IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Kingdom Ethics

Date: Dec. 28, 2019

Passage

Luke 6:27-36

Love Your Enemies

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.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: Luke 6:31

And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

1. Love your enemies (27-31)

When we are mistreated, our natural inclination is to reciprocate in kind. Jesus' disciples do not retaliate. Jesus commands his disciples to love their enemies and to pray for those who mistreat them. If we are Jesus' disciples, we are not to withhold but always give - even when someone takes what belongs to us! We are to do to others as we would have them do to us. When we wrong others, we too want to be treated with mercy and grace. In fact, this is how God treats us.

2. Be merciful like your Father (32-36)

In the world, we can love those who love us. We can do good to those who do good to us. But Jesus wants his disciples to love those who do not love them. Jesus' disciples are to give unconditionally. Jesus' disciples live out an ethic that reflects God's kindness, generosity and mercy to us. We are often ungrateful and wicked but our Heavenly Father loves us and demonstrates his tender mercy. When we do the same, we show ourselves as children of God and our reward in heaven will be great

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your loving kindness and mercy to me. Help me to love others as you love me.

One Word: Imitate God our Father

Daily Bread

The Lord Judges the Proud

Psalm 75:1-10

Key Verse: 75:2

“At the set time that I appoint
I will judge with equity.

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