Make Love, not War (\u00abMake love, not war\u00bb). This catch\u00adphra\u00adse sums up love of enemies suc\u00adcinct\u00adly. Ins\u00adtead of war, fol\u00adlo\u00adwers of Jesus are to respond to hosti\u00adli\u00adty with love. The Father in hea\u00adven ser\u00adves as a model for an excep\u00adtio\u00adnal life\u00adstyle. He is not only a role model, but he wants to trans\u00adform us into this cha\u00adrac\u00adter through metamorphosis.<\/p>\n
\tWho beco\u00admes your neigh\u00adbour through his need? Who is your ene\u00admy? Whom do you avoid? Make Love, not War (\u00abMake love, not war\u00bb). This catch\u00adphra\u00adse sums up love of enemies suc\u00adcinct\u00adly. Ins\u00adtead of war, fol\u00adlo\u00adwers of Jesus are to respond to hosti\u00adli\u00adty with love. The Father in hea\u00adven ser\u00adves as a model for an excep\u00adtio\u00adnal life\u00adstyle. He is not only a role model, but he wants to trans\u00adform us into this cha\u00adrac\u00adter through metamorphosis.\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","wpfc_preacher":[23],"wpfc_sermon_series":[72],"wpfc_sermon_topics":[],"wpfc_bible_book":[],"wpfc_service_type":[12],"class_list":{"0":"wpfc_preacher-matthias-altwegg","1":"wpfc_sermon_series-metamorphose","2":"wpfc-sermon-single","3":"post-3602","4":"wpfc_sermon","5":"type-wpfc_sermon","6":"status-publish","7":"hentry","10":"wpfc_service_type-gottesdienst"},"acf":[],"sermons_blog_filters_topics":"\t\t\t\t
\nCar\u00adlos Ortiz, the pas\u00adtor of the fas\u00adtest gro\u00adwing church in Bue\u00adnos Aires, told a sto\u00adry at a con\u00adfe\u00adrence. He had been a pas\u00adtor for many years and pre\u00ada\u00adched every Sun\u00adday. This Sun\u00adday, when he ope\u00adned his Bible to preach, all he could say was \u00abLove one ano\u00adther\u00bb. His wife thought he was going cra\u00adzy. It was very embar\u00adras\u00adsing. After a few minu\u00adtes he got up again and said, \u00abLove one ano\u00adther!\u00bb And after a while again, \u00abLove one ano\u00adther!\u00bb Then he remain\u00aded sea\u00adted. In time, a man among the thou\u00adsands of peo\u00adp\u00adle atten\u00adding the ser\u00advice began to talk to his neigh\u00adbour. He asked the man, whom he did not know, if he could help him in any way. And then ano\u00adther and ano\u00adther and final\u00adly hundreds began to com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adca\u00adte with the neigh\u00adbours. At the end of that ser\u00advice, 28 unem\u00adploy\u00aded peo\u00adp\u00adle had found work and many sin\u00adgle mothers got help for their child\u00adren. If only the pas\u00adtor had given a good ser\u00admon about love, 28 peo\u00adp\u00adle would have gone home wit\u00adhout jobs. The tra\u00adge\u00addy is: nobo\u00addy would have cared! Car\u00adlos Ortiz repea\u00adted this the next Sun\u00adday and the Sun\u00adday after. After three weeks, 300 mem\u00adbers left his church. Car\u00adlos said, \u00abIt\u2019s the best thing that could have hap\u00adpen\u00aded to us.\u00bb The\u00adse 300 peo\u00adp\u00adle were not inte\u00adres\u00adted in Chris\u00adti\u00adan life at all, but only in good sermons.
\nWhat are you inte\u00adres\u00adted in? In the Chris\u00adti\u00adan life or in good ser\u00admons? The Ser\u00admon on the Mount is inte\u00adres\u00adted in the Chris\u00adti\u00adan life; in vir\u00adtu\u00ades and a cha\u00adrac\u00adter that is more and more like the exam\u00adp\u00adle of God.
\nWho is an enemy?
