The Teachings of Jesus: a study for fellowship groups
These are sections from the 'Sermon on the Mount' which supplement the 'Beatitudes' which are featured in Ebe's Autumn 2002 programme of All Age Worship, continuing with important areas of practical living where Jesus quotes the Law with the words "You have heard that …" and then goes on to say "But I tell you that ..." -revised 21/10/2002

Kingdom principles: 'Things you have heard' reinterpreted by Jesus

You have heard it said 'Love your enemies' (Mt 5:44-48; also Lk 6:27-38).

The Greek language has three words for love, which enable us to distinguish Christian love (agape) from passionate devotion (eros) and warm affection (philia). Jesus did not tell his disciples to fall in love with their enemies or to feel for them as they felt for their families and friends. Agape love on the other hand, is a gracious, determined and active interest in the true welfare of others. It is not put off by hatred (Mt 5:44), abuse or exploitation (Lk 6:28), and it is not just shown to those who will love in return (Mt 5:46) as is often the way of the world. Agape love does not retaliate, seeks no reward (Lk 6:34-35), and is of an accepting, forgiving and uncondemning nature (Lk 6:37). It is the love that is the very character of God himself (1 John 4:8,16) and should change those brought into contact with it.

Q1 Have group members discovered a new type of love developing in their lives during the time that they have been Christians?

Q2 To what extent to we expect love that we show others to be reciprocated? Do we attach conditions, if only at the thought level?

Q3 How do we cope with the concept of showing God's sort of love to people who are a threat to our snese of well-being, or our security (even national security) our our family?

The followers of Jesus, called to love their enemies, were living in enemy-occupied territory, where resentment was natural and provocation frequent. They were not just to submit to aggression, but to rob it of its sting by voluntarily going beyond its demands. To those who believe in standing up for their individual or national rights this teaching has always seemed idealistic, if not actually immoral. But those who are concerned with the victory of the kingdom of God over the kingdom of Satan can see that it is the only realism. He who retaliates thinks that he is manfully resisting aggression; in fact, he is making an unconditional surrender to evil. Where before there was one under the control of evil, now there are two. Evil is contagious, and defeated only when hatred, insult, and injury are absorbed and neutralized by love.

Again, this type of love, Agape love, is only inderstood in relationship with God. Read 1 John 4:7-21. The apostle Peter was embarrassed and upset by the questioning of Jesus during the resurrection appearance on the shores of lake Galilee (John 21:15-17). He has disowned Jesus three times and now three times Jesus askes him if he loves him. He was upset to be asked a third time because it confronted him with his denials (Mk 14:71-72) but what was more upsetting is that Jesus had asked him twice "Do you love me [with Agape love] " (Jn 21:15,16) and Peter had replied "I love you [with phiila love]" . The third time Jesus seemed to call even that into question with the words "Do you love me [with philia love]" to which Peter could only repeat what he had said twice before. But Jesus accepted and rewarded Peter and it is a reminded to us of the acceptence and unconditional love that God shows to us. We're never out of range of it.

Q4 Do we ever feel less in receipt of God's love? When we fail God, do we find that he is still there to receive us back.

The last verse of the section in the epistle (1 Jn 4:21) used to be translated "We love him because he first loved us" but in fact the word "him" is missing in the original, much as it makes good reading that way. The whole section is about a world needing a demonstration of love. Most people have a rough-and-ready ethic based on common sense, enlightened self-interest, give-and-take and so on and they can claim to be as good as their neighbours. But the followers of Jesus must go further.

Q5 Are there areas of our lives where we must try harder to love and particular people that we must try to impact with God's love through us.

Q6 Is love something that is to come naturally, or do we have to work at it all the time? Discuss this.