Luke 6:20-36

Observations:

vv. 20-23, After His selection of 12 apostles, He returns to ministry with His 12 and beyond His healing, He preaches His most famous sermon, The Beatitudes.

Blessed are

the poor

the hungry

the weeping

the hated, ostracized, insulted, and scorned for the sake of Christ

These should be glad and leap for joy, as their reward is great in heaven, as the prophets were rejected in the same way as those who would dare to follow Christ.

vv. 24-26, Transitioning from those who are blessed, Christ begins to call out those who are woed.

Woe are

the rich living their best life now

the well-fed, for they will be hungry

the laughing, for they will mourn and weep

those spoken well of like the false prophets of old

vv. 27-31, From this distinction between the blessed and the cursed, Jesus directs everyone who hears,

love your enemies

do good to those who hate you

bless those who curse you

pray for those who mistreat you

turn the cheek

give the shirt along with the cloak

give to everyone who asks and do not demand back what is taken from you

treat others the way you wish to be treated

vv. 32-34, Jesus expounds on the exaltation by reasoning what sense does it make to only direct love to those who love back; the heathens do this. Jesus is calling His disciples, His people, to be exceptional and distinct from the status quo.

vv. 35-36, Jesus brings clarification to this higher calling: “for He Himself (God) is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful”

Exegetical Idea/Big Idea:

Jesus gives a contrast between who the blessed are and who the cursed are; roles reversed in the Kingdom of God.

Jesus’ Kingdom is naturally in conflict with the way of the world, which is self-oriented; Jesus’ Kingdom is other oriented

This Merciful, Other-Oriented Kingdom living is ultimately a reflection the Father’s character and should therefore be imbedded in the character of the inhabitants of the Kingdom of God.

Big Idea:

Living in the Kingdom of God is backwards land, as far the world is concerned: the weak exalted over the strong, the high humiliated to the low. God’s Kingdom is a kingdom of mercy and to inhabit such a kingdom, citizens of such a city cannot expect to stay without conformity to the character of the King of this city.

Homiletical Idea

To be a professing Christian is to partake in the lifestyle intrinsic to the Kingdom of God. Christians are called to conform to this “backwards” way of living (?)

Liturgical Idea

What should we praise God for? (Rejoice)

What should we confess to God? (Repent)

What should we ask God for? (Request)

What should we lift up to God? (Sacrifice)

What should we live out for God? (Service)

To be a professing Christian is to partake in the lifestyle intrinsic to the Kingdom of God. Christians are called to conform to this “backwards” way of living. (?)

Intro:

Recap:

Luke 6:12-19, As Christians, every occupation stands as a mission field to pray relentlessly over. And let us not be arrogant to believe that our imperfect prayers should grant us perfect fruits, as the labor of Christ’s perfect prayers yielded Him not only imperfect fruit, but one particular poisonous and rotten fruit.

Prayer

Read Luke 6:20-36

Head- What does it mean?

(10-15 min.)

v. 20-36, The Beatitudes

Side note

Is this sermon the same as Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7)?

While there are many similarities, there are also many differences. Matthew’s sermon is placed much earlier in the Galilean ministry and precedes the calling of the Twelve. In addition to the many differences in wording, Matthew’s sermon is much longer and much of its material appears elsewhere in Luke’s Gospel. Despite these differences, the many agreements in content and order render it likely that these are two versions of the same sermon. Both begin with the Beatitudes and end with the account of wise and foolish builders. Both include Jesus’ teaching on love for enemies, judging others, and a tree known by its fruit.

The timing of the sermon in Matthew’s Gospel is not really a problem since Matthew frequently follows a topical rather than a chronological order. He appears to have moved the sermon forward to serve as Jesus’ inaugural address. While some have contrasted the setting of the sermons—Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount versus Luke’s Sermon on the Plain—such a dichotomy is unnecessary. Luke does not speak of a plain but of a “level place” to which Jesus descends after a night of prayer on the mountain (6:12, 17). The implication is that Jesus is seeking a level place or plateau where he can teach.

vv. 20-26,

vv. 20-23, After His selection of 12 apostles, He returns to ministry with His 12 and beyond His healing, He preaches His most famous sermon, The Beatitudes.

