June 17, 2019

Bible Reading June 17, 18 by Gary Rose


 Bible Reading June 17, 18 

World  English  Bible

June 17
1Samuel 27, 28

1Sa 27:1 David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me any more in all the borders of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.
1Sa 27:2 David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
1Sa 27:3 David lived with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.
1Sa 27:4 It was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.
1Sa 27:5 David said to Achish, If now I have found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in one of the cities in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?
1Sa 27:6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: why Ziklag pertains to the kings of Judah to this day.
1Sa 27:7 The number of the days that David lived in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.
1Sa 27:8 David and his men went up, and made a raid on the Geshurites, and the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for those nations were the inhabitants of the land, who were of old, as you go to Shur, even to the land of Egypt.
1Sa 27:9 David struck the land, and saved neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the cattle, and the donkeys, and the camels, and the clothing; and he returned, and came to Achish.
1Sa 27:10 Achish said, Against whom have you made a raid today? David said, Against the South of Judah, and against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites.
1Sa 27:11 David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring them to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell of us, saying, So did David, and so has been his manner all the while he has lived in the country of the Philistines.
1Sa 27:12 Achish believed David, saying, He has made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant forever.

1Sa 28:1 It happened in those days, that the Philistines gathered their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. Achish said to David, Know assuredly that you shall go out with me in the army, you and your men.
1Sa 28:2 David said to Achish, Therefore you shall know what your servant will do. Achish said to David, Therefore will I make you keeper of my head for ever.
1Sa 28:3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. Saul had put away those who had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.
1Sa 28:4 The Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and encamped in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped in Gilboa.
1Sa 28:5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly.
1Sa 28:6 When Saul inquired of Yahweh, Yahweh didn't answer him, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.
1Sa 28:7 Then said Saul to his servants, Seek me a woman who has a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her. His servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman who has a familiar spirit at Endor.
1Sa 28:8 Saul disguised himself, and put on other clothing, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, Please divine to me by the familiar spirit, and bring me up whoever I shall name to you.
1Sa 28:9 The woman said to him, Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?
1Sa 28:10 Saul swore to her by Yahweh, saying, As Yahweh lives, there shall no punishment happen to you for this thing.
1Sa 28:11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up to you? He said, Bring me up Samuel.
1Sa 28:12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying, Why have you deceived me? for you are Saul.
1Sa 28:13 The king said to her, Don't be afraid: for what do you see? The woman said to Saul, I see a god coming up out of the earth.
1Sa 28:14 He said to her, What form is he of? She said, An old man comes up; and he is covered with a robe. Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance.
1Sa 28:15 Samuel said to Saul, Why have you disquieted me, to bring me up? Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answers me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called you, that you may make known to me what I shall do.
1Sa 28:16 Samuel said, Why then do you ask of me, seeing Yahweh has departed from you, and has become your adversary?
1Sa 28:17 Yahweh has done to you as he spoke by me: and Yahweh has torn the kingdom out of your hand, and given it to your neighbor, even to David.
1Sa 28:18 Because you didn't obey the voice of Yahweh, and didn't execute his fierce wrath on Amalek, therefore Yahweh has done this thing to you this day.
1Sa 28:19 Moreover Yahweh will deliver Israel also with you into the hand of the Philistines; and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me: Yahweh will deliver the army of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.
1Sa 28:20 Then Saul fell immediately his full length on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
1Sa 28:21 The woman came to Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said to him, Behold, your handmaid has listened to your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have listened to your words which you spoke to me.
1Sa 28:22 Now therefore, please listen also to the voice of your handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before you; and eat, that you may have strength, when you go on your way.
1Sa 28:23 But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants, together with the woman, constrained him; and he listened to their voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat on the bed.
1Sa 28:24 The woman had a fattened calf in the house; and she hurried, and killed it; and she took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread of it:
1Sa 28:25 and she brought it before Saul, and before his servants; and they ate. Then they rose up, and went away that night.

