The sermon by Jason Dohm, titled 'Loving Even The Unthankful And Evil - Luke 6:27-36', focuses on the message of loving one's enemies and embodying the ethics of Jesus' kingdom. It begins by outlining the character of God, who is kind to the unthankful and evil, urging believers to mirror this character by being merciful. The sermon references Romans 5:7-8 and Matthew 10:8 to illustrate God's love for humanity despite its sinfulness. It emphasizes that followers of Jesus should not let their conduct be dictated by others, but rather act according to the moral principles taught by Jesus, which include loving enemies, doing good to those who hate, and blessing those who curse. The sermon warns against the 'counterfeits' of love, doing good, and lending, which are limited only to those who reciprocate, and encourages believers to be radically different from the natural tendencies of the unredeemed. The golden rule is highlighted as a guiding principle for conduct, rooted in image-bearing and Christlikeness. The sermon concludes by encouraging believers to consider how God has treated them and to live by the ethics of Jesus' kingdom, recognizing its difference from cultural norms.

The title of the message this morning is, Loving Even the Unthankful and Evil. Who would love the unthankful and evil? The title draws on language from the final two verses of today's text. Love your enemies and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the unthankful and evil, therefore be merciful just as your father also is merciful. If you see the whole text through that lens, you'll get it.

If you don't, probably mess it up really bad. This is the framework for the entire text. God has a certain character. What's God like? Here's what God is like.

So to be image bearers in an accurate way and to be conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the express image of the invisible God, is to imitate God in the ways described in our text. So that's really the big picture of our text. Let me start by quickly taking us through two Bible passages through which we should see today's text. First, Romans 5 verses 7 through 8. Listen to what Paul wrote to the Romans in Romans chapter 5 verses 7 and 8.

He says, perhaps for a good man, someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. God didn't wait for us to get our act together, to love Him, though we should love Him. He would have waited forever. He didn't wait forever.

He loved us while we were still sinners, still in rebellion against him. That's when Christ died for the ungodly. Second, Matthew chapter 10 verse 8. In Matthew chapter 10 verse 8, Jesus simply says this, and it is about as simple as it gets, freely you have received, freely give. I would just add my commentary to that.

We've received a lot. We're only called upon to give a very little compared with what we've received. So it should be a full and free thing to give out of the abundance which has been given to us. So use those as lenses through which we see our attacks. Let's pray.

God, you've been so kind to the unthankful and evil. If anyone asks us how we know, we'll tell them. I was unthankful and evil when God showed his kindness to me. Thank you for your goodness. I pray that you would help us to follow Jesus in these things.

In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Well, let's subdivide starting by looking at verses 27 through 30. So hopefully your Bibles are still open to Luke chapter six and follow along as I reread verses 27 through 30. Jesus preaches this, he's preaching, this is part of a sermon. But I say to you who hear, love your enemies.

Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you and pray for those who spitefully use you. 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. Give to everyone who asks of you and from him who takes away your goods, do not ask them back." Here in these four verses we have the ethics of the kingdom.

Ethics are the moral principles that govern right and wrong. There are moral principles governing right and wrong. We call those ethics. And Jesus is the King of an everlasting kingdom and now he's teaching those moral principles to the multitudes. What are the moral principles that define, that teach good and evil in his kingdom?

The King is teaching us. There are a number of circumstances addressed, but if I could summarize, I would summarize it this way. The conduct of followers of Jesus is not to be dictated by the conduct of others. So that's my summary. Our conduct as the followers of Jesus is not to be controlled and dictated by the conduct of others.

In other words, the followers of Jesus are to love people and that isn't invalidated or overthrown by an unloving disposition or conduct from other people. So, will you always encounter a loving disposition and loving conduct from other people? No, of course not. Often you will encounter an unloving disposition and an unloving conduct towards you. Should that control and dictate your conduct?

And the answer is, if you're a follower of Jesus, no way should that control or dictate your conduct. Followers of Jesus don't react. We act. Our King has defined the principles that govern right and wrong, and that is what is to govern our disposition and conduct, not the disposition and conduct that's coming our direction So when we face an unloving disposition and unloving conduct Jesus instructs us Jesus commands us to counteract that with a loving disposition and loving conduct. It's the exact opposite of having your disposition and conduct controlled by the disposition and conduct of others.

