Bible Study Notes for Lord’s Day,
August 29, 2010
Luke 6:27-36
“Agape”

27  “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.

Introduction  A large percentage of true Christianity is in how we treat other people.  We worship God, fellowship with Him, but also are to live in peace, harmony and with respect for the other humans here on the planet.  Love is our primary objective.  Love only comes from God the Holy Spirit.


1. What is Love?

a. Loving  v27  agape = putting others ahead of yourself
27  “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,


b. Doing good  v27
27  “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,


c. Blessing  v28
 28 “bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.


d. Praying  v28
 28 “bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.


e. Offering  v29
 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.

f. Giving  v30
 30 “Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.

Awareness of needs, response to needs  v31  How do we know what needs are?  Our own needs.
 31 “And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

g. Lending  v34
 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.

h. Kindness  v35
 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.
i. Being merciful  v36
 36 “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.


2. Who is Easy to Love?


a. Those who love you  v32
 32 “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.


b. Those who do good to you  v33
 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.


c. Those who cost you nothing  v34
 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.

d. Those who reciprocate  v34
 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.

3. Who is Hard to Love?


a. Enemies  v27
27  “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,


b. Those who hate you  v27
27  “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,


c. Those who curse you  v27
27  “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

d. Those who spitefully use and abuse you  v28
 28 “bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.


e. Those who strike you  v29
 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.

f. Those who take from you  v29
 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.

g. Those who ask for things  v30
 30 “Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.

h. Those who do not reciprocate  v32-34
 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.


i. Are these people sometimes Christians?  Unfortunately, yes.  Reasons:

Immature, or not yet Spirit-filled

Going through a hard time, emotional, frustrated

Letting the devil control their thoughts and behavior in unChristlike ways.

4. The Cost of Love


a. Enduring hatred, cursing, contempt, humiliation  v27-28
27  “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.


b. Being abused  v28
 28 “bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.


c. A stinging cheek or two  v29
 29 “To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also.


d. Loss of goods  v29-30
 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.


5. The Rewards of Love


a. Credit with God
 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.

b. Great Reward
 35 “But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great


c. Children of the Most High
v35b  and you will be sons of the Most High.

The more radical your love, the greater the reward
6. God’s Reasons for the Rewards of Love

Why does God give extra credit for more heroic love?  Why does He place such a priority on loving the unlovable?
Many times this is what brings about change.  He wants the whole planet to be kind and loving toward each other.


Romans 2
4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

13:1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
 4 Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
 8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.
 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;
 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.
 11 When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known.
 13 But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Conclusion