Luke 6:27-38
Lesson Focus
Jesus calls us to a radical love that transcends societal norms and reflects God's own compassion.
Lesson Outcomes
Through this lesson, participants will:
Participants will be able to identify the core principles of Jesus' teaching on love and forgiveness in Luke 6:27-38.
Participants will be able to articulate the challenges and implications of living out these principles in their daily lives.
Participants will be able to explore practical ways to embody Jesus' radical love in their relationships and communities.
Catching Up on the Story
Last week, we explored Jesus' Sermon on the Plain, a message that turned conventional wisdom on its head. Jesus pronounced blessings not on the rich and powerful but on the poor, the hungry, and those who mourn. Conversely, he issued warnings to the wealthy and comfortable, not because wealth itself is inherently evil but because of the responsibility that comes with it. Jesus challenged his followers – then and now – to use their privilege and resources to create a more just and equitable world, reflecting the values of the Kingdom of God. He called for a leveling of the playing field, where the needs of the marginalized are met and the cries of the oppressed are heard.
This week, Jesus continues his radical teaching in Luke 6:27-38. Having established the upside-down nature of his kingdom, he now delves into the practical implications of living within it. He moves beyond pronouncements of blessing and woe to specific instructions on how his followers should interact with others, especially those who might be considered enemies or have wronged them. The themes of love, forgiveness, generosity, and non-retaliation, already hinted at in the blessings and woes, now take center stage. Jesus' words become even more challenging, pushing his listeners – and us – to a radical level of love and compassion that transcends societal norms and even our natural instincts. He's not just talking about abstract principles; he's laying out a concrete path for living as citizens of his kingdom, which demands a complete transformation of the heart and a reorientation of our priorities.
To Those Willing to Hear: Luke 6:27-31
Verse 27 begins with a “but,” setting up the contrast between the previous section and what Jesus will say next. What Jesus has just said in the “blessings and woes”(or “happy and terrible” as the CEB translates it) describes the way the world currently works. Jesus will now describe the way of the kingdom of God, offering several practical ways to embody the Christ-like way. Jesus makes it rather clear as to who he is addressing: anyone who is willing to hear. Notice how Jesus’ address excludes no one. He’s not just talking to his followers, as he does sometimes, and he’s not just talking to the Jewish religious leaders of the day, which he does at other times. He’s talking to everyone and anyone open to hearing the good news.
At times, I believe we forget that we are to embody and proclaim the good news of Jesus to anyone who will hear. It’s not up to us to make people listen and seriously consider what we say. That’s the work of the Spirit, who draws all people to God. Our job is to cast the net as far and wide as possible.
What Jesus now says is difficult to accept. The sooner we admit that the admonitions Jesus gives are difficult and often personally costly, the better. Loving our enemies and doing good to those who hate us is costly. Forgiveness, however, is less costly than retaliation and revenge. The latter continues to cost long after the deed is done, often reaching down to our children and their children. Hate and anger consume. Forgiveness liberates.
In verse 28, Jesus offers us initial steps toward love and good deeds toward enemies. We are to bless those who curse us and pray for those who mistreat us. One of my professors in college encouraged us to truly follow Jesus’ words here. He pointed out that it is awfully hard to hate someone and pray for them at the same time. The two dispositions are antithetical. Anger and hate remove our ability to truly commune with our creator.
On the other hand, prayer opens space in our hearts and minds to forgiveness and care. While it’s true that in the Old Testament, there are many examples of God’s people praying for the destruction of their enemies, this behavior is one of the character traits Jesus hopes his followers will leave behind. Remember, Jesus is always the lens through which we read the rest of scripture.
