Love your Enemies (Sermon on the Mount Series) Episode 18 - Sunday, 16th March 2025.

Sermon on the Mount Series Episode 18 [Matthew 5:43-48 (KJV)]

Matthew 5:43-48 - Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

1 What did the Law say?

Matthew 5:43 - Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

2. How to love your enemies.

Matthew 5:44 - But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

3. Be Like Dad.

Matthew 5:45 - That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

4. Even the wicked love their own.

Matthew 5:46-47 - For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

5. Loving your enemy, the mark of perfection.

Matthew 5:48 - Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Demanding your rights or dying to self (Sermon on the Mount Series) Episode 17 - Sunday, 9th March 2025.

Sermon on the Mount Series Episode 17 [Matthew 5:38-42 (KJV)]

Matthew 5:38-42 "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away."

1. An eye for an eye.

Matthew 5:38 - Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:

2. Turn the other cheek.

Matthew 5:39 - But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

3. Give your coat also.

Matthew 5:40 - And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.

4. Go the Extra Mile.

Matthew 5:41 - And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

5. Give to those who ask.

Matthew 5:42 - Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

The Law of Moses and the Swearing of Oaths (Sermon on the Mount Series) Episode 16 - Sunday, 2nd March 2025.

Sermon on the Mount Series Episode 16 [Matthew 5:37 (KJV)]

1. Three passages make very clear the teaching of the law:

Leviticus 19:12 - "And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD."

Numbers 30:2 - "If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth."

Deuteronomy 23:21 - "When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee."

2. The Pharisees' interpretation of the law.

Matthew 23:16-22
"Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieththe gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon."

3. Jesus' teaching about oaths.

Matthew 5:37
"But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil."

James 5:12
"But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation."