Milagros De Jesus, Septiembre 27, 2026

- Bonodillas, Iglesia. - Good morning, church. (speaking in foreign language) - How beautiful it is to be together this morning. (speaking in foreign language) - I really needed it. I spent two weeks in Honduras. (speaking in foreign language) - I had a good time being able to serve with some brothers from here from Littorock. (speaking in foreign language) - I was also able to visit with Bastor Davit, who is one of our mission's partners that we're able to partner with with the impacto church over in Honduras. (speaking in foreign language) - And he says hi. (speaking in foreign language) - So let's continue to pray for all these people that we are supporting around the world. (speaking in foreign language) - Before we begin in our passage this morning. (speaking in foreign language) - I also want to remind us that we have an opportunity to serve those that are in the foster care system. (speaking in foreign language) - And on the screens we can see some of the details. (speaking in foreign language) - But you'll also see where we're gonna get together

on Wednesday, October 7th, to prepare packages for these families. (speaking in foreign language) - And being able to participate in the hearts for these people is in the heart of the gospel. (speaking in foreign language) - And just like Jesus came and saw our needs. (speaking in foreign language) - So we can also see other people's needs and serve them in this way. (speaking in foreign language) (speaking in foreign language) - So you can grab one of the cards in the back and you'll have the instructions on what it is we're gonna be packaging. (speaking in foreign language) - And on the 17th of October we're actually gonna plan to distribute all of these packages to the families and the kids that are within this program. (speaking in foreign language) - So before we begin, come with me in prayer. (speaking in foreign language) - Heavenly Father, we come before you. (speaking in foreign language) - Asking you Lord, that you would illuminate our hearts and our minds. (speaking in foreign language) - Lord, convict us of the areas that we need to surrender to you. (speaking in foreign language)

- So that your name Lord may be glorified. (speaking in foreign language) - In the name of Jesus we pray. - Amen. - Amen. (speaking in foreign language) - And today we're gonna continue our series on the miracles of Jesus. (speaking in foreign language) - And in chapter 22 of Luke. (speaking in foreign language) - We can see where Jesus performs the miracle for one of those that had come to get him or arrest him. (speaking in foreign language) - And we know the story where Peter cuts off the ear of one of the people that had come to arrest him and Jesus heals him. (speaking in foreign language) - And this reminds me a lot of a story that happened in 1947. (speaking in foreign language) - Where Corrie Tenboom was at a church in Munich and she was speaking on God's forgiveness. (speaking in foreign language) - Corrie Tenboom had survived the Nazi occupation. (speaking in foreign language) - And she had been hiding Jews in her house. (speaking in foreign language) - But at a certain point they were betrayed and they were turned over to the German authorities. (speaking in foreign language) - And so her and her sister Betty

were taking to the Ravensburg detention camp. (speaking in foreign language) - And although Corey Tenboom was able to leave at the end of the war, her sister Betsy died under very miserable conditions. - (speaking in foreign language) - And in this speech that she was giving on forgiveness in this church in Munich. - (speaking in foreign language) - A man comes up to her after her talk. - (speaking in foreign language) - And she recognizes him. - (speaking in foreign language) - She realizes that he was one of the guards of the internment camp where her and her sister were kept. - (speaking in foreign language) - And this man extends his hand and asks Corey Tenboom's forgiveness for all of the evil that they had done. - (speaking in foreign language) - And even though Corey Tenboom had just finished speaking on God's forgiveness for others. - (speaking in foreign language) - At that moment she could not lift her hand. - (speaking in foreign language) - She remembered Betsy and all that they had suffered. - (speaking in foreign language) - But in silence in that moment she prayed to Jesus. - (speaking in foreign language) - And she took this man's hand and told him

that she forgave him. - (speaking in foreign language) - And you see, loving our enemies may sound really pretty and it may be inspirational sometimes. - (speaking in foreign language) - Until that enemy has a face or a story that causes us pain. (speaking in foreign language) - And in this way we're gonna open our reading today in Luke chapter 22 verse 47. - (speaking in foreign language) - Jesus in real time has a meeting with his enemies. - (speaking in foreign language) - And he would give a lesson to both his enemies and his disciples of what it really means to love your enemies. - (speaking in foreign language) - And let me tell you something. - (speaking in foreign language) - You may be thinking, well, I don't have an enemy at the same level as Kory Ten Boom. - (speaking in foreign language) - But it's not necessarily always someone who hates us or is actively looking to harm us. - (speaking in foreign language) - What about those people that are hard to love? - (speaking in foreign language) - That might think different than you do. - (speaking in foreign language) - That might refute you in many different things. - (speaking in foreign language)

