Two Ways to Live

Two Ways to Live - Luke 6:20-26

Intro: As adults we are frequently making decisions that we know will have impact on our futures. The greater the potential future impact, the more stressful and important the decision. (Am I ready to take this step of marriage, and is marriage to this person something I’m convinced that God desires to bless? Should we take that job and move? Should we buy different house? Which college should I attend?) At least in wisdom that’s how we ought to think and pray. But we also know we don’t control the future and we don’t really know the outcomes with any certainty.

Imagine though, looking at it from the other direction, if we actually did know the eventual outcome. In fact, in the single most important aspect of our lives—the eternal destiny of our souls—we can know the final result. When God transforms us through faith in Jesus, we actually DO know the future! By responding in faith to Christ, we can have certainty that we belong to him and that he will keep us and complete his promise to bring us into his presence in heaven at the end of the line.

And that knowledge, that assurance, should both bless us and motivate us in this life. We know whom we belong to, who is at work in us and using us, and what the end goal and result is going to be! - So in this sermon by Jesus that we’re looking at in Luke, we understand it in that overall context. Those who by faith are followers of Jesus are blessed in this life to know that their future reward will far exceed anything the world has to offer, and so we live in light of that future. We are not only comforted by being in Christ, but we are also motivated by this transformation to love as he loves and to serve as he serves and to show mercy as he has shown mercy to us.

Sermon on the Plain (vv. 20-49)

There can be no question that this sermon recorded here by Luke that runs from vv. 20-49 in chapter 6 is closely connected to what is known as the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ in Matthew’s Gospel, chs. 5-7. Both sermons probably summarize what may have been an even longer message, with Luke aiming for greater brevity. (around 80 verses in Matthew’s content not found in Luke - Darrel L. Bock, 566)

There are two possibilities about this sermon in relationship to the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ of Matthew:

1. They are from the same sermon with differences because of author’s perspective and purpose. OR...

2. Jesus, as he taught MANY times, could have repeated similar themes right down to similar wording.

Both of these seem reasonable, honestly, but I prefer the first. If so, then perhaps the best translation of v. 17 saying “on a level place” is something like a plateau… on the mountainside.

Now this group of sayings from Jesus that begin with “Blessed are the...” or “Blessed are you...” (in Mt and Lk, respectively), have become known in Christian tradition as:

The Beatitudes (vv. 20-26)

Let’s consider several thoughts about the list as a whole before talking about each item in Luke’s list.

What Jesus isn’t saying is that financial poverty is automatically a virtue while having financial plenty is inherently evil. - Bank account and social status don’t automatically determine one’s spiritual state. (In the emphasis, however, there is a deliberate reversal of what common earthly expectations would be.)

What Jesus is saying is that the rich tend to be self-reliant, whereas the poor are associated with those more likely to recognize their need and to be reliant on God. (Clearly this has a spiritual undercurrent!) - This portion of Jesus’ message emphasizes God’s call and assurance to those who understand themselves as needy.

What Jesus isn’t saying is that doing these things brings about inheritance in his kingdom (being poor, hungry, weeping, and reviled). - Rather, they’re blessings pronounced on those who are becoming kingdom people by their faith that follows Jesus.

Again, what Jesus is saying is that those who trust in God by following Jesus in spite of all they sacrifice are cared for by God and will ultimately receive the greatest blessings of His kingdom. And “So certain is this promise that the kingdom can also be promised as already possessed by those aligned with God.” (Bock, 559)

We should note here as well that the promise isn’t simply limited to those who experience lack on earth. Anyone who seeks God humbly can have this blessing. - “The Beatitudes declare the hope of God’s transformation and blessing to all who will come to receive it.” (Bock, 559)

While the implication and application of Jesus’ teaching is most directly and readily embraced by his dedicated disciples, the fact remains that he speaks these things to the whole multitude, demonstrating the openness of the invitation… to embrace trusting God and following him rather than living for the things the world pursues.

Four Blessings

Two sets of four—four blessings and four woes which parallel each other....

Blessed are you who are poor.

The majority of the people Jesus addresses are in fact poor. Most Jews would not have had much by way of earthly wealth and possessions, as most from any people group would not unless they were a part of the privileged few Roman citizens, or those with direct benefit from corroborating with them.

Not only this, but some of Jesus’ disciples who hadn’t been as economically poor in fact become poor to follow him. (ie. Matthew. Even Peter probably had had a successful business that provided sufficiently for his family, but (as Lk 18:28 notes) they had left their homes and followed him.)

