1 00:00:30,100 --> 00:00:32,580 Like I am constantly being attacked. 2 00:00:34,180 --> 00:00:37,700 And then God kind of brought to my attention, well, how do you 3 00:00:37,700 --> 00:00:39,780 treat that person instead? 4 00:00:41,380 --> 00:00:44,380 And it got me to think and I said, you know what, Lord, you're 5 00:00:44,380 --> 00:00:44,660 right. 6 00:00:45,699 --> 00:00:48,420 Your word says I am to love my enemies. 7 00:00:49,940 --> 00:00:52,100 And so I started practicing that. 8 00:00:52,180 --> 00:00:57,150 And long story short, we're actually pretty decent friends today. 9 00:00:59,630 --> 00:01:03,590 He actually even came to me during he was in our youth group 10 00:01:03,590 --> 00:01:08,470 and he actually even came to me at youth camp and actually apologized 11 00:01:08,470 --> 00:01:13,150 and I apologized to him and we reconciled and it was good. 12 00:01:14,670 --> 00:01:21,040 And I think back on that and I often wonder what would happen if 13 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:24,920 I did not love him the way I should have. 14 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:30,320 In fact, we could go even further with that question. 15 00:01:30,320 --> 00:01:36,840 What would happen if all Christians in America did not love 16 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:49,590 their enemy and that they were so okay with being a bare minimum 17 00:01:49,590 --> 00:01:50,190 Christian? 18 00:01:53,870 --> 00:01:59,070 Tonight I'd like to talk about the three corrections that Jesus 19 00:01:59,070 --> 00:02:05,470 gives us about love in Matthew chapter five. 20 00:02:05,470 --> 00:02:07,350 We're already there in verse number 43. 21 00:02:07,350 --> 00:02:08,430 We just read that. 22 00:02:08,750 --> 00:02:10,590 Jump now to verse number 44. 23 00:02:11,630 --> 00:02:16,850 But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, 24 00:02:17,570 --> 00:02:22,090 do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully 25 00:02:22,090 --> 00:02:24,610 use you and persecute you. 26 00:02:26,290 --> 00:02:30,930 You see, the bare minimum Christianity loves those who are 27 00:02:30,930 --> 00:02:31,810 easy to love. 28 00:02:34,210 --> 00:02:39,090 Christlike Christianity loves even those who are difficult to love. 29 00:02:41,339 --> 00:02:44,979 You see, our love has to stretch beyond our preferences. 30 00:02:44,979 --> 00:02:51,499 And number one, we must correct the recipients of our love. 31 00:02:53,739 --> 00:02:58,499 Love those who are pleasant to you, loving neighbors, friends, and 32 00:02:58,499 --> 00:02:59,659 those who treat us well. 33 00:03:00,219 --> 00:03:01,099 Well, that's good. 34 00:03:02,619 --> 00:03:06,139 But Christ never intended for our love to stop there. 35 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:10,880 Love those who are unpleasant to you. 36 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:14,640 Jesus commands us to love our enemies. 37 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:21,200 Our love should not depend on whether someone deserves it or even 38 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:22,080 returns it. 39 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:29,480 You see, in all of the Bible, verse number 44 is my most disliked 40 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:30,320 verse of the Bible. 41 00:03:32,010 --> 00:03:34,570 And not saying that I hate the Bible, that's what I'm trying to 42 00:03:34,570 --> 00:03:34,970 get at. 43 00:03:35,850 --> 00:03:38,410 But because it convicts me so much. 44 00:03:40,090 --> 00:03:45,690 Because how easy is it for me to love my friends, my family, my 45 00:03:45,690 --> 00:03:53,290 co workers that treat me good, that show me respect, that I deserve, 46 00:03:54,170 --> 00:03:57,210 that show me admiration, that applaud me. 47 00:03:58,900 --> 00:03:59,460 Easy. 48 00:04:00,820 --> 00:04:04,900 And God asks us to look beyond our feelings. 49 00:04:07,300 --> 00:04:12,340 And instead he says, but I say unto you, love the ones that are 50 00:04:12,340 --> 00:04:13,140 hard to love. 51 00:04:15,780 --> 00:04:19,300 You see, bless instead of curse. 