​Ballston Spa United Methodist Church
  • Home
  • The Latest
    • Recent posts
    • January 29 message
    • January 22 message
    • January 15 message
    • January 8 message
    • January 1 message
    • December 18 message
    • December 11 message
    • November 27 message
    • November 20 message
    • October 30 message
    • October 23 message
    • October 16 message
    • October 2 message
    • September 25 message
    • September 11 message
    • September 4 message
    • August 28 message
    • August 14 message
    • August 7 message
    • July 31 message
    • July 24 message
    • July 17 message
    • July 10 message
    • July 3 message
    • June 5 message
    • May 22 message
    • May 15 message
    • May 8 message
    • May 1 message
    • April 24 message
    • April 17 message
    • April 3 message
    • March 27 message
    • March 20 message
    • March 13 message
    • March 6 message
    • February 27 message
    • February 20 message
    • February 13 message
    • February 6 message
    • January 30 message
    • January 23 message
    • January 16 message
    • January 2 message
    • December 19 message
    • December 5 message
    • November 28 message
    • November 14 message
    • November 7 message
    • October 31 message
    • October 17 message
    • October 10 message
    • October 3 message
    • September 26 message
    • September 19 message
    • September 12 message
    • January 17 message
    • September 5 message
    • August 29 message
    • August 22 message
    • August 8 message
    • August 1 message
    • July 25 message
    • July 18 message
    • July 11 message
    • July 11 Scripture
    • June 27 message
    • June 13 message
    • June 6 message
    • May 9 message
    • May 2 message
    • April 25 message
    • April 18 message
    • April 11 message
    • April 4 message
    • March 21 message
    • March 14 message
    • March 7 message
    • February 28 message
    • February 21 message
    • February 14 message
    • January 31 message
    • January 24 message
    • January 10 message
    • January 3 message
    • December 13 message
    • December 6 message
    • November 29 message
    • November 15 message
    • November 1 message
    • October 11 message
    • Sept 13 message
    • Sept 6 message
    • Aug 30 message
    • Aug 23 message
    • Aug 16 message
    • July 26 message
    • July 12 Message
    • July 5 message
    • June 28 message
    • May 24 message
  • Videos
    • This week's service
    • Worship videos 2023
    • Worship videos 2022
    • Worship videos 2021
  • About Us
    • Church Staff
    • Church Directions
    • How to reach us
    • History
  • Ministry Matters
    • Announcements >
      • Ministry Matters January 29
      • Ministry Matters January 22
      • Ministry Matters January 15
      • Ministry Matters January 8
      • Ministry Matters January 1
      • Ministry Matters December 18
      • Ministry Matters December 11
      • Ministry Matters November 27
      • Ministry Matters November 20
      • Ministry Matters November 6
      • Ministry Matters October 23
      • Ministry Matters October 9
      • Ministry Matters October 2
      • Ministry Matters September 25
      • Ministry Matters September 11
      • Ministry Matters September 4
      • Ministry Matters August 28
      • Ministry Matters August 21
      • Ministry Matters August 14
      • Ministry Matters July 31
      • Ministry Matters July 24
      • Ministry Matters July 17
      • Ministry Matters July 3
      • Ministry Matters June 26
      • Ministry Matters June 19
      • Ministry Matters June 12
      • Ministry Matters June 5
      • Ministry Matters May 29
      • Ministry Matters May 22
      • Ministry Matters May 15
      • Ministry Matters May 8
      • Ministry Matters May 1
      • Ministry Matters April 24
      • Ministry Matters April 17
      • Ministry Matters April 10
      • Ministry Matters April 3
      • Ministry Matters March 27
      • Ministry Matters March 20
      • Ministry Matters March 13
      • Ministry Matters March 6
      • Ministry Matters February 27
      • Ministry Matters February 20
      • Ministry Matters February 13
      • Ministry Matters February 6
      • Ministry Matters January 30
      • Ministry Matters January 23
      • Ministry Matters January 16
      • Ministry Matters January 9
      • Ministry Matters January 2
      • Ministry Matters December 12
      • Ministry Matters December 5
      • Ministry Matters November 28
      • Ministry Matters November 21
      • Ministry Matters November 14
