2. Extreme Love 1) Quick Update: Goals 2) Eye-for-Eye- Revenge 3) Loving Your Enemy

3. Goals Do you recall your New Years Resolutions or the goals you set here in the 1 st Sunday of the New Year? How are you doing?

4. Look at what you dont want:

5. The Point is you should work towards your goals

6. Revenge Do a search on revenge on IMDB (movie database) and the following results: revenge (7924 titles) revenge Game: Name a movie with revenge in the title.

7. Eye for an Eye 38"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' 39But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. 41Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

8. What causes people to want revenge? We are will see some videos and then split up into groups. For each video in your groups there will be some questions. We will then reconvene and talk about the answers.

9. Teachers. What did your group come up with?

10. Relationships What do you do when you are angry?

11. Bullies Turn the other cheek?

12. Love your enemy 43"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

13. How is hating your enemy different than revenge? Or is it?

14. What are some of the impacts of loving your enemy? On you? On your enemy? On others?

15. 43-47Youre familiar with the old written law, Love your friend, and its unwritten companion, Hate your enemy. Im challenging that. Im telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his bestthe sun to warm and the rain to nourishto everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. 48In a word, what Im saying is, Grow up. Youre kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.