Luke 6: 27-49, The Sermon on the Plain

Jesus continues his sermon on the plain. In this sermon (or series of sayings) Jesus describes the culture of the Kingdom of God, a culture quite the opposite of the world system.

Luke 6: 27 - 35, Sermon on the plain: Love your enemies
"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.

Do to others as you would have them do to you.

"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even `sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even `sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even `sinners' lend to `sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full.

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

The instructions of Jesus to his followers inverts the popular social system and will eventually "turn the world upside down".  Followers of Jesus, members of the Kingdom of God, are to do the unthinkable -- to love those who mistreat them and to care for their enemies, without expecting their enemies to change.

Verse 31 ("Do to others...") is often called The Golden Rule.  The emphasis is on putting yourself in the place of others, seeing their needs from their perspective.

These are unusual and hard concepts to follow. I have found that it is important to stand up to people who abuse you. How does that fit in?

These concepts are directly linked to God's character and actions. One does them because one is a citizen of the Kingdom of God.

Luke 6: 36-38, Spiritual reciprocity
"Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Citizens of the Kingdom of God act as extensions of the King.

Luke 6: 39-45, Don't judge
He also told them this parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, `Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

There are a number of short parables here, all having to do with the very human tendency to judge others while not examining oneself.

Luke 6: 46-49, A good foundation
"Why do you call me, `Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.

But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."

Jesus ends his teachings with a warning of their importance. Notice how he uses a "word picture" to vividly drive home his point.

Most of my life I have (mostly) followed Jesus's teachings and have found the life "foundation" provided by Him an important one!