Love and Hate (Matthew 5:43-46)
Gary McManus, 03/12/2023Part of the DCC Basics series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
March 12, 2023 Matthew 5:43-46
Love or Hate
Do all American Christians know greatest commandments?
Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.
Your Pastor WANTS to believe that most American Christians know them. But what about the Westboro Baptist Church?
They are a designated a hate group.
Jesus commandment to love was a part of last week’s message. (John 13:34) Hate is not in that picture. God does not have to teach us to hate. Human beings can hate all by themselves.
Hate is easy because hate serves the self. Love serves God. Hate serves the selfish individual.
Hatred surfaces
-- when our self-interests and ambitions collide
with those of others.
OR hate surfaces
-- when we BELIEVE that others interests and
ambitions collide with others.
To hate, all we have to believe in is scarcity—that
there isn’t enough of something.
Pastor’s brother told him that he was a Neanderthal.
And not human-like, but more ape like.
The Neanderthals are gone. Was it food scarcity?
Competition for food? War? Humans are even
(even Americans) capable of cannibalism if it
is kill or be killed. Survival? Anger? Hatred? Suicide?
In the 21st Century. . . because of the internet. . .
hate can spread rapidly. For example, ISIS and
Islamists. Even in families, relationships can
be almost impossible to maintain.
Jesus overcame the difficulties with Matthew,
other rabbis and the Pharisees. And always remember that Jesus loved the Pharisees also.
Jesus was always open for the Pharisees to see Jesus’
light if they would have ears to hear and eyes to see.
Dislike and hatred are easy and they make stronger bonds than positive feelings!
But our Lord spoke today’s God’s Word, Matthew 5:43-46.
Dr. Gary Chapman (author, The Five Love Languages) stated that love requires we speak the other’s love language.
Some people have a hard time loving themselves because they weren’t loved as a child. Can love be hard to do or show? It can be if you never had many examples growing up.
Hate is easy. Love can be hard. Is that why Jesus spoke the words in Matthew 7:13-14?
So how can Christians love despite all the difficulties?
The answer is God the Father, Jesus, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Today’s affirmation from Titus or 2 Timothy 1:6-9,
Ephesians 2:4-10. See also Colossians 1:8, 1 John 4:7. Remember 1 Corinthians 13:1-3.
If you’ve got it all or even have it all spiritually,
but without love—it isn’t worth a thing.
Jesus said: John 13:35 and John 17:23:
“. . .that the world may know that thou hast sent me
and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me.
Amen
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