Luke Ch6v27-36 - Love For Others

Thank you, Rob.

Luke's Gospel, Chapter 6.

We're going to read from verses 27 to 36 this morning.

This section that I'm reading from Luke starts back towards the beginning of Chapter 6.

You've probably heard of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew's Gospel.

This is the Sermon on the Plain.

Some of the teachings are repeated, some are different.

But Jesus is teaching a wide audience of people, some who are disciples, some are not.

So we're going to pick it up in verse 27.

But to you who are listening, that's us, I say, love your enemies.

Do good to those who hate you.

Bless those who curse you.

Pray for those who ill-treat you.

If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also.

If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.

Give to everyone who asks you.

And if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.

Do to others as you would have them do to you.

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?

Even sinners love those who love them.

And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you?

Even sinners do that.

And if you lend to those whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?

Even sinners lend to sinners expecting to be repaid in full.

But love your enemies.

Do good to them.

And lend to them without expecting to get anything back.

Then your reward will be great.

And you will be children of the Most High.

Because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

Be merciful.

Be merciful.

Just as your Father is merciful.

Well, let's pray.

Father God, be our teacher.

And help us to listen.

And may the words that I speak

be words that you use

for our benefit

and for our good.

Bless us, we pray.

Amen.

Well, in our series of this month,

we've been asking the big question,

what is a Christian?

And today we're going to see that a Christian

is someone

who has a love

for others.

In other words,

if you are a disciple of Jesus,

you are known

for your love.

love for our brothers and sisters

within the church family,

but for all those we meet

in our community

and those who we work with.

And as a way of understanding love,

I just have a very simple definition

to help us along this morning.

love is an unconditional action

to do good

and be kind

to those we consider

undeserving

and unlovely.

An unconditional action

to do good

and be kind

to those we consider

undeserving

and unlovely.

You see, as Christians,

we are not

called to

separate

from those

who we consider

immoral

or to avoid

those who we don't agree with

or to tolerate

those we think

difficult.

Now, we're commanded,

do you see it there

in verse 27?

To love

your enemies.

Do good

to those

who hate you.

bless those

who curse you.

Pray for those

who ill-treat you.

We are to move

towards those

we consider

undeserving

and unlovely

and do good

to them

and to be kind

to them.

Corrie Ten Boom,

whom some of you

may have heard of,

was a remarkable

young lady

who helped her father

hide

and protect

Jews

in her own home

during the Holocaust

of World War II.

Eventually,

Corrie and her family

were caught

and all her family

were taken off

to one of the

notorious

concentration camps.

Corrie survived

and after the war,

she began

to speak

in various churches

about her experience.

And in her book,

which is called

The Hiding Place,

she recounts

one particular

encounter

that she had

at a church

meeting.

Let me read

to you

from that

encounter.

A man

approached

to shake

her hand,

marvelling

at the forgiveness

of Jesus

she had just

described.

She recognised

him.

He was her

former

jailer.

His hand

was thrust

out to shake

mine,

and I,

who had preached

so often to the

people

the need

to forgive,

kept my hand

by my side.

Even as angry,

vengeful thoughts

boiled through me,

I saw the sin

of them.

Jesus Christ

had died

for this man.

Was I going

to ask

for more?

I breathed

a silent

prayer.

Jesus,

I cannot

forgive him.

Give

your

forgiveness.

And she

took the

man's hand.

Then this

healing warmth

seemed to flood

my whole being,

bringing tears

to my eyes.

I forgive

you,

brother,

I cried,

with all

my heart.

For a long

moment we

grasped each

other's hands,

the former

guard,

and me,

the former

prisoner.

I had never

known God's

love so

intensely

as I did

then.

Do you see,

in that one

encounter,

Corrie

loved her

enemies,

did good

to those

who hated

her,

blessed

those who

had cursed

her,

and prayed

for those

who ill-treated

her.

That's the

kind of love

we're thinking

about today.

And to help

us see what

this kind of

love looks

like for us,

we're going to

look at three

things from the

text we've read.

love as

evidence,

love in

action,

and love

from God.

