Luke 6:27-36 – “Be Merciful,Even As Your Father Is Merciful”

Prayer – “Cut us to the heart. Do your soul-saving surgery on us by showing us your own holy character—the character we were made to worship, enjoy, and reflect. Let us mourn at how we’ve fallen short and rejoice in how Jesus didn’t. Let us see your beauty on display in your Son, and in this be changed to be like You from the inside out.”

Have you ever had an enemy—a real personal enemy? Someone who, all too often, seemed to be working for your harm? Someone whose harm you found yourself

imagining and/or delighting in—even if you didn’t act on it?

Perhaps the harm you endured, wished for, or even worked for involved damaging words—spoken or written. Perhaps this harm involved damaging actions, or lack of actions.

An enemy is someone who is out to get someone else. So we can have enemies without being an enemy.

We’ve all had that crazy neighbor…Unfortunately, we make enemies really easily. An “enemy” should be different than an “opponent.” An opponent is just someone who you’re working against, but not to harm them.

So, when you’re playing basketball you have opponents—the other team. But you’re not out to hurt them (hopefully); you’re just out to beat them. When the game is over you shake hands and start preparing to win the next one.

The people doing the demolition derby at the Olmsted County Fair this last week are out to smash up each other’s cars, but they don’t want to hurt each other. They are opponents—not enemies.

One of the things that disappoints me more all the time in America is seeing how often people who should just be opponents become enemies.

Athletes—even whole teams of them—become bitter rivals. And we often celebrate it.

Politicians who should be expressing and debating their views on issues hardly even have time for that because they are so busy attacking each other. Rather than working for the common good, they begin agitating for each other’s harm and let the slander fly. Everything becomes personal.

And then there are the people who are enemies who shouldn’t even be opponents at all. Recently, people get forced into either the box of hating blacks and supporting police, or loving blacks

and despising police. You almost can’t even acknowledge one group’s concern without being thought a hater of the other group.

Let’s cut really close to home—spouses. I got this text message from a friend this week when I texted to ask how she was doing: “I’m not going to lie—it sucks. I really have nothing but hate for (husband) and I don’t want him around me or (child)… I see no end in sight for any of it.”

It affects the church, too. You’ve probably seen how quickly an honest theological discussion (or even a discussion about how to live out more clear Christian

principles) can degenerate into a personal war.

So we’re all too familiar with mankind’s impulse toward enmity. It’s “in our blood” as fallen sinners, and it seems impossibly ingrained. We make enemies of each other firstly because we’ve made an enemy of God by our rebellion.

But I think if we’d really “get”—if we’d really understand in our hearts and apply—what Christ will teach us today, we’d be amazed at the difference it would make. Most importantly, the light of the beautiful character of God would shine brightly in us for His glory and praise in a dark world.

1. The Background (6:22-23, 26)To set the stage, Christ has just finished speaking, in vv. 22-23, of how His disciples (all of us) should expect to be hated, excluded, reviled, and spurned as evil because of following Him. – Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

1 Peter 4:12-15 – Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as

though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.

This is how those who speak honestly on behalf of God have always been treated, because the world doesn’t like the real personal authority of the One True God.

This experience of suffering is actually an occasion for joy,

however, because it corresponds to a great reward in Heaven.

Verse 26, then, contrasts this by indicating that those who are too popular are probably not representing Christ with integrity. – Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets. – The false prophets of the OT were known for telling people what they wanted to hear rather than the true word of God.

Now, Jesus isn’t just speaking hypothetically here, because almost from the beginning of His public ministry He had been drawing the displeasure of the religious leaders.

Their sentiments have gone from “wrath” (4:28) to accusations of blasphemy (5:21) to “fury” (6:11). John 9:22, among other places, refers to a pact that the Jewish leaders eventually had that anyone who confessed Jesus to be Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.

Jesus already has plenty of people who want to shut Him up, even if that means killing Him. He knows what it is to have enemies, even when one is completely righteous. And He knows that His followers will always have enemies because the world doesn’t love the gospel.

Keep that in mind as I read our passage. (Read)

Jesus says, “We are going to be hatefully opposed, but I say to you who hear, Love your enemies…”

Now, I need to clarify one thing because I’ve heard people interpret this connection as implying that we only need to love those who, specifically because of our faith, are our enemies. But I don’t think that’s Jesus’ point. Rather, He’s clarifying that being His followers will draw the hatred of the world, so we will always have enemies, and so we need to know how to treat all our enemies, regardless of whether being Christian caused the animosity. We need to be admonished to love the overzealous

athlete, the caustic political junkie, the impossible spouse (or other family member), and more.

