This coming Sunday we continue our series on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). This week our focus is on Matthew 5:43-48 which continues Jesus’ teaching on love and humility. After commanding believers not to seek revenge in the face of insults, Jesus expands the idea of love to include one’s enemies. Human beings naturally struggle with the idea of not seeking revenge and we naturally recoil at the idea of expressing active love—in our deeds, not necessarily in our emotions—for those who hate and attack us. However, loving those who love you is easy; God’s standards are higher.
Here are some questions to ponder as you read through these verses at the end of Matthew 5.
Where might this phrase “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy” come from?
Did this concept come from the Old Testament? What does the Old Testament have to say about this?
Who were the enemies of the Jews at this time?
Why might they feel justified in hating them?
So how does Jesus’ command raise the standard?
Are there any biblical examples of people who loved their enemies? What can we learn from them?
Is this natural to love one’s enemies? What is the natural reaction?
What does it mean to love your enemies? How can this love be described or defined?
In what way did Jesus say you should show love to your enemies (pray for them)?
Since we don’t really have enemies in the same way the Jews did, what kind of people might it be difficult for us to show love to?
What specific ways can you show love to people who don’t love you?
What does the phrase mean “that you may be children of Your Father in heaven?”
Why does Jesus talk about God’s common grace to mankind in verse 45? What does this have to do with us showing love?
What are ways people around us love those who love them?
Who would be considered the Jews “own people?”
How can we possibly be perfect as God is perfect? Since we can’t, what hope do we have?