Jesus has and will always cut to the inner being of the human heart. His first instructions to the newly formed discipleship group were to announce that true righteousness was not determined by an outward practice but by an inward heart transformation. To love was to love all men, even your enemies. God shows mercy to all and as followers of Christ his mercy is the hallmark for love. We are all created in the image of God therefore, as gospel centered disciples our lives should be marked by love, grace, mercy and forgiveness.
Please read Luke 6:27-36
- What are the four commands given in Luke 6:27-28?
- When Jesus refers to “enemies” how do you think the disciples would define who their enemies were? How would the original audience define who their enemies were? (Theophilus and Christians in AD 65) How does Jesus define who our enemy is? (see context from Luke 6:20-26)
- How are we to relate to our enemies? Name some of your enemies and prepare an action plan to show Christ love to your enemy. What four illustrations does Luke use to describe what loving your enemies looks like? (Luke 6:29-31) Give your thoughts on how this practically would work within our context and generation? (Please remember that some of the illustrations are hyperbole in nature)
- Luke 6:31 is known as the “Golden rule”. How do we apply this verse towards our enemies?
- Luke 6:32-36. Jesus provides three negative examples of what love is not. How would you describe biblical love? What is the reward for displaying this type of love? How is this type of love representative of God’s character?
Reflect on Romans 5:9-11, Ephesians 5:1-2 and Galatians 5: 22-23. How do these verses complement the teaching of Jesus? What is the primary display of biblical love? How does this love shape our actions?
Share
This post filed under
Bible Study
LoveLove Your Enemies.Luke 6