This prayer calls for grace and confidence in facing life's trials, like Joseph who was sold into slavery but became a blessing to others. It references Luke 6:27-38, where Jesus teaches his followers to love their enemies and bless those who curse them. The document discusses how Jesus calls his followers not to a rule book but to cultivate an attitude of generous, others-focused love that reflects God. It includes quotes emphasizing practicing extraordinary generosity towards others, including enemies, and governing with kindness like God.

1. A Prayer For The People of God
O perfect Love,
whose compassionate power
transforms sin into health
and temporal dust into eternal glory:
grant us a gracious faith, so that like Joseph,
when he was sold into slavery, we may face our trials
with confidence, and become a blessing
to friend and enemy alike in Jesus' name.
Amen.

3. luke 6:27-38
friend AND enemy…

4. An eco-system
of others-focused,
self-giving love
reflecting the
character of God
revealed in Jesus
LOVE in the NT

5. But to you who are listening I say:
Love your enemies, do good to those
who hate you, bless those who curse you,
pray for those who mistreat you.
If someone slaps you on one cheek,
turn to them the other also. If someone
takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt
from them. Give to everyone who asks you,
and if anyone takes what belongs to you,
do not demand it back. Do to others
as you would have them do to you.
LUKE
6:27-31
(NIV)

6. If you love those who love you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those
who are good to you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners do that.
And if you lend to those from whom
you expect repayment, what credit
is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners,
expecting to be repaid in full.
LUKE
6:32-34
(NIV)

7. But love your enemies,
do good to them,
and lend to them without
expecting to get anything back.
Then your reward will be great,
and you will be children
of the Most High, because he is
kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
LUKE
6:35-36
(NIV)

8. Do not judge,
and you will not be judged.
Do not condemn,
and you will not be condemned.
Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Give, and it will be given to you.
A good measure, pressed down,
shaken together and running over,
will be poured into your lap.
For with the measure you use,
it will be measured to you.
LUKE
6:37-38
(NIV)

9. “Jesus’ point was not to provide his
followers with a new rule-book,
a list of dos and don’ts that you
could tick off one by one, and sit
back satisfied at the end of a
successful moral day. The point
was to inculcate, and illustrate,
an attitude of heart, a lightness
of spirit in the face of all that
the world can throw at you.”
(Luke For Everyone)
N.T.
WRIGHT

10. “The kingdom that Jesus preached
and lived was all about a glorious,
uproarious, absurd generosity.
Think of the best thing you can do
for the worst person, and go ahead
and do it. Think of what you’d
really like someone to do for you,
and do it for them. Think of the
people to whom you are tempted
to be nasty, and lavish generosity
on them instead .” (Luke For Everyone)
N.T.
WRIGHT

11. You have heard that it was said,
“Love your neighbor and hate
your enemy.” But I tell you,
love your enemies and pray
for those who persecute you,
that you may be children
of your Father in heaven.
He causes his sun to rise
on the evil and the good,
and sends rain on the
righteous and the unrighteous.
MATTHEW
5:44-45
(NIV)

12. “…only God can do whatever
he wants, and this God governs
us with kindness. In a weak person,
power becomes cruelty, a sense
of inferiority is carried to the level
of brutishness. God has no sense
of inferiority. God is sovereign.
God can do all, and so (God)
judges even felons, even sinners,
with kindness and mercy.”
(The Violence of Love)
OSCAR
ROMERO

13. “I have decided to love. If you are
seeking the highest good, I think
you can find it through love.
And the beautiful thing is we are
moving against wrong when we
do it, because John was right:
God is love. He who hates does
not know God, but he who has
love has the key that unlocks
the door to the meaning
of ultimate reality.”
MARTIN LUTHER
KING JR.

14. luke 6:27-38
friend AND enemy…

15. a couple notes on LUKE 6:27-38
1. Notice how SIMPLE Jesus’ words are…
2. Notice how SCARCE their application is…

19. circles of PREJUDICE in JESUS’ world
Jerusalem/Judea
Galileans
Hellenistic Jews
Samaritans
“God Fearing” Gentiles
Pagans/Romans

20. “The great reversal in Luke affects
each of these categories. When looked
at in this perspective, the story of
the long journey to Jerusalem that
occupies a central portion in the
Gospel of Luke…is a story in which
the periphery marches towards
the center, and the center resists
to the point of crucifying Jesus.”
(The Story Luke Tells)
JUSTO L.
GONZALEZ

21. circles of PREJUDICE in YOUR world ?
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22. circles of PREJUDICE in YOUR world ?
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The invitation and
challenge to LOVE
exists for all
based on GOD,
but it also
takes on a different
form for those
at the center of
privilege/power…

23. luke 6:27-38
friend AND enemy…

24. Benediction
Perfect Light of revelation,
as you shone in the life of Jesus,
whose epiphany we celebrate,
so shine in us and through us,
that we may become beacons
of truth and compassion,
enlightening all creation
with deeds of justice and mercy.
Amen.