TOPIC: LOVING
UNCONDITIONALLY
TEXT: MATTHEW
5:38-48
CENTRAL TRUTH: If
you are a Follower of Christ, then you will love as He loves
MEMORY VERSE: MATTHEW 5:44 “But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray
for those who persecute you,” NIV
LESSON OUTLINE:
I.
NON-
RESISTANCE RECOMMENDED - MATTHEW 5:38-42
II.
CHRISTIAN
LOVE COMMANDED - MATTHEW 5:43-48
LESSON INTRODUCTION
Have you ever
been really hurt by someone you love? Imagine what it would be like to find out
that the persons you loved, cared about
and gave everything had turned their back on you saying they didn’t want you,
and gave their love to someone else. How would you feel? Would you be willing
to stick to that person? What would you say to him or her?
Today, we are going to see
that when we sin, this is how we treat God. However, in the midst of turning
our backs on Him, He still unconditionally loves us and pursues a compassionate
relationship with us.
If you have paid attention to
world news in recent months, you would realize that if “love makes the world go
round,” our planet has nearly come to a screeching halt! If someone asks, “Can
you feel the love,” the answer for many in our world could be “NO!”
LESSON COMMENTARY
I.
NON-
RESISTANCE RECOMMENDED -
MATTHEW 5:38-42
Jesus starts
this section of His Sermon on the Mount by saying, “You have 4rheard
that it was said . . .” (Matthew 5:38). Indeed, many in our culture have heard
about love, but have people seen it in action?
Jesus says,
“If anyone slaps you . . . and if anyone wants to sue you . . .
if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles” (5:39-41,
author emphasis). While there are at least a couple of interpretations commonly
applied to these verses, it seems evident Jesus wants His followers to see—and
do—something different than what they might have expected. Jesus spends much
time establishing and affirming the perspective of God the Father because, He
wants God’s main idea of loving unconditionally to be more than what the
Scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and “teachers of the law” are presenting and
demonstrating to the people of Israel.
Jesus does
not call us as disciples to ignore basic principles of justice. He does,
however, call for an attitude that abolishes revenge; an attitude that does not
assert its rights but puts the needs of others before one’s own (Matt.
5:39-42). Christians are called upon to be generous even to those who appear to
be their oppressors.
II.
CHRISTIAN
LOVE COMMANDED - MATTHEW 5:43-48
Here, Jesus
gave a command “love your neighbours … love your enemies (vs. 43-44). The
Command to love our enemies means much more than simply changing our feelings
about people with whom we do not get along. Rather, enemy (Greek echthros)
means “adversary or foe” and refers to those whose actions and words manifest
hatred for you. Is this possible? No and Yes. No, from human effort, Yes, by
the effort of the Holy Spirit in us.
It is
natural to love one’s friends; it is supernatural to love one’s enemies. If we
love our neighbours, especially those who supposedly hate us, then, we do show
that we are children of God (Vs. 45). In other words, it demonstrates that our
confession of God as our father correlates with our actions (character). The
love we shower on our enemies actually reveals that spirit that is in control
and in possession of our lives. If you exhibit kindness only to your friends,
you are no better than the publicans (vs. 46-47). These were tax Collectors for
the Roman government and were despised by most of their fellow Jews as being about
as far down the ladder of evil as one could go.
CONCLUSION
Most of us understand that the
“kingdom principles” Jesus lays down, especially in the Sermon on the Mount,
are impossible to keep—apart from becoming a born-again Christian. But God’s
Word and the Holy Spirit make the impossible possible! Under the new covenant
in Christ’s blood, the two greatest commands—to love God and love others
(Matthew 22:37-40, et al.)—can be lived out by those who wear the name of
Christ and permit the Holy Spirit to live and rule their hearts and lives.
Jesus’ Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) becomes a get to, not a got
to, for those who “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness” (Matthew
6:33). It becomes possible to remove old biases and prejudices, and to “love
your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of
your Father in heaven” (5:44, 45). Isn’t that what it means to “Be
perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (5:48)?
Expressing love as God intends
is becoming more rare in this self-absorbed world. We tend to, by nature, only
want to love others as long as we get something in return. We seem to always
selfishly have our needs at the back of our minds, no matter how pure our
intentions may seem on the surface. But God calls us to love others as He first
loved us. It’s not about warm fuzzy feelings or primarily by how we feel. It’s
about sacrifice; putting off one’s self for the sake of others. If that’s not
hard enough, we are to do it without expecting anything in return!! Impossible,
you might say. Humanly speaking… yes! However, by allowing the Holy Spirit
within us to refine our hearts, we begin to love as God first loved us.
QUESTION
1.
How do
I forgive my enemies?
2. Most of us have been offended or put down in
some way. How do you respond to mistreatment? Do you respond in-kind? If so,
have you come to regret such a reaction?
DAILY BIBLE READINGS
MONDAY: Revenge 1Kgs 19:2; 22:7,
Esther 3:6, Acts 23:12
TUESDAY: Retaliation
Lev. 19:18, Prov.
24:29, 1 Peter 3:9
WEDNESDAY: Brotherly love Deut 10:19, Rom. 12:9, 1Peter
1:22
THURSDAY: Good for Evil Exo. 23:5, Rom. 12:20, 1
Thes. 5:15
FRIDAY: Prayer
for Enemies Luke 23:34, Acts 7:60
SATURDAY: Impartiality Job 34:19, Acts 10:34,
Rom. 10:12
SUNDAY: God’s
goodness Psalms 33:5, Nah. 1:7, Rom. 2:4
TEACHING THE LESSON (Teacher’s Site)
Teaching (Overview and Insight)
Jesus’ moral standard seems
high. The instructions He gave in the verses under consideration can never be
obtained by our own ability. When we are truly in Him and we are willing to
genuinely follow Him, He will give us power to live up to His expectation. The
Holy Spirit works through us as we become more like Jesus (2 Cor. 5:17). There
are two reasons not to feel frustrated by the expectations we see here. First,
eternal life is not earned but is God’s gift (Eph. 2:8-9). Second, godly
principles enable us live stable, joyful lives (1 John 2:4-5). When we obey God
and act like Him, we show ourselves to be His. (1 John 2:6) When we follow
God’s commandments, we experience true liberty. As His obedient children, we
can be fulfilled, fruitful, and joyful as we look forward to the promise of
eternal life.
ANTICIPATING FUTURE LESSON: Assign to students the daily Bible reading for lesson.
EVANGELISTIC EMPHASIS AND FOLLOW-UP:
Let the students show practical love to someone they
are not close to or someone that is seemly not approachable. Let them give
report in the next class
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