Luke 6:27-49
Key Verse: 6:27
“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you....”
In the last passage we studied Jesus’ choosing of the twelve apostles and Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain. Today, Jesus continues his Sermon on the Plain. The Sermon on the Plain is Luke’s mini-version of the Sermon on the Mount. The main topic of Jesus’ sermon is love. The disciple’s love for others should be extraordinary in comparison to the way people usually love. Then Jesus commanded his disciples to be fruitful by cultivating their hearts and to be the wise builders by hearing his words and putting them into practice. Our Christian life is not to accumulate our Bible knowledge but to practice God’s love. May God bless us to practice Jesus’ teaching to love our enemies through this passage.
PART I. LOVE FOR ENEMIES (27-36).
Look at verse 27. “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you....” Jesus’ attention now turns to love, but the love mentioned here is not ordinary: it is difficult and superior. Only those who have experienced God’s forgiveness can understand this kind of high level of love. It is easy to love those who are like-minded, but this command to love our enemies would be more difficult to carry out because in our generation people have developed “enemy mentality.” If you are not with us, then you are against us; like “us versus them.” Some people suggest that we skip this passage because it is impractical and focus on other practical topics. But today’s passage is the core of the Bible. The Bible is God’s love letter to all mankind. We know that we can love our enemies only when we think how much God loved sinners like us. We can understand this command in the context of God’s love. God first set the example of true love and then commanded his people to follow his example. As we know, there are three kinds of love-physical, friendly, sacrificial love. Most people are excited about physical and romantic love. But God’s love is a sacrificial one. God’s love is not limited, like human love. God’s love is everlasting. For example, Jesus chose one man, Simon Peter, to be his top disciple. Simon made many mistakes, but Jesus’ love toward Simon never changed. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday and today and forever.” God’s love is to the end.
Last Tuesday we had a settlement to buy our new 3600 prayer house. Angelo, the owner of the house told me he is expecting the golden anniversary of his marriage with his wife Eddie. I congratulated him for his 48 years of faithfulness to his marriage. These days many marriages do not last long but they only last a short time. Many young people love hot like an oven but their love becomes ice-cold soon. That’s not true love. But God’s love does not change in spite of our unfaithfulness. It is forever. God’s love is unconditional. For example, the prophet Hosea received God’s word to take an adulterous wife. So Hosea married a virtual prostitute, the infamous Gomer. It was amazing grace for Gomer to marry the holy prophet Hosea. But right after marriage, she returned to her adulterous lifestyle. Then God said to Hosea, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites...” (Hos 3:1). Hosea should have condemned her to death. Amazingly, Hosea obeyed God’s command and loved her again.
Throughout history we know that God loved his enemies. Jesus’ death on the cross is the culmination of God’s love for all mankind. When Jesus hung on the cross, put there by sinful men, he prayed for them, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Lk 23:34a). In the anguish of extreme pain Jesus did not curse or condemn his enemies. Rather, he prayed and forgave their sins. Where can we find such a love that Jesus showed on the cross? Jesus’ cross became the emblem of God’s love. This love of God in Jesus was for his enemies. At one time, we were all God’s enemies. Romans 5:10 says, “For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son....” While we were his enemies, God loved us and sacrificed Jesus to save us from our sins. Praise God! Praise Jesus! When we know that God sacrificed Jesus for our sins, we begin to know what love is. Then we can practice this love. 1 John 4:19 says, “We love because he first loved us.” We must know the love of God in order to love our enemies. God really loves us. God demonstrated his love for us. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Who practiced this command of Jesus first? It was Stephen who forgave those who stoned him to death. Acts 7:60b says, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Many early Christians followed Jesus’ examples and forgave those who executed them in the arena. They practiced Jesus’ command to love their enemies. They did not curse those who persecuted them. Rather, they praised God and loved them. Their love changed the Roman Empire. Judah Ben Hur in the movie “Ben Hur” was betrayed by his friend Messala. He was filled with hatred and anger due to this event. After he killed his enemy in the spectacular chariot race, was he happy? He was more troubled and his hatred was eating up his soul and was destroying him. When he saw Jesus on the cross and received forgiveness, he was changed. There was a minister during the Korean War. His two sons were killed by communist rebels. Later, they were captured and were ready to be executed by the firing squad. But the minister sent his daughter and stopped the execution and adopted one of them as his son. Through his love the communist soldier was converted. He obeyed Jesus’ command exactly. We are moved by his love. Wives of missionaries who were killed by native people in Ecuador did not retaliate their enemies but loved them. They practiced Jesus’ teaching.