So first,

love as

evidence.

Love is

not the

key into

God's

kingdom,

rather it's

the mark of

those who

are in

the kingdom.

Or to put it

another way,

love doesn't

make us

Christians,

rather love

is the

evidence

that we

are a

Christian.

So look at

verse 35.

Love your

enemies,

do good to

them,

lend to them

without expecting

to get anything

back,

then your

reward will

be great,

and you

will be

called

children of

the Most

High,

because he

is kind to

the ungrateful

and the wicked.

Love doesn't

make us

children of

God,

rather when

we love

like God,

we are

demonstrating

our identity

that I'm

a child

of God.

Jesus goes

on later

to give an

illustration,

jump down

to verse

43.

No good

tree bears

bad fruit,

nor does a

bad tree

bear good

fruit.

Each tree

is recognised

by its own

fruit.

People don't

pick figs

from thorn

bushes or

grapes from

briars.

In other

words,

we know a

tree is a

pear tree

because it

produces

pears.

We know

it's an

orange tree

because it

produces

oranges.

Well,

in the same

way you

know someone

is a

Christian

because they

produce

love for

others.

The fruit

of a

Christian

is love.

we produce

delicious,

tasty,

refreshing

acts of

goodness

and

kindness.

Verse 45.

A good

man brings

good things

out of the

good stored

up in his

heart,

and an

evil man

brings evil

things out

of the evil

stored up

in his

heart.

For the

mouth speaks

what the

heart is

full of.

You see,

whatever is

in our

hearts

is going

to overflow

from out

of our

hearts.

And a

Christian,

we're told

here,

is one

who is

filled

with love.

So,

whenever we're

jostled by

the actions

of others,

whenever we're

knocked by

the hurts

of others,

love is

going to

spill out

in all

kinds of

kind words

and good

deeds.

Love is

the supreme

mark of a

Christian.

It reveals

our identity

as children

of God.

So,

first,

love is

evidence

that we

are children

of the

Most High.

Second,

we're going

to look at

love in

action.

The command

to love

is radical,

isn't it,

as we've

been reading.

It's upside

down and

back to

front of

how we

think it

should be.

You see,

it's not a

call to

love the

ones who

we see

are decent.

You're

good,

all-round

friendly

neighbour

who's

always

up for

a chat

and

ready

to

help.

Anyone

can and

does

love that

kind of

person,

but that's

not the

kind of

love Jesus

is talking

about.

Look at

verse 32.

If you

love those

who love

you,

what credit

is that

to you?

even

sinners

love those

who love

them.

And if

you do

good to

those who

are good

to you,

what credit

is that

to you?

Even

sinners

do that.

And if

you lend

to those

from whom

you expect

repayment,

what credit

is that

to you?

Even

sinners

lend

to sinners

expecting

to be

repaid

in full.

In other

words,

he's saying

you don't

have to

be a

Christian

to live

like that.

You don't

need to

be a

child of

God to

love

nice,

decent

people.

You see,

I think

I'm rather

good when

I invite

Mr.

Nice and

his family

to a

neighbourhood

barbecue

because I

know that

when they

come they're

going to

bring a

bottle of

wine and

a dessert

without

even asking.

And I,

you know,

maybe for

you when

you're at

work,

it's,

well,

somebody

asks you

for a

lift.

Well,

it's no

problem

giving them

a lift

because you

know they're

going to

give you

a tenner

for the

petrol.

It's

easy to

love those

who love

back and

do good

to you.

No,

says Jesus,

there's nothing

special about

that.

Don't go

patting yourself

on the

back.

Look what

it says at

the end of

verse 32.

Even sinners

love those

who love

them.

Or the

end of

verse 34.

Even

sinners

lend to

sinners.

Those that

hurt you

and

irritate

you

and wrong

you

and judge

you,

they're the

ones we're

to love.

Verse 27.

love

your

enemies.

Verse 35.

But love

your

enemies.

