A Revolutionary Kind of Love ~ Luke 6:27-36 September 22, 2013 ~ New City Church Calgary ~ Pastor John Ferguson

Intro: Norm-isms: Its a dog-eat-dog world out there and Im wearing milkbone underwear! We all know what its like to live in a dog-eat-dog world. We know what its like to be taken advantage of, to be bullied, to be hurt. We were meant to live in a world where we have no enemies; we were meant for human relationships of mutual encouragement and flourishing. But something has gone horribly wrong.

The question is, how will we respond? Most of us respond intuitively in a tit-for-tat kind of way. If we get hurt, we will respond in kind to try to hurt someone else.

Jesus shows us a different way of being human: one that is based on how God himself treats those who have no regard for him, and one that was exemplified by Jesus himself. A Revolutionary Kind of Love ~ Luke 6:27-36

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. 1. OT law commanded love for ones neighbor as you love yourself (Lev. 19:18). But this had become so narrowly defined as loving those who are just like you that Jesus here blows up the sentiment by shocking us with the words Love. Your. Enemies. 2. Greek 101: The Greek language has 4 different words for love. Storge = natural affection Eros = romantic love Philia = the love of friendship Agape = unconditional love Hughes, Such a love is not motivated by the merit of the one who is loved. It is a deliberate love, rooted in the willa love by choice. Agape love says, I will love this person because, by Gods grace, I choose to love this person.

3. Jesus fleshes out what this would look like: Revolutionary deeds: do good to those who hate you Revolutionary words: bless those who curse you Revolutionary prayers: pray for those who mistreat you

Immediate application!

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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. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. Striking on the cheek in ancient cultures was more of an insult than an act of violence (Ryken). Todays equivalent would be a slap, a spitting in someones face. Morris, If Christians took this absolutely literally there would soon be a class of saintly paupers, owning nothing, and another of prosperous idlers and thieves. It is not this that Jesus is seeking, but a readiness among his followers to give and give and give. The Christian should never refrain from giving out of a love for his possessions.

31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. 32 33 34 35 What has become known as The Golden Rule. If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 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. Jesus says, You get no credit for loving in a natural way. Objection: But this is crazy! Who loves in this kind of way? 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. Matthew 5:45, For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. o Romans 2:4, Gods kindness is meant to lead you to repentance. Hughes, 228, To become Sons of the Most High is the Hebrew way of saying we will be like the Most High, God himself. Therefore, to love ones enemies is to be like Christ and like the Father.

36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Jesus calls us to a different way of being human that mimics the heart of our Heavenly Father. Main Idea: 2

We are to love like this because our Heavenly Father loves like this. NT Wright, There are two particularly astonishing things about these instructions. First, their simplicity: they are obvious, clear, direct, and memorable. Second, their scarcity. How many people do you know who really live like this? Imagine: What if everyone in Calgary lived like this? How would our city be utterly transformed? It would be a taste of life in the Kingdom of God. In the New Heavens and New Earth, there will be no unkindness shown. It will be a world of radical, life-enriching love; a world where the love of the Father is poured out in our hearts and through our hearts into one anothers hearts. What Jesus is calling us to do is to live the life of the future now in the present dog-eat-dog world.

Application: 1. Root yourself in the soil of the gospel. The amazing thing is that Jesus not only instructs us to love our enemies, but is himself the most graphic example of this. o Rom. 5:6, You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. o Rom. 5:8, But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. o Rom. 5:10, when we were Gods enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son. This is where we learn to love our enemies: at the Cross of Jesus Christ o Unless we are rooted in the life-giving love of Christ, we will respond in a tit-fortat way of being human. 2. Reflect the family likeness. Identify your battle. Its not so much out there in the dog-eat-dog world, but in here, in our hearts where we battle a tit-for-tat mentality. If you are saying in your hearts, There is no way I can love my enemies! then congratulations are in order: You are beginning to get it. o Is it possible that God might put us in impossible situations where we cannot love in this way unless we desperately call out for his enabling grace, for his love to flow through us? 3

Its not natural. Its supernatural. And thats why you need Jesus.

Connect to divine power. Jesus said, I am the vine, you are the branches. Apart from me you can do nothing. Admit your incapacity for revolutionary love, and connect to divine power.

Jesus not only calls us to different way of being human, he not only shows us a different way of being human, but he empowers us for a different way of being human.

Conclusion: Story from the Christian Post (Mar 23, 12): Atheist Activist With Failing Vision Gets Help From Christians Patrick Greene had planned to sue Henderson County, TX, unless it removed a Nativity scene from a courthouse lawn. Dropped his threats when he began losing his vision. Christians in Athens raised money to help cover his medical expenses. We didnt expect this kind of treatment from most Christians because most Christians dont act this way. But because of the fact that Jesus said Love your neighbor as yourself these people are acting like real Christians. Both my wife and I love them for that, because they are actually putting their actions where their beliefs are.

This kind of love that Christ describes reflects the revolutionary nature of his kingdom. This kind of revolutionary love in the face of a dog-eat-dog world could actually make a difference. This text helps us to understand the kind of person God is calling us to become. This teaching enables you to answer the question, What kind of me does God want for his mission in this world? This teaching of Jesus invites us to a different way of being human, one marked by kindness and mercy and a supernatural kind of love.