Today we’re going to talk about love: God’s love for us, and Jesus’ radical, counter-cultural call for Christians to love our enemies. And we are going to wonder what this means for us today. I pray that today’s message will help Faith Lutheran Church embrace and live into its newest vision and mission statement. I pray that today’s message will inspire you to embrace and live into your identity as a child of God, loved like Jesus was loved; and loving others like Jesus loved. Open your Bible to Luke 6:27-36, and let’s pray:

Jesu, Jesu, fill us with your love, show us how to serve the neighbors we have in you. Amen

Luke 6:27-36

And a reading from the gospel of Luke, the sixth chapter, beginning at verse 27.

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 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. 35 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 children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.