Part of the reason I believe this is the ultimate reason Jesus gives, down in v. 35, for loving in this way. (Read and explain how being “sons” means that we bear resemblance to our Father, and receive an inheritance from Him.)

Are we only interested in being like our heavenly Father in instances of religious persecution? Certainly not! Do we only want some of our enemies—the anti-Christian ones—to see God’s merciful character? No! Do we want God to enjoy fatherly delight when His character

shows up in His children, but only in their interactions with a specific subset of their enemies? Again, no.

Central Theme: God’s true children respond to that privilege by mercifully loving even our enemies.

2. The Instruction (vv. 27-31)Read 27-28Dwell for a bit on how our human impulse is to repay evil for evil.

We take the “eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth” model that God gave to civil government, and use it as a justification for personal vengeance.

But even in OT Israel, this wasn’t God’s design in interpersonal relationships. Leviticus 19:17-18 –

You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. – But Israel couldn’t even keep this command. Instead, they had turned it into a license to hate enemies (since they weren’t specifically “neighbors”) and foreigners (since they weren’t “your own people”).

That is naturally our impulse, which Jesus alludes to in, “I say to you who hear…” He is indicating that not all on whom His voice falls will

be able to follow this command, because sinners’ hearts are inclined toward hatred.

“Jesus is singling out the true believers… A new life and a new power are in their hearts, those of the kingdom of God (v. 20), and they will show their presence in the most distinctive and tangible way.” – Lenski

But Jesus says, “Love your enemies.”

Now, my first impulse getting into this passage was to define “love” by looking at the following action words: “do good,” “bless,” “pray for,” etc. After all, God certainly wouldn’t be instructing that we have a

positive emotion toward our enemies, would He?

But when I looked closer at the word translated “love” (agapao, agape), I discovered that this is exactly what He is expecting. The word speaks of “a felt love” (as for your “beloved”) or “goodwill.” God is actually calling us to have affection even for our enemies.

This word “must be understood in its classic Christian sense of having a genuine concern for someone irrespective of his or her attractiveness or of the likelihood of any reciprocation in kind.” – Leifeld

This is different than “liking” them. Everything about them may be

repulsive. But we are called to have a disposition toward their good.

That’s impossible for me, on my own. Naturally, my love is directed toward loveliness. But here, it is to be directed to exactly the opposite.

“Do good” indicates that there is action involved in our love. Christians don’t just do right—we do good, purposefully.

Perhaps you think, “OK, well I can do good but cut them to ribbons with my words.” But…

The word translated “bless” here is the one from which we get “eulogy,” and refers to giving a good word or speaking well of someone. This doesn’t mean we’re supposed to lie,

but that we’re supposed to make it our ambition to say what good we can about them. Almost everyone has some strengths to focus on.

Praying on behalf of our abusers is a remarkable exercise in communion with God. To ask the only all-powerful Being in the universe to use His power for their good is significant.

And these are continuous activities. One commentator (Lenski) points out that these verses could be awkwardly but accurately translated, “Be loving your enemies; be doing well to those hating you; be blessing those cursing you, be

praying in behalf of those despitefully using you.”

Read 29-30“Jesus is not advocating the suspension of normal civil judicial procedures. If pagan governments abandoned the protection of civil rights, the result would be an unbiblical anarchy (Rom 13:4).” – Leifeld

Jesus’ proverbial examples here were common, “lawful” things Christians faced at the hands of Jewish or Roman opposition. To Jews, the slap on the cheek would have called to mind the ritual slap upon dismissal from the synagogue, which was the center

of social life. And to everyone, it calls to mind shame.It would be possible to turn the other cheek in a very mocking way, too. (“Is that your best shot?”) Or in the spirit of the old saying, “Always love your enemies; nothing infuriates them more.”

Let’s look at Jesus’ example here to understand what He meant. John 18:22b-23 – …One of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is

right, why do you strike me?” – So it’s not always a literal turning of the other cheek, standing there to take more abuse. But it is a refusal to react vengefully, instead seeking to actively love.

Matthew 5:40 indicates that Jesus is speaking of people who sue you for your cloak. Cloaks were heavier and made of more course materials, so a long tunic was worn underneath for comfort and warmth. For this person to have only your cloak without a tunic would be less than ideal, so give them that, too.

To understand v. 30, I think we need to look down to v. 35’s

“ungrateful.” God is kind not only to His “evil” enemies, but also toward those who are simply ungrateful—who feel entitled to all the many blessings He provides. One of the most offensive things in life is when you go out of your way to bless someone else and they blow it off.So how might we love like this? The “homeless” guy on the corner? (Or, perhaps wait until someone specifically asks you, knowing you’re a Christian?)