June 18
1 Samuel 29, 30

1Sa 29:1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek: and the Israelites encamped by the spring which is in Jezreel.
1Sa 29:2 The lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rearward with Achish.
1Sa 29:3 Then said the princes of the Philistines, Whatdo these Hebrews here? Achish said to the princes of the Philistines, Isn't this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather these years, and I have found no fault in him since he fell away to me to this day?
1Sa 29:4 But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; and the princes of the Philistines said to him, Make the man return, that he may go back to his place where you have appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us: for with what should this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? should it not be with the heads of these men?
1Sa 29:5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to another in dances, saying, Saul has slain his thousands, David his ten thousands?
1Sa 29:6 Then Achish called David, and said to him, As Yahweh lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight; for I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me to this day: nevertheless the lords don't favor you.
1Sa 29:7 Therefore now return, and go in peace, that you not displease the lords of the Philistines.
1Sa 29:8 David said to Achish, But what have I done? and what have you found in your servant so long as I have been before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?
1Sa 29:9 Achish answered David, I know that you are good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.
1Sa 29:10 Therefore now rise up early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you; and as soon as you are up early in the morning, and have light, depart.
1Sa 29:11 So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. The Philistines went up to Jezreel.

1Sa 30:1 It happened, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the South, and on Ziklag, and had struck Ziklag, and burned it with fire,
1Sa 30:2 and had taken captive the women and all who were therein, both small and great: they didn't kill any, but carried them off, and went their way.
1Sa 30:3 When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captive.
1Sa 30:4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
1Sa 30:5 David's two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
1Sa 30:6 David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David strengthened himself in Yahweh his God.
1Sa 30:7 David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, Please bring me here the ephod. Abiathar brought there the ephod to David.
1Sa 30:8 David inquired of Yahweh, saying, If I pursue after this troop, shall I overtake them? He answered him, Pursue; for you shall surely overtake them, and shall without fail recover all.
1Sa 30:9 So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed.
1Sa 30:10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they couldn't go over the brook Besor.
1Sa 30:11 They found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he ate; and they gave him water to drink.
1Sa 30:12 They gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.
1Sa 30:13 David said to him, To whom do you belong? and where are you from? He said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I fell sick.
1Sa 30:14 We made a raid on the South of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the South of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.
1Sa 30:15 David said to him, Will you bring me down to this troop? He said, Swear to me by God, that you will neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this troop.
1Sa 30:16 When he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the ground, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.
1Sa 30:17 David struck them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day: and there not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who rode on camels and fled.
1Sa 30:18 David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken; and David rescued his two wives.
1Sa 30:19 There was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them: David brought back all.
1Sa 30:20 David took all the flocks and the herds,which they drove before those other livestock, and said, This is David's spoil.
1Sa 30:21 David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom also they had made to abide at the brook Besor; and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people who were with him: and when David came near to the people, he greeted them.
1Sa 30:22 Then answered all the wicked men and base fellows, of those who went with David, and said, Because they didn't go with us, we will not give them anything of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that he may lead them away, and depart.
1Sa 30:23 Then said David, You shall not do so, my brothers, with that which Yahweh has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.
1Sa 30:24 Who will listen to you in this matter? for as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who tarries by the baggage: they shall share alike.
1Sa 30:25 It was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.
1Sa 30:26 When David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil to the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold, a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of Yahweh:
1Sa 30:27 To those who were in Bethel, and to those who were in Ramoth of the South, and to those who were in Jattir,
1Sa 30:28 and to those who were in Aroer, and to those who were in Siphmoth, and to those who were in Eshtemoa,
1Sa 30:29 and to those who were in Racal, and to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those who were in the cities of the Kenites,
1Sa 30:30 and to those who were in Hormah, and to those who were in Borashan, and to those who were in Athach,
1Sa 30:31 and to those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men used to stay.

