BE SONS OF THE MOST HIGH

Passage: Luke 6:27-36

Key verse: 35

NIV

Love for Enemies(A)

27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,(B) 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.(C) 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.(D) 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.(E)

32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?(F) Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?(G) Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them,(H) and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children(I) of the Most High,(J) because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful,(K) just as your Father(L) is merciful.

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Love Your Enemies

27 “But I say to you who hear, (A)Love your enemies, (B)do good to those who hate you, 28 (C)bless those who curse you, (D)pray for those who abuse you. 29 (E)To one who (F)strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic[a] either. 30 (G)Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And (H)as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

32 (I)“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 (J)if you (K)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 (L)love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and (M)you will be sons of (N)the Most High, for (O)he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 (P)Be merciful, even as (Q)your Father is merciful.

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Footnotes
  1. Luke 6:29 Greek chiton, a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Love your enemies (27-31)

God wants his image restored in us. Jesus died for us while we were still his enemies. He died so that sin in us might be defeated, and our sinful natures changed. Jesus blessed those who cursed him and prayed for those who mistreated him. He said nothing to those who gambled for his clothes; he gave to all who asked of him. The standard he sets in these verses is the standard of his own life and character.

2. Even sinners love those who love them (32-36)

Christians must be different. It is reasonable to love those who love us--though even this is hard! But Jesus calls us to love those who hate us. It is normal to give presents to those who give to us, but to give, expecting nothing in return seems foolish. Jesus loved us when we were his enemies. In a world full of hatred and indifference Jesus asks his disciples to love.

Prayer: Lord, help me to be different from the world. Help me to follow Jesus, not my own sinful nature. Let Jesus' image be formed in me.

One Word: Grow in Jesus' image