Luke 6:27-36
I Wish Jesus Never Said
Love Your Enemies
What kind of church do we want to be?
How would you answer that question? We’re good at knowing what kind of church we want to
belong to, but maybe not so good at thinking what kind of church God is calling us to be.
Todays passage challenges us to reconsider what we should be known for as a church.
The gospel offers us and calls us in to a kind of love that totally goes against our natur
inclination. We love people who love us, and hate people who hate us. But God gives us a love
that addresses both our deepest brokenness and at the same time offers us a joy that transform
us to love in ways that go beyond our natural ability.
If we as a community are those who have received this kind of love - then the gospel has the
power to transform us to love even our enemies. But this practice is painful, humanly speaking
even impossible. So what does it look like?
Unexplainable love (vs 27-28)
‘But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless
those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.’
This was a radical teaching to the original hearers. For them, they reserved this kind of love for
their neighbours (love your neighbour as yourself). The idea of loving an enemy was beyond them.
But Jesus wants his followers to see that the love that is offered to them is a love that has existe
since the beginning and flows from the heart of God. It’s a love which doesn’t simply go to thos
who are easy to love, but the unloveable. When Christians live out this kind of love, it makes the
world say, “That makes no sense.”
Unselfish love (vs 29-30)
If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also.
This is a hard teaching. It seems unfair, unjust. Jesus is calling us to a love that is self denying and
self sacrificing
John 16 - Jesus prepares his followers for what is to come for being a follower of Him. There will
be suffering and persecution to the degree that they will be removed from the Jewish communit
by being kicked out of the synagogue. Before being removed, they would stand trial - and the last
thing they would do before being banished? They same thing they did to Jesus - they slapped
him in the face. It was a day to shame someone.
Jesus is teaching - “when they persecute you for MY sake, don’t fight back. Because I am wit
you.” It is only because we are loved like this that we can love like this. It’s a transformative love.
2015 - Isis captured 21 followers of Jesus who refused to deny Christ or hate their captors. They
followed Jesus in the way of the cross, giving up their lives for the sake of Christ. Their dying
moments were caught on camera. Not one of them swore at the men who would murder them, or
cursed them. Instead they simply cried out - “O Lord Jesus.”
They knew the call to give up their lives for Christ was worth it.
Undeserved love (vs 29-30)
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
The standard of this world is to return evil for evil - but in God’s kingdom, we are to return love for
evil. We don’t treat people as they deserve because Jesus hasn’t treated us as we deserve.
How did we treat him? We made him our enemy. We rejected him. We murdered him. Yet in his
own dying moments what does he say to those who would take his life? “Father, forgive them -
they don’t know what they’re doing.”
This is undeserved, unselfish love. It’s grace. When we made him our enemy, he made us hi
friend - because he loves us.
Unexpectant love (vs 32-36)
“If you only love…do good…lend to those who love you - what benefit is that to you?
When we love like the world we miss out. When we love like Christ, there is blessing. This
command is difficult but it is given to us not to rob us of joy but to increase
Verse 35 tells us as we keep this, we will be seen as children of God Himself. Our love will stand
in such shape contrast to the world.
We are those who in Jesus have received unexplainable, unselfish, undeserved love. A love that i
given without expectation. Are we embracing that kind of love?
If we can be known for a love like this, what could God do among us? If we are prepared to give
up our lives, how many more might be saved? 2.8 million people in Manchester are desperate for
this love.
What will we be known for?
