Godspeak Calvary Chapel

In his sermon "Love Your Enemies," part of his ongoing series on the Sermon on the Mount, Pastor Micah Stephens explores the radical call to love those who oppose us by following Christ’s example—dying for us while we were still God’s enemies. He clarifies that "an eye for an eye" was meant to limit retribution, ensuring punishment fits the crime, not to license unchecked vengeance, while "turning the other cheek" is often misinterpreted as passivity but is actually a strategic de-escalation to break cycles of retaliation. Stephens emphasizes that loving enemies as Jesus did isn’t a path to weakness or abuse but a powerful tactic to reflect Christ’s love, trusting God’s wrath and the Holy Spirit’s conviction to transform lives far beyond what human justice or vengeance could achieve. He urges believers to relinquish personal retaliation, allowing God to work in their enemies’ hearts through love.Verse References: Matthew 5 verses 38-48, Exodus 21 verses 23-25, Proverbs 16 verse 3