The Sermon on the Plain – A New Kingdom, Not a Fixed System

Introduction:

Have you ever noticed how great teachers repeat their lessons? A teacher doesn’t just say something once and expect students to fully grasp it. Instead, they return to key principles over and over again. That’s what Jesus did.

The Sermon on the Plain, recorded in Luke 6:17-49, is very similar to the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). While some might argue these are different accounts of the same sermon, it’s more likely that these were the core teachings Jesus delivered again and again as He traveled from town to town.

This wasn’t just a one-time speech—this was the message of the Kingdom that shaped His disciples. And if it shaped them, it should shape us today.

Jesus had just chosen His twelve apostles (Luke 6:12-16). He then came down to a level place (hence, “Sermon on the Plain”) where a great crowd had gathered—people from Judea, Jerusalem, and even as far as Tyre and Sidon (Gentile regions).

This tells us that Jesus’ teaching was for everyone—Jew and Gentile alike. But His words were primarily meant to form His disciples into kingdom-minded people.

Just as He trained them, His words still train us today.

A Kingdom Unlike Any Other

Have you ever felt frustrated with the world around you?

• Maybe it’s politics—leaders promise change but rarely deliver.

• Maybe it’s society—people claim to want justice, yet injustice still thrives.

• Maybe it’s personal—your own struggles and disappointments seem endless.

That frustration is a reminder: We were not made for earthly kingdoms alone.

If human systems could truly bring us peace, justice, and joy, there would be no need for God’s Kingdom.

But Jesus didn’t come to tweak a broken world—He came to establish an entirely new kingdom.

That’s what the Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6 is all about. It’s not just good advice; it’s a radical call to live under a different rule—God’s rule.

I. A Kingdom That Blesses the “Wrong” People Luke 6:20-26

Luke 6:20–26 ESV

20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. 22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. 24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. 25 “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. 26 “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

What Jesus Said:

• Blessed are the poor, the hungry, the weeping, the hated.

• Woe to the rich, the full, the laughing, the well-liked.

Life Application:

This challenges us to stop measuring success by the world’s standards.

• Do we seek comfort over character?

• Are we more concerned with approval than faithfulness?

• Do we trust God more than our bank account?

Main Takeaway:

The world says “get more”—Jesus says “long for something greater than this world can give.”

II. A Kingdom Built on Love, Not Power (Luke 6:27-36)

Luke 6:27–36 ESV

27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. 32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 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. 35 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. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

What Jesus Said:

• “Love your enemies.”

• “Do good to those who hate you.”

• “Bless those who curse you.”

Life Application:

Loving people who are easy to love is not hard. But what about:

• That family member who hurt you?

• That co-worker who undermines you?

• That political figure you despise?

Jesus’ way is not weakness—it’s transformation. When we love those who don’t deserve it, we reflect God’s mercy.

Main Takeaway:

The world says “fight back”—Jesus says “love radically and let God change hearts.”

III. A Kingdom of Humility, Not Judgment (Luke 6:37-42)

Luke 6:37–42 ESV

37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” 39 He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. 41 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

What Jesus Said:

• “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.”

• “Take the plank out of your own eye first.”

Life Application:

We are quick to criticize others while excusing ourselves.

• Do we gossip about others’ flaws while ignoring our own?

• Are we more focused on winning arguments than winning people?

• Do we spend more time on social media outrage than self-examination?

Jesus isn’t saying, “ignore sin.” He’s saying, “start with your own heart first.”

Main Takeaway:

The world says “fix others”—Jesus says “let God fix you first.”

IV. A Kingdom That Produces Real Change (Luke 6:43-45)

Luke 6:43–45 ESV

43 “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

What Jesus Said:

• “A good tree bears good fruit; a bad tree bears bad fruit.”

• “Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.”

Life Application:

Our words and actions reveal the state of our hearts.

• If our words are harsh, critical, and negative—what does that say about us?

• If our actions are selfish, dishonest, or impatient—what does that reveal?

We don’t just need better habits—we need a changed heart.

Main Takeaway:

The world says “change behavior”—Jesus says “let me change your heart.”

V. A Kingdom That Will Last Forever (Luke 6:46-49)

Luke 6:46–49 ESV

46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

What Jesus Said:

• “The wise builder builds on the rock.”

• “The foolish builder builds on the sand.”

Life Application:

Life’s storms will come. What are you building on?

• If your foundation is money, what happens when finances collapse?

• If your foundation is success, what happens when you fail?

• If your foundation is approval, what happens when people turn against you?

The only secure foundation is obedience to Jesus’ words.

Main Takeaway:

The world says “build on what works now”—Jesus says “build on what lasts forever.”

VI. “On Earth as It Is in Heaven” (Matthew 6:10)

Matthew 6:10 ESV

10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He said:

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

He wasn’t asking us to fix a broken world—He was calling us to live out the reality of heaven here and now.

We are meant to be:

• A preview of God’s kingdom in a world that doesn’t know Him.

• A people who love, serve, and forgive in a way that confounds the world.

• A church that doesn’t settle for earthly solutions but longs for God’s rule.

Conclusion: What Kingdom Are You Living For?

This world will never fully satisfy us—and that’s a good thing.

• When we feel frustrated with earthly kingdoms, it should make us long for God’s kingdom.

• When we see the world failing to bring peace, it should remind us only Jesus can.

• When we try to build our lives on success, wealth, and comfort, we should remember they will all fade.

So, what kingdom are you living for?

Challenge for the Week:

Look at your heart—are you living by God’s standards or the world’s?

Love your enemies—this week, pray for someone you find difficult.

Build on the rock—spend time daily in Jesus’ words and live them out.

The world is still chasing peace, justice, and fulfillment—but it will never fully find it. Because true peace is only found in Jesus Christ and His coming kingdom.

Let’s stop living for sand.

Let’s start building on the rock.