Blessed to Bless: Loving Enemies and Giving Freely

Feb 13, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Responding to opposition with love, not retaliation.

When faced with hatred or insult, the natural human impulse is to retaliate or withdraw. Yet, a different way is presented, one that breaks the cycle of animosity. This path calls for a proactive and courageous love that seeks the well-being of the other, even when it is difficult. It is an active choice to emulate a higher example, transforming conflict through grace. Such love is not a passive feeling but a decisive action aimed at blessing. [25:27]

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” (Luke 6:27-28, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a relationship where you feel tension or opposition. How might God be inviting you to actively love that person this week, not in a sentimental way, but through a specific, practical action for their good?

Day 2: The call to do good as an expression of faith.

Doing good is a tangible outworking of love, especially toward those who may not deserve it. This command moves beyond internal sentiment to external action, demonstrating faith through concrete deeds. It involves seeking God's best for others through acts of kindness, prayer, and blessing. This lifestyle reflects the character of God, who shows kindness to all. It is a primary way we participate in God’s work of restoration. [27:06]

“If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.” (Luke 6:33, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you been withholding good from someone because you felt they didn't deserve it or wouldn't reciprocate? What is one step you can take to extend God’s kindness to them without expectation of return?

Day 3: Cultivating a heart of radical generosity.

Generosity is presented not as a casual suggestion but as a core characteristic of a life lived in God’s blessing. It challenges a mindset of scarcity and self-protection, inviting a trust in God’s abundant provision. This means giving freely, even to those who have taken from us, to break cycles of retribution. True generosity expects nothing in return, reflecting the heart of the Father. [28:11]

“Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back… lend, expecting nothing in return.” (Luke 6:30, 35, ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life—finances, time, or possessions—do you find it most difficult to be generous? What would it look like to take a small step toward open-handedness in that area this week?

Day 4: Living by God’s measure, not the world’s.

The world often operates on a principle of reciprocal exchange, giving only to get something back. This teaching turns that standard upside down, calling us to a new economy based on God’s limitless grace. Our actions are to be measured against God’s mercy toward us, not the actions of others. This reorientation frees us from keeping score and allows us to live as true children of God. [29:08]

“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.” (Luke 6:35, ESV)

Reflection: How does the reality that God is kind to the ungrateful and evil reshape your understanding of what you are called to do? Where might you need to stop measuring your response by someone else’s actions and start measuring it by God’s character?

Day 5: Receiving and reflecting God’s overflowing mercy.

The ultimate motivation for this counter-cultural life is the mercy we have first received from God. We are called to be merciful because our Father is merciful. His grace toward us is not meager but abundant—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. As we receive this gift, we are empowered and compelled to extend the same measure of forgiveness and grace to others. [33:29]

“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful… For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:36, 38, ESV)

Reflection: As you reflect on the mercy you have received from God, who is one person you feel God prompting you to extend that same mercy to, perhaps through forgiveness or a refusal to condemn?

Sermon Summary

The Gospel passage from Luke 6:27–38 issues a direct and demanding ethic: love enemies, do good to those who hate, bless those who curse, and give without expectation. Jesus frames blessing not merely as a gift received but as a way of life shaped by concrete actions—loving, serving, forgiving, and generous giving—even toward those who oppose or harm. The instruction unfolds in three repetitions: a set of commands, a set of questions that unsettle ordinary expectations, and a concise restatement that ties practice to identity. By insisting that ordinary reciprocity offers no moral credit, the teaching calls disciples to exceed human norms and to enact God’s pattern of mercy.

Jesus grounds ethical action in God’s own behavior: God shows kindness to the ungrateful and wicked, and mercy defines the divine character. The promised “reward” appears not as a transactional bonus but as incorporation into God’s family—becoming children and inheritors of the Most High—so that the blessing experienced flows back into the world as peace and shalom. The text uses vivid images—the extra mile, the pressed-down, shaken-together, running-over measure—to show that divine generosity overflows normal accounting and breaks cycles of revenge.

Concrete examples clarify what imitation looks like: offer the other cheek, do not hold back a coat for someone who takes a cloak, give to every beggar, lend without counting on return. Such actions intentionally disrupt payback logic and create openings for healing and transformation. The measure one uses—whether mercy, judgment, or giving—becomes the pattern by which life returns. The ethic thus centers on active participation in God’s reconciling work: practicing love and generosity even amid persecution, so that blessing becomes both present reality and mission.

Confession, prayer, communal giving, and benediction frame the teaching as communal formation: repentance clears the way, prayer sustains mercy, offerings express trust, and benediction sends the community to live out the commandments. The result aims at a people shaped by grace who embody God’s mercy in relationships, institutions, and everyday choices.

