But They Hurt Me – #WreckLessLove – 08.26.18 from Revolution Church on Vimeo.
But They Hurt Me!
Wreck-Less Love Week 3
Pastor Kris Freeman
Revolution Church
August 26, 2018
Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48 (NLT) and John 6:60-71 (NLT)
Unforgiveness is like drinking poison, and waiting for the other person to die…Mark Twain
43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.
It’s very easy to say that the Bible says we are to love everybody.
In week one of Wreck-Less love, we talked about how the church could love better. In week two, we were reminded that loving like a child is the key to the kingdom of Heaven. Now, in week three, we are dealing with perhaps the hardest kind of love.
It’s very difficult to love my enemies and those who have hurt me.
Four principles from this passage:
- Replace hatred with prayer.
- Good and bad happen to all people
- Loving your friends is a given and it’s easy (well, unless you have some of my friends!)
- Perfect love truly is extended to everyone including our enemies.
To love this way, we must understand where it comes from.
1 John 4:18 (NLT)
Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.
Perfect love is wrapped in:
* Forgiveness
* Hope
* Patience
* Self-control
The most foundational “experience” of understanding the passage of time and how it heals.
Did Jesus have to practice this? Yes! Even Jesus has enemies.
Many Disciples Desert Jesus (John 6:60-71)
60 Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?”
61 Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? 63 The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.) 65 Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.”
1. Often times, our biggest enemies were once our biggest friends or supporters.
Jesus was teaching in Capernaum right after feeding thousands of hungry people on the shore. When they pursued him, he taught a harder truth and they rejected him.
66 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. 67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”
68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”
70 Then Jesus said, “I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil.” 71 He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of the Twelve, who would later betray him.
2. Often times, our biggest enemies arise out of our closest circles.
3. Often times, our biggest enemies can become our greatest opportunities.
Let’s apply it.
- I refuse to let someone who hurt me, define me.
- I refuse to let someone who hurt me, continue to own me.
- I refuse to let someone who hurt me, suffer on their own because of my unforgiveness.
- I refuse to let someone who hurt me, control my thought life.
Live with the transformation power of Jesus Christ for every person.
Love with the reckless abandon of God.
Serve with the passion of Jesus to every person we meet.
#WreckLessLove
