2005-11-20 Communion Dedication – Baldwin Christian Church 

Matthew 5:43-48 

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 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.  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 

After reading this, in my mind I say to Him, “But Jesus, if You knew my enemies, You wouldn’t be saying this.  You wouldn’t want me to love them, bless them, or do good to them.”  I say that, but I’m wrong.  Jesus knows my enemies.  He knows them better than I do, and He’s not one of those “Do what I say, and not what I do” kind of people.  A couple of years later, He would fulfill these words to a “T” in the garden of Gethsemane. 

While Judas Iscariot was giving Him the kiss of betrayal, the kiss of death, Jesus was giving Judas a chance to confess.  He knew exactly what was going on, and yet His first words to Judas are  “Friend, wherefore art thou come?”  He calls him friend (Matthew 26:50).  Could you do that?  Could you greet your enemy with the word “friend”? 

Moments later, Peter starts swinging his sword in defense of Jesus, but Jesus tells him to put down the sword, and asks him, Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26:53)  Could you say that to Peter?  Do you believe that if you asked for thousands of angels to wipe out your enemy, God would release them?  Do you believe that it’s more important for the Scriptures to be fulfilled, than for you to be delivered from your enemies? 

Minutes later, after the religious council pronounced the death sentence on Him, they spit in his face, and buffeted him (meaning with fists); and others smote Him with the palms of their hands, Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee? (Matthew 26:67-68)  Could you stand there in silence as Jesus did, knowing that you had done nothing wrong? 

Hours later, after He endured the scourging, the crown of thorns, the carrying of the cross, the nails piercing His hands and feet, and carrying the burden of all their sins; after all this, He says “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do”.  I think Peter interprets this principle best when he says… 

1 Peter 2:19-25

For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.  For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. 

The scriptures must be fulfilled, and they say you will go through persecution if you follow Jesus.  You’ve been “called” to go through it.  Jesus gave us here a condition, a test of whether or not we’re children of God.  Do we love our enemies?  Do we bless those who curse us?  Do we do good to those who hate us, and pray for those who despitefully use us, and persecute us? 

Sometimes we will be given this test in a different way.  When David was on the run from king Saul, at one point Saul went into a cave for a rest, and it just so happened it was the same cave David was hiding in.  David’s enemy was delivered into his hand, but he didn’t kill Saul.  When Saul found this out later, he said to David, “Thou [art] more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.” (1 Samuel 24:17-19)  Even someone as mixed up as Saul will know that it just isn’t normal when they see you had the chance to strike back at your enemy, but you didn’t take advantage of it, and by this you have shown the heart of the Father to someone. 

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

The world is at enmity with God, and yet He gave His only begotten Son to save it.  Bless those that curse you, pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you, that you may be children of you Father which is in heaven. 

Additional reading: Proverbs 25:21-22; Acts 7:59-60; Isaiah 53:12; 1 Peter 3:9; Ephesians 4:12-13