Crazy Things That Jesus Said

Week 3: “Love Your Enemies”

Matthew 5:43-48

12/8/24

Dan Hall

Message Notes

Matthew 5:43-48 NIV

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  ⁴⁴  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  ⁴⁵  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.  ⁴⁶  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  ⁴⁷  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Context: Sermon on the ______________ by Jesus after being baptized by John the Baptist. Large crowds are following Him.

Matthew 5:17-18 NIV

¹⁷ “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. ¹⁸ For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

By the time of Jesus, the law:

Leviticus 19:18 NIV

¹⁸  “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

God causes his sun to rise on the _________ and the _________.

God’s looks at what we have on the inside:

1^st Samuel 16:7 NIV

⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Ezekiel 36:26-27   NIV

²⁶ I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷ And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

• Dan Hall is the transition team lead.  Please contact him with any questions.
• Transition Team Needs
  • Areas that still need to be covered. If interested, contact Dan Hall:
    • Tech—Audio/Video and worship lyric technician.
    • IT/Hardware—manage the various connections of the service IT components/internet/wifi, etc.
    • Worship team/leader—play an instrument? Able to carry a tune?  Ready to use that gift for God?

• A Search Team will be put together to start the process of finding a new pastor.
  • The typical time to replace a Pastor is 12-18 months. Please wait on the Lord with us!
  • The team will update the church regularly

• Prayer is a critical part of this process! Please pray continually for the board’s guidance in seeking God’s will.

Baptism!  December 15th 

Baptism at the church for the first time ever!  Have you asked Jesus to take over your life and now He lives in your heart for eternity?  Are you a follower of Jesus and looking to take that next step and announce to the world your commitment to Jesus?  Please see Justin if you would like to be baptized.

Budget Vote 12/15/24

Group discussion with the board and the congregation to discuss the proposed 2025 budget.  After service on 12/8/24 please hang around for any questions you may have regarding the budget, future vision of the church, etc. Budget will be voted on by members 12/15/24.

BYO Bible!-January 

Have a Bible just sitting around the house not getting any use?  Looking to get a new Bible?  Calling on everyone to bring your Bible to church for the next series starting in January (now is good too!).  The church also has extra Bibles if you need one.  Digital Bibles are great tools to use but also can sometimes be a distraction.  Dust off that old print Bible and bring it on in so we can all dig into God’s Word together.

Zelle

The board is working on setting up Zelle to use for a digital option for giving.

Stay tuned for more details in the next few weeks.

1. What is an enemy? Should Christians have enemies?  Why or why not?

2. Read Matthew 5:43-48, does the phrase “hate your enemy” come from the Bible? Why would Jesus tell us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us?

3. Verse 45 reads, “you may be children of your father in heaven.” Is everyone a child of God? Why or why not?  How would you look up a scripture to support your answer?

4. Read Matthew 5:17-18, what is the law? Are Christians under the law?  Do Christians have to follow the 10 commandments?  Why or why not?

5. Read Leviticus 19:18, what is the word for “neighbor” in the original language? What is the original language?  Who is your neighbor according to this definition?

6. Read Ephesians 2:2-5, what does transgression mean? Is it different than sin?  What does it mean that we were “dead in our transgressions and sin”?

7. Matthew 5:48 tells us to be perfect? How is that possible?

8. What do we have to do to be saved?

9. Please continue to pray for the church in the transitional period. God is still working and your prayers matter!

2 Corinthians 5:21

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf,

so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

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