INTRODUCTION, Quite possibly one of the most difficult statements Jesus ever made is found in Matthew 5, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, [Matt 5:44]
That statement is found in the Sermon on the Mount. The verse right before it says you have heard it said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy”. Notice how the law was corrupted by the comments of the Jewish teachers, v. 43. God said, Thou shall love thy neighbor; and by neighbor they understood those only of their own country, nation, and religion; and those only that they were pleased to look upon as their friends: yet this was not the worst; from this command, Thou shall love thy neighbor, they were willing to infer what God never designed; to hate your enemy.
Jesus was calling for his disciples to be counter culture – to be different.
1 Pet 2:9, You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
Being different is lived out in the day-to-day relationships with people
Second Mile
Turn the other Cheek
MOST APPALLING – Love your enemy. Your Adversary, the one who does not want you to succeed, the one who does not want what is best for you.
Before we get into our text tonight I would like to make 3 observations about Adversaries
1. Adversaries are common in the in the work of the Kingdom.
Matt 5:11-12, "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The apostle Paul
2. People become adversaries when they let their emotions get the best of them
18:9 – Jealous eye
18:12 – Saul was afraid
18:24-25, He is driven to have improper motives
3. Adversaries are self-centered in nature.
If THERE IS ANYONE WHO UNDERSTOOD LOVING AN ENEMY IT WAS David – while loved by the people, he was despised by Saul.
BACKGROUND
Saul’s subtle change
1 Samuel 17 – David has defeated the giant
David goes into the service of the King – Read 18:5
All is going well until we have the song of the maidens – 18:6-8
Saul begins to seek David’s end
To personally kill him – 18:10-11
Sought to humiliate him
Vs. 13 – from commander to lieutenant
Saul gives away David’s bride vs. 19 [17:25]
Sought to have others do his bidding for him
The Philistines – Vss. 24ff
Jonathan and the servants 19:1
How does David handle the adversary?
1. He faithfully served
The harp, 1 Sam 18:10, The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully upon Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the harp, as he usually did.
Leading the army - 1 Sam 18:5, Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the people, and Saul’s officers as well.
1 Pet 2:12, Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
When adversity comes – remember to faithfully serve.
2. He developed a relationship with the Lord
1 Sam 18:14, In everything he did he had great success, because the LORD was with him.
With him - accompanied him – it is the same idea of Christians today with the Holy Spirit in their life.
How often do we seek man’s approval and not God – who is to be our constant companion
EVEN THOUGH I WALK – THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH – you are with me!
3. Surrounded himself with people who loved him
Jonathan – 18:1
Michal – 18:20
Samuel – 19:18
David is a good example of one who handled adversity well – but there is even a greater one – listen to the words of Peter
1 Pet 2:21-24
21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth."
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
This is how one handles an Adversary
Prayer.