And it's actually a very freeing way to live. Do you want a freeing way to live? Jesus sets it before you in this text. Because When you follow Jesus and live this way, you aren't at the mercy of the disposition and conduct of other people. Don't you want to live free from the disposition and conduct of other people and not be controlled by it and not have that dictate your outlook, your conduct.

Yes, we want to live free. Jesus is telling us how to live free in this text. So let's work through the circumstances that Jesus sets before us. He actually sets, even in this subsection of the text, we get eight circumstances set before us. So I'll have to not belabor them because this is just the first subsection.

Number one, love your enemies. In another place where Jesus is saying very similar things, Matthew chapter 5, he says, You have heard that it was said, you shall Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies." So Jesus in Matthew chapter 5 where he's saying almost the same thing, but he says a few additional things there. He says, you've heard it. Love your neighbor.

Okay, that's Leviticus 19, 18. No Jew living in the Old Testament could deny it. Love your neighbor, but hate your enemies. But I say to you, love your enemies. Hating your enemy is what's consistent with human nature, meaning you don't have to learn that or try that, try to do that.

Hating your enemy comes perfectly naturally. If you go with the flow, if you just act out of your natural inborn inclinations, You'll hate your enemy without further instruction. But those who are in Christ are new creations. They don't have to be bound by these natural inborn inclinations. We are new creations in Christ.

So believers aren't to love their neighbor and hate their enemy. Believers are to agree with Jesus that their enemy is their neighbor. So the common saying, love your neighbor but hate your enemy, is completely different than what Jesus teaches. Jesus teaches your enemy is actually your neighbor. Remember the parable of the Good Samaritan.

The whole point of the parable of the Good Samaritan is that your enemy is actually your neighbor. He's answering the question. When he speaks that parable, He's answering the question, who is my neighbor? Your neighbor is your enemy and the one who's in need. He was the neighbor to the man who was vulnerable and in need.

So understand, the calling of the believer is the opposite of what comes naturally. We have to understand this and keep this top of mind. Otherwise, we'll just do what comes naturally and it'll be the exact opposite of what Jesus is teaching. The calling of the believer is the opposite of what comes naturally. No, that is the old man that we are to put off, we're to put on the new man who does the opposite of what came naturally to us as we were born.

The calling of the believer is actually the polar opposite of what is normal and natural for the unbelieving, unredeemed person. Christians are to be radically different than the natural, unbelieving, unredeemed person. It means something when you are born again. You are a new creation with a new heart, and you don't have to be slave to those things anymore. Even though some of those corruptions remain while we're in the flesh, we don't have to be a slave to them.

Number two, do good to those who hate you. Again, this is the polar opposite of what is normal and natural for the unbelieving, unredeemed person. It is not normal or natural for the unbelieving, unredeemed person to do good to people who hate them. Responding in kind is what comes naturally. We know it as tip for tat.

Responding in kind. What they do to you sets the parameters of what's fine to do back to them, tip for tap. The Apostle Paul says this, repay no one evil for evil. That's tip for tap, repaying someone evil for evil. Paul says, Therefore if your enemy is hungry, feed him.

If he is thirsty, Give him a drink, for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. That's the ethic of the kingdom. Don't be overcome by evil, overwhelmed by an unloving disposition and conduct towards you that forces you, as if you're a slave to these things, that forces you to repay evil with evil. Don't be overcome by evil.

Overcome evil with good. Paul says that's like heaping coals of fire on their head. The unbelieving, unredeemed person who is coming to you with an unloving, evil disposition, unloving, evil conduct doesn't know what to do when you don't Respond in kind, but you overcome evil with good. They don't know what to do with that. It's like coals on the head that's like burns their conscience Number three Bless those who curse you This is clearly more of the same.

Someone curses you, you respond with the polar opposite, with the exact opposite, you bless them. So tip for tat is you curse me, I curse you back. And probably up it. Listen to Proverbs 26 verse 2 this is a precious verse Proverbs 26 verse 2 like a flitting verse 2. Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so a curse without cause shall not alight.

Like a flitting sparrow here, there, and everywhere. A flying swallow, back and forth, back and forth. That's a curse without a cause. Don't worry about a curse without a cause. It won't land.

A person can curse you without a cause? Don't be controlled by that. It's not going to land. God determines these things. The person cursing doesn't determine these things.

The people of God don't need to be controlled by these things, need to feel like they need to respond in kind to these things. That curse is not going to light. When you're cursed, the people of God can bless because they know these things. Number four, pray for those who spitefully use you. This has to do with insult and slander.