Beyond this sociological reality of Jesus’ compassion and concern for the poor, there is clearly a spiritual component at play, even in Luke, which is evident by the references to the true prophets at the end of the blessings and false prophets at the end of the woes.

In the parallel passage in Matthew, the spiritual component more blatant in the phrase itself:

Matthew 5:3 ESV

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

"Behind Luke’s “poor” and Matthew’s “poor in spirit” probably lies a particular Aramaic term that means both. [So to form a part of their cultural understanding.] “The poor” had become a designation for the pious in some Jewish circles, because they were the oppressed who trusted solely in God.” -Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Lk 6:20.

Yours is the kingdom of heaven. …Again, this indicates the present reality of a promise that awaits future completion. “Such people belong to the kingdom and will receive the blessings of the kingdom.” - Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 1962.

Blessed are you who are hungry now.

Similarly, not only might you be physically hungry “now” (suggesting that this is something that will not last forever), but the force of this would spiritually refer to those who hunger for God’s help and his presence.

Matthew 5:6 ESV

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Being satisfied or filled means that God will supply us with his presence, that he will provide for our needs in this life, and with great abundance in the age to come.

Blessed are you who weep now.

Not simply because you “Need a good cry” to get some emotional strain out that’s bottled in. This is not that. :-)

Weeping would be understood as a sign of mourning, or a sign of repentance. So the connotation of Jesus’ words is associated with deep sadness over sin and the results of sin.

Being mournful over sin now would mean for his disciples that one day their weeping will be turned to joyful laughter. This is the experience of knowing the presence and pleasure of God, and even more the awaited completion of promises where everything will be made new and right and God will wipe away every tear, as in Rev. 7:17 and Rev 21:4.

Revelation 21:4 ESV

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Blessed are you to be persecuted “on account of the Son of Man.”

This becomes an important theme of Christianity, and why the health and wealth of the prosperity gospel is such an atrocious lie. Followers of Jesus can in fact expect to be treated as Jesus himself was treated (though often to a lesser degree even at that). But it is a blessing to be identified with out Lord… and for enduring it like him there is great reward.

Hatred is that intense disliking that results in contemptible and unjust treatment. - See back in 6:11 how the religious establishment has already begun responding to Jesus.

They exclude you, separate you out from the acceptable crowd to their liking. - Even in a culture and society like ours where religious freedom has historically been so highly regarded, is it not the case that true Christianity is becoming increasingly singled out for exclusion while all others are accepted in the gates of so called religious freedom? This is to be expected!

Jesus’ disciples are likewise, in this age, reviled: mocked and harshly criticized in a demeaning manner.

Finally, and remember that Jesus is saying that blessing for such treatment only counts when it is for HIS sake, the disciples can expect to have their names thrown out, to be expelled for evil… rather than for the good that the Christian actually gives their whole lives for (see the next section on loving like Christ and being merciful toward others like him).

Each day that we undergo such treatment for the cause of Christ should be viewed as coal for the fires of gladness, in fact making us leap for joy, knowing that our reward will be great in that place where God’s glory dwells eternally and where we will one day be with him.

And Luke’s statement that forms the spiritual anchor and clincher of the four sayings: “for so their fathers did to the prophets.” - “The Old Testament tradition that most true prophets suffered rejection was amplified further in Judaism, so Jesus’ hearers would have caught his point.” -Craig S. Keener, Lk 6:22–23.

Four Woes

Only Luke includes these woes. Matthew does not have them, but has more examples of those who are blessed.

Although the woes are not limited exclusively to them, it seems that they paint a big target on the religious leaders who oppose Jesus.

“They pronounce a surprising verdict on qualities and states which people have universally regarded as desirable.” -Leon Morris, Luke: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 3, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), 147.

These woes are less a threat and more a statement of the tragic way of living with tragic results: “How terrible! / How horrible!” (But still serve was a warning…)

How horrible for you who are rich.

Those who are rich contrasts with those who are poor. Each of these four statements directly contrasts the previous four blessings.

Again, rather than being those who recognize their poverty and gladly seek help from Jesus, these are the ones who have plenty and therefore tend to not only credit themselves with their well-being but also to rely on themselves to maintain and improve their lives.

In terms of their relationship to the future culmination of Christ’s kingdom, they have already received their consolation, their comfort and rest, in this life rather than in the next. - Also, comfort should not be mistaken for being blessed by God.