\n\u00abYou have heard that in the Law of Moses it says: \u00abLove your neigh\u00adbour\u00bb and hate your ene\u00admy. But I say: Love your enemies! Pray for tho\u00adse who per\u00adse\u00adcu\u00adte you!\u00bb (Matthew 5:43f NLB<\/span>). In vain we will look in the Torah for the com\u00admandment to hate your enemies. This com\u00admandment does not exist. It is that the state\u00adment: \u00abYou shall love your neigh\u00adbour\u00bb was inter\u00adpre\u00adted by some rab\u00adbis as: \u00abYou shall love only your neigh\u00adbour\u00bb. The\u00adr\u00ade\u00adfo\u00adre, one of the gre\u00adat deba\u00adtes among the rab\u00adbis revol\u00adved around the ques\u00adti\u00adon, \u00abWho is my neigh\u00adbour?\u00bb They also con\u00adfron\u00adted Jesus with this ques\u00adti\u00adon (Luke 10:29). This was the occa\u00adsi\u00adon for the para\u00adble of the Good Sama\u00adri\u00adtan. A man was left inju\u00adred by the roadsi\u00adde after an attack. In turn, a Jewish priest, a temp\u00adle ser\u00advant and a Sama\u00adri\u00adtan pas\u00adsed by. The first two loo\u00adked away and chan\u00adged sides of the road. The Sama\u00adri\u00adtan under\u00adtook an ela\u00adbo\u00adra\u00adte reli\u00adef ope\u00adra\u00adti\u00adon. The Sama\u00adri\u00adtans were among the grea\u00adtest enemies of the Jews at that time. In con\u00adclu\u00adsi\u00adon, Jesus asked the group, \u00abNow which of the three do you think was clo\u00adsest to the man who was atta\u00adcked by rob\u00adbers?\u00bb (Luke 10:36 NLB<\/span>). Who is my neigh\u00adbour? Ever\u00adyo\u00adne! And \u2013 I can\u00adnot deci\u00adde who is my neigh\u00adbour from my optics, but the need of the other makes me his neigh\u00adbour. When I see a need and beco\u00adme awa\u00adre of it, I auto\u00adma\u00adti\u00adcal\u00adly beco\u00adme a neighbour.
\nEnemies can also be peo\u00adp\u00adle who have a com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly dif\u00adfe\u00adrent per\u00adso\u00adna\u00adli\u00adty and you keep rub\u00adbing up against them. Some\u00adti\u00admes a com\u00adpe\u00adti\u00adtor also beco\u00admes an ene\u00admy becau\u00adse he or she ste\u00adals your thun\u00adder. May\u00adbe your ene\u00admy sits on the same board and tri\u00ades to push through the dia\u00adme\u00adtri\u00adcal\u00adly dif\u00adfe\u00adrent pro\u00adject than you do. My father-in-law was a Green can\u00adto\u00adnal coun\u00adcil\u00adlor. When\u00adever a mis\u00adhap hap\u00adpen\u00aded to him, he used to jokin\u00adgly say: \u00abIt was the SVP<\/span>!\u00bb For the car importer, cli\u00adma\u00adte acti\u00advists are enemies. An ene\u00admy is a per\u00adson who eit\u00adher needs your help, who you find fun\u00adny, who has a com\u00adple\u00adte\u00adly dif\u00adfe\u00adrent opi\u00adni\u00adon, who wants to do you harm or who con\u00adstant\u00adly gra\u00adtes on your ner\u00adves. Some\u00adti\u00admes peo\u00adp\u00adle beco\u00adme enemies wit\u00adhout us wan\u00adting them to. Fried\u00adrich Schil\u00adler wro\u00adte: \u00abThe most pious man can\u00adnot remain at peace if his wicked neigh\u00adbour does not like it.
\nHow do we deal with the enemy?
\nThe meta\u00admor\u00adpho\u00adsis is about beco\u00adming more and more like the Father in hea\u00adven. How does God deal with peo\u00adp\u00adle who do not ask for him and even reject him? Jesus gives us the ans\u00adwer: \u00abSo act like true child\u00adren of your Father in hea\u00adven. For he makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on both the righ\u00adteous and the unrigh\u00adteous\u00bb (Matthew 5:45 NLB<\/span>). God makes the sun rise on his enemies and sends rain. He pro\u00advi\u00addes for their well-being \u2013 just as he pro\u00advi\u00addes for the well-being of his fol\u00adlo\u00adwers. So Chris\u00adti\u00adans are not favou\u00adred. A jel\u00adly\u00adfi\u00adsh does not distin\u00adgu\u00adish whe\u00adther it stings a Chris\u00adti\u00adan or an athe\u00adist. Even in the case of vic\u00adtims of traf\u00adfic acci\u00addents, the rate is no lower among peo\u00adp\u00adle who belie\u00adve in Jesus than other\u00adwi\u00adse. This fact that God bles\u00adses the ungra\u00adteful has always irri\u00adta\u00adted peo\u00adp\u00adle. \u00abWhy does it go so well with the ungod\u00adly?\u00bb asks Asaph (Psalm 73:3f; cf. Jere\u00admi\u00adah 12:1). The exter\u00adnal cir\u00adcum\u00ads\u00adtances are on avera\u00adge the same for all peo\u00adp\u00adle. The reason for this is that God does not stu\u00addy whom to be kind to and whom not. The hea\u00adven\u00adly Father is good in His natu\u00adre. He is love. \u00abAll that is good and per\u00adfect is given to us from abo\u00adve, from God who crea\u00adted all the lights of hea\u00adven. Unli\u00adke them, he does not chan\u00adge, nor alter\u00adna\u00adte bet\u00adween light and dark\u00adness\u00bb (James 1:17 NLB<\/span>). Later on, when Jesus has come again and the Last Jud\u00adge\u00adment has taken place, it will be dif\u00adfe\u00adrent. The Bible talks about two sta\u00adtes of hea\u00adven and hell. Hea\u00adven is the place whe\u00adre God\u2019s good\u00adness and mer\u00adcy can be expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adced in ulti\u00adma\u00adte con\u00adse\u00adquence and per\u00adfec\u00adtion. In hell, on the other hand, peo\u00adp\u00adle expe\u00adri\u00adence the com\u00adple\u00adte absence of God\u2019s sun and rain. That must be terrible!