52 00:04:19,300 --> 00:04:24,030 It says right here in verse number 44, Christlike love controls 53 00:04:24,030 --> 00:04:25,150 our words. 54 00:04:26,430 --> 00:04:32,670 When others curse us, we should respond with blessing rather 55 00:04:32,670 --> 00:04:34,190 than retaliation. 56 00:04:35,150 --> 00:04:41,270 And how easy it is for us to retaliate in our own minds is how 57 00:04:41,270 --> 00:04:44,430 easy it is for us to snap back at that person. 58 00:04:47,310 --> 00:04:51,390 I wonder what would happen if we had Christians all across America 59 00:04:52,470 --> 00:04:56,710 that stopped retaliating with their words and just started blessing 60 00:04:56,710 --> 00:04:57,030 People. 61 00:05:01,830 --> 00:05:04,230 Pray instead of persecuting. 62 00:05:05,670 --> 00:05:09,110 Jesus instructs us to pray for those who mistreat us. 63 00:05:09,510 --> 00:05:14,030 Rather than seeking their downfall, we should desire their 64 00:05:14,030 --> 00:05:18,400 repentance and spiritual goodness. 65 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:23,840 Isn't that the hardest thing to do? 66 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:30,880 You see, God expects us to love the ones that treat us good. 67 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:33,960 But he says, that's good. 68 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:34,400 Good job. 69 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:38,320 I give you a thumbs up, but that's the bare minimum. 70 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:44,970 I want to see you love that person that curses you out. 71 00:05:47,130 --> 00:05:50,730 I want you to love that person that makes fun of you. 72 00:05:53,370 --> 00:05:58,170 I want you to love that person that bodily harmed you. 73 00:06:00,970 --> 00:06:03,410 And how easier said than done. 74 00:06:03,410 --> 00:06:03,930 That is. 75 00:06:06,010 --> 00:06:10,970 But In Proverbs, chapter 25, verses 21 and 22, it says, if thine 76 00:06:10,970 --> 00:06:16,700 enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he be thirsty, 77 00:06:16,700 --> 00:06:20,460 give him water to drink, for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon 78 00:06:20,460 --> 00:06:25,060 his head, and the Lord shall reward thee. 79 00:06:27,940 --> 00:06:31,700 In Romans, chapter 12, verses 20 and 21, it says, Therefore if 80 00:06:31,700 --> 00:06:34,580 thine enemy hunger, feed him. 81 00:06:35,860 --> 00:06:36,820 Sounds familiar. 82 00:06:38,990 --> 00:06:42,910 If he thirsts, give him drink, for in so doing, thou shalt heap 83 00:06:42,910 --> 00:06:44,270 coals of fire on his head. 84 00:06:44,750 --> 00:06:48,190 And here's the added part in here in the New Testament, it says, 85 00:06:48,270 --> 00:06:55,070 be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. 86 00:06:57,630 --> 00:07:00,350 And how easier said and done than that is. 87 00:07:02,590 --> 00:07:06,030 It takes little effort to love someone who loves you back. 88 00:07:07,530 --> 00:07:12,290 It's easy for me to love my wife, and at the same time, it can 89 00:07:12,290 --> 00:07:12,730 be hard. 90 00:07:15,450 --> 00:07:16,090 We good? 91 00:07:16,090 --> 00:07:16,530 Okay. 92 00:07:16,530 --> 00:07:17,130 Yeah, we're good. 93 00:07:17,530 --> 00:07:18,890 No one looked back over there. 94 00:07:21,290 --> 00:07:26,170 But when you love someone who has wronged you, guess what you're 95 00:07:26,170 --> 00:07:26,490 doing? 96 00:07:27,370 --> 00:07:32,420 You're demonstrating that Christ has changed you. 97 00:07:34,580 --> 00:07:40,620 If we are truly to be followers of Jesus steps, why do 98 00:07:40,620 --> 00:07:42,660 we not love like he loves? 99 00:07:44,340 --> 00:07:48,099 That's not saying be acceptable of sin in someone's life. 100 00:07:48,100 --> 00:07:52,260 But that is to say you love that sinner and you love them enough 101 00:07:52,260 --> 00:07:54,980 to tell them, hey, I see you're going down the wrong path 102 00:07:54,980 --> 00:07:56,580 and I would just want to help you. 103 00:07:58,430 --> 00:07:59,310 There's a difference. 