Look at verse 27 again. “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you....” In this passage, the meaning of “enemy” is very clear. An enemy is one who curses us (28). An enemy is one who mistreats us (28). An enemy is one who strikes our cheek (29). In short, enemies are those who hate us. Enemies are also those who demand many things unreasonably (29b). Enemies are those who persecute us simply because we follow Jesus faithfully. But Jesus commands us to love our enemies. Let’s read verses 28-29. Look at four key words here, “love, do good, bless, and pray” How do people respond to their enemies? They want to hate their enemies more. But if we hate our enemies, we only hurt ourselves struggling to overcome our anger and frustration. We spend many sleepless nights tossing and turning. Hating does not do any harm to our enemies. Our natural reaction towards our enemies is to get even, pay back and strike back with vengeance like an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. This kind of reaction invites more violence and endless bloodshed as we see in Iraq and the Middle East. One policeman pulled a gun and shot a teenage student the other day because a reckless driver bothered him. Then he claimed it was self-defense. Hatred brings violence. Cain’s hatred for Abel brought the first murder. Saul’s hatred for David brought his downfall and his kingdom. David’s forgiveness for King Saul brought unity and success to his kingdom. God’s people must invoke God’s blessings upon their enemies. Intercessory prayer is important for those who abuse us. YDJ wants to offer their intercessory prayer for one student through their Siloam festival. They have 30 names so far. Our natural instincts want our enemies to be cursed by God and to be destroyed. We wish our enemies were killed in a car accident. We can love our enemies when we have faith in God. Verses 29-31 show us four illustrations of loving. Let’s read verses 29-31. “If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.” This is the basic attitude of children of God and it is the way of loving one’s enemy. Jesus illustrates this love for one’s enemies. Jesus is talking about principles. By offering the cheek, we have a positive attitude. Offering the other cheek means that we continue to invite students who abuse us repeatedly at the risk of another abuse. Loving involves giving our own cloak as well as tunic. If someone takes your coat, then give him your undershirt too. Generosity is a fundamental, concrete expression of love. For even when something is taken, the disciple is not to demand it back. Many people argue that this command is not workable. If Lawson takes M. Moses’ shiny new car, what will M. Moses do? Will he not demand it back? But the spirit of the command is clear. The point is that Jesus’ command is strong, comprehensive, and serious. The world’s ethics are to be surpassed. Verses 32-34 illustrate radical love. Jesus uses negative examples to show that the disciple’s love must be different from the sinner’s love. Each illustration takes an example of love and asks what is special about it, given that even sinners love this way. Do you expect to be paid back when you love your sheep? You do it out of your love. Do you expect repayment when you give money to your children? You do it out of your love. This is the principle of love. As you know, I was a selfish sinner in the past. I lived as the number one enemy of God but Jesus loved me and changed me. Though I loved anyone, I could not love Kim Jung Il because his father killed my parents during the Korean War. When we began to pray for North Korea, I did not like it. But I accepted this prayer because Jesus loved me, such a sinner as I. If you have difficulty to love your enemies, start to love someone next to you. If someone disagrees with us, we regard that person as our enemy. But the bottom line is do not think that way. But love your parents, your children, your brother, your sister, your teacher, your coworker, your boss, your country, and your friend. Then we can pray for the Muslims and all kinds of people. Love builds family. Raise your children with love and they will learn how to love. Love builds the church and nations. Christian life is not how much we know but how much we practice God’s love. There is no such thing as loving too much. In fact we love too little. 1 Cor. 13:1 says, “If I speak in the tongue of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” There will be only a “gong” sound when we do not love. But when we love, we will praise God, “praise him, praise him all ye little children. God is love and God is love.” I pray that God may bless us to become a disciple of love in our generation.
PART II. JUDGING OTHERS (37-42).