- That it may not be the easiest for you to spend time with them. - (speaking in foreign language) - How do we love these people? - (speaking in foreign language) - (speaking in foreign language) - (speaking in foreign language) - (speaking in foreign language) - While he was still speaking, there came a crowd. And the man called Judas, one of the 12, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him. - (speaking in foreign language) - But Jesus said to him, Judas, would you betray the son of man with a kiss? - (speaking in foreign language) - And the first thing Jesus shows us in this passage. - (speaking in foreign language) - Is that we can love even when it's painful. - (speaking in foreign language) - The act of loving does not mean it doesn't hurt. - (speaking in foreign language) - Because we're not robots. - (speaking in foreign language) - We have emotions. - (speaking in foreign language) - We have a soul that receives what other people have done. - (speaking in foreign language) - Think about Jesus in his relationship with Judas. - (speaking in foreign language)

- They'd lived for three years together. - (speaking in foreign language) - They'd eaten together. They'd slept together. - (speaking in foreign language) - The apostle John tells us that Jesus took them to this place because it was an intimate place where Jesus would regularly meet with his disciples. - (speaking in foreign language) - Judas was a part of this intimate circle. - (speaking in foreign language) - He was so close. - (speaking in foreign language) So he was so close that you enough to kiss him. - He uses this access to his relationship to betray him. - And he uses this access of this close relationship in order to betray him. - When we read the same story in Matthew, we see that Jesus called him friend. - And even though Jude Jesus wasn't being a friend to Jesus, Jesus did treat Judas as a friend. - And you see, sometimes it's the people that have the closest access to our lives, that causes the most pain. - Because it's when we really care that it hurts most. - But what does Jesus do in the middle of all this?

- He doesn't say, "Oh, well, I would have expected this "from anyone, but not you, Judas." - Look at how close you've been to me. - He receives him with grace. - He loves him despite what he is doing. - If he confronts him. - He confronts him with love. - Because he does mention what he's doing. He says, "With a kiss, you betray the son of man." - But we see that Jesus' posture is one of love toward Judas. - And this is the paradox of the gospel. - This is what Matthew shows us about Jesus in Matthew chapter six. - How it's easy to love those who love us. - But it's impossible to love those that cause us pain. - It's easy to run away from those that cause us pain. (speaking in foreign language) - But it's impossible by our own strength to show them that love when they're hurting us. (speaking in foreign language) - And something that weighs heavy on me in the therapy culture that we live today. (speaking in foreign language) - Is that even though we do need advice on how to deal with these difficult situations in our lives? (speaking in foreign language) - They make us to where we wanna run away and not even deal with these situations

that may cause us pain no matter how small it may be. (speaking in foreign language) - And even though there sometimes are situations where there's actual danger and one has to escape that situation and get away from that. (speaking in foreign language) - We've taken it to even the smallest defense in our lives. (speaking in foreign language) - Oh, I can't deal with this offense. (speaking in foreign language) - I've got to guard myself. (speaking in foreign language) - And we are removing one of the most powerful testimonies of what it means to be a son of God. (speaking in foreign language) - Which is to love those that offend us. (speaking in foreign language) - Those that are our enemies. (speaking in foreign language) - Which is to forgive those that have been difficult in our lives. (speaking in foreign language) - How do the disciples respond? (speaking in foreign language) - And what does Jesus teach them? (speaking in foreign language) - Let's read verses 49 through 51. (speaking in foreign language) - And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said,

"Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" (speaking in foreign language) - And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. (speaking in foreign language) - But Jesus said, "No more of this." And he touched his ear and healed him. (speaking in foreign language) - We have to step a little bit further back to understand this question from the disciples. You see, when they were in the Mount of Olives in Jutsemane. (speaking in foreign language) He says, "Remember when I sent you way back then "to go preach the gospel and told you to take nothing?" (speaking in foreign language) Today, I'm gonna say something different. (speaking in foreign language) If you have anything, sell it and buy a sword. (speaking in foreign language) So it would make sense for the disciples to think, "Oh, well, he told us to go buy a sword, "so this must be what it's for." (speaking in foreign language) And I do wanna mention that this is a verse, a small passage, that there's been some debate and some interpretation difficulties as to what weapons have to do in a Christian's life. (speaking in foreign language) But the passage today doesn't have to do with that, so it's not something that we're gonna resolve today.

