AND YOU SHALL BE MY DISCIPLES – Lesson #10
- Love Your Enemies
“v44 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
v45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
v46 “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same??” (Matthew 5:44–46).
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
Once again, Jesus brings a teaching which is counter-intuitive to the human mind. It is a ‘radical’ departure from the long-standing practice of revenge and retribution.
However, Jesus is teaching from a “God perspective”. This teaching, when put into practice, will transcend the natural and complete its task by the supernatural Work of God.
Just as Isaiah 55:8-11 says,
8“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.
9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
10“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
Practicing the act of love, as a disciple of Jesus, takes both faith and self-discipline.
Secondly, a closer look at the command to “love your enemy” you will learn that the word “love” used here is AGAPAO = Which is to love, to feel and exhibit esteem and goodwill to a person, to prize and delight in a thing.
From its supposed etymology AGAPAO, (ἀγαπάω) is commonly understood properly to denote love based on esteem ( diligo), as distinct from (amo), or a spontaneous natural affection of emotional and unreasoning.
TO ESTEEM someone is to respect them but does not refer to a feeling an emotional type of live such as “philos” which is a brotherly kind of love nor an “eros” which is an erotic kind of love.
Once applied, we are told that a prophetic and supernatural act is manifest: “So that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven”
“May Be” – GINOMAI = Means to become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be, receive being; to become, i.e. to come to pass, happen; to be made, finished; of miracles, to be performed, wrought.
BY THIS, YOUR REWARD IN HEAVEN IS GREAT
Now, it is your turn:
HOW MUST YOU DO IT? ____________________________________
HOW YOU MUST TEACH IT? ________________________________
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
PS: Consider this your “refuge and fortress” your “shield and buckler” as you ‘hide in Him’ and wage this Spiritual war under the cover of our God! IT IS THE ONLY WAY.
Whitestone Fellowship 