When looked last time at the Sermon on the Mount, we saw how
Jesus tries to help us see God through His gracious invitation to sit at the
Father’s table. To do so, we must
reverse of our values by repenting of our sinful pursuits.
As we continue, Jesus addresses those who have forsaken
their sin, and have turned to the Savior, and those who sit at the Father’s
Table. Jesus says to you; now that you are a child of God, imitate the loving
character of your Heavenly Father--just as we do our own earthly parents.
It starts with God's love, which is radically
others-focused. Let's take a look at some key aspects of God's definition of
love that we should strive imitate.
1. Love by intervention
(vv. 27-28). “We are to love our enemies, do good
to those who hate us, bless those
who curse us, pray for those who
abuse us.”
In these four examples — love, do good, bless and pray —
Jesus defines love as proactively seeking the good of those who are our
enemies, who hate us, curse and abuse us.
We react, not in the normal way, but by pouring out blessings on those
who are attacking us. It is very
easy to love those who are favorable to you.
The intervention that is advocated here is the kind of love
that prays for a coworker, child, family member, landlord — or anyone who is an
enemy in your life — that they would have the peace of God in their life,
too. It is the kind of
others-focused, sacrificial love that we are called to imitate.
2. Love by self-sacrifice
(vv. 29-31). In these
verses, Jesus gives four examples of the kind of self-sacrificing love we are
to imitate. Three of the examples
are involuntary, and one is voluntary.
When hit, we do not hit back; in fact, we allow potential
harm for the sake of something greater.
If someone takes our coat, then we are to allow him or her to take the
shirt, too. And if someone takes
one of earthly possessions and refuses to give it back, we are to let them keep
it. This is truly radical. These are of course involuntary
situations. Yet, the poor and
oppressed are not the only ones who must give.
In verse 30, Jesus is saying that if
God has blessed you, and given you peace and financial stability, then you must
demonstrate a sacrificial love and share it with those who are destitute.
3. Love by command (v. 31). This section is summed up with
what we affectionately call the Golden Rule (v. 31). Some have argued that Jesus is
completely unique in his emphasis, but the Golden Rule has its roots in the Law
of Moses, of all places. In Leviticus
19:18, we read, “You shall not take vengeance or
bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your
neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” In fact, this verse is wonderful summary of Leviticus
19, in which, God prescribes looking out for the interests of other
people.
Loving like our
Heavenly Father (vv. 32-36).
Jesus gives three negative examples in
contrast this radical new love. If you
only love those who love you, only do good to those who do good to you, only
lend to those whom you expect a return, what's the benefit? Even sinners do this kind of
thing.
The
sinners expect to pay for what they get. You have heard it said, “If I do
enough good things, then God will have to let me into heaven.” That is worldly wisdom, but it is not
grace. Grace is free and without
conditions — it is not something we earn on our own. Jesus paid it all at
Calvary.
Now that we are at the
Father’s Table we must begin to be merciful, generous, and gracious like our
Heavenly Father. We must imitate
and demonstrate that we are His Children — not out of slavish drudgery, but out
of joy and gratitude as sons of the Most High.
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