104 00:08:02,190 --> 00:08:05,870 You see, Number one, we have to have the correct recipients of 105 00:08:05,870 --> 00:08:06,270 our love. 106 00:08:06,270 --> 00:08:09,470 And number two, we have to have the correct mindset. 107 00:08:10,590 --> 00:08:15,230 In verses number 45, it says that ye may be the children of your 108 00:08:15,230 --> 00:08:21,750 Father, which is in heaven, for he maketh his Son to rise on 109 00:08:21,750 --> 00:08:23,960 the evil and on the good. 110 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:30,720 What that means is he prolongs the days of the evildoer just as 111 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:34,040 much as he prolongs the days of the good doer. 112 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:39,520 He continues on. 113 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:44,280 It says right here and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 114 00:08:45,080 --> 00:08:49,040 He takes care of the unjust just as much as he takes care of 115 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:49,560 the just. 116 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:52,840 And you say, well, bro, no, that seems backwards. 117 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:56,520 We're supposed to serve God and that's how we get his blessing. 118 00:08:56,520 --> 00:08:58,520 Yes, I'm right there with you. 119 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:02,760 But God loves your enemy too. 120 00:09:03,560 --> 00:09:06,360 God loves the unjust because why? 121 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:07,960 Because he died for them. 122 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:15,640 And if Christ died for them and he loves them, why should we 123 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:16,680 do anything different? 124 00:09:20,300 --> 00:09:24,780 Bare minimum, Christianity loves with the expectation of receiving 125 00:09:25,020 --> 00:09:25,900 something in return. 126 00:09:26,700 --> 00:09:31,300 Christ, like Christianity, loves because it reflects the character 127 00:09:31,300 --> 00:09:31,820 of God. 128 00:09:33,019 --> 00:09:37,820 See, love with your Father's compassion, recognize his impartial 129 00:09:37,820 --> 00:09:38,380 goodness. 130 00:09:38,940 --> 00:09:42,620 God sends sunshine and rain upon both the just and the unjust. 131 00:09:42,700 --> 00:09:44,700 His common goodness is. 132 00:09:44,850 --> 00:09:47,970 Is not reserved only for those who honor him. 133 00:09:50,050 --> 00:09:52,530 And how backwards we get that sometimes. 134 00:09:54,610 --> 00:09:58,370 By the way, that's not a ticket to live however you want to 135 00:09:58,370 --> 00:09:58,610 live. 136 00:10:01,010 --> 00:10:04,130 In fact, the Bible actually says God forbid with that type of 137 00:10:04,930 --> 00:10:05,330 act. 138 00:10:09,010 --> 00:10:12,850 It says right here, reflect, sorry, verse number 46. 139 00:10:13,420 --> 00:10:17,500 For if you love them which love you, what reward have you? 140 00:10:19,820 --> 00:10:22,940 What good does it do if you just love the ones that love you? 141 00:10:25,180 --> 00:10:27,220 Reflect his gracious character. 142 00:10:27,220 --> 00:10:31,860 As children of our Heavenly Father, our conduct should resemble 143 00:10:31,860 --> 00:10:32,500 his character. 144 00:10:32,500 --> 00:10:35,740 We should demonstrate kindness even toward those who oppose us. 145 00:10:36,300 --> 00:10:40,310 Love without the expectation of a reward. 146 00:10:41,510 --> 00:10:46,670 You see, we have these selfish motivations with our love. 147 00:10:46,670 --> 00:10:52,470 Unfortunately, you say, well, brother Noah, how can you love selfishly? 148 00:10:53,430 --> 00:10:54,710 It's pretty easy, actually. 149 00:10:55,750 --> 00:10:59,590 Do you love yourself more than somebody else? 150 00:11:01,190 --> 00:11:03,750 Do you love yourself more than God? 151 00:11:04,470 --> 00:11:07,270 Do you love yourself more than God's word? 152 00:11:07,270 --> 00:11:08,550 Do you love yourself more? 153 00:11:08,780 --> 00:11:10,140 More than his teachings? 