Love Your Enemies

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Love Your Enemies

Date: Nov. 28, 2016

Passage

Luke 6:27-36 (ESV)

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.

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 6:35

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.

First, "Do good to those who hate you" (27-31). Jesus taught his disciples to love their enemies. We naturally treat others in the same way we have been treated. Jesus' followers are to be radically different. Hatred is to be repaid with good deeds. We pray for those who mistreat us. We give generously and do not withhold God's love. Jesus' life is the best example. Jesus loved those who hated him. This is how God has loved each of us.

Second, live better than ordinary sinners (32-36). One does not need to be a Christian to love and do good. The challenge is to whom we do good and love. Ordinary sinners do both to those who will reciprocate in kind. Jesus holds his people to a much higher standard. God's children love their enemies and do good for them without expecting anything back. God's love, kindness and grace is revealed to the world in this way. God promises to reward his children when they live as Jesus did.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being kind to ungrateful and wicked sinners like me. Help me to love like you.

One Word: Demonstrate God's love

Countless Saved from God’s Wrath by the Blood of the Lamb

Revelation 7:1-17

Key Verse: 7:9-10

A Great Multitude from Every Nation

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Today's Question

Are all sins equally evil?

See answer and references