“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. 29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.30 Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. 31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. 32 “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. 37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
Luke 6: 27-38 (New King James Version)
Discussion Questions:
- Are you currently experiencing the Holy Spirit’s “righteousness, peace, and joy” in your marriage, friendships, or workplace? If not, what areas of your “old self” need to die? When hurt by others, is your first reaction retaliation or love? How can the Holy Spirit empower you to obey Christ’s command to “love your enemies”? Do you feed your spirit or your flesh more? What practical step can you take this week to grow in God’s divine nature? (Luke 6:27, 32-34; Matthew 22:26-39; 2 Peter 1:3-4)
- How can we show God’s love when others mistreat us? What does being “crucified with Christ” look like in marriage or in daily life? Why is relying on the Holy Spirit (the “palm”) better than trying to obey rules (the “mirror”)? (Luke 6:27-28, 31; Galatians 2:20a)
- How can we strike a balance between upholding truth and avoiding judgment? Could you share a personal struggle you’ve experienced in discerning right from wrong versus passing rash judgment? How can we respond to loan requests from family and friends with both godly wisdom and Christlike love? How does “putting the old self to death” tangibly transform our relationships? This week, in what specific matters has the Holy Spirit been prompting you to practice self-denial? (Luke 6:37; Luke 6:34-35,38; Luke 6:29-30)
Sermon Summary:
This week’s sermon explored Christ’s radical call to live differently as His followers, focusing on three transformative practices: refusing judgment, exercising financial wisdom, and demonstrating supernatural kindness. Drawing from Luke 6, we saw how Jesus commands us to love enemies, lend without expectation, and withhold judgment – not as legalistic rules but as expressions of our crucified new nature. The message contrasted worldly reactions with kingdom responses through practical examples: forgiving traffic accidents despite legal rights, blessing abusive business partners, and overcoming church conflicts through self-denial. We learned that true Christianity shines when we: 1) Replace criticism with intercession, 2) View loans as worship by giving without strings, and 3) Answer malice with mercy – not through willpower but by yielding to the indwelling Spirit. The closing challenge emphasised that our “old self” cannot fulfil these commands. Only as we daily reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive in Christ can we become living epistles of God’s agape love – turning judgment into grace, transactions into worship, and wounds into testimonies. This transformative life begins when we stop trying to change others and let the Spirit change us through the Word.