“If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to 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.” -Jesus (Luke 6:32-36)

Pastor JR gave a very important message about one of the hardest things to do: loving your enemies.

In the beginning of JR’s message, Luke 6:32-34 says that if you do good to people who do good to you, what benefit would you get from it. There is no benefit of doing good to someone who does good to you, because sinners do the same thing. Or lending to each other and expecting something or the full amount. Sinners do the same thing. If they don’t get anything, they’ll turn mad and keep bugging the person.

JR also said that Jesus said to lend to people and enemies, and loving them and to expect absolutely nothing in return.  Why? Because if you do this, you will be “sons of the Most High.”

The Jews at that time were under oppression from the Romans. And Zealots were usually harassing them. Thats why at the that time (and this time), that what Jesus said shocked the Jews. Because they couldn’t stand the Romans. They thought very low of them. They downright HATED them. They stole from them, abused them and did other aggressive and brutal deeds to them. But Jesus will reward you if you love people and your enemies.

JR had also told us the differences between desiring and expecting. Desiring is wanting something. It isn’t bad. We all do it every day. But expecting something is bad, because if you lent money to someone, and you are waiting to have them giving something to you. You turn mad when they haven’t given it to you because you end up bugging the person every day or you’re just mad at the person, because your expecting it. JR mentioned about a famous tennis player who was expecting to break the record for grand slams. The only way he could do that is to win the next match to tie it and to win the next match. But he lost. And when he went up on the podium to give his 2nd pace speech, he cried. That man was expecting to win, but he lost and got mad. JR also mentioned that the Bronze medal winners have a better attitude than the silver medal winners, because the Bronze medal winners just wanted a bronze medal. The Silver medal winners were expecting to win, but they didn’t.

Desiring isn’t bad, because you desire all the time. You desire God, desire this, desire that. Expecting is like “Where is it?! Where’s my toy? Where’s my car? Where’s my money?” But you should still watch for your desires.

Pastor JR got deeper into expecting. Jesus said don’t expect, and your reward will be great. What He is saying is that you lend and do good to people and you expect nothing, but expect everything. Because if you love and do good to people, and don’t expect, you expect everything from Christ.

We got deeper into loving and doing good to people, especially to your enemies. JR said to outdo the person in loving and giving so they won’t outdo you. He said to keep on giving and giving so much, and not even expecting a thing from them. Because you will be rewarded. And if you do this to your enemies, they will be shocked at your love to them! If you do this, you will be rewarded. If you be merciful to those unmerciful to you, you will be rewarded.