’s not merely an emotional something. Love is creative, understanding goodwill for all men. It is the refusal to defeat any individual. When you rise to the level of love, of its great beauty and power, you seek only to defeat evil systems. Individuals who happen to be caught up in that system, you love, but you seek to defeat the system.

Only with an agape kind of love. Agape is more than eros; agape is more than philia; agape is something of the understanding, creative, redemptive goodwill for all men. It is a love that seeks nothing in return. It is an overflowing love; it’s what theologians would call the love of God working in the lives of men. And when you rise to love on this level, you begin to love men, not because they are likeable, but because God loves them. You look at every man, and you love him because you know God loves him.

It’s significant that Jesus does not say, "Like your enemy." Like is a sentimental something, an affectionate something. There are a lot of people that I find it difficult to like. I don’t like what they do to me. I don’t like what they say about me and other people. I don’t like their attitudes. I don’t like some of the things they’re doing. I don’t like them. But Jesus says love them. And love is greater than like. Love is understanding, redemptive goodwill for all men, so that you love everybody, because God loves them. You refuse to do anything that will defeat an individual, because you have agape in your soul. And here you come to the point that you love the individual who does the evil deed, while hating the deed that the person does. This is what Jesus means when he says, "Love your enemy." This is the way to do it. When the opportunity presents itself when you can defeat your enemy, you must not do it.




Jesus said to: love and pray. And don’t just pray for people who wish you good; also pray for those who wish you evil. Why pray? (One changes them & one changes you!)

• Prayer shapes our hearts. When we pray for someone who is difficult to love, we will find our hearts being bent toward that person. The reason is simple: it’s hard to hate someone you are asking God to bless and help.
• Prayer expresses our love. Prayer is one of the best ways we have to express our love for someone. We are asking the God of the universe to exercise His power on behalf of someone else, for his or her good. That’s powerful!

Why should we love our enemies?

1. Hate for hate only intensifies hate. Martin Luther King says, the first reason that we should love our enemies, is this: that hate for hate only intensifies hate and evil in the universe. If I hit you and you hit me and I hit you back and you hit me back and go on, you see, it just never ends. Somewhere somebody must have a little sense, and that’s the strong person. The strong person is the person who can cut off the chain of hate, the chain of evil. Hate only intensifies the existence of hate and evil in the universe. Last week’s lesson when I spoke of Jackie Robinson’s exchange with the club manager: “You want a player who doesn’t have the guts to fight back? No, I want a player who’s got the guts NOT to fight back.”

2. Hate distorts the personality of the hater. Your enemy really loses. We usually think of what hate does for the individual(s) hated or the groups hated. But it is even more tragic to the individual who hates. You begin hating somebody, and you begin to do irrational things. You can’t see straight, can’t walk straight, can’t stand upright, and your vision is distorted. There is nothing more tragic than to see an individual whose heart is filled with hate. He comes to the point that he becomes a pathological case. The person who hates sees a person that’s beautiful, and will call them ugly. For the person who hates, the beautiful becomes ugly and the ugly becomes beautiful. For the person who hates, the good becomes bad and the bad becomes good. For the person who hates, the true becomes false and the false becomes true. That’s what hate does. You can’t see right. The symbol of objectivity is lost. Hate destroys the very structure of the personality of the hater. Hate at any point is a cancer that gnaws away at the very vital center of your life and your existence. It is like eroding acid that eats away the best and the objective center of your life. So Jesus says love, because hate destroys the hater as well as the hated.

3. Love is the only redemptive response. Jesus says, "Love your enemies." Love has within it a redemptive power. It represents God’s love and there is a power there that transforms. If you hate your enemies, you have no way to redeem or to transform. But if you love your enemies, you will discover that at the very root of love is the power of redemption. Just keep loving people, even though they’re mistreating you. There is a person who is a neighbor, and this person is doing something wrong to you. Just keep being friendly to that person - keep loving them. Don’t do anything to embarrass them. Just keep loving them, and they can’t stand it too long. Oh, they react in many ways in the beginning. They react with bitterness because they’re mad because you love them like that. They react with guilt feelings, and sometimes they’ll hate you a little more, but just keep loving them. And by the power of your love they will break down under the load. That’s love, you see. It is redemptive, and this is why Jesus says to love. There’s something about love that builds up and is creative. There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive. So love your enemies.

