Luke Chapter 6 [27] But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, [28] bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. [29] To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. [30] Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. [31] And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. [32] If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. [33] And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. [34] And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. [35] But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. [36] Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. (English Standard Version)
This passage comes right after the Beatitudes in which Jesus explains that a rough life now can mean great blessings at some future time (blessed are you when this happens to you and so on). The Beatitudes have always been popular because they are such a great promise. We all think that life stinks at times, and the idea that something better is coming is a relief to us all.
In verse 27 Jesus abruptly changes direction. Suddenly, He isn't talking about how my life is so much as how I treat others. The focus comes off of me and moves to my behavior, where it stays for the rest of the chapter.
He starts this change with the phrase, “Love your enemies”.
The beginning of this teaching showed Jesus to be different because no one had ever thought that the poor, hungry, and persecuted could be considered blessed; but He brought our attention to eternity where God rewards the faithful. Then He tells us that our focus during our time on Earth should be on other people, even when they are the ones who cause us to be poor, hungry, and persecuted.
vv. 32-34 A big problem with Christians is that non-believers often seem to be nicer and more loving than us. Oops! Jesus says that we should excel in niceness by showing love to everybody, including the unlovable.
The biggest point we miss is in verse 35, God is kind to the “ungrateful and the evil”.
God has shown unrelenting mercy in my life, yet I sometimes repay the favor by showing no mercy to those I consider unlovable or evil. Matthew 18:20-35 gives a very strong warning about this kind of behavior, as well as the rest of Luke, chapter 6.
If I want to continue growing past a certain point in my faith, I have to keep the focus in my life off of my life. This is true of any Christ-follower. The Bible says that we are on a mission to reconcile this world to God (II Corinthians 5:18-21). We cannot do this while focused on our own circumstances. Each of us must begin to look outside of ourselves and see others the way God does. Then we need to treat them with the same mercy and love that has been shown to us.
This is what true discipleship would look like.
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