OUR DAILY BREAD READING (Published Daily by Our Daily Bread Ministries)
READ: Matthew 5 (Focus vs. 43–48)
MEMORY VERSE
“But I tell you, love your enemies.” Matthew 5:44
BACKGROUND
“I know what they’re saying. But I’m telling you . . .” As a boy, I heard my mother give that speech a thousand times. The context was always peer pressure. She was trying to teach me not to follow the herd. I’m not a boy any longer, but herd mentality’s still alive and kicking.
A current example is this phrase: “Only surround yourself with positive people.” Now while that phrase may be commonly heard, the question we must ask is: “Is that Christlike?” “But I’m telling you . . .” Jesus uses that lead-in a number of times in Matthew 5.
He knows full well what the world is constantly telling us. But His desire is that we live differently. In this case, He says, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (v. 44). Later in the New Testament, the apostle Paul uses that very word to describe guess who?
That’s right: us—“while we were God’s enemies” (Romans 5:10). Far from some “do as I say, not as I do,” Jesus backed up His words with actions. He loved us, and gave His life for us.
What if Christ had only made room in His life for “positive people”? Where would that leave us? Thanks be to God that His love is no respecter of persons. For God so loved the world, and in His strength we are called to do likewise.
By: John Blase
INSIGHT
The teaching of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) was a corrective to the teaching and practices of popular religion in His day. Thus, He repeatedly said, “You have heard that it was said . . . . But I tell you” (5:21–44). Of note is His command to “be perfect” (v. 48).
As with the other commands, Christ calls His followers to a higher standard. However, the perfection that’s in view isn’t moral perfection (sinlessness).
The Greek word teleios (from telos,) translated “perfect,” means “completeness” or “maturity,” something arriving at an intended end. Jesus calls His followers to “relational” maturity—an indiscriminate, mature love like the love of the heavenly Father.
It’s a love that’s undeterred by pedigree or label, the kind of love modeled by the Samaritan in the parable in Luke 10:25–37.
By: Arthur Jackson
APPLICATION
When’s the last time someone extended love to you when you weren’t “positive”? What’s a tangible way today that you can show love to an enemy?
PR’s (PASTOR RICHARD) TAKE
Oftentimes our vociferous enemies are “friends”, we are ignoring, seeking to get our attention. pr
PR’s RE-EMPHASIS (From Post)
“Christ calls His followers to a higher standard.”
PRAYER
“Father, it’s tempting to surround myself with only those who love me. But that’s not living, at least not the kind of living You desire for me. Help me to love even my enemies.”
TODAY’s HYMN/WORSHIP/PRAISE/GOSPEL SONG
“LOVE YOUR ENEMES” KAREEN CARPENTER
If you love those who love you,
God is not impressed.
If you love those who BUG you,
That’s when you’ll be blessed.
Look him in the eye
And love the meanest guy.
Jesus will be pleased.
Pray for those who persecute you.
La la la la la la la la
Love —– your enemies.
Big bad Saul had a lot of hate.
Tried to send a spear
Though a man named Dave.
Dave in a cave had to make a choice.
He chose to listen to the heavenly voice.
Bloody man dying on the Jericho Road
Priest and the Levite
Just turned up their nose
Good Sam, what a man,
Stopped to help that guy
Bound up his wounds
So he wouldn’t die.
Let me sing a song about deacon Steve,
Willing to die for what he believed.
Got stoned, broken bones, but before he died
Prayed for the guys who tore up his hide.
No one could do it like Jesus could.
Whipped and slapped and nailed to the wood.
Sin couldn’t win ‘cuz the Lord forgave
And we got the power
When He popped through the grave!
READNG THROUGH THE BIBLE DAILY N 2023
GENESIS 46-48
MATTHEW 13:1-30