Story of Redemptive Love: When Abraham Lincoln was running for president of the United States; there was a man who ran all around the country talking about Lincoln. He said a lot of bad things about Lincoln, a lot of unkind things. And sometimes he would get to the point that he would even talk about his looks, saying, "You don’t want a tall, lanky, ignorant man like this as the president of the United States." He went on and on and on and went around with that type of attitude and even wrote about it. Finally, Abraham Lincoln was elected president, and had to choose a Cabinet. When time came for him to choose a Secretary of War, he looked across the nation, and decided to choose a man by the name of Mr. Stanton. And when Abraham Lincoln stood around his advisors and mentioned his choice, they said to him: "Mr. Lincoln, are you a fool? Do you know what Mr. Stanton has been saying about you? Do you know what he has done, and tried to do to you? Do you know that he has tried to defeat you on every hand? Do you know that, Mr. Lincoln? Did you read all of those derogatory statements that he made about you?" Abraham Lincoln stood before his advisors and said: "Oh yes, I know about it; I read about it; I’ve heard him myself. But after looking over the country, I find that he is the best man for the job."



Mr. Stanton became Secretary of War, and a few months later, Lincoln was assassinated. And if you go to Washington, you will discover that one of the greatest words or statements ever made about Abraham Lincoln was made by Stanton. As Lincoln came to the end of his life, Stanton stood up and said: "Now he belongs to the ages." He went on to make a beautiful statement concerning the character and the stature of Lincoln. If Abraham Lincoln had hated Stanton, if Abraham Lincoln had answered everything Stanton said, Abraham Lincoln would have not transformed and redeemed Stanton. Stanton would have gone to his grave hating Lincoln, and Lincoln would have gone to his grave hating Stanton. But through the power of love Abraham Lincoln was able to redeem Stanton. That’s it.



There is a power in love that our world has not discovered yet. Jesus discovered it centuries ago. Gandhi of India discovered it a few years ago, but most men and most women never discover it. For they believe in hitting for hitting; they believe in an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth; they believe in hating for hating; but Jesus comes to us and says, "This isn’t the way."




II. Love as a Witness - Matthew 5:46-47
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same?


How does Jesus differentiate love as a witness? (There is an easy love and a hard love!)

If we only love those who love us in return, that’s easy. Tax collectors were locals who had gone over to the side of the Romans because of their own greed. They collected taxes for Rome, plus whatever additional money they deemed fit. Needless to say, the tax collectors were despised. But even they loved those who loved them. Similarly, the Jews looked down on the Gentiles as irreligious people, pagan in both nature and customs. Gentiles didn’t have the first idea about who God is, and their actions showed it. But Jesus maintained that even the Gentiles greeted those they called brothers. Jesus was not validating the contempt that flowed through the community toward the tax collectors and Gentiles. Instead, He was using the people’s own self-righteousness and judgment against them. Even the tax collectors and Gentiles loved in the easy way.



Jesus calls His followers to a harder kind of love. He wants us to put ourselves out there, risk rejection and ridicule, and then do it all over again—with no thought of reciprocation. According to Jesus, the defining mark of His true follower is love. Love is the one element of discipleship that can’t be faked. Many people might perform miracles and do all kinds of other religious deeds, but that doesn’t mean they will enter the kingdom of heaven (see Matt. 7:22-23). We can become very adept at “playing disciple” by sheer acts of will. But you can’t manufacture genuine love. Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Let me say it again: love is the greatest defining mark of a Christian. Those who truly love demonstrate they have experienced the love of Jesus Christ and are growing in their understanding of the great love of God in Christ.





What’s the risk’s to embrace Jesus’ definition of love?

• We risk a good look at ourselves. Loving others begins with introspection.

What is the reward for loving others—even the unlovely?

• So that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
• God expands your boundaries – prayer of Jabez
• It identifies us as God’s people. Testifies to our Father. It shows the world our heart.