154 00:11:12,780 --> 00:11:16,540 And if we really step back and think about that, I think we'd find 155 00:11:16,940 --> 00:11:21,260 we have a whole lot more love for ourselves than we probably would 156 00:11:21,260 --> 00:11:21,740 realize. 157 00:11:21,900 --> 00:11:23,580 More than we realize on the surface. 158 00:11:27,340 --> 00:11:31,020 You see, we should reject this selfish motivation. 159 00:11:31,980 --> 00:11:37,920 If we love others only because they love us, what have we done beyond 160 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:38,680 the ordinary? 161 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:44,120 Right here in the end of 46, it says, do not even the publicans 162 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:44,760 the same. 163 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:47,080 The Jews hated the publicans. 164 00:11:47,720 --> 00:11:50,840 They looked at them as they were above them. 165 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:54,960 Spiritually speaking, that's those tax collectors. 166 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:58,480 Especially if you were a Jewish tax collector, oh man, you 167 00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:00,440 might as well be a Samaritan in their eyes. 168 00:12:02,930 --> 00:12:05,570 You might as well be the scum of the earth. 169 00:12:05,570 --> 00:12:06,210 Honestly. 170 00:12:08,450 --> 00:12:10,770 And this is the point that Jesus was making. 171 00:12:11,250 --> 00:12:16,450 The ones that you think are incapable of that love, they are 172 00:12:16,450 --> 00:12:17,570 capable of that. 173 00:12:18,530 --> 00:12:20,690 So what are you proving with your love? 174 00:12:20,690 --> 00:12:22,610 That you love the ones that love you back. 175 00:12:23,330 --> 00:12:24,610 That's the easy part. 176 00:12:27,020 --> 00:12:32,180 I saw an interview the other day on social media and it was this 177 00:12:32,180 --> 00:12:32,540 girl. 178 00:12:32,540 --> 00:12:35,420 I can't recommend the video, but this girl was. 179 00:12:36,380 --> 00:12:38,380 Well, she's very liberal. 180 00:12:39,820 --> 00:12:44,500 And the interviewer asked her and said because she was challenging 181 00:12:44,500 --> 00:12:46,620 some of this man's beliefs and things of that nature. 182 00:12:46,620 --> 00:12:52,140 And he was kind of debating with her and he asked her, he says, 183 00:12:52,140 --> 00:12:55,140 why do you not have a relationship with your parents anymore? 184 00:12:57,770 --> 00:12:58,810 Do they not love you? 185 00:12:59,850 --> 00:13:01,770 And she said, oh no, they love me. 186 00:13:01,770 --> 00:13:03,530 They just don't support what I support. 187 00:13:05,130 --> 00:13:07,730 And they actually wouldn't donate money to what I wanted them 188 00:13:07,730 --> 00:13:08,730 to donate money to. 189 00:13:10,250 --> 00:13:14,290 And it's sad how this world has twisted it that you don't have 190 00:13:14,290 --> 00:13:16,090 to love the ones that even love you. 191 00:13:17,610 --> 00:13:18,970 We've gone that far. 192 00:13:19,050 --> 00:13:24,170 That it was easy, that the message was that, yes, you should 193 00:13:24,170 --> 00:13:25,290 love those that love you. 194 00:13:25,290 --> 00:13:26,130 Right, That's. 195 00:13:26,130 --> 00:13:28,730 And now it's gone to the point now where it's like, no, you don't 196 00:13:28,730 --> 00:13:30,250 have to love the ones that loved you. 197 00:13:33,450 --> 00:13:33,930 Sad. 198 00:13:37,210 --> 00:13:43,450 In fact, the whole Disney propaganda was love yourself. 199 00:13:43,850 --> 00:13:46,090 How many times have I heard that in a movie lately? 200 00:13:52,580 --> 00:13:55,580 You see, we have to love beyond the ordinary because even 201 00:13:55,580 --> 00:13:56,740 the publicans were. 202 00:13:57,460 --> 00:13:58,020 They were. 203 00:13:58,420 --> 00:13:59,860 That was easy for them to do. 204 00:14:01,460 --> 00:14:02,900 That wasn't even out of the ordinary. 