      • Ministry Matters November 7
      • Ministry Matters October 31
      • Ministry Matters October 17
      • Ministry Matters October 10
      • Ministry Matters October 3
      • Ministry Matters September 26 >
        • Understanding the UMC Budget
      • Ministry Matters September 19
      • Ministry Matters September 12
      • Ministry Matters September 5
      • Ministry Matters August 29
      • Ministry Matters August 22
      • Ministry Matters August 1
      • Ministry Matters July 25
      • Ministry Matters July 18
      • Ministry Matters July 11
      • Ministry Matters June 27
      • Ministry Matters June 13
      • Ministry Matters June 6
      • Ministry Matters May 30
      • Ministry Matters May 23
      • Ministry Matters May 9
      • Ministry Matters May 2
      • Ministry Matters April 25
      • Ministry Matters April 18
      • Ministry Matters April 11
      • Ministry Matters April 4
      • Ministry Matters March 28
      • Ministry Matters March 21
      • Ministry Matters March 14
      • Ministry Matters March 7
      • Ministry Matters February 28
      • Ministry Matters February 21
      • Ministry Matters February 14
      • Ministry Matters February 7
      • Ministry Matters January 31
      • Ministry Matters January 24
      • Ministry Matters January 17
      • Ministry Matters January 10
      • Ministry Matters January 3
      • Ministry Matters December 20
      • Ministry Matters December 13
      • Ministry Matters December 6
      • Ministry Matters November 29
      • Ministry Matters November 22
      • Ministry Matters November 15
      • Ministry Matters November 8
      • Ministry Matters November 1
      • Ministry Matters October 25
      • Ministry Matters October 18
      • Ministry Matters October 11
      • Ministry Matters October 4
      • Ministry Matters September 27
      • Ministry Matters September 20
      • Ministry Matters September 13
      • Ministry Matters August 16
      • Ministry Matters July 12
      • Ministry Matters July 5
      • Ministry Matters June 29
      • Ministry Matters May 31
      • Ministry Matters May 24
      • Ministry Matters May 16
      • Ministry Matters May 7
      • Ministry Matters April 30
      • Ministry Matters 4/23/20
  • How We Serve
    • Food Pantry
    • Clothing Thrift Shop
    • Prayer Shawl Ministry
    • UM Economic & Lakota Ministries
    • Fair Trade Coffee
    • Regional Food Bank Trip
    • 2020 Falling Leaves 5K Run
    • 2019 Falling Leaves 5K Run
    • Bright Red Book Shelf
    • Summer Lunch Program
  • Giving
    • Online giving
    • Sign up for automatic giving
    • Through On-line Purchasing
  • Resources
    • Safe Sanctuary Policy
    • Links
    • Forms
    • Photos & Videos

Love on a New Level
Luke 6:27-38

Picture
     Late one summer afternoon in Broken Bow, Nebraska, a weary truck driver pulled his rig into a truck stop. The waitress had just served him when three tough-looking, leather-jacketed motorcyclists came down the aisle and decided to give him a hard time.  They started with some verbal harassment, then one man grabbed the hamburger off his plate, another took a handful of his French fries, and the third picked up his coffee and slowly began to drink it.  
     How would you respond in that situation? Well, this trucker didn’t respond as one might expect. He calmly stood up, picked up his check and walked to the front register and put down cash to cover his bill.   He was already out the door by the time the waitress put his money in the till.  She stood there and watched the man’s big rig roll away into the night.  When she went to the booth where the bikers were seated, one of them said, “Well, he’s not much of a man, is he?”  She replied, “I don’t know about that, but he sure ain’t much of a truck driver. He just ran over three motorcycles on his way out of the parking lot.”
     I think it’s a perfect intro for today’s sermon on loving our enemies.  When someone has wronged or provoked you, were you ever tempted to hurt them like they hurt you?  Isn’t that instinct part of our human nature? Jesus is going to answer these questions, and more.  He was preaching his first sermon on a plain outside of Capernaum.  A massive crowd had gathered and in the front row were Jesus’ 12 newly-called disciples.  He’s been teaching them about God’s Kingdom, giving examples of blessedness that reversed and expanded their concept of who God favors.  Now, he’ll share examples of how we should treat and respond to others, once again radically reversing the notion of how His disciples should live in the world.    