Jesus got specific on how we are to express this extraordinary response of love. If we consider Luke’s account of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, ““But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:27-28 ESV).



Christians should express their love toward their enemies in 3 ways:

1. Christians love their enemies through deeds that surprise. “Do good to those who hate you.” To love our enemies is a surprise because it goes against the grain of society. This love is active not sentiment; it is service not syrupy. Alfred Plummer wrote, “To return evil for good is devilish; to return good for good is human; to return good for evil is divine.”



2. Christians love their enemies through words that uplift. “Bless those who curse you.” Though your enemies may curse you, you respond by calling down heaven’s blessings on them.



3. Christians love their enemies through prayers that care. “Pray for those who abuse you.” Dietrich Bonheoffer said, “This is the supreme command. Through the medium of prayer we go to our enemy, stand by his side, and plead for him to God.” It is impossible to pray for someone without loving them, and it is impossible to go on praying for them, without discovering that our love for them grows and matures. Here we heed Jesus’ example. As his executioners were driving the iron spikes through his hands and feet, Jesus prayed for them. It was the supreme act of love.





Who do you need to show God’s love to? 

Followers of Jesus are to love all people unconditionally and behave differently than unbelievers.  This is distinct love - there is nothing unusual about loving someone who loves us.





III. Love Like God - Matthew 5:48
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”


Perfect (v. 48)—The term can mean flawless. It can also have the sense of mature, complete, or fully developed in a moral or spiritual sense. In reference to God’s people, “mature” or “complete” is the more likely meaning.




How do we love like God?

• He extends His love to people not because they love Him, but because it’s in His character to do so.
• Loving others is measured by God’s standard. (Agape Unconditional Love)
• Pay it Forward (Random Acts of Kindness)
• To be created in God’s image means we were made to display God’s character and glory in every part of our lives. We should strive to be the kind of parent God is.
• God loves those who don’t acknowledge Him.
• God is generous to those who don’t recognize or reciprocate His generosity.
• God provides for those who are ungrateful.

That’s what makes us distinct.



What are some opportunities we have as individuals to express unconditional love? What are some opportunities we have as a group?

“One day as Napoleon came toward the end of his career and looked back across the years—the great Napoleon that at a very early age had all but conquered the world. He stood back and looked across the years, and said: "Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have built great empires. But on what did they depend? They depended on force. But long ago Jesus started an empire that depended on love, and even to this day millions will die for him."

Jesus shall reign wherever sun,

Does his successive journeys run;

His kingdom spreads from shore to shore,

Till moon shall wane and wax no more.

We can hear another chorus singing: "All hail the power of Jesus name!"

We can hear another chorus singing: "Hallelujah, hallelujah! He’s King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Hallelujah, hallelujah!"

We can hear another choir singing:

In Christ there is no East or West.

In Him no North or South,

But one great Fellowship of Love

Throughout the whole wide world.

This is the only way.

LIVE IT OUT
Loving those who oppose you is not easy. Though you may not actually feel love initially, you can still express love through how you act and your attitude. Your love will continue to develop as you pray for your enemies. Even if your enemy’s attitude never changes, yours will, and that is the only attitude for which you are responsible. When you pray, be open to hearing God’s solution for reconciliation, and be prepared to take the first steps. God loved you when you were still His enemy. He expressed that love when He sent Jesus to make reconciliation possible. As you surrender to God, He can give you power to love your enemies, too.



When you realize how much God has forgiven you, it becomes easier to forgive others. God can give you a forgiving spirit toward others. Your attitude toward your enemies should be the same as Jesus’ attitude. He said, “But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also” (Matt. 5:39). He also said that we should give more than what is asked of us (Matt. 5:41). No matter how much someone has offended you, God still asks you to forgive your enemies and even pray for them (Matt. 5:44).

Maybe you should just call someone to say I love you

Maybe you should just call someone to say how much you care

Maybe you should just call someone to say I love you

And mean it from the bottom of your heart

Prayer of Commitment
Father, help me to love others as You love - without any conditions. Amen.


Hope to see all of you on Sunday!


In His Love,


David & Susan