SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 9/24/2020 8:55 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Intro to
Matt. 5:43-48 “Love your Enemies”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matthew
5:43-48
Message of the verses: “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, bless those who curse you, do good to those who
hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 “that
you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil
and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 “For if you
love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors
do the same? 47 “And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than
others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 “Therefore you shall be
perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
We
have been looking at five illustrations that contrast the false righteousness
of the scribes and Pharisees with the true righteousness of God, and as we
begin looking at Matthew 5:43-48 we will be looking at the sixth as Jesus
contrast their [scribes and Pharisees] kind of love with God’s. There is no where found a greater difference
from the scribes and Pharisees self-system of religion than from God’s divine
standards when it comes to love.
MacArthur writes “Nowhere had God’s standard been so corrupted as in the
way the self-righteous scribes and Pharisees viewed themselves in relation to
others. Nowhere was it more evident that
they lacked the humility, mourning over their own sin, meekness, yearning for
true righteousness, mercy, purity of heart, and peacemaking spirit that are to
belong to God’s kingdom citizens.
“As
with the previous illustrations, we will look at the teaching of the Old
Testament, the perversion of rabbinic tradition, and the perspective of Jesus
Christ.”
I
want to say that this chapter that is found in MacArthur’s commentary is a long
chapter and so it will take us a fairly long time to go over the important
things that are found in these six verses, and as already mentioned this will
be the last time we will be looking at chapter five, a chapter we began back in
mid-March.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: As mentioned we have been looking at five sections
in which Jesus is comparing the scribes and Pharisees system of religion with
what God desires of His people who are living in His kingdom. Sometimes it is easy to go along with the
scribes and Pharisees, but I must not do that.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Follow the way of the Lord for living in His
wonderful kingdom.
9/24/2020 9:09 AM
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