Enemy Love: Calling in Our Enemies

Elm City Vineyard Church Talks

During our series on Enemy Love, it may have been easy to wonder…but what about the Pharisees - the religious teachers that strongly oppose and eventually help kill Jesus? Jesus doesn’t seem too chummy with them. How is that love? Jesus does have a strange way of showing this group love. But by putting the pieces of our series together - creative engagement, proximity, and forgiveness, Jesus somehow manages to call his enemies in vs. cut them off. Come learn more on Sunday.

- Series Description -
If your sworn enemy asks you to love those who hurt you, you should run. If God asks the same, you should lean in and listen. Most people nod and agree with the teaching to love your neighbor — even if we don’t. But to love our enemies? Most laugh. Why love people who will hurt us? Why prioritize people who want to harm us? This seems foolish, unwise, even abusive. Yet, loving one’s enemies is the foundation of Jesus’ teaching…and his life. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us….For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” (Romans 5:8,10) Jesus starts his enemy love — with us. In turn, God’s love for us —not our natural love for our enemies - is the foundation of this radical teaching and practice. But what does it look like? For some of us, we’re confused if we even have enemies. For others, we know exactly who they are and we are not excited for Jesus’ words on these matters. For all of us, Jesus has a good and powerful invitation as we respond to his transformative witness in a time of division, cancelation, and violence.