Key Takeaways

1. Love enemies; seek their well‑being Jesus calls loving enemies not as sentiment but as disciplined action aimed at the other’s flourishing. Love may require tough truth, forgiveness, or protection, but its telos remains the neighbor’s well-being, even when the neighbor has harmed. This posture resists the triumph of retaliation and preserves the witness of covenant mercy. [25:27]
2. Do good without expecting return Doing good when no return comes reframes righteousness away from barter and toward covenant character. Such generosity undermines cycles of reciprocity that bind communities to payback and creates spaces where transformation and reconciliation can occur. Persistent, unreciprocated goodness reveals the economy of grace rather than human merit. [27:06]
3. Give freely; break the revenge cycle Giving openly—even to those who take or steal—interrupts vendetta logic and offers a concrete alternative to escalating violence. Generosity in the face of exploitation models trust in God’s provision and opens pathways for repentance and relationship. This practice refuses to let injury define identity or future actions. [27:47]
4. Pattern life after God’s mercy God’s kindness to the ungrateful establishes the standard for human behavior: mercy first, judgment second. Measuring others by the same liberality received from God reshapes communities toward forgiveness and abundant life, since the measure one gives becomes the measure returned. Embodiment of this standard forms children of the Most High. [32:03]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[07:50] - Annual Meeting & Zoom Information
[08:24] - Call to Choose Life and Worship
[08:50] - Opening Prayer
[09:17] - Opening Hymn and Peace
[13:56] - Kids' Video: Joseph and the Promised Land
[17:48] - Psalm 37 Reading
[19:53] - Gospel Reading: Luke 6:27–38
[21:29] - Teaching Context: Blessed and Woes
[24:27] - Instructions: Love, Do Good, Give
[25:27] - Defining Love Toward Enemies
[27:06] - Doing Good, Blessing, and Praying
[27:47] - Give Freely; Lend Without Return
[29:08] - The Surprise: Exceed Human Expectation
[30:53] - Reward: Children of the Most High
[32:03] - God as Model of Mercy
[33:29] - Image of Overflowing Measure
[34:19] - Confession and Silent Prayer
[36:26] - The Lord’s Prayer
[37:22] - Offering and Stewardship Appeal
[38:27] - Offering Dedication Prayer
[39:06] - Hymn: New Beginnings
[41:22] - Benediction and Sending Blessing

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Luke 6:27–38 (ESV)
“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 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. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. If you love those who love you, what benefit 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 benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 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. 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. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Observation questions

What four specific actions does Jesus command in Luke 6:27–28 toward those who oppose or harm us?
How does Jesus contrast the behavior of his followers with the behavior of “sinners” in verses 32–34?
What reason does Jesus give in verse 35 for why we should love our enemies and lend without expecting return?
What image does Jesus use in verse 38 to describe how God gives to us? [33:29]

Interpretation questions

Why do you think Jesus uses such extreme examples like offering the other cheek or giving a shirt to someone who took your coat? What is he trying to illustrate about the character of God’s kingdom?
Jesus says that showing love only to those who love us offers “no benefit” (v. 32). What does he mean by “benefit” or “credit” in this context? [27:06]
How does being “children of the Most High” (v. 35) relate to showing mercy to the ungrateful and wicked?
What does the “measure we use” refer to in practical terms? How does it affect our relationships with others? [32:20]

Application questions

Who comes to mind when you hear the term “enemy”? What would it look like this week to actively seek that person’s well-being—not with sentiment, but with action? [25:27]
When have you found yourself keeping score in relationships—giving only as much as you expect to get back? What would it look like to break that cycle through generous, uncalculated giving? [27:47]
Jesus calls us to “be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (v. 36). Where in your life right now—at home, work, or in your community—is God inviting you to reflect his mercy rather than human fairness?
How can you intentionally “press down, shake together, and let overflow” your generosity toward someone who hasn’t earned it? What would that look like in practice? [33:29]
What would it mean for you to pray regularly for someone who has mistreated you or made your life difficult? How might that prayer change your own heart over time? [27:06]
In what area of your life do you most struggle to trust God’s provision—especially when he calls you to give freely, even to those who take advantage? What step can you take this week to act in faith rather than fear?

Sermon Clips

34s

#LiveTheBlessing

“And he says that blessing is not a one way gift from God. It is a lived reflection of God's intent toward us. Love, do good, give freely. Here's an example. He finally restates these one last time, More concisely, he says, but love your enemies, do good and lend, give freely, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great.”

28s

#GenerosityOverflow

“The final image of a good measure pressed down, shaken together, and running over is a picture of God's generosity. It's not trying to skimp you on what I give you, but giving you a good portion, whether of wheat or of forgiveness. I'm gonna make sure as much grain gets into that measure as possible, shaking it and packing it down. And even then, I'm not going to stop, but I'm gonna let it flow over the top.”

29s

#MeasureByGod

“Break the pattern of the world, Jesus says. Don't measure your actions, thoughts, and feelings by those of other human beings. He hasn't gotten there yet, but we sense it. Measure your actions, your thoughts, and your feelings by those you have received from God through Jesus. As you love God, you will find yourself loving others. This is a practical outworking of that great commandment.”

34s

#BreakTheRevengeCycle

“So and so was not generous to me. In fact, he took advantage of me, stole from me. But Jesus says, be generous. Give them another chance. Don't give them just as good or bad as they gave you. Do better than that. Be generous and open handed. I can't help but think of the old stories of the Hatfields and the McCoys, the feuds, the old gangs of New York, or even out here in California, the Bloods and the Cribs. There's just this perpetual cycle of revenge payback, and it never ends.”