205 00:14:04,500 --> 00:14:07,620 So rise above this worldly expectation. 206 00:14:08,020 --> 00:14:12,020 If we greet and care only for those within our circles. 207 00:14:12,020 --> 00:14:13,220 Look at verse number seven. 208 00:14:13,300 --> 00:14:18,140 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others 209 00:14:18,780 --> 00:14:21,100 do not even the publicans sow? 210 00:14:22,700 --> 00:14:25,180 We have done nothing extraordinary. 211 00:14:28,060 --> 00:14:30,220 God calls us to be extraordinary. 212 00:14:32,700 --> 00:14:34,980 He wants us to go the extra mile. 213 00:14:34,980 --> 00:14:38,220 I love right here in verse number 41 it says, and whosoever 214 00:14:38,220 --> 00:14:41,060 shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him. 215 00:14:41,060 --> 00:14:41,580 Twain. 216 00:14:41,830 --> 00:14:45,590 You see, there was a law during that time that if a Roman 217 00:14:45,590 --> 00:14:50,230 came to a Jewish person and that Roman had a bag, by law that 218 00:14:50,230 --> 00:14:53,030 Roman could say, hey, carry my bags for me. 219 00:14:53,110 --> 00:14:57,110 And that Jew by law would have to carry that pack one mile. 220 00:14:58,230 --> 00:15:01,910 And what Jesus was saying here says, do the above and beyond. 221 00:15:02,070 --> 00:15:03,670 Carry it another mile for him. 222 00:15:06,470 --> 00:15:06,870 Why? 223 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:13,120 Because how much of a difference would that Roman look 224 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:13,600 at him. 225 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:21,440 And if we had some second mile Christians across America tonight, 226 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:23,360 imagine the revival we would have. 227 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:31,120 But unfortunately we are okay with doing the bare minimum. 228 00:15:33,610 --> 00:15:38,010 See, Christ calls his followers to a higher Standard. 229 00:15:39,210 --> 00:15:43,570 In Psalm 145, verse number nine, it says, the Lord is good to 230 00:15:43,570 --> 00:15:47,930 all, and his tender mercies are over all his works. 231 00:15:48,810 --> 00:15:52,970 In Philippians 2, 3, 5, it says, Let nothing be done through 232 00:15:52,970 --> 00:15:56,970 strife and vainglory, but in lowliness of mind. 233 00:15:57,210 --> 00:16:00,330 Let each esteem other better than themselves. 234 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:04,560 Look, not every man on his own things, but every man also on the 235 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:05,560 things of others. 236 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:11,160 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. 237 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:17,680 But the problem is the mind of Jesus is not in the minds of Christians 238 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:18,040 today. 239 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:30,190 A bare minimum Christian asks, what will I get out of loving this 240 00:16:30,190 --> 00:16:30,550 person? 241 00:16:33,350 --> 00:16:37,630 A Christlike Christian asks, how can I demonstrate the love of 242 00:16:37,630 --> 00:16:39,350 my heavenly Father to this person? 243 00:16:43,030 --> 00:16:44,630 I have a question for you tonight. 244 00:16:46,390 --> 00:16:54,320 Is your love motivated by what others can do for you or by what 245 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:56,160 Christ has already done for you? 246 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:03,360 We get caught up in this pattern. 247 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:09,840 Sometimes we look at things and we say, well, how. 248 00:17:10,400 --> 00:17:12,880 How can I benefit myself in this situation? 