Luke 6:27-38
Be Different!
Actions speak louder than words. You’ve probably heard this saying many times. Yet do we actually believe it or not? After all, this should be pretty evident from our daily lives. We all know that it’s one thing to say you’ll do something, it’s a whole other thing to actually do it. For instance, if your son or daughter say they’ll empty the dishwasher… or shovel the driveway, but then they don’t do it; their actions are speaking louder than their words. If on the other hand, they go and empty the dishwasher or shovel the driveway, without having to be asked, their actions speak loudly to their desire to honor their parents. In the same way, our actions speak volumes about who we are… How we treat other people, how we react in bad circumstances, or how we live our life when we believe no one is watching. After all, most people relate to you by what you do… by your actions. When you think about your closest friends, they’re friends most likely because they did something for you… or have done many things for you and vice versa. Even family members that remain really close will do something for a sibling or parent to show how much they care. But there’s a disconnect when it comes to our faith. If we believe that actions speak louder than words, then shouldn’t our actions speak to the most foundational part of who we are?
For this is exactly what Jesus tells us in our Gospel lesson. He isn’t just making a list of things we need to do; he’s describing what a Christian looks like. Jesus describes that a Christian is different than those of this world. He is different in the way he acts, talks, and believes. So as others look at us, they will see the difference. For:
BY YOUR ACTIONS, YOU WILL BE KNOWN AS A CHILD OF THE MOST HIGH.
I.
As we look at the world today, we see how the world looks down on Christians. You don’t have to look far to see Christians branded as “evil.” Thus, it’s all too easy for us to think, “I’ll keep my head down so no one will know and everything will be just fine!” We hide our faith because we’re afraid of what others might say or think about us once they find out. Maybe you’re afraid that you’ll be shunned or mocked by those you know. So instead, you act just like everyone else to blend in, to fly below the radar. You make fun of others, just because everyone else does it. You curse and swear because the words don’t mean anything, right? They’re just words. You hurl insults at those you don’t like because naturally, they deserve it for one reason or another. And in all of it, you’re able to justify yourself from being the “bad guy” because someone else is always worse than you are. For this is exactly what Jesus said… “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them,” (v.32). By our actions, we testify only to the way of the world. We embrace the sin that grips our culture and begin to believe it’s not that bad.
It wasn’t much different for Jesus and his disciples either. At this point in Luke, Jesus is standing before a large crowd of his followers. His twelve disciples are sitting before him as well as others who only recently had heard about Jesus. The world was against them. The Jewish leaders sought to mock them and brand them as evil. Jesus knew, it would be all too easy for them to want to hide… to not associate with him. They could very easily show up, listen, then go back to their daily lives as if nothing had changed. But this shouldn’t be the case for them. Jesus called them to be different, to stand out, as Jesus said, “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,” (v.35). Yet, many of them didn’t want to be different. For they knew if they were, they would be mocked… they would be beaten or even killed. For even the disciples, when faced with death, would run away.
II.
Even so, Jesus had called them to be different… because they WERE different. As all the people crowded around Jesus, he healed many of them and forgave the sins of everyone. They had come face to face with the one True God. Their lives would never be the same. Thus, they couldn’t go back to their same old daily life… because now they were fundamentally different. So, Jesus called them to show this difference… “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you,” (v.27-28). For this is exactly what Jesus did for them. They were his enemies, but he loved them anyway. They hated him, but he healed them anyway. They hurled insults at him, yet he forgave them anyway. They would torture, beat, mock, and even crucify him… but he would come to save them anyway. For Jesus would hang on the cross to take away their sins… the sins of those who put him there. For even while dying on the cross, Jesus would pray, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.”
In the same way, Jesus has called you to be different today because you ARE different. You’re a redeemed child of God. You’ve been baptized into Christ so that now Christ lives in you. Outside these walls, there’s no going back to the same old life. You are different. As a Christian, Christ calls you to show this difference to all. That by your actions, you show Christ’s love to all. So, when we act differently, that is, when we live a godly life, we demonstrate our faith to everyone. This is why we maintain relationships even with those we don’t get along with. As I can attest…When I was in elementary, I didn’t have it easy. I was often bullied or made fun of for being different. I never really fit in with anyone or any group. That isn’t to say I didn’t have friends… But I was often the target of the popular kids. Yet, there’s one day in particular that sticks out in my mind. I was in 3rd grade. We were just coming back to our room after recess so we had some time to gather what we needed before our teacher would start class. Naturally, this was social hour for most of the kids in my class. But none of my friends were in my class that year, so I just sat at my desk pulling out the correct textbook and notebook. As I was sitting there, one of the guys that always made fun of me came up to my desk. I was preparing for some insult or side comment. Yet, I was surprised by the words that came out of his mouth. He turns to me and says, “Grant, you’re always so nice to everyone. Why is that?” I realized right there in that moment, I had every opportunity to share the faith that had so transformed my life, simply by the testimony of my actions. So, in all our relationships, we demonstrate our faith in word and deed that we may build up other Christians and call out to those who don’t believe that we may share God’s love with them too. For your actions are a powerful testimony to your faith to all those around you.
Even in the face of opposition, we’re called to stand out… to be different. That by our actions, we may share God’s love with all people. For Christ demonstrated his love for us by dying on the cross. So, may we live out our faith by what we say and do, that we will be known as Children of God. Amen!