Lesson 14
Golden Rule in Action
Luke 6:27-36
By being a follower of Christ I know that there are those out in the world who automatically become my enemy. Most of them would never think of causing me bodily harm. However because I have a different belief system than they, we are automatically on opposite sides. I have to accept the fact that there are going to be people who disagree with men.
I have to remember that just as God has loved me since I have turned my life over to Him does not mean that He loves my enemies any less. Each of us is being called to look at others through the lens of Christ and His Father. If I choose to isolate myself from the unbeliever how is he ever to hear the good news. Paul spoke of this in 1 Corinthians. He said we are to associate with those of the world in order to bring them to Christ.
It is not easy for me to be outspoken in different environments. Being somewhat of an introvert makes me hesitant to speak out about my faith with those I do not know or are not like me. This is an area of my life of which I have to strive to change. If everyone was like me we would never reach out beyond the doors of the church.
Churches have cultures that may exclude certain individuals from the fellowship because they are different. We tend to attract and want people just like us. An entire church can develop a cliquish attitude and not be welcoming to everyone to desires to come into the body. We may think that we are friendly but we quite often prove to the guests that we do not truly want them in our midst.
Jesus calls us to have a different attitude when it comes to the horizontal relationships with those He loves. We have already seen that it was a diverse group of men He called to be His disciples. We need to follow His example and be thankful for our differences. Remember God called Jews and Gentiles together to make up His church.
In the last lesson we spoke of priorities which dealt with our vertical relationship to God. This week we will see what Jesus had to say about our dealings with our fellow human beings.
Luke 6:27
The next series of sayings Jesus directed towards His disciples in particular. In John Jesus spoke to His brothers, who in a way represented all mankind. He told them that the world did not hate them but would hate Him. (See John 7:7) In the not too distant future the disciples would have enemies because they were identified with Jesus. They were told at the outset of His work that they were to love those who were in complete opposition to Him and those who followed Him.
This would not be easy for them in the flesh. For the kind of love He talked about He used the word apagao, as opposed to the other Greek words for love eros and phileo. Both of those carry with them the concept of love based on emotion. Agapao was a love that man had to choose to give. It was of the will and not based on emotion. In every circumstance a follower of Christ is expected to have that kind of love. To touch the lives of the enemies in life Jesus called the disciples to do the unexpected. In order to treat others differently than they would treat the disciples, it all had to start with agape.
- What is the difference between agapao and other types of love?
- What is the source for this kind of love?
- Who would be considered your enemy at this time?
- Why are we not aware of those who would be counted as enemies? (There is no opposition because we do not have the same kind of passion that would be displayed by the disciples.)
- What actions did Jesus emphasize to the disciples?
Luke 6:28-30
In the following verses can be seen the actions enemies will take. Knowing what was to come gave the disciples heads up on how to deal with the situation. They were to
- Seek happiness for those who cursed them. To be cursed was to be reviled, demeaned and a desire for nothing good to take place in one’s life.
- Pray for those who mistreated them.
- When hit by someone they were to not strike back in revenge but to allow himself to be struck again. Revenge never gains anything.
- Exceed the demands made upon them even if it meant losing both coat and shirt.
- Give never expecting to receive anything in return. This would be extremely hard when asked by someone that might not deserve what one does for him.
- Not seek material things if some has stolen them. Let them keep the items.
All of the above would take an act of the will. It is to be remembered that each of them would show that nothing aside from loving God meant anything. In one’s own strength it is impossible to do that which calls for such a radical response as Jesus called those men to that day.
- How can we be expected to be treated as followers of Christ?
- What is to be our response?
- Why are the things Jesus required so contrary to human nature?
- Who will give the strength to face such difficulties?
- What will bring about failure or success in following all that Jesus commanded?
- Why are we not exempt from blessing, praying, turning the other cheek, giving, and not seeking that which was lost? (Jesus experienced all of these things in His lifetime.)
Luke 6:31
This verse is what is known as the golden rule. It is interesting that Luke inserted it here right after talking about the harsh treatment a follower of Christ could expect to receive. There is no one left out of the command to treat others in the way you want to be treated. There is a possibility that even a person’s enemy might be impacted if he realizes that he need not have to worry that he might be treated badly.
