In 1095 the pope called Christians to an armed crusade, and beneath the walls of Jerusalem, love for enemies gave way to the sword. That story opens a reflection on Jesus’ words from the Sermon on the Mount: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5). The preacher shows that such love is neither a declaration nor a feeling but concrete action, like on Christmas Eve 1914, when soldiers of opposing armies climbed out of the trenches to shake hands. Listen and discover how to see in your enemy a person for whom Christ died.
Discussion questions
For your small group or for personal reflection after the sermon.
- In Matthew 5:43-48 Jesus says we should love our enemies "that you may be children of your Father." How does the explanation that in that culture being someone's son meant being like them change your understanding of this passage?
- Why does Jesus point to tax collectors and pagans, and what does their example say about loving only those who love us?
- The sermon reminded us that it is easy to love people as an abstract group, but harder to love a specific person with a name and a story. Who specifically is hard for you to love or pray for?
- According to the sermon, loving enemies is not a feeling or a declaration but concrete action, like turning the other cheek or going two thousand steps. What could that kind of love look like in situations from your own life?
- During the Christmas truce, soldiers saw one another as children of God. What helps you see someone who harms you as a person Jesus died for?
- What one concrete step can you take this week toward someone you consider an enemy or who has hurt you, and how might the Holy Spirit help you with it?