Jun. 17, 18
John 17

Joh 17:1 Jesus said these things, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may also glorify you;
Joh 17:2 even as you gave him authority over all flesh, he will give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
Joh 17:3 This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
Joh 17:4 I glorified you on the earth. I have accomplished the work which you have given me to do.
Joh 17:5 Now, Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world existed.
Joh 17:6 I revealed your name to the people whom you have given me out of the world. They were yours, and you have given them to me. They have kept your word.
Joh 17:7 Now they have known that all things whatever you have given me are from you,
Joh 17:8 for the words which you have given me I have given to them, and they received them, and knew for sure that I came forth from you, and they have believed that you sent me.
Joh 17:9 I pray for them. I don't pray for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
Joh 17:10 All things that are mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.
Joh 17:11 I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them through your name which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are.
Joh 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name. Those whom you have given me I have kept. None of them is lost, except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
Joh 17:13 But now I come to you, and I say these things in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves.
Joh 17:14 I have given them your word. The world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:15 I pray not that you would take them from the world, but that you would keep them from the evil one.
Joh 17:16 They are not of the world even as I am not of the world.
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them in your truth. Your word is truth.
Joh 17:18 As you sent me into the world, even so I have sent them into the world.
Joh 17:19 For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
Joh 17:20 Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who believe in me through their word,
Joh 17:21 that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you sent me.
Joh 17:22 The glory which you have given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one;
Joh 17:23 I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me.
Joh 17:24 Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Joh 17:25 Righteous Father, the world hasn't known you, but I knew you; and these knew that you sent me.
Joh 17:26 I made known to them your name, and will make it known; that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them." 

Why was Jesus despised? by Roy Davison

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/unpop.html

Why was Jesus despised?

Strange as it may seem, some did not like Jesus. He was a good man. He healed the sick and helped the weak. Yet, some really despised Hem. It had been foretold that the Messiah would be “despised by the people” (Psalm 22:6). “He was despised, and we did not esteem Him” (Isaiah 53:3).
To despise is to regard with contempt, to feel a strong dislike for.
Jesus explained why: “This is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).
There were many religious people in Palestine at the time of Christ. One might expect them to welcome the Son of God with open arms. But they did not. Jesus was unpopular for several reasons.

He opposed traditions that were contrary to the will of God.
Many people are really attached to their traditions. They often love them more than the word of God.
Jewish religious life at the time of Christ was regulated by the Old Testament plus the writings of the rabbis. A careful distinction was made between inspired and uninspired writings. Yet, many of the rituals and regulations were based, not on the Scriptures, but on human traditions.
Jesus was unpopular with the religious leaders because He condemned traditions that were contrary to the word of God.
“Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders” (Mark 7:1-3).
There is nothing wrong with washing your hands before you eat, but handwashing - although not commanded in the Old Testament - was viewed as an obligatory religious rite.
“Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, ‘Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?’ He answered and said to them, ‘Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men’” (Mark 7:5-8).
Jesus applied this passage from Isaiah to the people of His time, and unfortunately, the same is true today. The religious lives of many are governed, not by the Scriptures, but by traditions that violate the Scriptures. 
Unscriptural names are worn that glorify something or someone other than Christ.
Worship is conducted according to tradition rather than the Scriptures. Roman Catholics worship images, dead people (Saints) and the Pope. Protestants celebrate Christmas and Easter according to Catholic tradition, while neglecting to have the Lord’s supper each week. People burn candles and incense, and play music instruments, forms of worship that are not prescribed in the New Testament.
Jesus said that worship based on human doctrine is in vain. To follow Christ, we must put aside human traditions and be led by the word of God.
But many love their traditions more than God’s word. With such people, Christ is not really popular. A man may praise the Lord a thousand times with his lips, but if he is following the doctrines of men, his worship is to no avail.