What should a follower of Jesus do when they are insulted and slandered? They should follow Jesus. That's what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Listen to 1 Peter 2 verses 19 through 23. Peter tells us exactly what Jesus did when he was insulted and slandered in 1st Peter 2 verses 19 through 23.

Listen as I read. For this is commendable if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if when you are beaten for your faults you take it patiently? There's no credit when you're beaten for your faults. You had it coming.

But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow in His steps. Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth." Now listen to this. So, Christ and Peter just set Jesus forth as our example. Then he says this, who, Jesus, when he was reviled, did not revile in return.

When he suffered, he did not threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously. So Jesus was the master of receiving an unloving disposition and unloving conduct and not responding in kind. How could he do that? Because, end of verse 23, He committed himself to him who judges righteously. He committed himself to God knowing that he didn't have to set things right, that in his own time, according to perfect wisdom, God would set all these things right.

When Jesus was reviled, He did not revile in return. He committed Himself to Him who judges righteously. He knew that his father would set all these things right at just the right time according to perfect wisdom. So he had no needs to revile and return when he was insulted and slandered. So when people spitefully use you and they insult you when they slander you, pray for them.

Pray for them. Luke 23, 34, Jesus will do literally that. Luke 23, 34, then Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. And this goes way beyond insult and slander. Jesus was being crucified and he prayed for the people who were crucifying him.

In Acts chapter seven verse 60, Stephen, the follower of Jesus, literally does this. Acts seven verse 60, then Stephen knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, do not charge them with this sin. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. This is Stephen being stoned. Okay, this goes so far beyond insult and slander, but this is what he does.

Instead of responding in kind, he prays for them. Jesus did it in the cross. Stephen did it when he was being stoned. Number five, when someone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other cheek. What should have fought?

This is very closely related to the previous one. When someone slanders you, pray for them. Because This is insult not injury. Okay, so being struck on the cheek is open public Humiliating insult that's the purpose of it. This is not someone Punching you out.

Okay. This is insult not injury What should a follower of Jesus do when they are insulted and their good name is drug through the mud when they are publicly and openly humiliated? Retaliate? No, they should not retaliate. Go into self-defense mode.

Defend yourself, respond to every criticism. Prove that the insults are wrong, that the slander, none of that's true. No. Patiently bear it. To the extent that we don't have a place for patient suffering in our theology, we don't understand the New Testament.

There should be a big place for patient suffering in your New Testament theology. It shows that you understand what is being taught in the New Testament. Knowing that God can and will sort it all out in his own way in his own time. Number six, when someone takes your outer garment, Don't withhold your inner garment. We don't use cloaks and tunics, so think in terms of outer garment, that's what a cloak is, and inner garment, that's what a tunic is.

Someone takes my jacket. I can have my shirt too. My undershirt will have to do until I can get home. Matthew 5, Jesus says right after saying, they take your cloak, let them have your tunic too. Right there, he says in Matthew 5, whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him too.

It was legal for Roman authority, a Roman soldier to compel you to bear one of their burdens for up to a mile. Jesus says, if that happens to you, carry it an extra mile. You want my jacket? Have my shirt too. You want me to bear this burden for you for up to a mile?

I'll take it too. What is actually happening? The follower of Jesus is saying without saying the things you're focused on, I'm not focused on. You're focused on jackets and shirts. I'm not focused on jackets and shirts.

You're focused on carrying a thing a mile or two miles. I'm not focused on carrying a thing a mile or two miles. I'm focused on other things. I'm frying bigger fish. Man, if you need a jacket, have my shirt too.

Those things are settled things for me. If you need me to carry a burden one mile, I'll carry it a second mile. Those kinds of things are settled for me. Think of how radically that changes the game in our interactions. Okay, when you say without saying, The things that you're thinking about, I don't have to think about those things anymore.

Those things are settled for me. Think of the doors that could open. If you can say without saying, The things that you're striving for, struggling over, pressing on others, I don't have to think about those things anymore. I'm frying bigger fish than that. Number seven, when someone asks of you, give to them.

Here's my knee-jerk reaction. Maybe it's your knee-jerk reaction too. But I'll be taken advantage of. If the ethic is when you're asked, you give, as soon as somebody knows that, I'm going to get taken for all I'm worth. People will learn that and take advantage of me.

Here's the New Testament response to my knee jerk reaction. So what? So what? I'll never forget. I had just become a deacon.

