Love Who? | March 17

by | Mar 17, 2024 | Digging Deeper

 

Series: Gospel of Luke
Sermon Title: Love Who?
Passage: Luke 6:27-36
Reno Campus
Pastor Dave Pretlove
Carson Campus
Pastor Tom Chism

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SERMON NOTES:
Sermon Title: Love Who?
Passage: Luke 6:27-36

Jesus invites us to ask four questions…

  1. AM I LISTENING?
    Luke 6:27
  2. WHO ARE MY ENEMIES? 
    Luke 6:27 ; Ephesians 6:12
  3. WHAT DOES LOVE LOOK LIKE?
    Luke 6:27-31; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
  4. WHY WOULD I DO THIS?
    Luke 6:32-36; Roman’s 5:6-8,10

CARSON SERMON NOTES
Sermon Title: Following Jesus Leads to Loving Our Enemies
Passage: Luke 6:27-36

Quote: “Often, we are more wanderers than followers.” – Henri Nouwen

Luke 6:27-31
1. Following Jesus requires counter intuitive living.
2. Following Jesus demands full personal application.

  • The only yardstick that Jesus offers me; treat everyone as though they were  treating you like you want to be treated.

3. Following Jesus invites us to draw entirely from the Source of all transformation – God’s love.
Luke 6:32-36

Quote: Henri Nouwen, “Enemies are enemies by the way we exclude them from the love of God.  When we love with God’s love we can no longer divide people into those who deserve God’s love and those who don’t.  When we come to know God’s first love nobody can be excluded from that love.”

Quote: Martin Luther King, Jr., “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend… By its very nature, love creates and builds up.”

Quote: Abraham Lincoln, “Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?”

How do I do this?

 

GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. Verse 27  says “‘ “But to you who are listening I say…” Do you find that your daily intention is to listen and apply what Jesus instructs you to do?
  2. When you read Luke 6:27-36, does it feel like these things are impossible to do?
  3. Does it feel difficult to think that you have an enemy? Who comes to mind when you think of who might be an enemy in your life?
  4. When Jesus says “Do good to those who mistreat you” He follows it up by providing examples of enemies mistreating us in various ways: verbal, physical, our possessions, and financial. Which of these four areas is the most difficult to respond by doing good or responding in love? 
  5. Our instinct when getting insulted is usually to retaliate.  When have you regretted retaliating after an insult?  What do you wish you’d done instead?
  6. How does the idea of God’s ability to both defend us and provide for us give us comfort and allow us to do these things?
  7. Have someone read Luke 6:35. How does this verse make you feel internally? Now read Romans 5:8. Compare the two passages. What are we to learn about our journey to becoming more Christ-like?
  8. How does the grace and mercy you have been given empower you to love?
  9. Jesus calls us to stand in opposition with a radical response to cultural normative actions and attitudes. Why is it crucial, that His disciples understand this teaching?
PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
  1. Is there a connection to a deep internal attachment, to something, an attitude or belief that obstructs you from responding to an “enemy” as Jesus desires you to respond?
  2. Journal your honest, internal thoughts about what Jesus is asking you to do in this passage. Reread your thoughts, are there any that conflict with the truth of scripture? Take 1 minute in prayer and confess your conflicting thoughts to God. Ask his forgiveness and ask the Holy Spirit to align your thinking with scripture.
  3. How is our inability to radically love like Jesus described, an indication of a disconnection from the truths of the Gospel?
  4. Reflect on your faith journey, map pour seasons of your connected and disconnected life to the truths of scripture. Does your desire to respond in love in seasons of conflict follow your faith journey? If so how?

 

SCRIPTURES TO MEDITATE ON:

RESOURCES:

 

MONTHLY SPIRITUAL PRACTICE TO TRY : Solitude/ Silence

What is Solitude? Solitude can best be described as a deep longing to connect with God, in ways we never have before. Silence and Solitude are often linked together. They are a tool to withdraw from your daily noise and busyness and listen to your inner life. St. Augustine said there are 3 types of silences that bring us in touch with God: 1) Silence of the Body 2) Silence of the Tongue and 3) Silence of the Soul

The goal of Solitude  is to schedule enough uninterrupted time in a distraction free environment so that you experience peace and alone time with God. This discipline works to free you of the addition to and distraction from noise. This allows you to be completely present. . “Without solitude, it is virtually impossible to live a spiritual life… We do not take the spiritual life seriously if we do not set aside some time to be with God and listen to him.” – Henri Nouwen

So this week as we begin with solitude and silence:
Find a time and a place, to take three minutes and be silent with these two questions:

  1. How have I been wanting to be with God Today?
  2. How has God wanting to be with me?

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

Our culture loves to divide. We love to create ‘us versus them’ patterns of thinking and responses. We love to seek revenge and retribution for any area of our lives that we feel not only slighted, but hurt physically, emotionally, or spiritually.

I can think back to a time when I was betrayed by a close friend. Internally all I wanted was for them to experience the same humiliation and inward pain that I had incurred from them. It dominated my thoughts. I swung back and forth between the idea that time would heal the wounds, or to seek eye-for-eye justice. Does any of this resonate with you? 

However, Jesus calls us to a higher standard as a Christ follower. Passages like: John 13:35, Romans 12:18, and Luke 6:27-31 began to challenge my thinking on forgiveness and how I responded to anyone who opposed or hurt me. 

I want to encourage you as you journey in faith to become more Jesus-like to think about and digest the truth of what Jesus is teaching. We need to be willing to set aside our rights and have a genuine love for those who oppose us. This is how we mold ourselves to the mind and form of Jesus. We can not do this in our strength, we need the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit to live this out.

Forgiveness is not only a choice, it is a command. Colossians 3:12-13 says “As the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive”. However, learning to live in a constant state of forgiveness and not let bitterness take root is a process that can take time. I reluctantly forgave the two people who hurt me so deeply. But as time went on, I sought true change in my heart. This was done through years of prayer, counsel, time in the word, and asking God to help me see them as He saw them and love them as He loved them. And I can honestly write this today and tell you I wish them no ill will and God changed my heart.

I leave you the words of Paul, Philippians 2:5-9 “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name.” – Rob Hans

Praying for you this week. That you reach the end of yourself and the beginning of the Lord.

Rob Hans |  Pastor of Adult Discipleship and Connection