Jesus was unpopular because He emphasized spiritual values and taught the futility of material things.
At first Jesus was popular because of His healings and His miraculous feeding of nine thousand people. But when He refused to become a worldly king (John 6:15) and said, “I am the bread of life” and “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing” (John 6:48, 63), His popularity evaporated.
“From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’ But Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life’” (John 6:66-68). 
Jesus told a rich young man who kept the ten commandments: “‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God’” (Matthew 19:21-24).
This man carefully observed the ten commandments, but material wealth was the focus of his life, and it was hard for him to put his wealth aside to follow Christ.
Jesus said, “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 16:13). Mammon is material wealth. One cannot devote his life both to God and to material wealth.
“Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him” (Luke 16:14). The Pharisees despised Jesus because they were “money-lovers.” (“Lovers of money” is one word in Greek.)
Many people today, even though they are Christians, even though they attend services regularly, might be lost because their lives are focused on material things. They are so busy earning money that they have little time for spiritual endeavors. Their house and car payments are so high that they have little left for benevolence and the work of the Lord. They live in luxury but lack treasure in heaven.
The apostle Matthew, also called Levi, left his money to follow Christ: “And as He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ And he arose and followed Him” (Mark 2:14).
One man wanted Jesus to help him get a share of an inheritance. Notice how Jesus responded: “Then one from the crowd said to Him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.’ But He said to him, ‘Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?’ But He said to them, ‘Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses’” (Luke 12:13-15). Jesus refuses to deal with the validity of the request but goes to the core of the problem and condemns the covetousness of both brothers.
“Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: ‘The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, “What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?” So he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.’” But God said to him, “You fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?” So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God’” (Luke 12:16-21).
Jesus would not fit in our modern society at all! What a statement! Heavenly treasure is more important than earthly treasure! Jesus obviously never watched television!
Many years ago a man in Belgium became a Christen but fell away after a time. When I visited him he said that he had experienced more disadvantages than advantages from being a Christian. Through the years he saved money to buy a cottage in Spain - where the weather is nice - for his retirement years. But a few years before he could retire, he died.
Jesus spoke the truth about the futility of worldly wealth: “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26).
Also in our time, Jesus is definitely not popular with materially-minded people. They did not like Him then, and they do not like Him now. They may pretend to serve Him, but actually they serve themselves.
Jesus wants us to dedicate our lives to doing good. We ought to help others and contribute something worthwhile to society. But many spend their time mainly taking care of themselves, increasing material ease, while others are in need. We must repent if we want to be true followers of Christ.

Jesus was unpopular because He exposed the sinfulness of self-righteous people and called sinners to repentance.
Jesus was most disliked by the so-called religious people of His time. He embarrassed them because He ate with sinners. When criticized for this He replied: “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Matthew 9:13).
People who realized that they needed forgiveness, liked Jesus because He encouraged them to leave their sinful ways and live new lives under His leadership.
People who thought they were righteous, hated Jesus because He condemned their hypocrisy. “Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying: ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’s seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do to be seen by men’” (Matthew 23:1-5). 
Jesus evaluated people on the basis of their spiritual attitude and not on the basis of their outward show of religion.
How many churches and people today give an outward show of religion, but will have nothing to do with those who are lost? They pray long prayers but do little to help the poor and sinful. They look down on them and do not want to be seen in their company.
Jesus associated with the lowly. If we want to be followers of Christ we must do what we can to help the sinful and the poor.
Paul said a time would come when many would have nothing but an empty shell of religion: “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

Jesus was unpopular for various reasons.
He opposed human traditions that are contrary to the will of God.
He emphasized spiritual values and taught the futility of material things.
He exposed the sinfulness of self-righteous people and called sinners to repentance.
Jesus was unpopular in His day and He is unpopular with most people today.
But we pray that you will make Him King of your life. Take up your cross and follow Him. Free yourself from human traditions. Seek the kingdom of God rather than material gain. Repent of your sins. Go to Christ for forgiveness and be His messenger to help others find the way. If you do this, you will no doubt be unpopular with many. But you will please Christ, and when He comes again, He will recognize you as His own. Amen.
Roy Davison
The Scripture quotations in this article are from The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982, Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers unless indicated otherwise. Permission for reference use has been granted.