24s

#BeyondReciprocity

“Each statement follows a similar pattern. If you only do these things for people who will do them for you, what's the credit to that? Even sinners do that much, if you bless only those who bless you. If you love those who love you, if you do good to those who do good to you, if you lend or give to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that? Even sinners do such things.”

28s

#BlessingIsInheritance

“We looked last week at reward, and it's not some kind of extra bonus in heaven, but it's living and being God's blessing in God's realm right here and now. He says it here. He says, you will be children, that is, inheritors, heirs of the most high, not because God rewards good behavior, but because God's grace, love, and salvation is the very blessing being described here.”

26s

#BlessToEncounterGod

“Rather than dodging trouble by denying Christ with our words or actions, Jesus is teaching us how to lean into our faith and honor him in the midst of that trouble. Said again in Jeremiah's words, go the extra mile to bless those who are against you, and you will experience the blessing that you yourself seek as you see them encounter God.”

27s

#GiveFreelyEvenToThieves

“Blessing gets at the heart of it. We are to seek God's best for the other first. This is going to be the common theme of this whole text throughout the day. Give freely to the thief. Finally, Jesus speaks of lending even to those who have taken from us, even giving freely when someone has not been as generous. This might be where the rubber hits the road for us.”

33s

#PrayAndDoGood

“Similarly, Jesus tells us to do good to those who hate us. He offers several actions that are sort of keyed in large part to the trouble we were told to expect. So he tells us, do good to those who hate you, and bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. All are in some ways similar to the challenge presented to us in Love Your Enemies. But Jesus fleshes out for us here some of the range of what that might look like. It can involve doing good or praying for the other.”

32s

#RespondLikeJesus

“In fact, he'll circle through each of those responses three times, but it's clear that the blessing comes through responding as Jesus will respond, showing the grace that God has shown. If you want specific instruction on how to be blessed, Jesus gives it here, giving much the same message that Jeremiah gave the Jewish exiles about a thousand years before this. Seek the blessing of your enemies and you will come to experience God's blessing yourself.”

28s

#BeABlessing

“It is an outworking of God's covenant promise. It says, I will bless you that you might be a blessing in the world to others. It's a surprise because we're not used to thinking that way. We're used to me first or what's in it for me or I've gotta protect myself or that's not fair. Those are all the things Jesus set aside to come live and teach, and make a home among us.”

36s

#HardTruthsForAll

“So today, we move beyond those pairs of blessed are you with this and woe are you with that of last week. This week, we have a different style of teaching coming from Jesus. Last week, he was speaking, you you might recall, he was talking to the disciples, the inner circle, though the crowd did still hear his sermon. This week, Luke says that this sermon is addressed not to some select inner circle, but to all who would listen. By the way, that kind of means watch out. Some of this is gonna be hard to hear.”

39s

#BlessingIsLifestyle

“He is still talking blessing, though. And in this instance, he is actually really remarkably direct for him. He says outright what he means. So much of the time, we see Jesus asking questions or telling parables. But in today's text, he just very outright says, do this, and he says several things. But it is still in the context of blessing. Interestingly, we tend to think of blessing as something we receive. But here, Jesus links it with a way of living, with a way of being.”

44s

#ListenAndLive

“Not only is Jesus being pretty simple and directive here, he begins with, but I say to you who hear. That's the kind of thing teachers or parents might say to children, turn your listening ears on. And remember the context. Jesus has just said that blessed are those who are hated, ostracized, insulted, and scorned for the sake of the son of man, Jesus. In fact, we also learned in Colossians, whatever you do, do it heartily as for the Lord. So now Jesus is going to give some examples of what that looks like, especially in the context of the kind of trouble those who serve him might face.”

19s

#LoveYourEnemies

“one thing we have here is love your enemies. These may be the very ones who hated, hurt, and came against you. It's the last thing we'd want to do. I get that. I think Jesus understood it too, and he completely got it, completely understood.”

31s

#StandFirmInFaith

“He's already said that following him is gonna make enemies of some people. So what sense does it make them to stop following Christ when they stir up trouble? Because you know what? If you stop following Christ when they stir up trouble, that just serves their cause. They've won. If I trouble you for serving Jesus and your response is to stop serving Jesus and declare me your enemy, then I've already succeeded.”

21s

#SeekShalom

“Remember the lesson of Jeremiah. He told God's people who were so desperate for God's blessing, seek the shalom blessing of the city, and in their peace, you will know peace. As we participate in God's family and following Christ, we realize a blessing that we already have in him.”

25s

#GodSetsTheMeasure

“So whether kindness, mercy, judging, condemning, pardoning, or giving, our pattern is set by God, and our measure is set by God. Again, all this began with Jesus saying, blessed are you if you run into trouble on my account, and woe to you if you merely live for the approval of others.”

28s

#FlipExpectations

“But as he did when Jesus entered the world, he offers a way to break that pattern. Love, do good, give freely. Then he repeats those three commands again in a different kind of format. This one sounds more like Jesus. There's a question with each one, and it kind of something to make you think. He turns our expectations on their heads, and I call this part the surprise.”

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