“It is love that must decide whether we give or withhold, not a regard for our possessions. [And] Give, incidentally, is in a

continuous sense. Jesus is talking about the habitual attitude, not the occasional generous impulse.” – Morris

On the second half of v. 30: “The disciple loses less by letting his things be taken wrongfully than he would by, with a selfish heart, clamoring to have them returned.” – Lenski

The switch to a plural “you” in v. 31 gives it a feel of summary finality.

This verse is different than it’s inverse, which isn’t specifically Christian. (“If you wouldn’t want it done to you, don’t do it to others.”)

Instead, Jesus’ teaching indicates a continuous, purposeful, positive state of seeking to bless others.

“[This love] sees all the hatefulness and the wickedness of the enemy, feels his stabs and his blows, may even have something to do to ward them off; but this fills the loving heart with only the one desire and aim to free its enemy from his hate, to rescue him from his sin, and to save his soul.” – Lenski

Chandler – If you were outside God’s grace, how would (should) you want Christians to treat you?

Romans 12:17-21So what on earth could motivate us to act this way?

3. The Motivation (vv. 32-36)Read 32-34Verse 34 is probably referring to lending to people who could lend to you in return if you needed it. It’s not referring to just giving to people with no expectation of reimbursement, which is a separate virtue altogether. (Marshall, Gospel of Luke, p. 263)

Vv. 32-34 is what the Jewish rabbis taught. But to love, do good, or lend with the intent of merely ridding oneself of an enemy, or not making an enemy, is not the point.

(To teach kids to be nice to others so that they will be nice to you is not an expressly Christian ideal. It’s

just worldly common sense, and it’s of no benefit to them, eternally speaking. If we want to teach Christianity, it needs to be taken a step further.)

On v. 35Matthew 5:45 – …For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

"Anybody can show kindness and charity, when he hopes to gain something by it.  But such charity should never content a Christian.  The man who is content with it, ought to remember that his practice does not rise an inch above the level of an old Roman or Greek

idolator… The extent of God's unacknowledged mercies to man can never be reckoned up.  Every year he pours benefits on millions [even billions] who do not honor the hand from which they come, or thank the Giver of them.  Yet every year these benefits are continued." – J. C. Ryle

I think we tend to terribly overlook just how gracious God is. Imagine that a person who had insulted and mocked and disrespected and hurt and otherwise offended you and your closest loved ones in every way possible was suddenly completely dependent on you for their very existence. You wouldn’t

have to do anything violent or vicious to be done with them—just stop taking care of them. And no one would fault you. What would you do? What has God done?

On “you will be the sons of the Most High God”: Children resemble parents.

You’ve heard it said, “We are all God’s children.” But we’re not all God’s children. One way we know who is is by how we treat enemies.

“People should think, ‘If there is a God, this person knows them.’” – Jim Cannon

1 Peter 2:15 – For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should

put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.

He is merciful through common grace firstly, but also through us.

Perhaps our reward is the resemblance. Kids who respect their parents are honored to be compared to them.

When treated badly, “Thank you, Father, for an opportunity to be like You!”

Jesus Christ is the Son of the Most High God, Who showed goodwill and mercy toward His enemies. Healed His opponent’s ear. (Luke 22:47-51)

Luke 23:32-47 records the crucifixion of Jesus, and mentions

two people who had at least something of a change of heart while He was on the cross.Matthew 27:44 and Mark 15:32 say that both robbers participated in jeering Him. But sometime after He prays, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” in 22:34, one of them has a change of heart. His statement to the other begins, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?”

And the last words of Jesus recorded by Luke (22:46 – “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”) prompt the presiding

centurion to praise God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!”

This is how Jesus character showed up at the hands of His enemies. He loved them and trusted His Father to do right.

Not only are children like their parents, but hopefully they also honor them by trusting them. That’s how it should be, anyway, and Jesus’ trust of His Father bore amazing testimony to Who He was.1 Peter 2:20b-25 – But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ

also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

This passage from 1 Peter indicates how “the ungrateful and evil” aren’t just “out there.” It’s us.

This passage isn’t primarily about what “good Christians” do. It’s about the heartfelt response of the “ungrateful and evil” to experiencing the grace of our merciful God.

We, too, were once God’s enemies.Romans 5:6-11 –  For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore,

we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Conclusion: How will you respond toward those who are so clearly rebelling against the authority of our King—who seem to be our enemies? Abortionists and their supporters

Gay rights and transgenderism activists

IslamistsAnd your crazy neighbor. And your unkind spouse or family member. And your sinning brother or sister in your church…

It must resemble how God, especially in Christ’s sacrifice, has treated us.