249 00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:15,680 What's in it for me? 250 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:18,640 God, I'm willing to do this, but I. 251 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:20,320 This is kind of what I want out of it. 252 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:21,280 Is that cool? 253 00:17:26,470 --> 00:17:31,270 I wonder if Christ just looks at us and says, I've already done 254 00:17:31,670 --> 00:17:33,030 what you get out of it. 255 00:17:39,990 --> 00:17:42,470 Number one, we have to have the correct recipient. 256 00:17:42,470 --> 00:17:44,710 Number two, we have to have the correct mindset. 257 00:17:45,910 --> 00:17:49,190 And number three, the correct direction. 258 00:17:50,710 --> 00:17:52,190 Look now at verse number 48. 259 00:17:52,190 --> 00:17:58,470 It says, Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father, which 260 00:17:58,470 --> 00:18:00,870 is in heaven is perfect. 261 00:18:03,270 --> 00:18:04,390 You see, bare minimum. 262 00:18:04,390 --> 00:18:07,750 Christianity measures itself against other people. 263 00:18:09,030 --> 00:18:10,470 Other people are the goal. 264 00:18:11,990 --> 00:18:16,350 But Christ, like Christianity, looks to the heavenly Father as its 265 00:18:16,350 --> 00:18:16,870 standard. 266 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:20,160 God is the actual standard in our lives. 267 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:23,680 Look beyond the earthly examples. 268 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:27,440 Stop measuring yourself by what others are doing. 269 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:33,760 It is so easy to feel more spiritual and more spiritually accomplished 270 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:37,120 than your brother down the row from you. 271 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:41,200 So easy. 272 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:47,420 And we compare ourselves with those who demonstrate less love than 273 00:18:47,420 --> 00:18:47,980 we do. 274 00:18:48,460 --> 00:18:52,460 At least in our eyes, you see. 275 00:18:52,460 --> 00:18:55,660 Start measuring yourself by God's standards. 276 00:18:56,060 --> 00:18:57,420 You say, well, brother, no. 277 00:18:57,500 --> 00:19:04,460 What is God's standard perfection and how far we are from 278 00:19:04,460 --> 00:19:04,780 that? 279 00:19:05,180 --> 00:19:07,900 So why does the Bible require us to be that? 280 00:19:07,900 --> 00:19:11,330 Well, this word pertinent here, it also means complete. 281 00:19:13,490 --> 00:19:15,090 We'll get into that here in a moment. 282 00:19:16,130 --> 00:19:20,530 Jesus does not command us to love as much as our neighbors, friends, 283 00:19:20,690 --> 00:19:22,050 or fellow church members. 284 00:19:22,370 --> 00:19:25,970 He points us to our Father in heaven and says, that's how much 285 00:19:25,970 --> 00:19:26,450 you love. 286 00:19:27,010 --> 00:19:31,810 When the disciples asked Jesus, hey, Jesus, how often should 287 00:19:31,810 --> 00:19:32,130 I. 288 00:19:32,370 --> 00:19:33,970 Should I be forgiving my brother? 289 00:19:34,690 --> 00:19:37,910 And Jesus says, well, 70 times 7. 290 00:19:40,070 --> 00:19:46,430 And then of course, we know that number was not what Christ was 291 00:19:46,430 --> 00:19:53,110 getting at, but what he was saying to it says all the time. 292 00:19:56,790 --> 00:20:00,270 And I would go as far to venture, say, those people you're 293 00:20:00,270 --> 00:20:02,710 supposed to love that you do not want to love. 294 00:20:03,300 --> 00:20:04,740 You're supposed to love them all the time. 295 00:20:07,380 --> 00:20:09,060 Have a completeness to your love. 296 00:20:11,460 --> 00:20:15,780 You need to labor towards some spiritual maturity in your life. 297 00:20:17,540 --> 00:20:19,540 Pursue that completeness in your love. 298 00:20:19,780 --> 00:20:24,500 The word perfect that we just described, it carries the idea of 299 00:20:25,220 --> 00:20:26,020 completeness. 300 00:20:27,540 --> 00:20:32,260 Jesus calls for a love that is not restricted to a favored few, 301 00:20:33,630 --> 00:20:35,230 but extends even to the enemies. 302 00:20:40,670 --> 00:20:42,270 We should practice this. 303 00:20:44,110 --> 00:20:48,590 We should never become content with how little we can do for Christ. 