Sermon on the Mount - Part 5

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At this point I must stress that the Audio Note is becoming the preferred form of sharing.

Audio Version of the Note

The House of Bread · Voice Note For 20240925 - Matthew 5 KJV - Sermon On The Mount - Part 5

Matthew 5 KJV

Matthew 5:43-48 KJV - Love Thine Enemy

[43] Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. [44] But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; [45] that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. [46] For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? [47] And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? [48] Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

https://bible.com/bible/1/mat.5.43-48.KJV

Note for 20240925

I wonder sometimes, while considering the Word, what the report card of those alive today would be with the Lord Jesus Christ. For, I see hate even there where love is to be expected. People hating those that love them, shall we then speak to the younger generation? It appears that some hate everyone all the same. I am tempted to use the phrase, "when I was your age..." Is it a lack of discipline, or is it in itself, a lack of love? Maybe, just maybe, it is due to children being orphaned even though they might have two parents at home, due to a lack of communication and interaction? That, without considering those childless relationships, by choice. Is love still love, or has it simply become a matter of convenience?

Today, while we read how Christ sets the standard that we should love our enemy, I am urging you to love those that even the publicans (tax-collectors) are said to love. Maybe, if we can start to love those who love us, we can work our way up to love our enemies. What is love and who are our enemies? What is the love of GOD, because it is explained here in the text. GOD sent His Son for sinners. Enemies? Who do you perceive as the enemy? Can you yourself be your own enemy? Does treason against yourself play out each and every day? And if hate is at home, how do you take love out into the world? How do you love your neighbour as yourself, when you are hateful to yourself? How many self-sabotage?

1 John 4 KJV

[16] And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. [17] Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. [18] There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. [19] We love him, because he first loved us.

Matthew 25 KJV

[40] And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

So maybe, it is not simply a loveless thing we see play out before us in this world, but rather a Godless thing? Is that fair to say? How, then, do we "fix" this without GOD? The answer is, we can't. This world suffers from a lack of faith in Christ, even a lack of knowledge of the Truth in a world saturated in confusions and lies. Can you have compassion for those who have been deceived?

Who then will go to them and share the knowledge of Truth? When love departs from the House of GOD, what hope does this world have? The fact of the matter is that it starts within our very own hearts. Charity starts at home, and then flows out all the way to bring hope to hopeless places.

Can we love our enemy? Only you can know the answer in you, and that will determine who you are.

Shalom

Verse of The Day

Psalm 139:10 KJV

[10] Even there shall thy hand lead me, And thy right hand shall hold me.

https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.139.10.KJV

Let us expand it by looking at a few verses before this

Psalm 139:1-6 KJV

[1] O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. [2] Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. [3] Thou compassest my path and my lying down, And art acquainted with all my ways. [4] For there is not a word in my tongue, But, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. [5] Thou hast beset me behind and before, And laid thine hand upon me. [6] Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain unto it.

https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.139.1-6.KJV