(speaking in foreign language) But what this passage does show us is that the purpose of the swords was not for them to defend themselves in this particular moment. (speaking in foreign language) So the disciples are a little bit lost. (speaking in foreign language) But something that we can see in this portion. (speaking in foreign language) And we set it like this in our second point. (speaking in foreign language) Is that we can bless even when it makes no sense. (speaking in foreign language) You see sometimes we think of loving as something internal and emotion that we feel. (speaking in foreign language) But love leads us to action. (speaking in foreign language) Love without action is not love. (speaking in foreign language) It's a feeling, but it's not the definition of loving. (speaking in foreign language) It becomes harder when we're moving toward those that might be our enemies. (speaking in foreign language) And so that's why in Matthew six, Jesus said pray for those that curse you. (speaking in foreign language) And you see the Lord wants us to have the same heart that he has for us.

(speaking in foreign language) Don't think God loved us when we were good people. (speaking in foreign language) Even when we were his enemies, he died for us. (speaking in foreign language) What disciple was it that cut off the ear? (speaking in foreign language) That one's not a hard question. (speaking in foreign language) Even if he hadn't read John's story on this. (speaking in foreign language) And John does tell us that it was Peter. (speaking in foreign language) Now think about this for one moment. (speaking in foreign language) A moment ago, Peter had just told Jesus, "I will die for you if that's what's needed." (speaking in foreign language) And normally we would go from there to think about the story where the rooster crows and he's denied Jesus. (speaking in foreign language) (speaking in foreign language) But no one ever thinks about this middle part. (speaking in foreign language) I think Peter was speaking seriously. (speaking in foreign language) Because Peter, whenever he cuts off the servant's ear, he knows that the penalty for cutting off that ear probably means that he's going to be taken with Jesus

and be killed as well. (speaking in foreign language) (speaking in foreign language) Or Peter, sometimes we like to dump dirt on him because he denied Jesus, but we forget that he cut off the servant's ear. (speaking in foreign language) There was a problem. (speaking in foreign language) And it's tied to something else that we can read before the story. (speaking in foreign language) Remember that he grabs two of his disciples with him and says, "Let's come and pray in this place." (speaking in foreign language) One of them was Peter. (speaking in foreign language) And what did they do? (speaking in foreign language) Fell asleep. - So Jesus says pray that you may not fall into temptation. - You know, we know momento de pues. - And a few moments later? (speaking in foreign language) - He's in temptation. (speaking in foreign language) - And we might know that it's impossible to react in these moments in a way that's gonna be pleasing to God. (speaking in foreign language) - Unless the Holy Spirit is filling us and guiding us.

(speaking in foreign language) - So Peter wanted to sacrifice his life for Jesus, but in a wrong way. (speaking in foreign language) - In his own flesh, in his own strength. (speaking in foreign language) - And the reality is that in our own strength, we're not gonna want to love our enemies. (speaking in foreign language) - We're gonna wanna cut off at their ears. (speaking in foreign language) - And the reality is, Peter was probably not aiming for the ear. (speaking in foreign language) - It was probably aiming for a head and brother moved his head. (speaking in foreign language) - Jesus says to Peter, what are he doing? That's enough. (speaking in foreign language) - And he says something that he says again at the cross on Calvary. (speaking in foreign language) - A little bit before the cross. If I wanted to, I could call out to my father in heaven and he would send down the Legion of Angels to defend me. (speaking in foreign language) (speaking in foreign language) - And it's that when we want to resolve these situations in our own flesh and in our own strength.

(speaking in foreign language) - We lose sight of what God's doing in the middle of all of it. (speaking in foreign language) - And Peter was so concentrated on trying to protect Jesus. (speaking in foreign language) - He forgot that Jesus already had a plan. (speaking in foreign language) - And he says that he would drink from the Father's cup. (speaking in foreign language) - And so the most painful situations in our lives. (speaking in foreign language) - Are the opportunities to experiment the greatest miracles in our lives. (speaking in foreign language) - It's when our marriage is the most difficult that we can experience the most grace in our marriage. (speaking in foreign language) (speaking in foreign language) - It's when we've got the most difficult people in our jobs that we can show the most grace and the most love in our lives. (speaking in foreign language) - And it's when situations are difficult. (speaking in foreign language) - When people are difficult. (speaking in foreign language) - That we can show the heart of God for others. (speaking in foreign language) - Verse 52.

(speaking in foreign language) - Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders who had come out against him, have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs? (speaking in foreign language) - When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me, but this is your hour and the power of darkness. (speaking in foreign language) - And when these situations are difficult. (speaking in foreign language) - It's hard for us to trust in God. (speaking in foreign language) - And because we don't understand. (speaking in foreign language) - But this brings us to our last point. (speaking in foreign language) - That we can trust even when it's dark. (speaking in foreign language) - Because the reality is that I would love to do all these things for these people that are difficult or that might be my enemies. (speaking in foreign language) - If I knew that the result would be that they were gonna change. (speaking in foreign language) - Lord, maybe if I do all of these good things for this person, maybe they're gonna change and be the way that I want them to be.