304 00:20:49,390 --> 00:20:50,510 Isn't that funny? 305 00:20:50,910 --> 00:20:56,110 We get so content with not how much I do for Christ, but how little 306 00:20:56,110 --> 00:20:56,590 I do. 307 00:21:00,120 --> 00:21:03,400 And if we searched our hearts tonight, I think we'd find the littleness 308 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:06,680 of what we've done for God. 309 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:15,960 We should continue, try to grow in obedience, compassion, forgiveness 310 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:18,200 and Christlikeness. 311 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:20,920 You say, Noah, what are you getting at? 312 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:26,530 The direction that we should be pursuing God. 313 00:21:27,970 --> 00:21:30,530 It's knowing our personal Savior more. 314 00:21:31,570 --> 00:21:33,730 It's following his steps more. 315 00:21:34,450 --> 00:21:35,690 It's knowing him more. 316 00:21:35,690 --> 00:21:37,410 And it's through His Word. 317 00:21:37,810 --> 00:21:41,090 That should be our goal, our ultimate goal. 318 00:21:42,530 --> 00:21:45,570 That's how you love your enemy. 319 00:21:49,330 --> 00:21:53,460 You see, in Leviticus 19:2, it says, Speak unto all the congregation 320 00:21:53,460 --> 00:21:57,660 of the children of Israel and say unto them, ye shall be holy, 321 00:21:58,300 --> 00:22:01,820 for I, the Lord your God am holy. 322 00:22:03,020 --> 00:22:05,900 In Ephesians, chapter 5, verses 1 and 2. 323 00:22:05,980 --> 00:22:11,060 Be ye therefore, followers of God as dear children and walk in 324 00:22:11,060 --> 00:22:16,780 love as Christ also hath loved us and have given himself for us 325 00:22:16,940 --> 00:22:19,920 an offering and a sacrifice to God for. 326 00:22:19,990 --> 00:22:22,870 For a sweet smelling savor. 327 00:22:26,150 --> 00:22:32,150 You see, the Christian life is not about doing just enough to appear 328 00:22:32,790 --> 00:22:34,230 righteous to our neighbor. 329 00:22:36,230 --> 00:22:42,310 No, it's about becoming more like the one who saved us. 330 00:22:43,510 --> 00:22:46,550 We will not achieve sinless perfection in our life. 331 00:22:46,550 --> 00:22:49,150 I'm sorry, you just never will this side of heaven. 332 00:22:50,030 --> 00:22:55,790 But that should never become an excuse for spiritual complacency. 333 00:22:56,830 --> 00:22:58,350 And how often we use that. 334 00:22:58,350 --> 00:22:59,190 Well, I'm human. 335 00:22:59,190 --> 00:23:00,030 I'm not perfect. 336 00:23:02,910 --> 00:23:05,030 And I make mistakes and. 337 00:23:05,030 --> 00:23:05,790 Yes, you do. 338 00:23:06,510 --> 00:23:07,310 We all do. 339 00:23:07,870 --> 00:23:08,670 Some more than others. 340 00:23:08,670 --> 00:23:09,790 And I'm pointing at myself. 341 00:23:12,510 --> 00:23:14,030 But we shouldn't be okay with that. 342 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:23,160 The Bible says the just man falleth seven times and riseth again. 343 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:34,280 Are you satisfied with being a better Christian than somebody else? 344 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:39,640 Or are you actively striving to become more like Jesus Christ? 345 00:23:43,150 --> 00:23:45,310 We should love beyond the bare minimum. 346 00:23:46,990 --> 00:23:50,350 Throughout Matthew 5, Jesus repeatedly challenges the thinking 347 00:23:50,350 --> 00:23:55,230 of those who believed that outward obedience was sufficient. 348 00:23:56,910 --> 00:24:01,310 He reveals that God is concerned not merely with our actions, 349 00:24:02,430 --> 00:24:04,350 but with the conditions of our hearts. 350 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:12,880 When we reach verses 43 and 48, Christ makes it clear that his 351 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:18,120 followers are called to something greater than ordinary human 352 00:24:18,120 --> 00:24:18,680 affection. 