Love Your Enemies

Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 6:27-36
The disciple of Jesus must treat his enemy with love because God loved us
when we were His enemies.
Ask God to help us understand Christ’s command and give us the grace to obey it.
The Mark of a True Discipline – perfection
Matthew 5:44 (NKJV)
“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you,
and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.”
Discussion
• The word disciple appears over 270 times in the New Testament.
• A disciple is more than a believer; a disciple follows, adheres to, and imitates Christ.
• Loving enemies is one of the most difficult tests of true discipleship.
• The world says, “Get even.” Jesus says, “Love.”
Question: Why do you think loving enemies is one of the hardest commands Jesus gave?
I. Who Are Our Enemies and Neighbors?
Matthew 5:43
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’”
A. The Popular Teaching of the Day
• The Law commanded love for neighbors.
• Religious leaders added “hate your enemy.”
• Jews often viewed Gentiles, Samaritans, and outsiders as enemies.
B. Jesus Redefined “Neighbor”
Luke 10:25-37 (Summary of the Good Samaritan)
Key Truth:
• Neighbor is not determined by race, politics, nationality, or religion.
• Neighbor is anyone God places in our path.
Discussion Questions
1. Who is hardest for you to view as a neighbor?
2. How does the Good Samaritan challenge our thinking today?
Application
If everyone is our neighbor, then there is no room for hatred in the Christian life.
II. Why Must We Love Our Enemies?
A. Because We Are Imitating Our Heavenly Father
Matthew 5:45
“That you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on
the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”
• God shows kindness even to those who reject Him.
• Children resemble their Father.
Question: What does God’s treatment of sinners teach us about our treatment of enemies?
B. Because Every Person Bears God’s Image
Matthew 22:21
“Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
• Caesar’s image was on the coin.
• God’s image is on every human being.
Genesis 1:27
“So God created man in His own image.”
Application:
• We may disagree with people.
• We may oppose their actions.
• But we must recognize their value as image-bearers of God.
C. Because We Were Once God’s Enemies
Romans 8:7
“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God…”
Romans 5:8
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died
for us.”
• We deserved judgment.
• Instead, we received mercy.
Luke 6:36
“Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.”
Application:
The Cross reminds us that God loved us before we loved Him.
D. Because We Have Been Forgiven
Matthew 6:14
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
• Forgiven people should be forgiving people.
• Bitterness imprisons us; forgiveness frees us.
Question: Why is forgiveness often difficult even for Christians?
E. Because of the Gospel and the Great Commission
Matthew 28:19-20
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…”
• The person who opposes us today may become our brother tomorrow.
• God often saves those we least expect.
Example
Paul once persecuted Christians but became one of Christianity’s greatest missionaries.
III. What Does Loving Our Enemies Look
Like?
Read Luke 6:27-31
Jesus gives practical commands.
A. Do Good to Those Who Hate You
Luke 6:27
“Do good to those who hate you.”
Romans 12:21
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Application:
Respond to hostility with kindness.
B. Bless Those Who Curse You
Luke 6:28
“Bless those who curse you.”
• Refuse revenge.
• Speak grace instead of anger.
C. Pray for Those Who Persecute You
Luke 6:28
“Pray for those who spitefully use you.”
Application:
It is difficult to hate someone you are sincerely praying for.
Discussion Question:
How would your attitude change if you prayed daily for someone who hurt you?
D. Practice Selfless Generosity
Luke 6:29-30
• Turn the other cheek.
• Give freely.
• Refuse retaliation.
This does not mean enabling abuse; it means refusing revenge.
E. Live by the Golden Rule
Luke 6:31
“And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.”
Ask:
• How would I want to be treated if I were wrong?
• How would I want mercy shown to me?
F. Greet and Welcome Others
Matthew 5:47
“And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others?”
True Christian love extends beyond friends and family.
Key Truth
We cannot love our enemies through human strength alone.
Galatians 5:22
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love…”
The Holy Spirit empowers believers to do what the flesh cannot do.
Illustration: Jacob DeShazer and Mitsuo Fuchida
• Jacob DeShazer was an American soldier captured and tortured by the Japanese during
World War II.
• After reading the Bible, he trusted Christ and forgave his captors.
• He later became a missionary to Japan.
• One of the men influenced by his testimony was Mitsuo Fuchida, the commander who
led the attack on Pearl Harbor.
• Fuchida also came to faith in Christ.
Lesson: The Gospel can transform both the offended and the offender.
Final Challenge
Ask yourself:
1. Is there someone I refuse to forgive?
2. Is there an enemy for whom I need to pray?
3. How can I show Christ-like love this week?
Luke 6:35
“But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be
great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.”
Main Takeaway:
Our behavior toward enemies should not be determined by how they treat us, but by how Jesus
has treated us.