Many verses may frighten us because of their imagery or their description of destruction, but there’s one passage that is will make you think twice and the consequences are scary.This passage is Luke 6:27-38 and it is designed to get us out of our comfort zone. The reasons it is so commanding is that, first it is personal. With the first few words Jesus identifies who He is talking to. He says, “but I say to you who hear.” Well that was everybody gathered around listening to Him, but most directly He was speaking to his followers and those who were interested in learning more. So if you claim to be a follower, a disciple, a believer, then He is talking to you.Second Jesus gives several demands that are radical. He says we are to love our enemies (Luke 6:27-35). Now He’s not giving some general “feel good” idea or don’t do anything bad towards the other person— NO, He gets specific as to His meaning.He says, “Do good to those who hate you,” and “bless those who say bad things about you.” Now these are things we find difficult to do, if not impossible. To actually do something good for someone who dislikes us is not a normal human reaction. And then to actually say something good and nice about people who say bad things about us—well that’s not how we’ve been taught. I always heard: “if you can’t say something good about someone, then don’t say anything at all.” Well, that not what Jesus is telling us. We are to say something good. We are to bless them.Now Jesus doesn’t stop here. He continues to say that we are to pray for those who have done bad things to you. He doesn’t qualify this by saying if they have been real mean or destructive, then you don’t have to pray for that person. Absolutely not, He offers no exception. Our prayer life should be about those who hurt us.He goes even further. We are to return good for evil — Turn the other cheek, give the coat, don’t demand back what is taken away from you. We are to give not expecting it to be repaid. Now all this seems unreasonable and impossible.In addition to this, he says to be merciful, verses 36-37. Now He gets to our very attitudes. He explains the nature of the mercy we ...
