Author: Steve

How to Love Sacrificially
Matthew 5:38-48
Intro:
1. ILL: Bipin Minz’s Murder.
2. How would you react if someone murdered your husband or your father?
a. This family’s reaction goes beyond the expected for the Lord’s sake. This is unnatural love!
b. This kind of love is only possible through the power of the HS.
3. How can you react the way the Lord would want you to? How can you love sacrificially?
I. v39 - By Conducting Yourself Better Than Expected
A. How would you react if someone hit you?
1. Strike (ῥαπίζει) = hit with a rod or slap. Present tense: it is done repeatedly.
2. How would you react to this?
a. Would you fight back?
b. Would you get revenge?
3. No good has ever resulted from revenge. ILL: Hatfields & the McCoys.
B. To love sacrificially - go beyond what would be expected of you.
1. ILL: Soldier in Basic Training - “Holy Joe”.
2. Sacrificial loving is found in Rom 12:20-21 - On the contrary: If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
C. Isaiah prophesied that Lord Jesus would refuse to retaliate when He was persecuted. Is 53:7 - He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
II. v40 - By Giving of Your Possessions More Than is Expected.
A. In a lawsuit, the Law of Moses protected the more expensive overcoat.
1. A defendant would only be required to surrender his less expensive under garment.
2. How would you react to this?
3. Sacrificial love would surrender more than is required.
4. If God promised to supply all your needs, then He will take care of you if you obey Him.
5. This becomes an exercise of faith!
a. ILL: The Good Samaritan (Lk 10:30-37).
b. ILL: The Missionary & the Waitress - “The $5.00 Tip”.
B. The Lord said to follow His example by taking up your cross daily & following (imitating) Him sacrificially (Matt 16:24).
III. v41 - By Serving Beyond What is Demanded
A. This was the Roman Law of Impressments.
1. From the Persians, when a royal courier could compel a person to serve or surrender his beast of burden for temporary service.
2. The Romans adopted this practice but limited the service to only one Roman mile - 1680 yards.
3. ILL: Simon of Cyrene compelled to carry the cross of Jesus (Matt 27:32).
B. Sacrificial love is to serve more than expected for the glory of God.
1. ILL: The Jew in His Field Being Compelled.
2. It’s the second mile that could win a friend or make a convert!
C. So the question - why go beyond what most people would expect?
1. v45 - Because showing kindness is imitating your Heavenly Father Who sends rain on the unjust as well as the just.
2. v46 - Because a special heavenly reward is implied here for those who obey in this way.
3. v47 - Because gracious treatment of our enemies sets us apart from unbelievers.
How do you react to abuse? How can you love sacrificially? Go beyond where the world would normally expect you to go & you will be set apart as God’s child!
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