Matthew 5:43
Chuck Smith teaches that Jesus' command to love our enemies is not only possible but also imperative, and that it requires us to be detached from the actions of others and ourselves, and to be filled with the Spirit of God.
Chuck Smith emphasizes the radical teaching of Jesus in Matthew 5:43, which calls for believers to 'agape' their enemies, contrasting it with the Pharisaical interpretation of loving only one's neighbor and hating enemies. He explains that the Old Testament does not command hatred but rather love, and Jesus exemplifies this love through actions such as blessing those who curse us and praying for our persecutors. Smith highlights God's unconditional love as the ultimate model for us, urging believers to strive for perfection in love as God does. He concludes that to obey this command, one must detach from personal grievances and be filled with the Holy Spirit, as true love is a divine attribute that transcends human nature.
Text
"AGAPE YOUR ENEMIES"
I. PHARISEE'S TEACHING "LOVE NEIGHBOR, HATE ENEMIES."
A. Where in O.T. Law was basis?
1. Truly law taught to love neighbor - no command to hate.
2. The idea of hate your enemies, from God's command to wipe out inhabitants
of land.
a. Or perhaps David's imprecatory Psalms.
b. In both cases this was judicial not a personal individual affair.
1. David's attitude toward Saul.
2. David's enemies - are those opposed to God speaks of
them as general not individual.
3. Christ denunciation of Pharisees in Matt. 23, again
Judicial pronouncements of judgment.
B. What Pharisees taught.
1. "Love thy neighbor."
a. Who is my neighbor?
b. They taught only the Jewish your neighbor.
c. Jesus parable Samaritan.
2. Hate your enemies.
a. Your duty to hate all who were not Jews.
b. O.T. commands to show kindness and love toward stranger ignored.
II. WHAT JESUS TAUGHT. "LOVE (AGAPE) THY ENEMIES."
A. Next few statements so difficult that volumes have been written to explain it away.
B. Jesus illustrates "love your enemies by."
1. If you are cursed - bless.
2. Do good to those that hate you.
3. Pray for those who dispite fully use you and persecute you.
C. God's love to set example.
1. He makes sun to rise on evil and the good.
2. He sends the rain on just and unjust.
3. "But God commendeth His Love toward us."
4. "If when we were enemies of God."
5. Had God not loved sinful, rebellious, hating world, where would we be?
D. God's perfection to be our goal. "Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father in
heaven is perfect."
III. HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO OBEY CHRIST'S COMMAND?
A. We must be detached.
1. From the actions of other.
a. Else we are prone to react.
2. From ourselves - for until you are detached from yourself you can never be
detached from what others do to you.
3. Death to self again imperative.
B. We must be filled with His Spirit.
1. "Now the fruit of the Spirit is love."
2. Love is a part of the nature of God.
3. To love an enemy is a impossible command to a natural man.
Sermon Outline
- Pharisee's Teaching 'Love Neighbor, Hate Enemies' points: - Basis of Pharisee's Teaching - Truly law taught to love neighbor - no command to hate - Judicial not personal individual affair
- Love thy neighbor points: - What Pharisees Taught - Who is my neighbor? - Only Jewish neighbor
- What Jesus Taught 'Love (Agape) Thy Enemies' points: - Jesus Illustrates 'Love Your Enemies' - If you are cursed - bless - Do good to those that hate you - Pray for those who despise and persecute you
- He makes sun to rise on evil and the good points: - God's Love to Set Example - He sends the rain on just and unjust
- Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect points: - God's Perfection to Be Our Goal
- How Is It Possible to Obey Christ's Command? points: - We Must Be Detached - From the actions of others - From ourselves
- Now the fruit of the Spirit is love points: - We Must Be Filled with His Spirit
Key Quotes
“But God commendeth His Love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” — Chuck Smith
“If when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” — Chuck Smith
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” — Chuck Smith
Application Points
- We must be detached from the actions of others and ourselves in order to love our enemies.
- Being filled with the Spirit of God is essential to obeying Christ's command to love our enemies.
- Reflecting God's perfection and character in our lives is the goal of being perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect.