Sermons on Matthew 5:22-48:

Bless Your Enemies

Contributed by Val Black on Mar 30, 2022

We must forgive our enemies so we will be forgiven. (Matthew 6:14) But the hardest part may be to bless them too. (Mattew 5:43-45)

Bless Your Enemies The message was given on Wed., Sept. 22, 2004 (I owe most of this message to Pastor Bill Ligon who has authored several books on Blessings and how to impart them.) I. Matt. 5:43-45, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour. and hate thine enemy. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-45, Galatians 2:20, Numbers 6:24-26, Romans 10:9-10

Denomination: Charismatic

The Great Prayer Of Power

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Aug 25, 2023

Since Our Lord has taught us to do this, the prayer for enemies must be the most effective prayer we can ever raise to God.

Saturday of the First Week in Lent 2023 The command to “be perfect as your heavenly Father” can be very scary, especially to a young person. As kids, we constantly push the boundaries of conduct that is unacceptable to mom and dad. And they constantly reiterate the boundaries, unless they wimp out ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48, Psalm 119:1-5, Deuteronomy 26:16-19

Denomination: Catholic

Christian Challenge Sermon Iii: Making Changes For The Better Series

Contributed by Charles Cunningham on Jul 15, 2020

In times like these, mature Christians dedicate themselves to conserving Biblical principles in word and in deed by preserving the sacredness of God's commandments and by serving Christ as light shining in darkness.

A POSITIVE CHRISTIAN INFLUENCE CHANGES LIFE FOR THE BETTER WITH ONE EXCEPTION Have you, like me, ever been at odds with the law - for example: Have you ever been ticketed for a traffic violation? How did you handle your lawlessness? Stopped by a police officer for ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:17-26

Christian Challenge Sermon Iv: The Heart Of The Matter Series

Contributed by Charles Cunningham on Jul 15, 2020

In times like these, when the whole world seems to have "heart trouble", mature Christians must deal with "hot button" issues by getting to the real heart of the matter as taught by the Lord Jesus in word and in deed.

GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER “If everyone else jumped off a cliff, would you do it, too?” If I heard it once, I heard it a thousand times growing up. The point is: Just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t make it ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:27-30

Christian Challenge Sermon V: Make Or Break Situations Series

Contributed by Charles Cunningham on Jul 15, 2020

In times like these, mature Christians confront issues of the day without feeling compelled to qualify their responses but by forthrightly facing the issues and taking a stand for truth even though it sometimes hurts.

MAKE OR BREAK SITUATIONS PRESENT A DISTINCT CHALLENGE TO CHRISTIANS “Cross my heart and hope to die!” Did any of you ever use that phrase to swear to a friend that you would keep a promise? As kids, we engaged in such promise making, except that we might have ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:33-42

Christian Challenge Sermon Vi: What's Love Got To Do With It Series

Contributed by Charles Cunningham on Jul 15, 2020

In times like these, when that which is good is being called evil and that which is evil is being called good by more people than we want to admit, mature Christians stick to that greatest of all commandments of our Lord - Agape!

WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH BEING DISTINCTLY CHRISTIAN? Have you ever loved someone? Have you ever been loved by someone? These two questions address the two greatest needs of the human race: to love and to be loved. Without love, we die . . . ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48

Pornography Outline Series

Contributed by Louis Mare on Jan 2, 2023

Pornography can be a destructive force in people's lives and can cause a wide range of negative consequences, including relationship problems, decreased productivity, and negative self-image.

Pornography can be a destructive force in the lives of people and can cause a wide range of negative consequences, including relationship problems, decreased productivity, and negative self-image. Here is a possible outline for a sermon addressing this issue, using Bible verses to support the ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:28, Psalm 139:14

Denomination: Independent/Bible

The Cross Has Enemies Series

Contributed by Mike Lewis on Dec 27, 2022

Sergio’s enemy of the priest that turned him away became his inspiration to help others. Even the ones we see as representing Jesus can (at times) be an enemy. And today, our lesson is that The Cross Has Enemies.