(speaking in foreign language) (speaking in foreign language) what the result is gonna be. (speaking in foreign language) It doesn't say that the servant whose name was Malcolm, that all of a sudden after his ear was healed that he surrendered at the feet of Jesus. (speaking in foreign language) And even though we would like to end these stories with a happily ever after, it might be that he ended up with a hardened heart toward Jesus for the rest of his days. (speaking in foreign language) We can love the difficult people in our lives. (speaking in foreign language) Not because we know that this is gonna have a certain result in them, but we know that this is gonna be gonna have a certain result in them. (speaking in foreign language) But because we trust in what God is doing even if we can't see it. (speaking in foreign language) Many times we can't explain the evil of other people. (speaking in foreign language) But God is doing something. (speaking in foreign language) In 1957, (speaking in foreign language) Elizabeth Elliott received some devastating news. (speaking in foreign language) Her husband, Jim, and four other missionaries had died at the hands of the Waraani tribe.

(speaking in foreign language) They were trying to reach this Amazonian tribe in Ecuador. (speaking in foreign language) Elizabeth was left away to with a small daughter. (speaking in foreign language) And she had every reason to stay in the United States and to stay away from this tribe. (speaking in foreign language) But in 1958, Elizabeth went with her daughter Valerie to live amongst one of these tribes. (speaking in foreign language) She went with Rachel, whose brother Nate had also died. (speaking in foreign language) And she's helped by a Waraani woman who had helped with translation. (speaking in foreign language) Elizabeth chose to live with these people, to teach these people, to be with them, and preach them the gospel. (speaking in foreign language) (speaking in foreign language) Elizabeth's love didn't change what these people had already done to her husband and the other missionaries. (speaking in foreign language) It simply changed what she was gonna do. (speaking in foreign language) And the result is that the Waraani tribe ended up knowing Christ. (speaking in foreign language) (speaking in foreign language)

Because they couldn't explain why someone that had been treated so badly by them would stay and love them the way that she did. (speaking in foreign language) And the thing is even though the disciples wanted to take out their swords to preserve their lives. (speaking in foreign language) Jesus was there to give his life to preserve his enemies. (speaking in foreign language) And this is the heart of the gospel. (speaking in foreign language) And when you understand that Christ gave his life for his enemies. (speaking in foreign language) That is the fuel that leads us to love in difficult moments. (speaking in foreign language) But even though we wanna take out our swords. (speaking in foreign language) We wanna repay them with that same coin. (speaking in foreign language) But because of what Christ has already done for us, we can bless. (speaking in foreign language) We can pray. (speaking in foreign language) We can act in a loving way for those that are our enemies. (speaking in foreign language) (speaking in foreign language) What is the Lord calling you to this morning?

(speaking in foreign language) Maybe you're having a hard time in one of your relationships. (speaking in foreign language) Whether that's in your family and your friendships or at work. (speaking in foreign language) And the Lord is calling you to act like Jesus did. (speaking in foreign language) - Maybe for others, the pain was back in the past, and you're still carrying that with you. - (speaks in foreign language) - And the Lord's calling you to act and love toward those people, even though they may not even be in your lives anymore. - (speaks in foreign language) - But only in Christ can we love and forgive in this way. (speaks in foreign language) - And as the worship team comes up. (speaks in foreign language) - I'd like to pray like the psalmist did in Psalm 139. (speaks in foreign language) - Because it's easy to leave and forget the message. (speaks in foreign language) - But I'd like for us to meditate on what's in our hearts that is causing us pain. (speaks in foreign language) - What people are hard for us right now in this moment. (speaks in foreign language) - And that the Lord would give us clear steps

to pray for a miracle in their lives. (speaks in foreign language) - That we may bless them. (speaks in foreign language) - Let's pray. (speaks in foreign language) - Lord, we come before you. (speaks in foreign language) - Asking you to examine our hearts. (speaks in foreign language) - That you might help us see, Lord, these relationships where we're not loving like you love. (speaks in foreign language) - Even if it's in our own family. (speaks in foreign language) - Lord, reveal our heart. (speaks in foreign language) - Give us the capacity by the power of your spirit. (speaks in foreign language) - To love even when it hurts. (speaks in foreign language) - To bless, even when it doesn't make sense. (speaks in foreign language) - And to trust, Lord, even though we may not know what's ahead of us. (speaks in foreign language) - We may be a church, Lord, that shows love. (speaks in foreign language) - Not when it's easy. (speaks in foreign language)

- But especially when it's hard. (speaks in foreign language) - First, between us. (speaks in foreign language) - And then with those outside. (speaks in foreign language) - Father, that we may bring glory to you, Father. (speaks in foreign language) In Jesus name we pray. Amen.