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.
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
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
verse 21,
once you
were alienated
from God
and were
enemies in
your minds
because of
your evil
behavior.
Or Romans
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
chapter
23.
Luke
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.