353 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:25,880 We must have the correct recipients love beyond those who 354 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:26,520 love us. 355 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:31,240 The correct mindset Love without expecting anything in return 356 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:34,480 and correct direction. 357 00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:38,640 Love according to the example of our Heavenly father. 358 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:43,920 In Micah 6:8 it says, he hath showed thee, O man, what is good 359 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:49,240 and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly and to 360 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:54,560 love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God. 361 00:24:56,720 --> 00:25:02,710 First John 4:11 says, Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also 362 00:25:02,790 --> 00:25:03,910 to love one another. 363 00:25:06,150 --> 00:25:10,270 Christ did not demonstrate a bare minimum love toward us when 364 00:25:10,270 --> 00:25:11,110 we were sinners. 365 00:25:11,590 --> 00:25:12,550 He loved us. 366 00:25:14,070 --> 00:25:17,190 There was a time in my life where I was God's enemy. 367 00:25:19,190 --> 00:25:23,190 There was a time in my life I had no business coming anywhere near 368 00:25:23,190 --> 00:25:24,070 God the Father. 369 00:25:24,630 --> 00:25:28,390 I had no business touching any part of his goodness. 370 00:25:29,910 --> 00:25:32,790 I had no business being a part of his family. 371 00:25:34,630 --> 00:25:39,310 But God loved me so much that he sent his only begotten Son to 372 00:25:39,310 --> 00:25:41,750 die on the cross for my sin. 373 00:25:43,110 --> 00:25:43,510 Why? 374 00:25:43,510 --> 00:25:45,190 Because he loves you. 375 00:25:46,230 --> 00:25:50,390 And if God loves you that much, then we owe it to God. 376 00:25:51,350 --> 00:25:55,630 Not the bare minimum, but that extraordinary love that goes beyond 377 00:25:55,710 --> 00:25:58,750 understanding of what the lost person would realize. 378 00:26:03,870 --> 00:26:06,110 Why do we love only those who love us? 379 00:26:07,710 --> 00:26:10,990 Why do we show kindness only when there is something to gain? 380 00:26:12,190 --> 00:26:15,750 Why do we measure our love by the standard of his world, of this 381 00:26:15,750 --> 00:26:18,030 world, rather than the example of our Heavenly Father? 382 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:24,320 If Christ had loved us with the same bare minimum love that we 383 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:27,560 show, where would we be today? 384 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:34,520 Christ has called us to something greater. 385 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:39,160 Not merely to love our neighbors, but to love our enemies. 386 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:45,290 Not merely to love when it is convenient, but to love when it is 387 00:26:45,290 --> 00:26:45,970 costly. 388 00:26:47,410 --> 00:26:52,250 Not merely to love as the world loves, but to love as our Heavenly 389 00:26:52,250 --> 00:26:53,090 Father loves. 390 00:26:56,050 --> 00:26:57,810 As our musicians, get ready. 391 00:26:59,889 --> 00:27:03,570 I have a verse of invitation here in just a moment. 392 00:27:08,690 --> 00:27:17,720 I wonder what would happen if we had a revival of Love across America. 393 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:26,160 I wonder what would happen if we had a revival of Love in the state 394 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:26,920 of Texas. 395 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:34,120 I wonder what would happen if we had a revival of Love in Haslet. 396 00:27:36,850 --> 00:27:40,610 I wonder what would happen if we had a revival of Love in Heritage 397 00:27:40,610 --> 00:27:41,490 Baptist Church. 398 00:27:43,570 --> 00:27:48,610 I wonder what would happen if we had a revival of Love in my life.