In part 1, we talked about the importance of questions and how the right questions force us to dig deep and evaluate our lives. Jesus was the master at asking the right questions. We’re going to look at yet another “power question” that Jesus asked his audience while he was delivering the sermon on the mount. It’s a question that at times, we probably would rather not answer because it cuts deep!It challenges us to live out the gospel. It challenges us to evaluate our motivations. Let’s look at it together in Matthew 5:43-47:

You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?47 And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

Ouch! Jesus is raising the bar on who we should extend love to. He’s saying big deal that you extend love to those who extend it to you…even the pagans do that. The real test is when you extend your love to those who hate your guts. Those who have wronged you. Those who do not have your best interest in mind.Those who don’t deserve it.

WOW!

How in the world can we live up to this kind of love? There is only one way. By living out of the grace and mercy that has been extended to us through Christ. Grace is God giving us what we don’t deserve and mercy is God not giving us what we don’t deserve. Grace and mercy change us. They transform us into lovers. Not just lovers of lovers, but lovers of haters.

Romans 5:10 says, “For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”

We can only love the unlovable to the extent that we have received love from the ultimate lover-Christ when we were at our worst!

Begin every day by reflecting on the grace and mercy that has been extended to you so you can extend it to everyone…friend or foe.

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