- Why is this verse so important? (The odds are that if I do wrong to others they will probably retaliate.)
- Why is this an example of a Christ-like life? (To do other than treating people as Christ would have done makes you a poor witness.)
- In what ways have you failed in following this command?
- What acts have you done that show you understand what Jesus was talking about?
Luke 6:32-34
There are three aspects of a person’s life that one may find easy to do. Even non-believers do the same thing with those like them. Jesus talked about:
- Loving those who love you. To do so is easy and is not the radical living to which Jesus calls His disciples as shall will seen as the passage ends.
- Doing good to those who do the same to you.
- Lending to those who would pay the person back.
All three of these go against the response that they expected. He had just shared what His disciples’ actions were to be toward those who did not love, do good or return what they had borrowed. Loving the loving etc. would not have an impact on the world. They had to be willing to take risks and get outside the safety net of family, friends and the familiar. Christ was calling them to move out and be among all types of people. Many of them would not like the message of Christ and would respond sometimes in a physical way in opposition to the disciples.
- Why is it important for a follower of Christ to reach out beyond friends, family and the familiar? (That is where the lost, angry and hopeless are to be found.)
- In what way were the three emotions and actions cited examples of taking the easy road through life?
- Why did He say that there is no credit to doing the three things? (None of us are called to live in a cocoon but live in a world in chaos.)
Luke 6:35
To love so unconditionally would put their enemies on the defensive. They would not know how to handle the unconditional love that His disciples were commanded to show towards them. It was a love with no demands. It was given to people who did not deserve it. The sacrificial love would reap benefits for the giver because it was given in humility without thought of oneself. That kind of behavior was Christ-like and proved that a man is one of God’s children. It would be rewarded by the Father.
Jesus called to their remembrance that God the Father is kind to both those who are ungrateful and evil. If God looks at all men with that kind of love could His disciples expect to be required to do any less? At some point every person was in that condition before God.
- Why did Jesus once again emphasize the love that the disciples were to have for their enemies?
- In what way does it speak to the life style that God expects of His children?
- In what way does it reflect the attitude you might have or once had in your own life?
- How do we show that we are sons of God?
- How much like the people talked about have we been at point in our life?
Luke 6:36
The disciples were to view all men in the same way that God sees them. The only man who never had to experience the mercy of God was Jesus. He showed mercy to all by taking what every person deserves when He died on the cross. No one who turns to God gets what he deserves but receives mercy. That same mercy was to be extended by the disciples.
- How are we to view our fellow man?
- What did we deserve as we are confronted with the holiness of God?
- What happened so we would not experience what we truly deserve?
- What are the evidences in your life that shows that you understand what God did for you?
- What one word sums up all that we have just learned? (Agape)
- How great a love did God have for all of us that He would be able to show us mercy?
- You need to understand that none of the above actions are possible unless you humble yourself before God.
- Realize that the only love that will allow you to love your enemies is God like love. It is the Greek word Agapao. To love in that way you must determine in your heart and mind in following God commands regarding others?
- Pray as you are faced with situations that might put a barrier between you and God.
- Remember that you do not deserve the love that God shows you. He has shown you mercy through what Christ did not anything that you could hope to accomplish on your own.
Christ calls all of us to live a radically different life than we could ever hope to do on our own. Jesus made sure that we understand that selfishness in the body of Christ is not acceptable. The important lesson that we are to learn is that none of the things that Christ commanded His first century disciples and His followers today to do are possible without total dependence on Him. We are to love the unlovely, feed those who do not have anything and give to the needy never expecting anything in return except the word from God saying well done good and faithful servant. It is all about looking beyond ourselves to others. For me it carries the important point that we are to desire the best for everyone even if those who we might see as our enemies.
The world may never accept the message we have for them about Jesus. That should never deter us no matter what the consequences may be. Our witness must be Christ-like as we love others in spite of their rejection. We never know when a word or action might impact and transform a person for Christ.