Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany February 22-23, 2025
“Higher Expectations” Luke 6:27-38
Rev. John R. Larson Ascension Lutheran Church Littleton, Colorado
We’re going to do something different today. I would like you to find Luke 6:27-31 in your pew Bibles (Page 1050) and read this passage with me.
What do you think about that? Is Jesus serious? People have chosen to make your life miserable, and you are supposed to love them, pray for them, be kind to them? Really? What if someone disrespects you by a slap on your face, are you going to show them where to slap the other side? Really? Someone takes your jacket and you are to give them your shirt and your undershirt, as well? Give money to a person who asks you for money and don’t demand it back? Really? It sure sounds like we are being asked to be a fool to someone who will just take advantage of us. We make ourselves easy prey for the conman or the bully.
What do we do with the words of Jesus? Do we dismiss them? Do you simply say – “Those words do not apply to me.” Do we think – that is a part of the Bible that I can do without?
Did He actually mean those things that He said? I think He did. I think Jesus asks some amazingly hard things of us. I think it is not easy to be a Christian. I think there is some exaggeration in some of these scenarios. I think there is some hyperbole. But I believe that Jesus has higher expectations for us – His people. We are to go beyond what is fair. We are to exceed what is normal, natural behavior. Jeffrey Gibbs in his commentary about this says, “Jesus calls his disciples to lives of reckless generosity…His words are to reform our instincts, our quick reactions, our unwillingness to sacrifice.” (Concordia Commentary, Matthew, Pages 303-303) Paul sounds like Jesus when he tells believers, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse…Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord…Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:14, 17-19, 21) Higher expectations, right?
Why do I think He actually wants us to do those things that are quite impossible for us to do? Because He did it first. All those things – love your enemies, turning the cheek to be insulted again, giving to someone things that belong to you, are all things that Jesus did. After giving these great expectations of us Jesus gives the rational of His directive – “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 sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:35-36)
Our God calls us to higher expectations because our God lived by higher standards. Do you deserve forgiveness for your many sins? I don’t think so. Do you deserve His patience again and again and again? I don’t think so. But God gives these gifts to us freely, faithfully, forever. Jesus Christ calls us all to an honest repentance of our sins and through His gift of His own self, by His crucifixion, He restores, forgives, cleanses us. “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.” (II Corinthians 5:19) That is God’s standard of how He would treat us.
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” The psalmist says, “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:10-12)
“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” The greatest parable in the Bible, by far, is the Parable of the Waiting Father, also known as the Parable of the Prodigal (Wayward) Son (Luke 15:11-32). That is the greatest picture of grace and favor that I know. The son – that is the name for all of us sinners – ran away from the father, wasted his life, made the wrong choices and found himself in a terrible place. In that parable we are that lost boy. We were prodigals, wayward, messed up. And we became hopeless. Every solution that we offered to make things better were dumb ones. We only got into a deeper hole and a greater mess.
And the father – Thee Father – is just waiting for us. He walks to the end of his property and anticipates our return. He hopes that maybe this is the day when we come back. And when we finally get into “telescope range” he runs to us, embraces us, weeps over us and welcomes us home. No words like, “I told you so.” No scorn spoken -“What a mistake you made when you left home!” “Look at you. I’m ashamed of you.” No. These are the words he says, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” (Luke 15:22-24)
Why do I think that Jesus actually wants us to love our enemies, pray for those who do evil to us or give to those who don’t deserve our kindness and generosity? Because He did it first. To us. To others. Freely. Joyfully. Like it says, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
Do you have someone you learn from? Do you observe others and see their ways, their attitudes? Do you have someone that you want to copy? Follow Jesus. Follow what Jesus did. In Ephesians St. Paul writes, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2)
Daniel Ritchie, a prominent leader in our Denver community died on January 30 at the age of 93. He was the leader in many ways and maybe his best-known work was his leadership at the University of Denver. For years he carried a well-worn card in his wallet known as his “cowboy ethics”. The 10 are:
Live each day with courage.
Take pride in your work.
Always finish what you start.
Do what has to be done.
Be tough, but fair.
When you make a promise, keep it.
Ride for the brand.
Talk less and say more.
Remember that some things aren’t for sale.
Know where to draw the line.
We have a way that we live. We have a code of ethics. Jesus calls us to live in a better way. It is the way of true love. I like what William Barclay says when he writes, “This love towards our enemies is not only something of the heart; it is something of the will.” (William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke, Page 79) You can’t love someone only on emotions. You can’t love just with your eyes. It takes your will, your determination. It is a matter of action. God’s love toward us is built on His will and work and action and determination.
And I want you to live with a higher expectation knowing what you will receive from God. Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38) What joy and what freedom you will experience when you live in God’s way of generosity and love. You don’t do it to get something back, but when you live in this way you’ll get back much more than you will ever give.
We live with higher expectations in how we live and in what we will receive. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Amen!!
