Text: Luke 6:27-38
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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.
Valentine’s day was last week. Many shared this love with their spouse, boyfriends and girlfriends, children, relatives and even much love was bestowed on Matthew Stafford for winning the Super Bowl, because in some strange way - for we in Detroit - he is still considered Detroit’s quarterback and beloved by many.
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.
Valentine’s day was last week. Many shared this love with their spouse, boyfriends and girlfriends, children, relatives and even much love was bestowed on Matthew Stafford for winning the Super Bowl, because in some strange way - for we in Detroit - he is still considered Detroit’s quarterback and beloved by many.
Love is nice and its easy to share with those we love. Detroit loves Steve Yzerman of the Red Wings but not so much Claude Lemieux. Right leaning or left leaning … the other side is always Claude Lemieux while you and I only see a smiling Steve Yzerman in the mirror of our own reflection.
… love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
Close your eyes, and think of those who hate you, who have hated you, who have wronged you and then think of those you hate, have hated, and have at one time or another completely disagreed with.
You have and I have. It is the reality of our sinful nature.
Now … love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you,
and … pray for those who abuse you.
These words of Jesus, for his first hearers, must have been hard to hear as they are for us even now.
Many were persecuted. Many lived under the lordship of others. Many had no hope for a better temporal existence.
Last week they had heard the blessings of being poor, hungry, and weeping in this life contrasted with the woes of those who are rich, full and laughing and Jesus continues this eternal perspective for his hearers and you and me as well with an equally hard teaching.
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.
You’ve heard the phrase in our day, “He or she has disrespected me!”
Now, respect is earned not demanded, but if we feel disrespected that might be considered a slap in the face in our day. We may even think of taking action, or retaliating but for we who are in Christ, the eternal reality is this:
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, while we were still God enemies, Christ died for us.
Born in sin, born God’s enemies in the fall, we have collectively slapped God in the face – we have disrespected God!
We have made him our enemy.
But he turns the other cheek, in the death of his son, he shows us mercy, and the greatest respect he gives to us who deserve his distain and wrath.
He forgives our sin in Christ, and gives us the cloak of his righteousness taking our filthy sin-stained cloak and tunic upon himself in exchange.
Christ has shown true love for we who were - his enemies, and in Christ we are made children of our heavenly Father and called to reflect his love to others.
This past week I stopped by the Diner for lunch. I said hi to Mary the waitress whom I’ve known for 40 + years and as I sat looking at the menu a man approached my table. I said hello to him and he said,
“Are you a Catholic Priest?”
“No, I replied, I’m a Lutheran pastor.”
He placed a $20 bill on the table and said, “
“I’d like to buy your lunch!”
I replied, “That is really kind of you.”
I learned his name was Mike and he asked me to pray for him. I have and will continue to do so.
Jesus says,
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.
Mike gave, expecting nothing in return. He was kind, and generous. He only asked for prayer - when I asked what I could do for him.
I can only judge Mike’s actions. They were unexpected, kind, and gracious. I can’t judge his motive, the why he did this.
But the gospel concludes:
38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.
Maybe Mike had received a kindness and wanted to pass it on.
Maybe he had his lunch paid for and thought that kindness should be paid forward.
Maybe Mike was blessed in another way and felt the need to bless another in the same way he was.
Or, maybe, he is the one motivated by Christ simply to be a blessing?
Not only did he buy my lunch, but he helped me finish my sermon with this wonderful illustration and example of Christian love.
For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Now turn it around. Could you do the same if the person was not just unknown to you, but someone who actively was an enemy or one who hated and wronged you? It would certainly make it harder to reach out.
Bully story: Apology and forgiveness.
https://www.goalcast.com/dad-apologizes-man-he-bullied-20-years-later/
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.
It is my hope that the Spirit motivates us all to show kindness to those
we come in contact with and especially, to reach out to those who might not be our friends, to those we’ve wronged, and to those who have wronged us especially with the forgiveness that the Lord has shown us.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
… love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
Close your eyes, and think of those who hate you, who have hated you, who have wronged you and then think of those you hate, have hated, and have at one time or another completely disagreed with.
You have and I have. It is the reality of our sinful nature.
Now … love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you,
and … pray for those who abuse you.
These words of Jesus, for his first hearers, must have been hard to hear as they are for us even now.
Many were persecuted. Many lived under the lordship of others. Many had no hope for a better temporal existence.
Last week they had heard the blessings of being poor, hungry, and weeping in this life contrasted with the woes of those who are rich, full and laughing and Jesus continues this eternal perspective for his hearers and you and me as well with an equally hard teaching.
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.
You’ve heard the phrase in our day, “He or she has disrespected me!”
Now, respect is earned not demanded, but if we feel disrespected that might be considered a slap in the face in our day. We may even think of taking action, or retaliating but for we who are in Christ, the eternal reality is this:
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, while we were still God enemies, Christ died for us.
Born in sin, born God’s enemies in the fall, we have collectively slapped God in the face – we have disrespected God!
We have made him our enemy.
But he turns the other cheek, in the death of his son, he shows us mercy, and the greatest respect he gives to us who deserve his distain and wrath.
He forgives our sin in Christ, and gives us the cloak of his righteousness taking our filthy sin-stained cloak and tunic upon himself in exchange.
Christ has shown true love for we who were - his enemies, and in Christ we are made children of our heavenly Father and called to reflect his love to others.
This past week I stopped by the Diner for lunch. I said hi to Mary the waitress whom I’ve known for 40 + years and as I sat looking at the menu a man approached my table. I said hello to him and he said,
“Are you a Catholic Priest?”
“No, I replied, I’m a Lutheran pastor.”
He placed a $20 bill on the table and said, “
“I’d like to buy your lunch!”
I replied, “That is really kind of you.”
I learned his name was Mike and he asked me to pray for him. I have and will continue to do so.
Jesus says,
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.
Mike gave, expecting nothing in return. He was kind, and generous. He only asked for prayer - when I asked what I could do for him.
I can only judge Mike’s actions. They were unexpected, kind, and gracious. I can’t judge his motive, the why he did this.
But the gospel concludes:
38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.
Maybe Mike had received a kindness and wanted to pass it on.
Maybe he had his lunch paid for and thought that kindness should be paid forward.
Maybe Mike was blessed in another way and felt the need to bless another in the same way he was.
Or, maybe, he is the one motivated by Christ simply to be a blessing?
Not only did he buy my lunch, but he helped me finish my sermon with this wonderful illustration and example of Christian love.
For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Now turn it around. Could you do the same if the person was not just unknown to you, but someone who actively was an enemy or one who hated and wronged you? It would certainly make it harder to reach out.
Bully story: Apology and forgiveness.
https://www.goalcast.com/dad-apologizes-man-he-bullied-20-years-later/
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.
It is my hope that the Spirit motivates us all to show kindness to those
we come in contact with and especially, to reach out to those who might not be our friends, to those we’ve wronged, and to those who have wronged us especially with the forgiveness that the Lord has shown us.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen
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