Look at verse 37. “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Let’s rephrase this verse in this way, “Judge and you will be judged. Condemn and you will be condemned.” What is commanded here is an attitude that is hesitant to condemn and quick to forgive. Judging comes when we are self-righteous or proud. We apply God’s law strictly to others and apply it generously to ourselves. Then it is easy to judge others with our own standard. If we judge others by saying, “You are selfish,” then the other person will say, “You are selfish too.” When someone say, “I am right and you are wrong,” there will be a constant fight. But Jesus says, “Do not judge.” Here, “judge” has the meaning of “condemn.” Those who judge seem to condemn others. But in fact they condemn themselves. When M. Luke K. said to his son Luke Jr., “Do not watch T.V. too much,” his son later told him, “Do not watch T.V.” Of course, this case did not mean to condemn but rather to correct. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him (Jn 3:17). God’s people must know his grace and be forgiving. We are to forgive because God has forgiven us. The emphasis is on reflecting mercy, being able to forgive, and refusing to judge harshly.
Look at verses 41-42, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Here the plank is a heavy and thick board, at least 8 inches wide, and a speck is a small spot from stain or decay. It is ridiculous for someone who has plank to try to take the speck. These verses warn us against hypocrisy. Instead of looking at others’ small faults and weaknesses, we must repent of our own sins. We must know that our own sins are huge and that others’ faults are small. But most people think that they are a little bit better than others. They are like the Pharisees, who collaborated with the Roman governor Pilate and nailed Jesus to the cross. They were as evil as the devil. They were enemies of God. But they only looked at others’ small faults and weaknesses, ignoring their own wickedness. Sometimes we think we are pretty good people, a little better than others. At that moment, we must ask God’s mercy to heal our spiritual blindness so we can repent of our own sins. Then we can grow in Jesus continually, like St. Paul did (1Ti 1:15).
Look at verses 39-40. “He also told them this parable: ‘Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.’” Jesus’ disciples’ present conditions were not so great. They were spiritually blind; they might fall into a pit, bringing others with them. They were not ready to be leaders. They needed to humbly learn from Jesus. Through much divine discipline, they would become like him. When we follow Jesus to the end, not giving up, receiving all of his training, we will become like Jesus. We will love our enemies, like Jesus did. Being a Bible teacher requires a lot of training until he or she can lead others to God, not to the pit.
PART III. THE WISE AND FOOLISH BUILDERS (43-49)
Look at verses 43-45. “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” Jesus did not focus his effort on improving his disciples’ appearances or their table manners. Jesus wanted to transform their inner character. Jesus wanted to transform their hearts into good hearts. It is because good fruit comes from a good heart. There is no substitute for a good heart. Love does not come out of a hateful heart. Joy does not come out of a bitter heart. Peace does not come out of a vengeful heart. What Jesus’ disciples, then and now, need most is a good heart. A farmer takes care of his fruit trees to harvest juicy fruits. When we want to raise up a disciple of Jesus, we want to take care of our sheep as a farmer takes care of his tree. We have to feed them with the word of God deeply and give our hearts to serve them with the life-giving spirit. Then we will harvest them into the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus helped his disciples with his word. After three years together, Jesus told them, “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you” (Jn 15:3). He also prayed for them, “Sanctify them by the truth, your word is truth” (Jn 17:17). When we study the word of God with sincere repentance, the word of God purifies our hearts and creates in us a clean heart. This is most important for Jesus’ disciples.
There were a lot of people hanging around Jesus who called him, “Lord, Lord,” but did not do what he said. To Jesus it was nonsense. He really wanted them to obey his words as of first importance. Look at verses 47-48. “I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.” The disciples heard Jesus’ words, “Love your enemies,” “Do not judge,” and “Good fruit comes from a good heart.” But hearing was not enough. They needed to practice these teachings in their daily lives. This requires a great effort, like that of a man digging down deep to lay a house foundation on rock. This teaches how much we must struggle to put Jesus’ words into practice. In doing so, we build a solid life foundation on the Rock, Jesus Christ. When we have even one word of Jesus in our deep hearts, we can overcome the torrents of the world and render glory to God.
But those who hear Jesus’ words and do not put them into practice are like those who build a house with no foundation. The moment the torrent strikes that house, it collapses and its destruction is complete (49). We must not only hear Jesus’ words, but practice them.
Today we learned to love our enemies. May God help us put this word into practice and build our lives on the everlasting foundation, Jesus Christ. Then God will bless us abundantly and eternally.
Let’s read the key verse 27.