      Imagine being in a front row seat as Jesus said: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.”  Before you’re tempted to tune this teaching out, believing you have no real enemies in life, let me ask some questions that may broaden your perspective. Have you ever had a bully in school make fun of or threaten you?   Ever had a boss or teacher treat you differently, making it feel like they “had it in for you”? Animosity can be thinly veiled.  Has someone gossiped or told lies about you?  Do you have a family member who holds an old grudge against you? They may have even found allies, so now you’re being unfairly judged and excluded by more of your loved ones.  Is there someone you know who actually hates you?  These are not your friends.
      “Love them,” said Jesus.  In order to grasp the deep shock people felt when hearing this, we need to understand what many in his audience had been taught.  Jewish religious leaders, using God’s word as found in our Old Testament, taught the people to “love your neighbor” and “hate your enemy.”  Everyone knew this and tried to live it out.  Except some rabbis did loosen up on the command to love your neighbors.  If “certain” fellow Jews were seen as unworthy, you were exempt from having to love “those” neighbors. This wasn’t God’s idea; it was an exemption put in because some were uncomfortable with God’s high standards.  
       So, when Jesus said, “love your enemies and do good to them,” it was a shocking statement - the crowd would have been agitated hearing this.  It was a radical departure from their long-established, and much tamer, faith tradition.
Let’s apply this to our own lives.  Can you imagine doing good deeds for people who despise the sight of you?  Could you love someone who loathed you?  Does anyone come to mind when I ask these questions?
     Jesus’ command is clear, but do you think this is possible, given our human nature?  Wouldn’t most of us want to give hate-filled people a “piece of our mind”?  What if the cruelest people on earth were caught and then punished, using the same cruelties they so callously inflicted on others?  Would we be secretly pleased that they would suffer?
      To love heinous human beings, and to do good deeds for them - to do that even if they remain unrepentant - isn’t something I think our willpower or human nature can manage to do.  But what we lack, God can and does provide. You and I are empowered every day by God, through the Holy Spirit.  Do you realize that there is limitless, divine power that fills us and directs our thoughts and actions, so we live like Christ did when he was on earth?  We have a power source, fully charged, that is at work in us, helping us imitate Christ in our everyday lives.
      Let’s turn this working theory into concrete life situations and consider what it might look like to love our enemies and do good to those who despise us.  We could offer to cover a shift at work for a mean-spirited co-worker.  We could mow the lawn or shovel the driveway for a neighbor who is rude to your kids and hates your pets.  We could bring over groceries or hot meals to a relative who is sick, even though they are always critical or judgmental. We could send a long-time colleague flowers and a “thinking of you" card on their birthday, even though they recently shared nasty and untrue gossip about you– again. 
      Can you see the possibilities that can come with blessing people who don’t much like you?  Do you know why radical, unexpected acts of kindness matter?  People who’ve hurt others and know it are shocked when they’re met with visible but undeserved blessings.  I’ve heard people in their state of shock say things like “Are you messing with me? Is this for real?”  Jesus tells us why people are unbelieving and skeptical, even when the blessing is right in their own hands.  He said it’s easy to care about someone who cares for you - even sinners do that.  But making Spirit-filled choices to bless people who in no way deserve it demonstrates unconditional love; that’s the supernatural sign of a follower Jesus Christ.  You and I are called to fully and freely love others because we’re keenly aware that “while we were still mired in our sins, Jesus so loved the world He died for us.”   That’s our mission, to go out and love people in concrete ways while they are still hateful and hurtful.     
       The Bible puts this plainly: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”  That’s as countercultural now as it was when Jesus walked the earth.  We stun people; our generosity confuses them, and our reasoning defies logic. What are we getting out of this? It makes some wildly curious… others may just be annoyed.  Either way, our good deeds can lead to conversations.        
     You’d be surprised how many people will reveal how tired they are of being arrogant, greedy, bitter, or controlling.  At the end of the day, when they’re home alone with no distractions, they consider all their choices and how they feel empty.  Some say that the loving deeds of one or two people were the only bright spots in their lives.  It then became the axis point that changed their lives.  Our job is to love all, even (or especially) our enemies, and do good and leave the results up to God.       