WELCOME & INTRODUCTION FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT Sergio Gutierrez Benitez was a kid growing up in a tough neighborhood of Mexico City in the 1950s. By age ten he’d already joined a gang, committed petty crimes, and started using drugs—marijuana at first, then harder drugs. Finally, after years ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Seventh Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A: What Loving Your Enemies And Being ‘perfect’ Mean

Contributed by Paul Andrew on Jan 8, 2023

“Now raise your hands if you have only one or two enemies.” And even fewer people raised their hands. “See,” says the priest, “most of us feel like we have enemies.”

A priest is giving a homily like I am right now on “What loving your enemies and being ‘perfect’ mean.” “Now,” says the priest, “I’ll bet that many of us feel as if we have enemies in our lives. So, raise your hands if you have a few enemies.” And several people raise their hands.” “Now raise ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-48

Denomination: Catholic

Mercy For The Merciful

Contributed by Esther Collins on Jan 16, 2023

The Lord is merciful to us in so many ways, and we need to be merciful to others too.

Matthew 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” While the world calls blessed those who are well-educated, wealthy, good looking and the accomplished, Jesus re-defined those who are blessed from a heavenly point of view. God sees not as man sees, for God searches the hearts of ...read more

Scripture: Mark 6:34, John 8:1-11, Matthew 14:14, Mark 8:2, Luke 23:34, 2 Samuel 22:26, Matthew 18:21-35, Luke 6:36, Matthew 5:45, Ephesians 2:4-5, Matthew 9:13, Matthew 5:7, Lamentations 3:22-23  (view more)  (view less)

Perfect Or Finished?

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 26, 2023

"Perfect" is a single word with a huge load of meaning. Do we have the right idea about the word?

Perfect or Finished? I have to admit my thoughts and feelings when I first heard the Biblical injunction from Jesus, “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt 5:48) I felt horrible; I thought I was doomed. Hell was to be my ultimate destination. Perfect is a single word with a huge ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:48, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Matthew 5:1-12, 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Psalm 146:6-10, Zephaniah 3:12-13, Zephaniah 2:3, 1 Timothy 2:4, John 19:30  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Catholic

Serving God In Difficult Times Series

Contributed by Christian Cheong on Jan 30, 2023

Paul set us a good example of serving God through his afflictions, with fortitude and with integrity.

It is amazing and beautiful to see how Paul comes to know God and experience Him as the God of all comfort despite his trials and tribulations. • Most people would complain about their sufferings and question God. “Why me?” and “What this?” when we have been serving Him so faithfully? • Some may ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:3, 2 Corinthians 2:1-5, 2 Corinthians 7:5-9, Matthew 5:33-37

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Like A Good Neighbor, God's Church Is There Series

Contributed by Perry Fowler on Feb 1, 2023

In Jesus' life and ministry He calls us to be a real neighbor. How about you? Are you a real neighbor?

“I Love This Place” Series “Like a Good Neighbor, God’s Church Is There” Matthew 5:38-48 Introduction: Do any of you know what the “golden rule” is? It a rule of living that Jesus gave us saying that successful living focuses on two things: “Loving God with our all our heart and loving our ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-48

Denomination: Baptist

How To Destroy Your Enemies Series

Contributed by Steve Malone on Feb 3, 2023

One of the most difficult and most powerful teaching in the sermon on the mount is to love our enemies. I used several quote from MLK's powerful sermon on forgiveness.

How To Destroy Your Enemies Matthew 5:43-48 OKAY – let’s do this… NOW - I want to start off with a couple of passages of Scripture, as we begin our time in His Living and Active Word this morning. The first passage is found in Luke 23 beginning at verse 27… It’s approaching 9 am on a Friday ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

What Law? And What Good Is It?

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Feb 11, 2023

Is the Law of the Old Testament good toward our salvation and sanctification, or not?

Sixth Sunday in Course 2023 Today we have an opportunity to reflect on the longest psalm in Scriptures, which is numbered 119. It’s easy to remember three psalms other than the ever-popular 22, “The Lord is My Shepherd.” Psalm 117, “praise the Lord, all you nations” is the shortest psalm, just two ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:17-37, 1 Corinthians 2:6-10, Psalm 119:1-34, 2 Corinthians 3:6, Romans 3:28  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Catholic