057. Enemies, Jesus' Attitude Toward
057. Enemies, Jesus’ Attitude Toward
57 JESUS’ ATTITUDE TOWARD ENEMIES
INTRODUCTION Character is estimated by attitudes; Jesus’ teaching reveals his character; they are windows into his heart.
I. HE HELD NO GRUDGES 1. Peter’s question . (Matthew 18:21.) 2. Grudge-bearing more than a fault; it is mean.
3. Nourished spite is contemptible.
4. No one with a grudge can be happy.
II . HE BORE INJURY WITHOUT MALICE 1. He kept no chip on his shoulder.
2. No one could insult him. (1 Peter 2:21-23.) 3. Hi s soul was too great to hate anyone.
4. No one was more cruely mistreated .
5. Love keeps no memor andum of evil. (1 Corinthians 13:5.) Ill. HE WAS KIND TO HIS ENEMIES
1. Plato climaxed his praise of Cyrus with "No one did more good to his friends and more harm to his enemies."
2. Jesus contributed goodwill to unfriendly people-the Samaritan woman. (John 4:9.) 3. He said to Judas: "Friend, do that for which thou art come." (Matthew 26:50.) 4. Not vengeance on, but transformation of, was Jesus’ attitude toward his enemies.
IV. JESUS WAS FORGIVING 1. He prayed , "Father, forgive them." (Luke 23:34 .) 2. He taught us to forgive. (Matthew 6:14; Matthew 18:35.) 3. No unforgiving man can have fellowship with a forgiving God .
4. Jesus said: "Follow me" not merely accept his ideas; must follow him to become like him.
5. "The things ye heard and saw in me, do ," said Paul. (Php 1:9.) This is what Christ says.