Sermons on Matthew 5:38-47:

Love Your Enemies

Contributed by Dr. Ronald Shultz on Jun 7, 2022

Christ said to love your enemies. That takes His grace and the power of the Holy Spirit to do because it is not in our nature.

It is easy to see that Christians are surrounded by enemies on nearly every side. The irony is that while so-called Christians persecuted the Jews for centuries it is the Israelis who are our biggest friends. True, some of the Ultra-Orthodox may not think kindly of us, but other Jews see us as ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:27, Luke 6:35, James 4:4, 2 Kings 16:6, John 15:13, Romans 5:7  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Loving Your Enemies Series

Contributed by Chuck Gohn on Jun 22, 2022

This sermon looks at what Jesus may have meant when he said "love you enemies" and the risk and rewards of doing so.

Good morning. I have a strange request. I am going to ask that you would take a moment, settle your minds, and begin to think about anybody that you might classify as an enemy. I am not just talking about personal enemies. Maybe somebody who has harmed you in the past like a coworker, a ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48

Denomination: Christian Church

Do Not Resist Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Jun 25, 2022

Many Christians believe that in Matthew 5:39 Jesus is calling us to pacifism. If that was the case, he would be negating the Old Testament! Jesus does call us to nonresistance, but in certain situations only - as his examples show. He isn't pacifist and he doesn't call us to to pacifism.

INTRODUCTION I trained to become a Baptist minister at Bristol Baptist College. While I was there, a Canadian couple called Tom and Rebecca Yoder Neufeld gave a talk. The Yoder Neufelds are Mennonites. Mennonites trace their origins to the Anabaptists, and the Yoder Neufelds were at Bristol ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-42

Denomination: Baptist

Sermon On Conflict & Freedom

Contributed by William Meakin on Jul 6, 2022

Conflict is defined as a serious disagreement or argument with another, typically a protracted one.

Lao Tzu, also known as Laozi, an ancient Chinese philosopher once remarked: “In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don't try to control. In work, do what you enjoy. In family life, be completely present.” James ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-39, Ephesians 4:26, Galatians 5:1, 2 Corinthians 3:17

"Be Perfect” Series

Contributed by Simon Bartlett on Jul 9, 2022

Jesus said, 'You therefore must be perfect'. What an unreasonable demand! And yet, there are so many reasons to strive for it.

INTRODUCTION We’re continuing in our series in the Sermon on the Mount. In our passage for today, Jesus starts by saying, ‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.’ What do you think of that!? Back in March I told you about an interview I heard on Radio 4. The reporter was ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48

Denomination: Baptist

A New Way Of Responding Series

Contributed by Chuck Gohn on Jul 12, 2022

The focus of this sermon is on Jesus' teaching on what the normal auto-response is to various situations in life, and contrasting it with what a Kingdom response would look like.

We are continuing our series called The Story; God’s story as told through the people, places, and events of the Bible. As you may be aware, the last few weeks we have been focusing on the New Testament portion of the story. Specifically the story of Jesus. The ministry and the miracles of ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:38-48

Denomination: Christian Church

Sermon – A Proper Response To The Seasons Of Life

Contributed by Otis Mcmillan on Oct 16, 2024

The Bible does not explain why violence and tragedies are a part of our world. We are not told why there was a serpent in the garden of Eden. We never told why bad things happen to good people. Yet men often speculate about the subject and are often wrong in their conclusions.

Sermon – A Proper Response to the Seasons of Life Luke 13:1-9 “About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple. “Do you think those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other people from Galilee?” Jesus asked. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 13:1-9, 2 Corinthians 13:5, Lamentations 3:40, Ecclesiastes 3:1, Matthew 5:45, Ephesians 2:8-9  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Methodist

Love Series

Contributed by Jenny Franklin on Oct 18, 2024

Jesus said, “I am the vine, and you are the branches: He who abides in me, and I in him produces much fruit.” The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. God places one of the fruits above the others. Love is above the others

What is LOVE? 1. LOVE is a Fruit that comes from abiding in the vine. Abide in me, and I in you. A branch can’t bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine. Neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, and you are the branches: He who abides in me, and I in him produces much ...read more

Scripture: John 15:4-5, Galatians 5:22, Matthew 22:37-40, 1 Corinthians 13:13, Colossians 3:12-14, Galatians 5:6, 1 Corinthians 13:2-3, Proverbs 10:12, 1 Samuel 15:22, Luke 10:29-37, James 2:18, Matthew 5:23-24, Titus 2:4, Romans 5:8, Romans 5:10, Matthew 5:43-48, Romans 8:28, John 15:5, 1 Samuel 24:6, 1 John 2:15-16, Acts 5:1-5, Ephesians 3:17-19, Luke 7:36-47, 1 John 4:19, John 13:34-35  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Be As Perfect As God Is

Contributed by Boniface Simiyu on Oct 18, 2024

What is being as perfect as God?

In Matthew 5:45-48, Jesus presents a profound challenge to His followers, urging them to strive for a perfection akin to that of God. The passage reads, "For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:45-48

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Lord’s Prayer 12: As We Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us Series

Contributed by Geoffrey Foot on Nov 3, 2024

How often do we say this phrase everyday when we say the Lord's Prayer - AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US? Do we stop and think what we are saying and really mean it? Should we expect God our Father to forgive us if we can't forgive those who wrong us?

Lord’s Prayer 12: AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US As a young priest, John Wesley spent a short time in Georgia, USA serving as a missionary in Savannah whilst his brother Charles served as chaplain to the governor. On hearing the general say, 'Sir, I never forgive', John ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-45, Matthew 18:21-22, 1 Corinthians 13:5

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)

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

Walking In Love In These Times

Contributed by Eric Hanson on Feb 15, 2023

We live in times when good is called evil, evil is called good, and those who love God and His Word are reviled. As believers, we are called to walk in Love toward those who hate us and who accuse us of evil. This message may be of real help for many.

Walking in Love in These Times Pastor Eric J. Hanson: July 10, 2022 There is a right way for committed Christians to approach those who stand against the things that we stand for. Jesus addressed such matters in the Gospels. Paul and others walked these things out, in the midst of opposition. ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:43-45

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational