Matthew 5:43-48
Jesus on Loving Your Enemies
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 10:21-23
Difficulty in Following Jesus
21 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
Jesus said that when we just love those who love us, what kind of reward do you have?...Do not even the tax collectors love their fellow tax collector?...And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others?...Do not even the Gentiles do the same?...He was teaching us to reach out to everyone...He teaches us to reach beyond our families and circles of friends...This is a hard teaching, but it is difficult to follow Jesus...He even said that some people would hate you when you follow Him...
Jesus included everybody in His Ministry, even His enemies and the enemies of His Disciples and followers...
Jesus always included the outcasts in His life...In fact, He included everyone in His ministry...Jesus included the poor, the meek, the weak, the unclean, Gentiles, Samaritans, Canaanites, lepers, the blind, the lame, prisoners, women and the needy...The list does not end there...They unhealthy were in His followers...The Son of David included everybody...Jesus always reached out to those on the fringe...He always included the sinner...
Jesus ministry was one of inclusion, who included everyone, and He did not have a ministry that would leave people out of His ministry...As we read through the gospels, we see that His ministry would be defined as one of inclusion, instead of one of not including...Jesus welcomed everybody to follow Him...