      Jesus’ second teaching is similar to the first.  We’re to “bless people who curse us.”  This focuses on our speech. The Bible says that our tongue, a mere 2 ounces of our body, has the power to speak life or speak death to others.  Either way, those who are on the receiving end will be impacted. If someone is lashing out at us and loudly complaining, our bodies will react.  Endorphins flood us - we have a fight or flight instinct.  In our vulnerability, there can be an impulse that makes us want to immediately retaliate.  What words might come from our mouths right then?
      I thank God that years ago I memorized a Bible verse that’s helped me rein in my tongue, rather than release a sharp counter-offensive.  Proverbs 15:1 says: “A gentle answer, a soft one, turns away wrath.  It can calm someone’s anger.  But harsh or painful words can increase or spike someone’s anger.”  A similar piece of wisdom comes from Proverbs 12:18: “Reckless words, spoken in the heat of the moment, can wound us like a sword, but those who are wise use healing words.” 
      Unfortunately, my fellow Christians, we all have many chances to practice this God-given advice.  Plenty of people are reckless with their words, not knowing or even caring if they scare people or scar them.  Haven’t you heard angry outbursts directed at strangers in public?  Online, blistering comments are written to others who don’t align with their views or values.   Have you listened to people spew prejudice, or argue in an effort to legitimize violence?  How often, behind closed doors, are words used that tear down someone’s self-esteem?  Or tell them they are nobodies, or they’re burdens?  Tongues too often speak death to others.    
      God is counting on us to be a healing and helping counterforce.  And once again, we Christians are going to need the fullness of God’s Holy Spirit to help us have wise and controlled speech.  I try to imagine Jesus by my side, seeing and hearing what I’m experiencing.  I think about how I can imitate Him.  I want my words to be kind and honest.  I want to be sensitive, but bold when necessary.  If I’ve earned someone’s trust, I can speak deeper truths and offer challenges to them.  If I listen well, I can be helpful in building others up after they’ve been torn down.  I want to use my voice so people know they’re seen and appreciated. I want to say out loud, many times and in many ways, that God loves them.  I want to bless those who’ve been cursed and hurt by others and with God’s help bless those who’ve cursed and hurt me.  I don’t say that lightly.  You and I can only be obedient if we’re humble, available, and prayerful.
      Prayer is the third teaching Jesus shares with us.  We’re to pray for those who mistreat us.  I once heard a minister tell their parishioner that, no, they shouldn’t pray for their scoundrel of an ex-husband, who was again delinquent in paying child support, to be hit and killed by a car over the weekend. God wants us to pray for those who’ve wronged us because God wants to see them transformed, turning away from past, hurtful behaviors and beliefs.  If we don’t pray for such people, honestly, who else will?  God wants us to intercede on their behalf as sincerely as if we were praying for people we love, hoping that one day they’ll have a relationship with God. That is incredibly hard for us.  I’d suggest finding an accountability partner because if left up only to us, we’ll likely fall short. 
     This final teaching is the hardest of the three for me; I’d prefer to opt out of this one because when I pray, I’m transparent before God. I can’t hide my reluctance, resistance, or rage.  Has someone really hurt you in the past?  I confess I’ve prayed vengefully, like this: “Almighty God, you who right wrongs, and redeem your people from the pity of their misery, You who desire peace on earth, I ask that this individual have a brain embolism, fatal heart attack, or they fall down the stairs. Tonight.  However you choose, Lord, zap them.  Amen.”
       I am not proud of this later on, but in the moment, I don’t want mercy or a bit of grace for those who’ve done terrible wrongs.  Eventually, with God’s help, I put myself at the starting block and start praying for someone who’s caused me great pain.  The first several times I tend to tense up my shoulders or clench my teeth.  I pray the briefest of prayers.  As I discipline myself to keep praying, I wrestle with God who knows my pain.  As God reveals His perspective to me, I begin to find peace.  In due time I heal.  It may take months or long years, but my heart is cleansed.  I am set free.  Can you see how God blesses us when we bless those who don’t deserve it?
       That is what Jesus’ ministry is going to be all about.  We’re seeing just the start of it. Come back next week and you’ll hear more of Jesus’ teachings, including what we should do if we’re struck on one cheek, or if we’re cheated.  There are more unexpected surprises - epiphanies - yet to come!   

Like us on Facebook:

Visit our Facebook Page:

© 2023 Ballston Spa United Methodist Church. 101 Milton Avenue, Ballston Spa, NY 12020
E-Mail: