“Jesus Teaches: On Loving Enemies”
Luke 6:27-35
June 22, 2025
Last week our family got back from a two-week vacation that was in some ways the trip of a lifetime. We went to England, spending most of our time in London eating wonderful food, seeing Royal sights, going to museums and seeing ancient artifacts from around the world, browsing bookstores and open markets, and visiting religious and political sites of importance. It was an amazing trip.
One of the highlights of the trip for all of us was a day trip to Oxford with some dear friends. And the highlight of that day was a walk down Broad Street to this site: the place where Latimer and Ridley (and later Cranmer) were martyred by Queen Mary for their faith. The story is well-known and I have told it multiple times over the years. Why did Mary put them to death (along with 253 others over her reign)? They would not say that the elements of communion were not the literal body and blood of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Ryle recounts their martyrdom:
n the day of their martyrdom they were brought separately to the place of execution, which was at the end of Broad Street, Oxford, close to Balliol College. Ridley arrived on the ground first, and seeing Latimer come afterwards, ran to him and kissed him, saying, “Be of good heart, brother; for God will either assuage the fury of the flames, or else strengthen us to abide it.” They then prayed earnestly, and talked with one another, though no one could hear what they said. After this they had to listen to a sermon by a wretched renegade divine named Smith, and, being forbidden to make any answer, were commanded to make ready for death.
Ridley’s last words before the fire was lighted were these,—“Heavenly Father, I give Thee most hearty thanks that Thou hast called me to a profession of Thee even unto death. I beseech Thee, Lord God, have mercy on this realm of England, and deliver the same from all her enemies.” Latimer’s last words were like the blast of a trumpet, which rings even to this day,—“Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man; we shall this day, by God’s grace, light such a candle in England as I trust shall never be put out.”
When the flames began to rise, Ridley cried out with a loud voice in Latin, “Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit: Lord, receive my spirit,” and afterwards repeated these last words in English. Latimer cried as vehemently on the other side of the stake, “Father of heaven, receive my soul.” [Ryle, Five Leading Reformers.]
To stand in that spot and contemplate the events of that day, some 470 years ago, was humbling and sobering. The men were killed unrighteously. They went to their deaths hopefully, confidently, and seemingly without anger and bitterness at the injustice. Their sole desire was to honor the Lord in their deaths. How does someone do that? What has been worked in his heart so he can die so well?
They died well because they loved their Savior more than life. They died well because they were heeding the words of their Savior — they were “hearers of Christ” who were transformed by Christ’s words.
We are in the Gospel of Luke and several weeks ago began one of the two longest recorded sermons of Christ, the Sermon on the Mount. It is a sermon about the gospel and the implications of the gospel. What does it mean to believe in Christ, and what are the implications of believing in Christ? This morning we come to the heart of Jesus’ teaching in this sermon and in an extended passage (6:27-35), Jesus has one simple message about the transformation that comes from following Him:
As evidence of your sonship to God, love your enemies.
In this remarkable sermon, Jesus’ words are profound, compelling, and demanding. They are against the world’s wisdom and they are against our flesh. And they are transformative. In this passage, Jesus has one main idea that He states three times and illustrates in multiple different ways…
- Love Your Enemies (vv. 27-30)
- The principle stated (vv. 27-28)
- The principle illustrated (vv. 29-30)
- Love Your Enemies with the “Golden Rule” (vv. 31-34)
- The principle stated (v. 31)
- The principle illustrated (vv. 32-34)
- Love Your Enemies Because God Loves His Enemies (v. 35)
Download the rest of this sermon on Luke 6:27-35.
The audio will be posted on the GBC website by Tuesday.
Words of Grace 