Verse of the Day 3/7

Through the Bible - Deuteronomy 5-7, Mark 13:1-14:9

Good morning,
God's will for our lives is best outlined in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7.
Today's verse will come from Matthew 5. We talked about the verse in our High School Sunday School class last week.
Matt 5:43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 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, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven;
NKJV

Initially it was read in the NIV, but the NKJV adds "those who spitefully use you and persecute you.
When you consider the verse and the passage, you see that following the Lord's will in this way is no easy task and not one that can be done "halfheartedly". There is no "easy button" on this one no matter how old we are.
"John Calvin had this to say of this passage, "Christ assures us, that this will be a mark of our adoption, if we are kind to the unfaithful and evil." Just as God's love for His enemies does not mean He loves them the same way He loves us, so too will we love our enemies differently than we love our fellow Christians. Nevertheless, we are to do good to those who hate us in imitation of Jesus' love. Do a good deed for an enemy today" - Tabletalk Magazine 3/5Does this spirit, this attitude "mark our lives"? If we are to live like "sons of our Father" it will.
We encouraged the kids in the class to reach out to fellow students that may be "outcasts" or that aren't part of the "in crowd". We can all do the same no matter how old we are. It's also goes along with being an "extra mile" Christian.
Read the passage below. I've also posted Luke 6:27-36 which sums up more of the Matthew 5 message in fewer verses.
Be a blessing today.
In Christ,
Mike

Matt 5:43-6:1

Love Your Enemies
(Luke 6:27,28,32-36)

43 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 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, 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. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Luke 6:27-37

27 "But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. 29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. 31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

32 "But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. 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. 36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.


NKJV