MORNING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/22/2026
9:50 AM
My
Worship Time Focus: PT-2 “The Reaction to Kingdom Love”
Bible
Reading & Meditation Reference:
Luke
6:29-30
Message of the verses: “Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him
the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt
from him either. Give to everyone who
asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.”
I will quote the first paragraph from MacArthur’s
commentary in order to set the stage for what we will look at this
morning: “Kingdom love is marked not
only by how it acts toward others, but also by how it reacts to what others
do. Jesus gave four illustrations of how
to respond properly to ill treatment from the children of Satan.” I looked at the first illustration in last evening’s
SD, and will look at the next three in this morning’s SD.
MacArthur writes “The second
illustration is similar to the first one.
Whoever takes away your coat (whether by theft or legal action
[cf. Matt. 5:40]),” “40 And if anyone would sue you and take your
tunic, let him have your cloak as well.” We must remember that what Jesus
taught in Matthew 5-7, The Sermon on the Mount, is being taught in a abbreviated
form in this sixth chapter of Luke. “Jesus
said, do not withhold your shirt from him either. Many people owned only one coat, or
cloak, which also served as a blanket when they slept. Because of that, the Mosaic law required that
any coat taken as a pledge had to be returned before sunset (Ex. 22:26; Deut.
24:13).”
(Ex. 22:26; Deut. 24:13)
“26 If ever you take your neighbor’s cloak in
pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down,”
“13 You shall restore to him the pledge as the
sun sets, that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you. And it shall be
righteousness for you before the LORD your God.”
“To keep a
person’s cloak would constitute serious abuse.
But when that happens, Christ’s disciples are not to retaliate, but
rather to continue to lovingly minister to those who persecute them—even if that
results in losing their shirt (Inner garment) as well.
“The third illustration, being
willing to give to everyone who asks of you, takes place in the context
of borrowing and lending (cf. v. 34; Matt. 5:42).”
(cf. v. 34; Matt. 5:42)
“34 And if you lend 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.”
“42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not
refuse the one who would borrow from you.”
“The
assumption is that the person has a legitimate need, since Scripture condemns
laziness and indolence (cf. Prov. 6:6-12; 20:4; 24:30-34; 2 Thess. 3:10).”
(cf. Prov. 6:6-12; 20:4; 24:30-34; 2
Thess. 3:10)
“6 ¶ Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways,
and be wise. 7 Without having any chief,
officer, or ruler, 8 she prepares her
bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. 9 How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When
will you arise from your sleep? 10 A
little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, 11 and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man. 12 ¶ A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about
with crooked speech,”
“4 ¶ The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he
will seek at harvest and have nothing.”
“30 ¶ I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the
vineyard of a man lacking sense, 31 and
behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles,
and its stone wall was broken down. 32
Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. 33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little
folding of the hands to rest, 34 and
poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”
“10 For even when we were with you, we would give
you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.”
“That a
person may take advantage of a Christian’s generosity and not repay the loan
should not keep the believer from graciously, lovingly meeting the need.
“The final illustration, when
someone takes away what is yours, envisions a situation where someone
actually robs a believer. Even in a case
of outright theft, Christians are not to descend to retaliation, but to
continue showing love and not demand the stolen item back. As R. C. H. Lenske notes, ‘The disciple loses
less by letting his things be taken wrongfully then he would by with a selfish
heart clamoring to have them returned” (The Interpretation of St.
Luke’s Gospel [Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1946], 364).
“No matter what the circumstances,
kingdom love does not seek revenge (Prov. 24:29; Rom. 12:17, 19) when wronged.”
(Prov. 24:29; Rom. 12:17, 19)
“29 Do not say, "I will do to him as he has
done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.’”
“17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought
to do what is honorable in the sight of all.”
“19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave
it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,
says the Lord.’”
“Christ’s
true disciples will follow His example, who ‘while being reviled, He did not
revive in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting
Himself to Him who judges righteously’ (1 Peter 2:23).”
Spiritual
meaning for my life today: Let me just say that this section has stepped
on my spiritual toes, as it came at the right time in my life.
My
Steps of Faith for Today: Continue to trust the Lord to have
my wife get a much needed procedure to help her endure her cancer better.
7/22/2026
10:33 AM
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