Maybe it

would be

helpful now,

and please

don't shout

out the

name,

but to be

thinking of

the person

who most

irritates

you,

who most

frustrates

you,

who do you

not want to

see tomorrow

morning when

you go to

work?

Who do you

not want to

bump into

when you're

out shopping?

Love them.

So what does

this kind of

love look

like?

Well,

two things.

First,

don't

retaliate.

Let's pick it up

again in

verse 29.

29.

If someone

slaps you

on one

cheek,

turn to

them the

other also.

If someone

takes your

coat,

do not

withhold your

shirt from

them.

Give to

everyone who

asks you,

and if

anyone takes

what belongs

to you,

don't demand

it back.

Now,

we have to

be very

careful how

we interpret

this.

Jesus is

not saying

to a

wife who

is physically

being abused

by her

husband,

oh,

let him

hit you

again.

Jesus is

not saying

to a

man who's

been diddled

by his

accountant to

give him

more access

to his

funds.

No,

that would

fly in the

face of

the command

to seek

justice

and to

be wise.

So what

does Jesus

mean by

these words?

Well,

when we

take what

we've just

read in

verses 29

to 30,

if we

take these

examples

together,

it's really

commanding us,

don't retaliate.

Don't take

revenge on

those who

cause you

harm.

Instead,

seek ways

to be good

and kind

to them.

Put yourself

into,

yes,

a vulnerable

position where

you may be

hurt again

by their

words or

their

actions.

You see,

we tend to

operate under

the principle

of do to

others what

they do to

you.

So if you're

given a box

in the jaw,

well,

give them a

good thump

back,

maybe two.

Or if

someone won't

give back

what you

lent them,

go to their

house and

take it back

and take

something else

while you're

there.

But that's

not what

Jesus is

saying,

verse 31.

Do to

others as

you would

have them

do to

you.

We are to

intentionally

seek ways

of blessing

those who

cause us

harm.

So loving

others means

don't

retaliate.

Second,

be generous.

Look at

verse 35.

Love your

enemies.

Do good

to them

and lend

to them

without

expecting to

get anything

back in

return.

You see,

non-retaliation,

that's right,

don't retaliate.

But it

doesn't stop

there.

It calls us

to go

further.

It says,

be generous.

You see,

when you

give or

when you

lend

something,

don't look

at it as

something that

you're going

to get

back or

you hope

that in

some way

you'll be

getting some

return on

it.

No,

treat it

as a

gift.

You see,

whatever we

have in

our possession,

all that

we enjoy,

well,

none of

these things

are ultimately

ours.

They're all

gifts from

God.

we have

no right

to hold

on to

anything.

What we

have,

God has

given.

So we

are to

act in

generosity

to those

who cause

us physical

or practical

or financial

harm.

Loving

others means

we are to

be

generous.

Alistair

Begg,

who is a

teacher,

pastor,

and author,

put it

like this.

You can

follow on

the screen.

It's a

refusal to

treat others

according to

what they

deserve.

Even those

who hate,

exclude,

revile,

and defame

you are not

to be treated

as enemies.

We are to

live a life

marked by a

refusal to

treat others

as though

they were

your enemies.

Love means

don't

retaliate,

but be

generous.

Now,

I know

this is hard

and it's a

big thing

that's being

said,

love your

enemies.

And before

we move

on,

let's just

think for a

moment about

what about

the wrong

that has

been done

to us.

You're

saying love

your enemies,

but what

about the

harm they've

caused us?

What are we

to do with

that?

Are we to

pretend that

it doesn't

matter?

If we've

been hurt

or something's

been stolen,

are we just

to sweep it

under the

carpet and

take a deep

breath and

just push on

and hope

for the

best?

No,

it's not

saying anywhere

here,

let's overlook

people's

sin or

let's just

ignore everybody's

flaws and

failures.

No,

we should

never treat

sin lightly,

not just

because it's

had an effect

or it's

hurt us,

but because

ultimately it

offends

God.

We should

and we

ought to

always seek

what is

right and

just and

fair.

