Introduction
Throughout the summer, we've been immersed in the teachings from the Sermon on the Plain, found in the Gospel of Luke, its parallel to the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew. Today, we will explore a challenging and profound teaching from this passage. In my heart, I feel compelled to invite earnest reflection on our commitment to Jesus, especially regarding baptism and the full surrender of our lives to Him. I remember the story of a man named Sonko from Sierra Leone. His journey toward faith began with hesitance; he reported his commitment to Jesus as merely "20%" and later, "50%". Yet, after a transformative process, he embraced full devotion and sought baptism to symbolize this commitment. His journey reminds us that following Jesus requires total devotion and the unparalleled willingness to love beyond our comfort zones, specifically towards those who may oppose or hurt us.
Main Points
In Luke 6 27-28 Jesus Presents
In Luke 6:27-28, Jesus presents us with the extraordinary command to love our enemies. This goes far beyond conventional wisdom, the expectation of loving those who love us in return.
- Instead, Christ challenges us to do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, and pray for those who spitefully use us.
- In this way, our devotion to Christ is tested not by how we treat friends but how we engage with those who oppose us.
- Following Jesus indeed calls us onto a narrow path of radical love.
- Historically, Jesus corrects a troubling interpretation of the law where people were encouraged to love their neighbors while hating their enemies, a teaching that echoed the sentim.
This Human Instinct To Repay Kindness
This human instinct to repay kindness with kindness and hostility with hostility is entrenched in our nature. However, we are not merely called to reflect the world but to stand apart as holy.
- As Paul famously states, we must overcome evil with good, representing a divine response that counters the cultural expectation of revenge and retribution.
- As we grapple with this command, it is essential to recognize that merely attempting to love our enemies is insufficient.
- Lewis wisely notes that we should act as if we love our enemies.
It Is Through Our Actions, Our Willingness
It is through our actions, our willingness to bless those who curse us, that the emotion of love will genuinely develop over time. Our obedience reveals a path through which genuine transformation can occur, leading to the possibility of a heart change and deeper affection for those we find difficult to love. Thus, let us commit to practically do good, be it through simple acts of kindness or a prayerful heart toward those we consider adversaries. One of the most potent expressions of love towards our enemies is prayer. Jesus’ instruction encourages us to bless and pray for those who hurt us, transforming our bitter feelings into intercession. Dietrich Bonhoeffer speaks profoundly about this movement, to pray for our enemies aligns our hearts with God’s mercy and grace, positioning us alongside those we struggle to love.
Prayer Is Indeed A Bridge To
Prayer is indeed a bridge to genuine love, combating the resentment that breeds within our hearts and fostering straightforward compassion and understanding. In reflecting upon our ability to love our enemies, we must remember God’s radical grace, which extends to everyone, both righteous and unrighteous (Matthew 5:45). We are all beneficiaries of God’s merciful love, experiencing blessings we do not deserve. This realization shapes not only our understanding of our own position before God but empowers us to administer that same grace toward those who may seem undeserving of our affection. As people who have received God’s love, we are called to make that love known by extending it outward. As we prepare to share in communion, we recall the love demonstrated by Christ on the cross, a love for enemies exemplified through His ultimate sacrifice.
Jesus In His Darkest Hour Interceded
Jesus, in His darkest hour, interceded for His persecutors, saying, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). This is the model of love we are called to emulate, recognizing that, like them, we, too, were once enemies of God yet were met with grace. Communion serves as a reminder of this fundamental truth: that we are all loved through our failures, and thus, we must extend that same unfathomable love to others.
Conclusion
In our journeys of discipleship, may we remember that to truly follow Jesus is to embrace His radical call to love beyond our own fleshly constraints. The challenge laid before us is not simply about narrowing down our Christian walk to those we find easy to love. Rather, it is an invitation to allow the love of God, displayed beautifully through the life of Christ, to empower us to reach out, love deeply, and transform our enemies into friends. As we conclude, reflect on the areas where you might currently identify as only partially devoted, what steps can we take together to transition to a 100% commitment in love for those around us?