I didn't know anything about being a deacon. Me and these other men who also didn't know anything about being in deacons, had a call with a multi-decade deacon at another state who agreed to talk to us. And he said to me something unforgettable. He said, in your benevolence work, in your caregiving work, don't be afraid of being taken advantage of. So shouldn't go out of your way to be taken advantage of.

When you are taken advantage of, you should probably identify that and take measures, but don't be dominated by an overriding concern that you'll be taken care of. There are worse things. Jesus is teaching us There's way worse things than being taken advantage of. Are you the owner of your stuff? Is it really your stuff?

Is that what Christians believe? That's not what Christians believe. Christians believe that it's all God's stuff. Okay. Well, the owner is ready to put it at risk.

So, we're not allowed to say, God, you own it, but you can't put it at risk. Now, are there limitations and exceptions to this? Yes. There are times when people ask you for things, and I can prove biblically that you should say, no, you can't have it. So there are limitations to this, and there are exceptions to this.

I'll give you a couple of examples. If people have believing family, they should start there. That's 1 Timothy 5. The first line of defense for financial hardship is believing family according to the scriptures. That's a limitation.

Here's another one. If someone will not work, then neither shall that someone eat. That's 2 Thessalonians chapter 3. You don't work, you don't eat. That's an exception.

So I've given you a biblical limitation and a biblical exception. There are actually limitations and exceptions to every single one of these eight general circumstances that Jesus is setting for us in our text if we develop a full Genesis to Revelation theology of each of these things. You can actually parse out some limitations and some exceptions for every one of the eight. Then why isn't there even a hint of that in our text? Go find me, look at all eight of these circumstances just in these four verses and find me a hint of a limitation or an exception you won't find one.

Why not? Because of what I'm like. Because of what I'm like. What do I mean? I mean, if you start in with the exceptions and the limitations here, I'll gut every one of these eight principles that form ethics in our King's kingdom.

I've got every one of them. I'll make it so I never have to do any of this stuff because I'll find a way to fit it within the limitations and the exceptions and I'll keep it out of the broad universe and I'll sneak it in I'll wiggle it into a limitation or exception. I'm like that. And I might not be alone. You ever heard the phrase death of a thousand paper cuts?

Oh, I got a paper cut. No problem. A second paper cut. A third. If you got a thousand of them, you can die from that.

You can put these great principles, you can put the ethics of the kingdom to death with a thousand paper cuts, limitation, limitation, limitation, exception, exception, exception. No, I don't do any of this stuff. And we're like that. And when you actually look at the limitations, you'll find that you almost never encounter them. They exist, but you almost never encounter them.

That's not day-to-day you don't They're exceptions for a reason because it's exceptional circumstances, but you'll think about it all the time and use it as a way to wiggle out Same with the exceptions At men's Bible study we were thinking we were trying to think of a time where we had actually encountered the limitations or the exceptions, and almost none of us could. So we're very aware of them. We're good theologians. We know about the limitations. We know about the exceptions.

Only we've never encountered them in real life. But you'll use them to gut what Jesus is saying here. And He doesn't want that. So he doesn't even start in with any of that. So a warning by what's not in the text.

There is a real warning in here from what's not in the text. Jesus not starting in with the limitations or the exceptions, because He knows what we'll do. Back to those, back to giving to those who ask. Listen to Deuteronomy 15, just listen to this. Deuteronomy 15, verses seven through 10.

Deuteronomy chapter 15, verses seven through 10. If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs. Beware lest there be a wicked thought in your heart saying, the seventh year, the year of the release is at hand, and your eye be evil against your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry out to the Lord against you and it becomes sin among you. You shall surely give to him and your heart should not be grieved when you give to him because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you and all your works and in all to which you put your hand okay so what's this about don't don't have an evil heart when you're coming up on the seventh year. What's that's about?

Okay, so debts were released every seven years. So if you come to me at the sixth and three quarter year mark, and you want a loan, I know in just a few months all the debts are going to be released. What's my disposition going to be about lending to you with only a few months to go? I'm not lending to you now. Ask me in a few months where the debt won't be released for another almost seven years, then we'll talk.

God is saying don't think that way. Give to him and don't worry, don't be grieved because it's true. If that debt might get released in just a couple of months, it's true, but don't be grieved about it, because God will bless you. God will take care of it. What a Godward view of life, that you don't have to protect where you are in the debt release cycle.

