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Text: Luke 6:27-36
Do you know who enjoys church? People who come to get something from God.
Reward belongs to God
- First of all, I appreciate how the LORD Jesus Christ explains what he means by love. This way we won’t be limited to our own imagination of what love is.
- Do good to them that hate you
- As a general rule, everyone is good to people who are good to them. In most cases doing good is a mutual transaction where the person doing good is also getting what they want out of it. This doesn’t mean you should be evil, it just means the benevolence is transactional.
- Christian doctrine as taught by Jesus Christ is to also do good when there is no benefit to you. If you’re good to people who aren’t good to you, then you’re not seeking a reward or satisfaction from them. You’re trusting God to see and reward your work of faith.
- Bless them that curse you
- Again, as a rule, people bless the people that bless them. And it’s not wrong to be a blessing to good people. But if you’re blessing people to get something from them then your reward is with the people.
- A Christian blesses people who aren’t going to bless them. Why? Because a Christian operates in faith, trusting that the LORD will reward him.
- Pray for them that despitefully use you
- Again, as a rule, people pray for the people that pray for them. And it’s not wrong to do that. But if you’re praying to get something from the people you’re praying for then you have your reward.
- A Christian prays for people who curse them. Why? Because a Christian operates in faith, trusting that the LORD will reward him.
- These three instructions are about what Christians do. The first three instructions come with rewards of peace, joy, and love right now. If you’ll actively love people who you’d normally hate, then part of the reward is what you’ll miss out on. Things like envy, bitterness, and hatred won’t occupy your life because you’re busy loving people.
- Now, the next three instructions are about what Christians don’t do. These are about retaliation and revenge. These are about taking vengeance into your own hands and therefore not trusting God with the outcome.
- Turn the other cheek
- Forbid not to take your cloak also
- Don’t demand your things back
- These instructions are faith at work because this is what trusting God looks like. This is what trusting Jesus Christ looks like. This is what following Jesus Christ is.
- But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
- You can’t please God without faith, meaning you can’t please God if you aren’t going to do good to them that hate you, bless them that curse you, pray for them that spite you. You can’t please God by seeking retaliation, demanding your form of justice right now, or pursuing revenge.
- Paul got onto the Corinthian church for disobeying this command. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?
Related to God
- …and ye shall be children of the Highest…
- This is also the divine nature at work. Why should you trust the LORD with your reward? Because it produces godliness. This is the behavior that is like God.
- 2 Peter 1:3-4 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
- James 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth…
- Being a child of God means being like your Father – Be ye therefore perfect… If you don’t need others to be good to you in order for you to be good to them, then that’s perfection. A Christian’s benevolence is not a response to someone else’s benevolence. It is a stand-alone act of faith in the promises and rewards of God Almighty.
- This means a Christian is not led by someone else’s behavior, a Christian is led by the Spirit of God. Romans 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.
- So this is a description of God himself. And to worship God looks like worshipping Him in spirit and in truth. Look at Luke 6:36, Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. This is what being led by the Spirit of God looks like. And this brings us to the third point of being distracted from God’s leadership.
Real warfare
- The Lord explains to the disciples where the real battles are. It’s not about ghosts in the walls of your house, it’s about hatred in the walls of your heart. It’s the battle of what I want to do to this person versus what faith tells me to do.
- If I choose revenge, then I call God a liar.
- Romans 12:17-21 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
- Genesis 15:1 …Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
- Trusting Jesus Christ doesn’t mean bowing your head and saying I believe. Trusting Jesus Christ means giving up my revenge to let God be the judge. Trusting Jesus Christ means giving my generosity and goodwill to you LORD. I’ll let you be the rewarder of those things.