However,

when there

is no

recognition

of wrong

doing or

where there

is no

repentance

of sin,

the text

is calling

us not

to hold

it over

or against.

Instead,

Jesus calls

us to a

high calling.

Don't

retaliate,

but be

generous.

So

second,

love

in action.

love

love

from God.

So off

we go

ready to

love our

enemies.

Love in

action,

that's what

we're to

do.

Surely it

can't be

that hard.

Loving is

pretty easy,

isn't it?

Well,

maybe your

day goes

like this.

You see

someone in

the shop

who has

ill-treated

you,

and,

well,

you just

turn in

the opposite

direction and

get away from

them as fast

as possible.

Or someone

pulls out in

front of you

when you're

driving home

and you start

shouting obscenities

out the window.

Or your

boss backtracks

on his promise

and you give her

the silent

treatment.

You see,

we don't have

to go very

far into

our day,

do we,

when we

realise that,

well,

loving our

enemies

seems quite

impossible.

In fact,

as we're

listening this

morning,

we may be

wondering,

well,

am I a

Christian at

all?

Because love

is not how I

respond to

those who

hurt me.

I don't know

about you,

but I find

it hard to

love my

enemy.

I don't

respond always

in generosity.

I want to

retaliate.

Am I a

Christian?

So how do

we love?

What are we

to do with

it?

Well,

three practical

steps to

help us

all.

Here's the

first one.

Know who

you are.

Jesus'

message is

clear right

from the

start.

Verse 27,

love your

enemies.

Now,

I don't

know if you

know this,

but if

you're a

Christian here

today,

before you

became a

Christian,

that's how

we're

described.

That's

right.

An

enemy.

An

enemy of

God.

I'm not

sure if I

have the,

know I

don't

have the

quotes.

Let me

just quote

you two

verses from

scripture that

tell us this.

Colossians 1

Colossians 1:21

verse 21,

once you

were alienated

from God

and were

enemies in

your minds

because of

your evil

behavior.

Or Romans

Romans 5:10

5 verse 10,

while we

were God's

enemies,

we were

reconciled to

him through

the death of

his son.

You see,

let's get to

grips with

who we

are.

We weren't

Mr.

Decent or

Miss Nice.

We were

unlovely.

Remember what

we read in

Deuteronomy at

the beginning?

Why does

God love us?

God loves us

because what?

Because he

loves you.

So,

Johnny,

and I speak

this to

myself,

to all of

us,

never forget

who you

once were

when you

turn your

back on

your enemy.

Know who

you are.

Second,

let us

know what

God has

done

because God

loved his

enemies.

Look at

verse 35

with me.

the last

part of

verse 35.

Then your

reward will

be great

and you

will be

children of

the Most

High

because he

is kind

to the

ungrateful

and wicked.

That's

God our

Father.

He is

kind

to the

ungrateful,

kind

to the

wicked.

And we

see this

kindness

in all

its fullness

at the

cross.

Let's

jump

forward to

Luke

Luke 23 · chapter mention

chapter

23.

Luke

Luke 23 · chapter mention

chapter

23.

Verse

18.

This is

leading up

to the

crucifixion

of Jesus

and the

crowd are

roaring and

shouting and

vying for

the death

of Jesus

and in

place of

Jesus they

want to

release

Barabbas.

And this

account we

see Jesus

dying in

the place

not just

of Barabbas

but of

all who

turn against

him.

Let's

pick it up

in verse

18.

But the

whole crowd

shouted,

away with

this man.

release

Barabbas

to us.

Barabbas

had been

thrown into

prison for

an insurrection

in the

city and

for murder.

Wanting to

release Jesus

Pilate appealed

to them

again.

But they

kept shouting,

crucify him,

crucify him.

For the

third time

he spoke

to them,

why?

What crime

has this

man committed?

I have

found in

him no

grounds for

the death

penalty.

Therefore I

will have

him punished

and then

release him.

But with

loud shouts

they insistently

demanded that

he be

crucified

and their

shouts

prevailed.