\nWhat does a per\u00adson gain from hono\u00adu\u00adring God if he still expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adces the same suf\u00adfe\u00adring? A fol\u00adlower of Jesus is never alo\u00adne. God is always with him. \u00abYea, though I walk through the val\u00adley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they com\u00adfort me\u00bb (Psalm 23:4 LUT<\/span>).
\nPray\u00ading for \u00abenemies\u00bb: Jewish thin\u00adking under\u00adstands love as a con\u00adcre\u00adte action and not a fee\u00adling. What does Jesus expect from his fol\u00adlo\u00adwers when they expe\u00adri\u00adence oppo\u00adsi\u00adti\u00adon? That they do not react with hat\u00adred, but turn their fee\u00adlings into pray\u00ader. This is a way of making love con\u00adcre\u00adte. The goal of pray\u00ader is that the ene\u00admy cea\u00adses to be an ene\u00admy. Only Almigh\u00adty God can bring that about. Pray\u00ader is a powerful wea\u00adpon. Through it, the \u00abene\u00admy rela\u00adti\u00adonship\u00bb is made unsta\u00adble by one side. Jewish tra\u00addi\u00adti\u00adon says to this: Pray for the ene\u00admy that he may ser\u00adve God. Who is a gre\u00adat one? The one who makes someone who hates him into someone who loves him. Tho\u00adse who are oppres\u00adsed and do not oppress, who hear their abu\u00adse and do not return it, who act out of love and rejoice in suf\u00adfe\u00adring \u2013 about them the Scrip\u00adtu\u00adre says: \u00abBut tho\u00adse who love you shall grow in strength like the rising sun!\u00bb (Jud\u00adges 5:31 NLB<\/span>).
\nWhat makes the Chris\u00adti\u00adan life special?
\n\u00abIf you love only tho\u00adse who love you, what is so spe\u00adcial about that? Even the bri\u00adbe-taking tax coll\u00adec\u00adtors do that. If you are only kind to your fri\u00adends, what makes you dif\u00adfe\u00adrent from other peo\u00adp\u00adle? Even tho\u00adse who do not know God do this\u00bb (Matthew 5:46f NLB<\/span>). On ano\u00adther occa\u00adsi\u00adon Jesus explains how a Chris\u00adti\u00adan can be dif\u00adfe\u00adrent from others: \u00abLove your enemies! Do good to them! Lend them money! And do not worry becau\u00adse they may not give it back to you. Then your reward in hea\u00adven will be gre\u00adat, and you will tru\u00adly act like child\u00adren of the Most High, for he does good even to the ungra\u00adteful and the wicked\u00bb (Luke 6:35 NLB<\/span>). Solo\u00admon, by the way, alre\u00ada\u00addy pro\u00adclai\u00admed love of enemies in the Old Tes\u00adta\u00adment: \u00abIf your ene\u00admy is hun\u00adgry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him drink. So you will gather bur\u00adning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you\u00bb (Pro\u00adverbs 25:21f NLB<\/span>).
\n\u00abIma\u00adgi\u00adne it\u2019s war and nobo\u00addy goes.\u00bb That is beau\u00adtiful\u00adly said. But in the sen\u00adse of the ser\u00admon text, such avo\u00adid\u00adance tac\u00adtics are not enough. What is requi\u00adred is the path of love. In this sen\u00adse I would like to say: \u00abMake Love \u2013 not War\u00bb.