Published in The Old Paths Archive
http://www.oldpaths.com

Teachings of Jesus (Part 7) Love Your Enemies Luke 6:27-36 by Ben Fronczek

http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?p=1773

Teachings of Jesus (Part 7) Love Your Enemies

 Luke 6:27-36
How do you like to be treated by others? With respect, courtesy, honor and kindness. When people speak like the truth, & words of encouragement….    What about how you treat others, do you treat them this way, the way you want to be treated? In today’s lesson from Jesus we will see how he addresses this subject. In Matthew 22:39 NIV, Jesus quotes Leviticus 19:19 saying, “Love your neighbor as yourself” which is very similar to what he says in our text from text today seen in Luke 6:31 which says “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
Perhaps you never thought of loving yourself as being good, but it is a reality. When speaking to husbands in Ephesians 5:28 Paul explains to husbands that they should love their wives as they love their own bodies. We all take pretty good care of ourselves, don’t we? Paul further states in verse 29 that no one ever hated his own body, but feeds it and takes care of it. We do take care of ourselves don’t we? Granted, some of us may not like our body in the sense of wishing it looked better or was shaped differently, but from my perspective looking out at you I can see that we all try our best to make sure we look good and don’t neglect ourselves.
Now, back to Matthew 22:39 NIV, Jesus has just stated ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ and then what we have in Luke where Jesus said ‘Do to others as you would have them do to you;’ think with me now, how do you want other folks to treat you? How do you want folks to talk to you? How do you want folks to talk ABOUT you? How do you want others to treat you even those that don’t like you?
What Jesus is teaching here in Luke and Matthew is not so much about how we want others to treat us, rather it’s about how we are to treat others. I believe that Jesus spent time teaching these things because He knew that many of us need an attitude adjustment when it comes to this subject.
Many aren’t even very nice to family members and those in their own home, not to mention how they treat strangers who look at them funny or how they treat people that they know don’t like them. People had some bad attitudes back then, and some also have some pretty bad attitudes today. People can be argumentative, mean, vindictive, arrogant, spite filled, even vicious at times, and that’s in our households. And if you think that a person doesn’t like you, or are opposed to you, or if they are your enemy.. Well then watch our!
That’s why Jesus had something to say about this subject, because some of us definitely need an attitude adjustment. It’s amazing how some of us can be so sweet at times. We visit some friends or come here to church and put a smile on and say such nice and encouraging things, but watch out if someone pulls out in front of them on the way home, or if your spouse crosses you in some way.
I want you to take note of the context that Jesus uses to teach us this principal.   Read Luke 6 27-36
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
So why should we act like this? Why do good to those who dislike us and want to take advantage of us? To begin with, #1, as a Christian and as a followers of the Prince of Peace Jesus lets us know that such a positive behavior will make you different than others who would just instinctively put up a fierce fight. Your reactions and behavior is meant to make a positive impression on others; not only our enemy but also everyone else that is watching how we handle the situation. Jesus continued on in the context by saying,
32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?   Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
#2 Another good reason why we should listen to the advice that Jesus gives here is for our own peace of mind. If someone treats you badly and you are not able to forgive them and decide to retaliate in some manner it will not promote peace in your own heart. Many time we think that if we retaliate and get some kind of revenge on those who hurt us we will feel better; but not so if you are a genuine disciple of Christ. You know that’s not what He wants you to do. So you wind up feeling guilty, or even sorry. I read a couple of good stories that illustrate this, here’s one…
Leonardo Da Vinci once had a terrible falling out with a fellow artist just before he began work on the “Last Supper.” The story is told that he determined to paint his enemy as Judas. It was a perfect likeness. But last of all, he set to work painting the likeness of Jesus. No matter how he tried, nothing seemed to please him. Finally, he realized that he could not paint the portrait of Jesus as long as his enemy had been painted into Judas’s place. Once that was corrected, then the face of Jesus came easily. Neither can we paint the face of Jesus in our lives as long as we hold bitterness in our hearts.
