Matthew 5:43-48 · Love for 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 sons 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 brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

God and Hurricanes
Matthew 5:43-48
Sermon
by David E. Leininger
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A scary few days, eh? Just a week ago we were hearing about this incredibly powerful Hurricane Floyd in the Atlantic that might be heading in our direction - almost a Category 5 with sustained winds near the eye of 155 miles per hour. And it cut a wide swath too, hundreds of miles in diameter.

Fool that I am, I normally do not worry much about hurricanes. I have come through a few. During my years of living on the coast, I evacuated in the face of oncoming storms along with everyone else. I still have a home on Hilton Head Island to which I hope to retire one day, so I hope it does not get wiped out by wind or water. But Hilton Head has not been hit by a hurricane in over 100 years, so I have become blasé. But this one worried me. This one was powerful enough and wide enough to do major d…

ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc., Collected Sermons, by David E. Leininger