\nCor\u00adrie ten Boom had an impres\u00adsi\u00adve expe\u00adri\u00adence of this. After a ser\u00admon in a Munich church, she came face to face with her for\u00admer tor\u00admen\u00adtor from the Ravens\u00adbr\u00fcck con\u00adcen\u00adtra\u00adti\u00adon camp who had tor\u00adtu\u00adred and humi\u00adlia\u00adted her. After the ser\u00admon he approa\u00adched her and said to her: \u00abYou men\u00adtio\u00adned Ravens\u00adbr\u00fcck in your ser\u00admon\u00bb. \u00abI was a guard the\u00adre. But that is over\u00bb he con\u00adtin\u00adued. \u00abI have beco\u00adme a Chris\u00adti\u00adan. I know that God has for\u00adgi\u00adven me for all the cruel\u00adties I did the\u00adre. But I want to hear it from their mouths as well. Can you for\u00adgi\u00adve me?\u00bb She then descri\u00adbes her inner strugg\u00adle and how the memo\u00adry of her sis\u00adter Bet\u00adsie who peri\u00ads\u00adhed in Ravens\u00adbr\u00fcck awa\u00adkens in her. She goes on to wri\u00adte, \u00abThe mes\u00adsa\u00adge of God\u2019s for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness has one cru\u00adcial requi\u00adre\u00adment: that we for\u00adgi\u00adve tho\u00adse who are guil\u00adty of us. \u00abIf you do not for\u00adgi\u00adve men their tre\u00ads\u00adpas\u00adses,\u00bb says Jesus, \u00abneither will the Father in hea\u00adven for\u00adgi\u00adve you your tre\u00ads\u00adpas\u00adses.\u00bb \u00bb I knew that \u2013 not only as a com\u00admandment from God, but also from dai\u00adly expe\u00adri\u00adence. Sin\u00adce the end of the war, I had been run\u00adning the home for vic\u00adtims of the Nazi regime in Bloe\u00admend\u00adaal, and it was the\u00adre that I could feel it with my hands: Only tho\u00adse who could for\u00adgi\u00adve their for\u00admer enemies were able to find their way back and start again, no mat\u00adter what phy\u00adsi\u00adcal con\u00addi\u00adti\u00adon they were in. Tho\u00adse who nur\u00adsed their bit\u00adter\u00adness remain\u00aded inva\u00adlids. That was as simp\u00adle as it was ter\u00adri\u00adble. And I stood the\u00adre with my cold heart. But for\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness is not a fee\u00adling \u2013 I knew that too. For\u00adgi\u00adve\u00adness is an act of the will, and the will can act wit\u00adhout regard to the tem\u00adpe\u00adra\u00adtu\u00adre of the heart. \u00abJesus, help me,\u00bb I pray\u00aded soft\u00adly. \u00abI can rai\u00adse my hand. I can do that at least. You must do the fee\u00adling to it.\u00bb Woo\u00adden\u00adly, mecha\u00adni\u00adcal\u00adly, I pla\u00adced my hand in the man\u2019s outstret\u00adched hand. When I did, some\u00adthing incre\u00addi\u00adble hap\u00adpen\u00aded. The move\u00adment ori\u00adgi\u00adna\u00adted in my should\u00ader, it flowed into my arm and leapt into the clas\u00adped hand. And then this heal\u00ading warmth see\u00admed to flood my who\u00adle being. Tears came to my eyes. \u00abI for\u00adgi\u00adve you, brot\u00adher,\u00bb I cried. \u00abWith all my heart.\u00bb For a long moment we held hands, the for\u00admer war\u00adden and the for\u00admer pri\u00adsoner. I had never expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adced God\u2019s love as inten\u00adse\u00adly as I did at that moment.
\nI had never expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adced God\u2019s love as inten\u00adse\u00adly as I did at that moment. That is inte\u00adres\u00adt\u00ading. The Cor\u00adries act of love acti\u00adva\u00adted God\u2019s love. She cho\u00adse to love and the love was the\u00adre! \u00abLet us love, for he first loved us\u00bb (1 John 4:19 LUT<\/span>). It is about being so shaped by the natu\u00adre of God in our hearts that we can love even our enemies. Whoe\u00adver asks for open eyes and God\u2019s love will expe\u00adri\u00adence: He who feels what he sees, does what he can.
\n
\n
\nPos\u00adsi\u00adble ques\u00adti\u00adons for the small groups
\nRead Bible text: Matthew 5:43\u201347<\/p>\n
\n\tIn which con\u00adstel\u00adla\u00adti\u00adon could you make the \u00abene\u00admy rela\u00adti\u00adonship\u00bb unsta\u00adble from your side?
\n\tWhat are the con\u00adcre\u00adte ways to love a per\u00adson? What does Jesus recom\u00admend? What does Solo\u00admon mean?
\n\tHow did Jesus hims\u00adelf live love of enemies?
\n\tHave you expe\u00adri\u00aden\u00adced how you were gifted with God\u2019s love when you over\u00adca\u00adme to love?<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"