Blessing and prayer are the only ways followers of Christ can begin to fulfill Jesus’ commands, beginning in verse 29. Our natural inclination is to return a slap for a slap, an eye for an eye. It’s the only way we can have the courage to offer our shirt to someone who has taken our coat. Parenthetically, I don’t believe Jesus has in mind acts of mugging or random thievery, although I believe Jesus’ words speak to those situations, too. Instead, it was common for personal items to be seized by a creditor if the debtor could not pay, either because of their circumstances or because of a deceitful creditor. Each prescription Jesus gives in this section aims to expose the injustices surrounding his contemporaries. Our context is different. Most of us are not in danger of being unjustly slapped or having our coats forcefully taken from us. Consequently, those seeking to live faithful lives as citizens of God’s kingdom must discern today’s common injustices and discover creative ways to unmask and expose those injustices. Verse 31 closes this little section off by admonishing us to treat others in the same way we want to be treated.
Why Should You Be Commended? Luke 6:32-36
Jesus continues contrasting the way of the kingdom of God against the way of the world by identifying normal good behavior, even for sinners. Love isn’t the exclusive right of God’s people. Sinner know how to love, too, though in a limited manner. So what, “Jesus says, if you love those who love you? That’s normal. We’re different.” The same can be said about doing good things for others and our lending practices.
Instead, Jesus says, love generously, act generously, and forgive (personally and financially) generously. In verse 35, Jesus finally lays out the ultimate reason for us to live in the way he’s just outlined: it’s how he and the Father act. God is kind and generous to the ungrateful and the wicked. We are to be compassionate in the same way the Father is compassionate. Compassion comes from a lovingly generous heart.
Don’t Judge: Luke 37-38
Finally, we’re admonished not to judge or condemn others. This command has been the constant sin of the church in these recent days. Like the Jewish religious leaders, we have spent too much time looking down our noses at people, including other Christians, who don’t believe or practice their faith like we do. We raise differences of opinion or interpretation to the level of mortal sins, immediately viewing outsiders as heinous criminals who are only fit to be cast out into the outer darkness. Ok, so that might be a bit of hyperbole, and there are plenty of Christians who are not this way. You get the picture, though. Christians have struggled with judging and condemning others since before the beginning.
Instead, forgive, and you will be forgiven! Give, and it will be given to you! This is truly the good news—two things to consider here. First, we don’t forgive so that God might forgive us. Through Jesus Christ, we have already been forgiven. When we fail to forgive, we place ourselves outside God’s kingdom looking in. By rejecting forgiveness as a way of life, we reject God’s forgiveness. Second, Jesus is not talking about money, though many have taken his words out of context to reassure people that God will generously return their financial generosity. Instead, when we are generous with our love, grace, and forgiveness, God’s love, grace, and forgiveness won’t abandon us. That which we have given will be generously replenished so that we can continue to give out of God’s great abundance. When we are generous in all possible ways, God works in us to cleanse, transform, and empower us to live faithful Christian lives.
So What?
Jesus' teaching in Luke 6:27-38 isn't just a nice idea; it's a radical call to action. It flips our natural instincts on their head, challenging us to love those who are difficult to love, forgive those who have hurt us, and give generously without expecting anything in return. This isn't easy. In fact, it's probably one of the hardest things Jesus asks us to do. But it's precisely in these challenging commands that we see the heart of God's kingdom. It's not about following a set of rules but about transforming our hearts to reflect God's own compassion. When we choose love over hate, forgiveness over revenge, and generosity over selfishness, we're not just being "good people"—we're becoming reflections of God's grace in a world that desperately needs it. In these radical acts of love, we truly discover what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
Discussion Questions
Read the text aloud. Then, read the text to yourself quietly. Read it slowly, as if you were very unfamiliar with the story.
Which of Jesus' commands in this passage do you find most challenging to live out, and why?
How does Jesus' call to love our enemies differ from the world's understanding of love?
What are some practical steps you can take this week to love someone who is difficult to love?
Why is forgiveness so central to Jesus' teaching, and how does it connect to God's own forgiveness of us?
How does generosity, both material and relational, reflect the character of God?
What are some ways we can practice generosity in our everyday lives, beyond just giving money?
How does Jesus' command not to judge relate to his call to love and forgive?
What are some common ways we judge others, and how can we challenge those tendencies in ourselves?
How can we create a culture of love and forgiveness within our church community?
What would our community look like if we truly lived out the principles in Luke 6:27-38?