A Study of the commands from our Lord, Jesus the Christ


Week 4, December 21st

As a follower of Jesus, we are suppose to love everyone (see Week 2) . This week, we want to take a look at the second half of both the Matthew and the Luke verse.

"But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you," Matthew 5:44 (NIV)

"But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you," Luke 6:27 (NIV)

Both verses command us to "love our enemies", but the Matthew passage seems to be more passive. The Luke verse, on the other hand, requires action.

In Matthew, we are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. NOTE: there is nothing in the command that we are specifically to pray for. We are just told to pray. The Greek word is "proseuchomai". is the same word used by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV) when we are told to "pray continually".

This word "proseuchomai" occurs 90 times in 82 verses in the Greek concordance of the KJV. Of those 90 times only twice did Jesus give us instructions on how to pray and what to pray for.  (See Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4).

In both passages, the disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray. If we are honest with ourselves what we REALLY want is to learn how to pray in such a way that GOD will answer our prayers exactly the way we want them to be answered. Heal me of cancer, get me the new job, or help me to "love my enemy".

Prayer is nothing more than having a conversation with the LORD. So when you "pray for those that persecute you", you are talking with your Father about that person.

Jesus, himself, told you how to pray in Matthew 6:6 (NASB). Go into your inner room, close the door, and pray to GOD. Have that conversation about those that persecute you. Articulate, to your Father, specifically what you want done to your persecutors.

Remember, this exercise is for your benefit. The LORD already knows what you are about to pray for (see Psalm 139:4 (NASB) ). And your Father already knows what is going to happen to your persucutors. Praying to your Father is about getting you on the same page with the LORD's agenda, not you getting the LORD on the same page with your agenda.

Think about this: why are you being persecuted? Is your persecution because you have professed your belief in Jesus? Does the persecution come from you claiming to be his disciple?

Remember what Jesus told his disciples: a slave is not greater than his master. John 15:20 (NASB). Persecution is coming your way; And when it does Jesus' command to you is: Rejoice and be glad. Matthew 5:11-12 (NASB).

Moving to the next tour stop: the second part of the Luke passage, here we are told to take action. We are to "do good" to those that hate us.

The real question is who hates us? Jesus explained this in Mark 13:13 (NASB). You will be hated because of Jesus. And WHY would someone hate you because of Jesus?

Because Jesus confronts them. Jesus demands them to recognize who we ALL are in the eyes of GOD. We are sinners who need a Savior (see Romans 3:23 (NIV) ).

Our Father loves us so much that He gave his only son, Jesus, so we might be saved (see John 3:16-17 (NIV) ). And there is only ONE way to be reconciled to GOD and that way is believing in Jesus (see John 14:6 (NIV) ). Without believing in Jesus' completed work on this earth, we are doomed.

No wonder non believers hate us. Why wouldn't they hate us? Read the words in John 3:16 (NIV) "whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." Which means if you are a non believer you WILL perish.

So what was Jesus telling us to do? How do we "do good" those that hate us? The Greek word used here for "good" is "kalōs". It occurs 41 times in 37 verses in the Greek concordance of the NASB. It talks of speaking correctly in such a way as being excellent, beautiful, or fine. Another intrepretaion is speaking correctly.

An example Jesus used of "doing good" can be found starting in Matthew 12:11 (NASB). The Pharisees wanted to trap Jesus. They asked: was it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? Jesus never really answers the question that was asked. Rather, Jesus asks them about protecting property, pulling a sheep from a pit. Knowing that they would "work" to rescue their property, Jesus asks, isnt a man worth more than a sheep? After their silence, Jesus concluded that "doing good" on the Sabbath lawful.

So the next time you are confronted by someone that hates you because you believe in Christ, pray that the Holy Spirit will guide you on how to "do good" to them. You might be thinking "I cant heal them". BUT, if the situation allows it, you can share why you believe in Jesus. The LORD might use your testimony to move them from "death into life" (see John 5:34 (NASB). ).

If you have any other questions please email me.

The tour continues next week with a look at Do Not Worry.

Return to: "and teaching them to obey"