Palm Sunday (GA)

Matthew 5:43-48
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Mt 5:43–48). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

The Greatest gift we have been given is LOVE. Love your enemies. Those who only love the people who love them have no reward. Sinners will treat people the way thy treat them. But the Gold rule says Treat others as you desire them to treat you. This means to treat your enemies and those who love you the same way. You need to treat them all the way you desire to be treated.

It is not good to just treat nicely your friends. Do not take this to mean you should treat everyone evil and that way you don't have to treat your enemies any better. But Love is the great gift. God the Father has shared his love with you. God the Father will deliver you from eternal persecution and torment. He has sent his son to die on the cross for the forgiveness of all your sins.

You have been redeemed and God continues to provide for all your needs in body and spirit. He is the one who has created you. he is the one who gives the rain on the good and the evil. Therefore, follow Jesus Christ. Take up your cross and follow your savior. This means we will have to go through suffering, just as Christ went through rejection and suffering. Christ died for you while you were yet his enemies.

Jesus commands us to act like our Heavenly Father. We need to love each other we grace and mercy. We need to forgive our brother from our heart. We also need to Love our Neighbor. The greatest gift the Holy Spirit has given us is the Love of God which does surpass all understanding.