Tough Love
1. Valentine’s Day. Candy, flowers, Hallmark cards. Day for people “in love”.
What is love? Emotion? Feeling? Physical desire? What is love?
2. Young adults discussing how to say “I Love You”. Group, suit, knelt, ask to
marry. Mom, tough week, dad cleaned house while she was gone. Mom wrote
encouraging notes on bananas in school lunch. Dad sold prized shotgun - pay for
schoolbooks
REALITY: love is shown more by what you do than what you say
3. “Tough Love” justifies being tough on other person (drugs)
Love which is incredibly tough on US to live out.
4. Jesus told his followers, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute
you.” Not easy. Should we forgive Nazis? Be kind to Ku Klux Klan? Have
compassion for disctators like Hussein? We don’t want to love our enemies, don’t
even want to love our neighbors!
5. Jonah to Nineveh. Responded without hesitation-caught boat going opposite
direction. Didn’t want to warn them.
6. Enemy is one not seeking our best interest at their expense, rather one who is
trying to achieve best interest at our expense
7. Sure, when we read vs. 27-30, potential problems doing exactly what He says.
Jesus wanted His listener to obey the SPIRIT of His words, not just the letter. For
example, do we “turn the other cheek” in the case of rape, or murder, or child
abuse? NO! We must interpret our Lord’s words in light of other bibilical
principles.
8. He wants us to know there is something far more valuable at stake than our pride
at that moment we “turn the other cheek”. The eternal life of the one who hit you is
in the balance. How can your enemy hear about the good news of Jesus when
you’re pounding him into the ground?
9. Forget? probably not. Forgive? definitely! Nobody can fight like brothers &
sisters. Closeness rubs salt into wounds. JOSEPH story. Joseph’s story points
toward Jesus - a man God sent to save his people One who was hated & betrayed,
like Joseph. As Joseph told his brothers
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish
the saving of many lives.” (Genesis 50:20)
10. Secular mentality is not love. It is revenge, paybacks, “an eye for an eye & a
tooth for a tooth”. 1 problem with this philosophy - everyone would soon be blind
and toothless. This is not the thinking of Jesus. Not the way of Christianity.
11. Words in Luke are difficult/complex, essence is clear. We are to do what no one
else will do - love our enemy. We know Jesus practiced what He preached. He
loved His enemies & went the extra mile on the cross of Calvary. He provided, at
His expense, the way to salvation.
John 3:16 Gospel in a nutshell. “For God so loved the world.........”
12. Do unto others..... Self-serving. Mean to those mean to you. Road rage. Does
not rise above unbelivers std.
13. Love others when they have done evil against you. Far more difficult path.
Love those who hate you.
14. Do unto others without looking to men for your reward. Christian is to not only
disregard what enemy has done to them, but also to act kindly toward them. Look to
God for your reward, knowing full well it may not come until eternity.
15. Do unto others as God has done unto you. We are to deal with others in
accordance with the way God has treated us. We must show mercy to others
because God has shown mercy to us. Treat as God treats us.
16. We’re talking about selfless, forgiving love. Not “warm, fuzzy” feelings for
others but following our Lord’s example of putting the well-being of others first.
God’s love is like a circle, unending.
17. What Is Love?
It is silence - when your words would hurt.
It is patience - when your neighbor’s curt.
It is deafness - when a scandal flows.
It is thoughtfulness - for other’s woes.
It is promptness - when stern duty calls.
It is courage - when misfortune calls.