It doesn't need to mean anything to you because God can repay the debt a thousand times over and he's saying, I will. If you end up getting the short end of the stick, don't worry. I'll pay you back. Is God's credit good with us? I hope God's credit is good here.

If not here, where? Listen to Proverbs 19 verse 17. Proverbs 19 verse 17. He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord. And he, the Lord, will pay back what he has given.

Giving to the poor is lending to God. And God can always pay back. Even if the poor man can't pay back, God can pay back. And you actually lent to God. That's what Proverbs 19, 17 says.

Number eight. When someone takes away your things, don't ask for them back. Somebody takes your stuff, don't ask for it back. I mentioned Hebrews chapter 10 a couple of weeks ago and the believers there joyfully accepted the plundering of their goods knowing that they had a better and enduring possession for themselves in heaven. So in Hebrews chapter 10, people got their stuff taken from them and they joyfully received it.

Why? Because they knew they had a better possession and a more enduring possession in eternity than anything that could be taken from them here. What a refreshing view of life and stuff. So that is Luke 6 verses 27 through 30 and the ethics of the kingdom, the moral principles that govern right and wrong in King Jesus' everlasting kingdom. Back to our text, verse 31.

Verse 31. Luke 6 verse 31. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. Just as you want men to do to you, You also do to them likewise. Just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

What do we call this? The golden rule. Golden rule. Now we're given this genius principle that causes us, really forces us to switch places with the other person in our minds. And to consider how we would want to be treated if we switched spots.

So now I'm you and you're me. Now how do I want to be treated? And then to have that be our course of conduct. Just decided if we switch spots how would I want to be treated? Okay then that's what I'm supposed to do.

This is another way to say the second greatest commandment, love your neighbor as yourself. It's presupposed that you love yourself plenty and so you should love your neighbor that way. As You would want it done towards you liking yourself plenty? Then have that determine your conduct. The golden rule stands in stark contrast to the purple rule.

What is the purple rule? Purple rule is in the dome household. I've heard Janet say this, 1, 000 times plus, I don't know what the real count is, but a thousand is low to my children. When there was tit-for-tat in our home. When there was responding in kind, when people were overcome by evil in our home.

And so they responded with corresponding evil. Janet would say, oh, so it's the purple rule now. Do unto others as they have done to you. So there's the golden rule, how would I like to be treated? I'll treat you that way.

Then there's the purple rule, at least there was in the dome house. However you treated me, you can expect it coming back at you. J.C. Ryle says this, Our Lord lays down a golden principle for the settlement of doubtful cases. He knew well that there will always be occasions when the line of duty towards our neighbor is not clearly defined.

Isn't that true? How many thousands of permutations are there here? Innumerable! Okay, so the Bible looks like a big book, but actually if you try to parse out all the permutations, it doesn't touch one in 10, 000. So what should we do?

Jesus actually gives us a principle here that helps us sort those things out. He knew well that there will always be occasions when the line of duty towards our neighbor is not clearly defined. He knew how much self-interest and private feelings will sometimes dim our perception of right and wrong. Has self-interest ever dimmed your perception of right and wrong? Has private feelings ever dimmed your perception of right and wrong?

Has private feelings ever dimmed your perception of right and wrong? Of course the answer is yes. Rao continues, he supplies us with a precept for our guidance in all such cases of infinite wisdom, a precept which even infidels have been compelled to admire. He's given us a rule of thumb by which we can judge our conduct. Ryle also says this, If Jesus had dealt with the world as the world dealt with him, we should have all been ruined forever in hell.

True or not true? If Jesus had dealt with the world as the world dealt with him, forget the world, how about you? How about just you? If Jesus had dealt with you just as you had dealt with him from birth until the time where he showed you these things, we should have all been ruined forever in hell. So the golden rule is rooted in image bearing.

God hasn't dealt with us according to what our sins deserved. So the golden rule is rooted in Christlikeness. What is Jesus like? We want the benefit of the doubt, So we should be giving the benefit of the doubt. We want to be dealt with courteously and kindly, even when we're having a bad day and we've been grumpy to somebody who is an innocent party.

They didn't even know you were having a bad day. But even so, we want to be dealt with courteously and kindly. So we should deal courteously and kindly with others, even if it's clear they're having a bad day and you aren't responsible for it. We want to be helped when we're in need, so we should help when people are in need. And on, and on, and on.

You can just go down the line. So that's the golden rule. Just as you want people to do to you, you also do to them likewise. Truly words to live by. Just think if our little church just did that, what would our church be like?

Our final section, verses 32 through 36. Luke 6, 32 through 36. Jesus continues his sermon. But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them, and if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?

For even sinners do the same, 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. But love your enemies, do good and lend hoping for nothing in return and your reward will be great you will be sons of the most high for He is kind to the unthankful and evil therefore be merciful Just as your father also Is merciful here in these verses? We're given the counterfeit of the other kingdom. So we have a king, Jesus, and he has a kingdom, an everlasting kingdom, but there's another kingdom and it's got a counterfeit for everything.

Jesus gives us the counterfeit. Jesus takes us back through three scenarios that he's already addressed and warns us about counterfeits, about fake versions of these things that are not actually what he's calling his followers to. He's calling his followers to something radically different to the counterfeits, the fakes. He speaks again of loving, of doing good, and of lending. He's already talked about them.

Now He's circling back to them to talk about the fake versions What is the counterfeit? What is the fake version of the loving Jesus is talking about? Limiting my love to people who love me. Limit it to the people who love me. You love me?

Awesome. I love you too. Jesus is calling his followers to something much more radical than that. He's calling us to love our enemies. People who don't love us, who meet us with an unloving disposition.

They have an unloving disposition towards us. They never say it, say anything, or do anything. You can tell it's unloving. Okay? And then, and then conduct, unloving conduct.

Those are the people you're to love. Jesus says, there's no credit for simply loving those who love me. There's no credit for that. Jesus says, even sinners do that. Even those who care nothing for striving to please God do that.

Just think about that for a second. People who care nothing about striving to please God love those who love them. In Matthew chapter 5, almost the same words, but it's a little different. He says, even the tax collectors do that. Gray heads, you have some gray hairs in here.

Do you remember the phase when we would say, what, you want a cookie for that? You remember that? We're bringing it back here in this sermon. Children, there was a phase when if somebody did something totally unremarkable that anyone would have done, there was nothing special about it at all, you would say what you want a cookie for that? You don't get a cookie for that.

There's nothing special about that. You don't get a cookie. There's no credit for loving people who love you. Everybody does that. You don't get a cookie for that.

So the unbelieving kingdom of the natural man has a counterfeit version, has a fake version for love. This is not what Jesus is calling his followers to. He's calling his followers to do something much more radical than that, that you love your enemies. What is the counterfeit, the fake version of doing good that Jesus is talking about? Limiting doing good to those who do good to me.

You do good to me? Awesome. I'll do good to you. Friends, even IRS agents do that. Even people who don't care anything about pleasing God do that.

Even the tax collectors do that. What? You want a cookie for doing good to people who do good to you? No, the followers of Jesus are being called to do good even to those who mistreat them. What is the counterfeit?

The fake version of lending that Jesus is talking about. Lending without putting anything at risk. You know, the people who have genuine need are by definition lending risks. If people have real need, by definition there are risks to lend to. You might never see that money again.

That's why they need the money. Or the help or the resources. No, the followers of Jesus are being called to be willing to put their resources at risk, real risk, might not ever see it again. Now here's the peak of the message. I want to look at verses 35 and 36 again because again, it's the framework for the whole thing.

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. Therefore be merciful just as your Father also is merciful." What's being said? That's his image. Bear it.

Bear his image. Try to look like him. He's like that. So his people should be like that. If we want to be conformed to the image of Christ and Christ is the express image of God, we should become like this.

You've heard the term, a chip off the old block. What does that mean? He's just like his dad. She's just like her mom. In that sense, the followers of Jesus are supposed to be a chip off the old block.

You've seen these little boys who run around and they talk like their dad. And they walk like their dad. And they have the mannerisms of their dad. And they're trying to be like their dad. Christians are supposed to be like that.

This is about image-bearing. This is about Christ-likeness. In what way? Well, God is kind to the unthankful and evil. And because he has sent his son to redeem us, we can afford to do the same.

Okay, Christians can afford to be kind to the unthankful and evil because we don't have ground to protect. You don't have ground to protect anymore. We don't have resources that have to be pried out of our cold dead fingers, because we don't think that way anymore. We don't need to think that way anymore. We can afford to part with stuff.

We can afford not to do tit for tat because Jesus came and settled all the most important things for us. In Matthew five, Jesus adds this. For he makes his son, S-U-N, like the sun in the sky, for he makes his son rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. Do you think God doesn't have a choice in that? Well, the sun shines everywhere so it has to do good for everyone.

No, actually, God doesn't have to do anything anyway. It's indiscriminate because He desires it to be indiscriminate. The sun shines on the just and the unjust. Why? Because God wants it that way.

It calls it his son there. He makes his son rise on the evil and on the good, and it does indiscriminate good because God wants it to do indiscriminate good. We should be like that. He sends rain on the just and on the unjust. The rain comes and it does indiscriminate good to everyone.

Why? Because God wants it to indiscriminately bless everyone because that's what God is like. He is merciful so we can be and should be merciful. We have received fully and freely so we can and should give fully and freely. Listen to J.C.

Ryle. No man shall ever be a loser in the long run by deeds of self-denying charity and patient long-suffering love. At times he may seem to get nothing by his conduct. He may appear to get nothing but ridicule, contempt, and injury. His kindness may sometimes tempt men to impose on him.

His patience and forbearance may be abused. But at the last, he will always be found a gainer. Often, very often a gainer in this life. Certainly, most certainly a gainer in the life to come. People might take advantage of this.

That's true. Ryle admits it. People might exploit it about you. That's true. J.C.

Ryle admits it. He says, in the end, you'll be a gainer, not a loser. Probably, in this life, you probably won't even have to wait to eternity to be the gainer because God can pay back all these things. When you give up those resources, you lend to God. Proverbs said that.

Your reward will be great. This is not a suck it up and learn to like it. Message. It's not that. Jesus is telling us that we'll be gainers and how to be gainers.

Our reward will be great. Probably in this lifetime, definitely in eternity. What if it was only in eternity? That would be fine. You probably get some or all or probably more than you give up in this lifetime.

Applications. The whole text is the application, okay, but I'll give you three because I can't resist. Number one, Consider how God has treated you. Consider how God has treated you then and now. Then when you knew nothing and you were stubborn and hard headed and hard hearted and you were ungovernable because you refused to be governed.

Jesus didn't leave you in that spot. He came and got you. If you're a believer, that's what happened. It might not have seemed that way every step along the way, but that's what was actually theologically, biblically happening. What about now?

What if you've been walking with the Lord for 40 years? I've been walking with the Lord something like 40 years. I can say a hearty amen to His mercies are new every morning. I'm so aware of them, of my need for them, and of His constant supply of them. We can afford to love our enemies.

We can afford to give to those who ask. We can afford to bless people who curse us. We can afford to pray for people who spitefully use us. Number two, recognize how un-American this is, and that's important because we grew up here. All of us grew up in America?

All of us grew up in America all of us grew up in America and this is as un-American as it gets Americans love counterpunching Americans love a counterpuncher You have a man in the White House because Americans love counter punching. It's not a political statement. I like the policies, but if there is a counter puncher in this world, it's a Donald Trump. So this is all that Jesus was preaching and I'm preaching, because Jesus was preaching, is counter to the things that have been pressed into us all our lives. So we should just be aware of that and know this will be swimming upstream for Americans more than anyone and it's all against our nature.

Americans, we stand up for our rights. The Bible doesn't deny that we have rights, but it says that the people of God sometimes and maybe often set aside their rights for kingdom good, for kingdom advancement. We're being called to that here. If you find you always have to stand on your rights just know how disconnected you are from what Jesus is teaching in this text. Ooh, that one hurt saying it.

I like my rights. Number three, this is for personal conduct. This should govern our personal conduct. If you apply these to jurisdictional heads, for example, for government officials and you like try to press government officials into this, you'll actually end up saying the opposite of what scripture teaches government officials. So, just be careful on that one.

It's for us and our personal conduct. But don't try to apply this to jurisdictional heads Let me close with Ephesians 5 verses 1 and 2 just listen to Ephesians 5 verses 1 and 2 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children and walk in love as Christ also has loved us and given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma. Are you a dear child? I'm a dear child. Imitate God as dear children.

Walk in love. Christ loved us. He gave himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma, Let's pray. Jesus, thank you for doing all the things that we've read about and thought about in our text today to the nth degree. There's not a more perfect example of any of these eight things than you and what you did.

You've gone before us. I pray that you would teach us to imitate God as dear children, to accurately bear the image of God, to be conformed to your image Jesus. We pray In Jesus' name, amen.