The Truth About Nice People
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27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
Love your enemies- understood as having genuine concern for someone regardless of their outward beauty or likelihood of reciprocating towards you.
28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
You’ll note that no physical harm has been done to you at this point- so you respond with blessing and prayer.
29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.
If they strike you on the cheek, don’t hit back. It is not to suspend law ( they should be charge or whatever the government allows0, rather it is to not be the law yourself.
If they steal your coat…don’t with hold the under coat(tunic), .... the point is not advocating allowing someone to out an out rob you, but rather the point is to have a concern for the person who is robbing you-
Often, it seems to do no harm may very well involve enduring harm. To do no evil may very well mean enduring the evil someone else inflicts on you or those you love.
Look at 1 Peter 2:20-24
20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
Remember Jesus prayed for his enemies in Luke 23.34
34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.
the practical understanding of this verse is that to refuse to demand that which would benefit the other person (even at our own loss or peril) may be the very right thing to do!
31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
The Golden rule- the governing principle.
32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
reciprocity love.
Muskrat, Muskrat, candle light
Doing the town and doing it right in the evening
It's pretty pleasing
Muskrat Suzie, Muskrat Sam
Do the jitterbug out in Muskrat Land
And they shimmy... Sam is so skinny
And they whirl and they twirl and they tango
Singing and Jinging a Jango
Floating like the heavens above
Looks like Muskrat Love
Nibbling on bacon, chewing on cheese
Sam says to Suzie, Honey, would you please be my Mrs.
Suzie says yes with her kisses
Now he's tickling her fancy, rubbing her toes
Muzzle to muzzle, now, anything goes as they wriggle,
Sue starts to giggle
reciprocal love-
benefit. Notice that word. It is important. It may actually be the most important thing to remember in this passage.
Grace- a gracious disposition that finds expression in gracious action. For the Jews, it was more than giving to the poor. It was, the majority of the time , attributed to God. They prayed that God would “have favor on me” or have grace on me”.
Joseph found favor in potiphars house.
Moses found grace in God’s eyes.
Noah found favor in God’s sight.
33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
It would be real easy, with the words “benefit” and “reward”, to understand that we do good things because something good will happen to us in return. That is neither a truth nor a maxim. Bad things happen to everyone, and you will sometimes get spit at in your face by those you’ve helped. Trust me on this one. If not, trust Jesus. Look at what happened to Him, and none of us could ever emulate that kind of love and grace.
34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.
Reciprocal love. Nothing that magical. really.
35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
Inside out love.
When you think of love, what do you think of? Is it red hearts? Roses? Valentines cards?
Not close to God’s love.
God loves His enemies.
God gives, expecting nothing in return.
Can you do it?
That is inside out love. That is undeserved, unmerited , un earned favor and love when God gives to those who neither deserve it nor earn it. It speaks to God’s nature- who He is in His character, who He really is deep down inside.
remember,
2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
The unseemly, the unbeautiful, the unknown- loved us enough to die for us. Who didn’t love him first, who are sinners, who have done terrible things- He loved us.
So Let’s sum this passage up:
22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!
You, as a Jesus follower, may find yourself the recipient of other’s hatred by their acts of insult or avoidance:
28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
You, may be insulted or cursed, receiving others’ hatred.
29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.
You, as a Jesus follower, may find yourself the recipient of others hatred by their physical abuse of you.
30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.
You, as a follower of Jesus, may find yourself the recipient of someone materially injuring you.
You, as a follower of Jesus, may be insulted or avoided; cursed; physically abused; stolen from.
EXPECT IT
EXPECT IT
29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,
12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
EXPECT IT
It comes with the territory- theirs, not yours. And you are in their territory.!!!
Remember who you are dealing with.
These are not rules to be followed, they are attitudes of the heart that are to be pursued. It’s a mark of character, not a legal duty.
(There is a time to turn the other cheek, and there’s a time to claim your rights.) Christian love is discerning.
Two principles stand out in this passage.
Treat others as you’d like to be treated (Golden Rule)
Imitate God and be merciful.
There is an overriding point, and that will be our Bottom Line:
It is more important to be like God in our actions than to be loved by our enemies.
Live Like Jesus
Nice Guys Finish Last
Nice Guys Finish Last
Nice People Finish Last; Good People Finish Well
Nice People Finish Last; Good People Finish Well
The way you choose to live in a world of unjustice and senselessness will likely change you before it changes others.
If you live the right way because you want others to love you, you will get your reward. If you live the right way because you ARE right in yourself- God will reward you.
If your goal is to be loved by others, you will probably obtain it. It doesn’t mean you did well, it will mean you were in the end loved by others. On the other hand, if you chose to love the others, no matter who they were without compromising why you loved them (Jesus in you), you will finish well because you will be changed.
The important thing is not that our enemies love us. They likely won’t.
The odds may be 50/50, if that. Remember, one of the thieves on the cross kept spitting out ugly. Remember, The rich man died and went to hell while Lazarus died and was taken by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. It seems to me that Jesus never achieved 2/3 of the vote.
The important thing is not that our enemies love us. They won’t. The important thing is that we become like the One who does.
5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice.
17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.
9 Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
It is the nature of God to love the unlovely.
In Acts 14, the Paul and barnabas are at Lystra. They heal a man, and the people want to offer sacrifices to them. Paul begs it off, tells them no, but he inserts this truth bomb in the middle of his speech:
16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”
Nice People Finish Last; Good People Finish Well
Nice People Finish Last; Good People Finish Well
The Odds are 100 percent that Jesus loves us. No matter who we are or what we’ve done- Jesus loves us. And He loved us before we loved Him. And that love motivates us to love those who Hate us, and abuse us, and steal from us, and lie about us, and hurt us, and physically harm us… we love anyway.
The important thing is not that our enemies love us. They won’t. The important thing is that we become like the One who does. Jesus.
Remember Luke 6.35
Luke 6:35 (ESV)
35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High,