The Gospel of Luke – Jesus is for everyone: Radical love

Luke 6:27-36

Jesus’ teaching is radical. Jesus takes societies morals and principals and turns them upside down. We are called to be radically different in our attitudes and behaviour towards our enemies. We may not have enemies trying to kill us, but we all struggle with some people in our lives.

The religious leaders were teaching that it was ok to hate your enemies. This was not based on Scripture. Jesus said love your enemies. Jesus demanded the highest standards of love from His followers.

1. How can we love our enemies? (Vs 27) – Ignore the hate and speak kindly to our enemies. Meet hatred with love. We are called to love by our words, by our actions and by our prayers (not in a negative way!).
2. Why should we love our enemies? (Vs 29-31) –
   1. Hate multiplies hate. Hate rips apart relationships. Jesus says meet hate with love. He says no to revenge and retaliation. Jesus says be different. He says meet insult and rejection with love. Jesus says do unto others as you would have them do to you (vs 31). We need the Holy Spirit to live this way. Hate is self destructive.
   2. Hate eats away at us from the inside. Hate is never the right response.
   3. Love for our enemies imitates God (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:14). If God did not love His enemies there would be no hope. Whenever we love our enemies we are being godlike.