Illus. #2   Another story I heard was of a man who embezzled $27,000 from a partnership he had with a Christian couple. The Christians became embittered. They couldn’t sleep well at night and were so troubled that they approached their minister asking what they should do. Their preacher advised that they find a way to “invest” in their former partner. After prayer and discussion, they decided that they would find a financial need that he had and meet it. Learning that he had to move and needed $3000 to do so, they gave that sum to him. Almost immediately, the wife began to sleep better and the bitterness left them. And they also went on to say that they believe that God had begun to compensate them financially for their loss because of their faithfulness in this.
You can either live a life filled with bitterness because of how others treat you, or you can simply choose to turn the situation over to God and trust Him for your deliverance. Trust me when I say that if you learn to turn it over to our Lord and believe that He will take care of you in the end you are going to sleep a whole lot better, and you may even be able to go around felling a whole lot better during your waking hours.
#3. Another reason for choosing to love your enemies and treat them as well as everyone else or the way you would like to be treated is the fact that your positive attitude may actually change them.
A woman wrote to “Pulpit Helps” to explain a miraculous lesson her family experienced. This is what she wrote. “During one of their family Bible readings as New Christians, they ran across the verse, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him” (Romans 12:20 RSV). Ours sons, 7 and 10 at the time, were especially puzzled. “Why should you feed your enemy?” they wondered. My husband and I wondered too, but the only answer John could think of to give the boys was, “We’re supposed to because God says so.” It never occurred to us that we would soon learn why. Day after day John Jr. came home from school complaining about a classmate who sat behind him in 5th grade. “Bob keeps jabbing me when Miss Smith isn’t looking. One of these days, when we’re out on the play ground, I’m going to jab him back.
I was ready to go down to the school and jab Bob myself. Obviously the boy was a brat. Besides, why wasn’t Miss Smith doing a better job with her kids? I’d better give her an oral jab, too, at the same time!” I was still fuming over this injustice to John Jr. when his 7 year old brother spoke up: “Maybe he should feed his enemy.” The 3 of us were startled. None of us was sure about this “enemy” business. It didn’t seem that an enemy would be in the 5th grade. An enemy was someone who was way off… well, somewhere.
We all looked at John. Since he was the head of the family , he should come up with the solution. But the only answer he could offer was the same one he had give before: “I guess we should because God said so.” “Well,” I asked John Jr., “do you know what Bob likes to eat? If you’re going to feed him, you may as well get something he likes.” “Jelly beans,” he almost shouted, “Bob just loves jelly beans.”
So we bought a bag of jelly beans for him to take to school the next day, and decided that the next time Bob jabbed John Jr., John was simply to turn around and deposit the bag on his “enemy’s” desk. We would see whether or not this enemy feeding worked.
The next afternoon, the boys rushed home from the school bus and John Jr. called ahead, “It worked, Mom! It worked.” I wanted the details: “What did Bob do? What did he say?” “He was so surprised he didn’t say anything – he just took the jelly beans. But he didn’t jab me the rest of the day!” In time, John Jr. and Bob became the best of friends – all because of a little bag of Jelly Beans.
Both of our sons subsequently because missionaries on foreign fields. Their way of showing friendship with any “enemies” of the faith was to invite the inhabitants of those countries into their own homes to share food with them around their own tables. It seems “enemies” are always hungry. Maybe that’s why God said to feed them.”
Even though we may not fully understand the why Jesus taught some of these things, He taught them for a reason. We live in an imperfect world and we have been taught many improper habits and behaviors like fighting and revenge. I believe Jesus wants us to die to many of the world’s ways and experience a few attitude adjustments. By doing so you just may change the world around you and glorify your Lord at the same time. If not, at least we have the promises of God, that we will be His children and He will eventually reward us.
For more lessons click on the following link: http://granvillenychurchofchrist.org/?page_id=566
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