Being the Children of God ​​ 3/1/26

Matthew 5:43-48   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.

❓Who is someone you struggle to love❓❓

Dealing with difficult people can change who we are. Dealing with our enemies! 

• We can begin to act and behave like non Christian people. v46-47)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?
• We can begin to hate. v43) 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
• We can begin to curse and speak evil of the people we don’t like. v44).... bless those who curse you, 
• We can begin to neglect to help or do good to others.v44) …. do good to those who hate you, 
• We can begin to forget or refuse to pray for them.v44) …. and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,
• We can begin to become worldly and become“clickish”, snobbish, and snooty. 
• We can begin to ignore and not speak to others. v47)  47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?

💥  The greatest danger of all is in verse v45) 45 that you may be sons (KJV children)of your Father in heaven;

• We can forget who we are:v45) (children of the Most High)
• Stop being instruments that God uses to help and bless others. v45) for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 

➤  (We are the sun and rain He sends to bless both the good and the evil!)

• Start hating the people we are supposed to love. v46) 
• Quench the power God has to make us like Him! v48) 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

⭐    This verse isn’t so much about helping others as it is about us being who we are called to be and not forgetting who we are.  ……THAT you  may be the children of God.

• It’s not so much about benefiting others as it is about not letting people change us.
• About not being the sun and rain God uses to do His work in the world.
• About losing His voice to speak to the difficult and hateful of this world.

HOW?➤ I.  Love your enemies!  WHAT! Impossible!  It is on our own.     ➤   But the children of God are NOT alone.  

• We have the Holy Spirit that will empower and enable us to do the impossible.
• Matthew 19:26) “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
• Luke 1:37) “For nothing will be impossible with God.”
• Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Love “ Agapo” 1. to love (in a social or moral sense) {chiefly of the heart (wholehearted, unconditional, devoted) G5368 is chiefly of the head (feelings, conditional, sentimental)}

⭐ (Charity) A.   Giving what others don’t deserve.  Helping and being kind to those that don’t deserve it….. and sometimes even to those that don’t want it. B.   Doing what’s right to others!  What God does. Rain and sun C.   Holding people accountable.

• Proverbs 13:24) He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.
• Revelations 3:19) As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
• Hebrews 12:6,11)  6 For whom the Lord loves He chastens,For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Not forgetting who we are or letting our emotions and feelings cause us to hate those we are supposed to love -- being the instrument in God’s hand to change people.

➤  II.     Bless and Do Good.  v44)  Be the sun and rain!  Be the voice.  Make a difference by being different!

• We cannot change anything if we are no different than everyone else or if we join in with the crowd.
• Romans 12:17–19 — “Do not repay anyone evil for evil… leave room for God’s wrath.”
• Romans 12:20 — “If your enemy is hungry, feed him…”
• Matthew 5:46,47) Stop acting like tax collectors! Treat people right
• Galatians 5:22–23 — The fruit of the Spirit includes love, patience, and self-control.

➤  III.   Pray for people  v44)     

• Their repentance and growth 
• Healing from whatever drives their behavior
• Wisdom and peace
• A closer relationship with God

Ezekiel 36:26 — “I will give you a new heart.”  Pray for us to have the right heart.

1. LOVE  2.  BLESS  3.  PRAY

LBP

💥 Not so much for the benefit of them, but that YOU MAY BE WHO YOU ARE!  THE CHILDREN OF GOD.

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.