The dangers of riches is as common a theme in scripture as is care for the poor. - “When all that anyone has is worldly wealth he is poor indeed.” -Leon Morris, 148.

How horrible for you who are full now.

This is understood in close association with the last statement. Jesus demonstrates compassion toward the poor and needy, while cautioning all who are comfortable in their wealth (who do not suffer want and hunger) that what they lack is to be rich in faith, rather than delighting in and trusting the things of this life more than God. This is the height of idolatry.

They may be full now, but later on will finally understand what they lacked in this life. - “In contrast with the disciples who had given up everything to follow Jesus were the people who would refuse to give up anything to follow Him (cf. 18:18–30). […] They did not understand the gravity of the situation which confronted them.” -John A. Martin, “Luke,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 220.

How horrible for you who laugh now.

… Making merry and perhaps laughing scornfully at others who suffer.

Luke: An Introduction and Commentary 3. The Woes (6:24–26)

Obviously Jesus is not objecting to laughter as such. His whole ministry was a protest against the killjoy attitude. He enjoyed life and must have laughed often. So with his disciples. But there is a laughter that is the expression of superficiality (‘the carefree expression of contentment with the success of the present’, Fitzmyer). It is this shallow merriment that will give way to mourning and weeping.

They laugh now, but later they will mourn and weep, when God’s judgment comes upon them.

How horrible for you who are popular.

Would you choose to be persecuted or to be popular?

Like the others, why is this horrible to be well spoken of by everyone in this life? - Well, the problem is to be approved in the sense of having a good testimony such that others who understand could say that your character is above reproach. No, the problem with this is that “all people speak well of you.” If you are telling people the truth of God, in some if not most circles you will be quite unpopular.

It is the false prophets who are popular for telling people what they want to hear rather than the truth they need to hear!

That’s like a doctor diagnosing folks according to trying to win a popularity contest rather than trying to save their lives and make them well!

Two Ways to Live: Which Are You Living?

“Humankind is divided into two groups: poor and rich, humble and proud, responsive and unresponsive. […] Every listener belongs in one of the two camps. The question is, which one?” (Bock, 568)

Not only were the majority of Jesus’ listeners physically poor (hungry/harder lives), but Luke has stated twice previously that these ones who were becoming his full-time disciples were leaving everything to follow him (Peter & Andrew, James & John; Matthew - Lk 5:11, 28)

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 6:24–26

In contrast with the disciples who had given up everything to follow Jesus were the people who would refuse to give up anything to follow Him (cf. 18:18–30). These were the rich, the well-fed, the ones who laugh, who were popular.

While this second group is staking everything on their own sufficiency and safety (& comfort) in this life, the first group is staking everything on the person and promise of Jesus for the next life: “They were following the One who was proclaiming His ability to bring in the kingdom. They were staking everything they had on the fact that Jesus was telling the truth.” -John A. Martin, 220.

And as Luke will clearly show, Jesus goes on to prove his ability to accomplish his promise, and later to show that his followers began receiving the beginning of Jesus promises (eg., the gift of the Holy Spirit) and to live in his power and serve his purposes according to the truths of this very sermon from Jesus!

And we, God’s people gathered here this very morning, continue in that same line of succession!

COMMUNION - May we come to Jesus because we admit that we are without resource of any kind on our own to be made right with God. And being made children of God through faith in Christ, may we keep coming to him to be our sufficiency in this life, to be our confidence and our comfort, our motivation and our mission.

It is this very truth of our need and Christ’s sufficiency for us and in us that is one of the primary reminders of the Lord’s Table. The bread and the cup not only have rich Jewish tradition rooted in the Passover, but they are also symbols of our basic need for sustenance, and that Christ is the fulfillment of our most fundamental need—to be made right with God. And thus the bread and the cup also represent his body and blood that were given on our behalf for our sin, and a constant reminder that he rose again!

Think and pray over these reminders as we take the Lord’s Table together this morning.

***Special instructions for getting the elements

CLOSING - We don’t serve a Savior who made promises he couldn’t keep but a Lord of all who has kept and will continue to keep his promises to his people. Why? Because the magnificent grace of God is on full display; it glorifies him. And a perfectly holy and loving God has every reason to make his own universe be for the purposes of his own glory. All things are heading that direction, but we get to be on board early and to be a part of what he’s doing and to live with assurance of his blessing in this life with greater blessings by far still to come!