Let me share a prayer practice. Everyone Monday, I pray for the salvation of 25 people—specifically, that they believe in Jesus, repent of their sins, accept Him as their Lord and Savior, obey His commands, and strive to glorify God in all that they do. In an age of top 25 lists, this top 25 list is an uncommon one and unique only to me. You see, these people are the ones that have wronged myself the most in my life.
This prayer is a hard task. But it also is a very rewarding practice. Forgiveness in our hearts brings peace. Praying for others brings peace. And, loving others brings peace. Especially if the object of our forgiveness, prayer, and love is an enemy. This is what we are called to do as Christians in today’s passage—“to love our enemies and to pray for those who persecute us.” This is greatly need in today’s culture. Love your enemies.
(I would add, that before embarking on a similar prayer journey, to seek Christian counselling if you have experienced trauma. You are not alone.)
Matthew 5:43-48
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?
+ Is it biblical to “love your neighbor and hate your enemy”? [v43]
+ How are we to treat our enemies and those who persecute us? [v44]
+ What are the sun and rain used for by God? [v45]
+ What reward to you get for loving those who love you? [v46]
+ What do even the Gentiles do? [47]
+ How are we to be? Is this attainable? Does this relate to be an image-bearer? [48]
[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?
+ Is there a sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?
+ How do you need to love more and better? [v44]
+ How can you pray more and better? [v44]
[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?
+ What is my next step?
+ Who do you need to love? [v44]
+ What enemies can you pray for? [v44]
STUDY GUIDE [ WWW.ESV.ORG ]
+ Matt. 5:45 sons. Those who obey God’s will through belief in Jesus (compare 12:48–50). (Regarding “sons,” see ESV Preface.)
+ Matt. 5:46–47 In Palestine, tax collectors represented the Roman government. Their own people hated them because they often charged extra taxes and took the money for themselves (see Luke 19:8).
+ Matt. 5:48 Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect concludes and summarizes vv. 21–48. It shows that all the Law and the Prophets find perfect fulfillment in God the Father’s perfection. All Jesus’ disciples are called to pursue this perfection.
+ Matt. 5:43 You have heard that it was said . . . hate your enemy. The OT never says that anyone should hate his or her enemy. In his “you have heard” statements (vv. 21, 27, 33, 38, 43), Jesus corrects misinterpretations of the OT, not the OT itself.
+Matt. 5:1–7:29 The Authoritative Message of the Messiah: Kingdom Life for His Disciples. This is the first of five major teaching sections in Matthew (chs. 5–7; 10; 13; 18–20; 24–25). Speaking to his disciples (5:1), Jesus explains the reality of discipleship in the everyday world through the presence and power of the kingdom of God. These teachings form a challenging but practical systems of ethics that Jesus expects his followers to live by in this present age. This “Sermon on the Mount” is probably a summary of a longer message that Jesus may have given a number of times in various forms (compare the “Sermon on the Plain” in Luke 6:17–49).
+ Theme Matthew tells the story of Jesus of Nazareth, the long-expected Messiah who brought the kingdom of God to earth.
+ Purpose Matthew writes his Gospel to demonstrate that Jesus is the Messiah, that he has the right to the throne of David as Israel’s true King, and that he is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham that his descendants would be a blessing to all the world (1:1; Gen. 12:1–3). Matthew seeks to encourage Jewish Christians (and all future disciples) to stand strong despite opposition. They should feel secure in the knowledge of their citizenship in God’s kingdom. Matthew shows that Gentiles also can find salvation through Jesus the Messiah.
+ The Setting of Matthew The events in the book of Matthew take place almost entirely within the vicinity of Palestine, an area extending roughly from Caesarea Philippi in the north to Beersheba in the south. During this time it was ruled by the Roman Empire. The opening chapters describe events surrounding Jesus’ birth in Judea, where Herod had been appointed king by the Romans. The closing chapters end with Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension during the rule of Pontius Pilate and the tetrarchs Antipas and Philip.