So

Pilate

decided to

grant their

demand.

He released

the man who

had been

thrown into

prison for

insurrection

and murder

the one

they asked

for

and surrendered

Jesus

to their

will.

Verse 33

When they

came to the

place called

the skull

they crucified

Jesus there

along with

the criminals

one on his

right

the other

on his

left.

Jesus said

Father

forgive them

for they do

not know

what they

are doing.

Jesus

loved his

enemies.

He did

good to

those who

hated him.

He blessed

those who

cursed him.

He prayed

for those

who ill

treated him.

He came

and died

in the

place of

sinners

so that

they could

be forgiven

so that

we can

be forgiven

for the

many times

we do

not love

as we

ought to

love.

Let's go

back to

chapter 6.

So

first know

who you

are.

Know

what God

has done

that he

dies

for us.

And

third

know

how

we

can

love.

You

see

just as

God

has been

kind

to us

just

as

God

has

loved

us

verse

36

be

merciful

just

as your

father

is

merciful.

Don't

retaliate

be

generous

but how

how do

we do

it?

Well at

the beginning

of this

morning we

read the

account of

Corrie ten

boom.

Remember

what she

said?

Listen to

her words

carefully.

Remember

she's facing

her former

guard.

even as

angry

vengeful

thoughts

boiled

through

me

I

saw

the

sin

of

them.

Jesus

Christ

had died

for this

man.

Was I

going to

ask for

more?

You see

Corrie didn't

just see the

sin of

her former

prison

guard.

She saw

her own

sin of

withholding

forgiveness

and she

saw that

Jesus died

for her

as much

as for

him.

She

continues

I

breathed a

silent

prayer.

Jesus I

cannot

forgive him.

Give

your

forgiveness

and shook

the man's

hands.

You see

in that

moment

and in

that time

there was

a natural

struggle

and tension

and battle

within

to love

her

enemy.

And what

did she

do but

cry out

to God

and ask

for help

by saying

I can't

but you

can give

your

forgiveness.

But as

she did

that

she

recalls

then this

healing

warmth

seemed to

flood my

whole being

I cried

out I

forgive you

my brother

with all

my heart.

What

caused a

woman so

terribly

ill-treated

who had

only done

something

right and

good who

was harmed

physically and

psychologically

what caused

a woman to

reach out

and love

and show

forgiveness.

What caused

her to show

such kindness.

Well in

Corrie's own

words she

says I

had never

known God's

love so

intensely

as I

did then.

You see

it was

remembering

and recalling

and applying

afresh

the experience

of God's

love for

her

and God's

love

melted her

heart.

She came

to see

again how

much God

loved her

and he

enabled her

to reach

out

and love.

You see

that's the

only way

we can

ever love

is when

we receive

love from

God.

When we

know who

we are

and when

we dwell

afresh in

all that

God has

done for

us and

how he

loves us

consistently

and continually

never giving

up.

And as we

reflect on

his love

so we

can love

a world

and a

community

in which

we live.

let's pray

together.

Father, we

admit that

we

we all

struggle.

I think I

can say

that.

We all

struggle

with this

command

to love.

We

battle.

We feel

the tension.

We want

to retaliate.

We don't

want to be

kind.

Father, melt

our hearts

afresh.

Give us

an experience

afresh of

your love

to us,

of your

mercy and

your grace.

and your

kindness

and teach

us afresh

that we

might love

all who

we come

in contact

with.

And may

their hearts

be melted

and changed

and transformed

that they

too may

run to

the Savior

and experience

a love

that never

gives up.

Father,

thank you

that you

love us

today.

In all

our mess

and all

our failure,

thank you

that you

treasure us

as your

children.

Not even

our sin

will ever

separate us

from the love

that you

have for us.

how amazing

is that?

Amen.

Well, we're

going to do

exactly what

we've been

thinking about

to stand

and be

amazed

at the

amazing love

of God.

Wonder

how he

could love

us.

And he

does.

If you're

able to,

let's

stand

together

as we

sing.

Amen.