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ENEMY LOVE!
The Jesus’ Way of Changing the World – Part 2!
Message #1211"
Pastor Keith Stewart"
March 01-02, 2014"
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Expanded Message Resources!
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You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I tell you, love
your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in
heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and
the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax
collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than
others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
—Matthew 5.43-48"
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“If you could push a button and thereby eliminate any person, without any repercussions to
yourself, would you press that button?”"
—Psychology Today"
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1. ARE WE CALLED TO LOVE EVERYONE?"
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You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I tell you, love
your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in
heaven. !
—Matthew 5.43-44"
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Hard Sayings of Jesus"
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Is it okay to hate my enemy?"
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“If a Jew sees that a Gentile has fallen into the sea, let him by no means lift him out. Of course it
is written, ‘Do not rise up against your neighbor’s life.’, but this man is not your neighbor.”
—Tristram, Eastern Customs in Bible Lands"
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“They readily show compassion to their own countrymen, but they bear to all others the hatred
of an enemy.” – Tacitus, Roman Historian"
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Who is my neighbor?"
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Who is my neighbor?!
—Luke 10.29"
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The word “neighbor” actually comes from the two words, “nigh” and “border.”"
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Jesus was a big proponent of annexation!"
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Seeing my enemy differently"
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“The first step in demonizing an enemy is to see him or her as an "it" rather than a "you"."
- Martin Buber (1878-1965)"
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One of the main reasons Jesus calls on us to love our enemies is not primarily to turn them into
our friends but first and foremost to turn them into persons!"
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“When you come to the point that you look in the face of every man and see deep down within
him what religion calls, ‘the image of God,’ you begin to love him in spite of everything else …
(so) find the center of goodness and place your attention there, and you will take a new
attitude.”"
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr."
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2. HOW DO I LOVE MY ENEMIES?!
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…love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…
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—Matthew 5.44"
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“Do you know anyone who needs your prayers more than your enemies?”"
—Martin Niemoller, German pastor"
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Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.
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—Luke 23.34"
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“If the cruel torture of crucifixion could not silence our Lord’s prayer for His enemies, what pain,
pride, prejudice, or sloth could justify the silencing of ours.”"
—Dr. John Stott"
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“This is the supreme demand. Through the medium of prayer we go to our enemy, stand by his
side, and plead for him to God. For if we pray for them, we are taking their distress and poverty,
their guilt and perdition upon ourselves and pleading to God for them.”"
—Dietrich Bonhoeffer"
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“Prayer is the forerunner of mercy. ”"
—Charles Spurgeon"
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"beloved enemy""
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"Remember what Jesus said…Remember what Jesus said, 'Love your enemies.' This is what
we must live by. We must meet hate with love.""
—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr."
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3. HOW DOES GOD LOVE?!
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He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the
unrighteous.
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—Matthew 5.45b"
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God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
—Romans 5.8"
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4. ARE WE DOING WHAT’S NATURAL OR WHAT’S SUPERNATURAL?!
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If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing
that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even
pagans do that?
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—Matthew 5.46-47"
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Frank Burns!
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“surprising people” "
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“Years ago, a Muslim friend and I saw two Catholic sisters holding out their hands to receive
money for a new hospital building. As we passed them, my friend, in contempt, spit in the
extended hand. Thoughtfully, the sister pulled out her handkerchief and wiped off the spit. Then
smiling at my friend, she said, ‘All right, that was for me. Now, what will you give Jesus?’”"
—Bashir Abdol Massih, Muslim World Pulse"
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5. WHO’S YOUR DADDY?!
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…love your enemies…that you may be children of your Father in heaven…
—Matthew 5.44-45"
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If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?
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—Matthew 5.46"
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Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
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—Matthew 5.48"
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Columbine High School!
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“The police, the media, and the community began to prepare for angry protests and ugly
brawling between Christians and Marilyn Manson supporters."
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Suddenly, something totally unexpected happened. Emerging thru the vehicle of e-mail, another
local movement suddenly sprang to life— that the only way to truly change our moral climate is
to soften hard hearts. (The hearts of Manson fans have been hardened by their perception that
Christians are mean-spirited, hateful, and judgmental.) Thus, the idea was birthed to unravel
that stereotype by encouraging Christians to show the pure LOVE of Christ to these fans in
tangible ways."
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Concert day finally arrived, and tension filled the community. The media geared up for an ugly
battle between Manson fans and the Christian opposition."
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Instead, what they observed here was an amazing testament to the power of and love of Christ!
Scores of Christians from churches all over Linn County and as far away as Des Moines (2
hours away) converged on the sidewalks outside the Five Seasons Center, to do two POSITIVE
things: pray, and to show unmistakable love.”"
—Mark Forstrom, Iowa City Youth Minister