Blessed are

the poor

the hungry

the weeping

the hated, ostracized, insulted, and scorned for the sake of Christ

When men hate you … because of the Son of Man (6:22). This verse echoes Isaiah 66:5, which speaks of those “who hate you, and exclude you because of my name.

These should be glad and leap for joy, as their reward is great in heaven, as the prophets were rejected in the same way as those who would dare to follow Christ.

vv. 24-26, Transitioning from those who are blessed, Christ begins to call out those who are woed.

Woe are

the rich living their best life now

the well-fed, for they will be hungry

the laughing, for they will mourn and weep

those spoken well of like the false prophets of old

These woes fit the common Lukan theme of indictment of the rich and powerful for their independence of God and their oppression of the poor. This “rich versus poor” theme also appears in Luke’s blessings, which do not contain the spiritual qualifications found in Matthew. It is not “blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matt. 5:3, italics added), but simply “blessed are you who are poor” (Luke 6:20).

This is not to suggest that Luke’s beatitudes lack spiritual dimensions. It is because of their allegiance to the Son of Man that the “poor” are oppressed (6:23). But Luke realizes that social and economical realities go hand in hand with spiritual ones. The physically poor are spiritually advantaged because their poverty fosters reliance on God. The physically rich are spiritually disadvantaged, because their wealth represents a danger and a hindrance to putting God first (cf. 12:13–21; 16:19–31).

Summarize:

Jesus gives a contrast between who the blessed are and who the cursed are; roles reversed in the Kingdom of God.

vv. 27-34,

vv. 27-31, From this distinction between the blessed and the cursed, Jesus directs everyone who hears,

love your enemies

do good to those who hate you

bless those who curse you

pray for those who mistreat you

turn the cheek

give the shirt along with the cloak

This next example goes beyond nonretaliation to radical self-giving. The “cloak” here is a himation, a robe-like outer garment, whereas the tunic (chitōn) is the garment worn next to the skin. The taking could be an act of theft or perhaps a legal action, where a creditor would take the debtor’s cloak as a pledge. Exodus 22:25–27 commands that a cloak taken for such a pledge be returned by sunset so that the poor will have protection against the cold. Jesus’ exhortation thus calls not only for radical self-sacrifice towards one’s enemies but also for complete reliance on God.

give to everyone who asks and do not demand back what is taken from you

treat others the way you wish to be treated

Do to others as you would have them do to you (6:31). The so-called Golden Rule is not unique to Jesus, for it appears in various forms in the ancient world. Leviticus 19:18 says to “love your neighbor as yourself.” The philosopher Seneca wrote: “Let us show our generosity in the same manner that we would with to have it bestowed on us.” The negative version appears in Tobit 4:15 (“And what you hate, do not do to anyone,” nrsv) and is also attributed to Rabbi Hillel, a near contemporary of Jesus: “What is hateful to you, do not do to anyone else; that is the whole Law, all else is commentary.”

If you love those who love you (6:32). The concept of reciprocity, or doing good in order to receive something back, was the norm in the ancient world. A benefactor providing funds for a public project, for example, expected to receive appropriate honors in return. F. W. Danker cites a decree passed by the people of Dionysopolis honoring a man named Akornion for his beneficence to the city:

Therefore, in order that all might know that the People honor such wonderful human beings who prove to be their benefactors, be it resolved … that Akornion … be crowned annually at the Dionysia with a golden crown, and that the most advantageous place in the agora be allotted him for the erection of his statue.

The theme of doing good in order to receive something in return is common both in Greco-Roman and Jewish thought. Sirach 12:1–2 reads: “If you do good, know to whom you do it, and you will be thanked for your good deeds. Do good to the devout, and you will be repaid—if not by them, certainly by the Most High.” Jesus calls his followers to a higher standard of practicing good deeds without expecting anything in return.

Jesus commands his followers to a radical new ethic: to love one’s enemies. Though the advice to repay good for evil is not without precedent in the ancient world (see Love Your Enemies), Jesus sets this as the normative standard of behavior for his followers. Only in this way can they reflect the character of their Lord. Love here is not a feeling or an emotion, but a concrete action.

Strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other (6:29). The blow here is probably an insulting slap with the back of the hand. Contrary to the Old Testament laws of retaliation (e.g., “life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth,” Deut. 19:21), Christians are to seek no retribution.

Yet only with Jesus does this command become the fundamental standard of behavior for God’s people—the reflection of God’s love for us. In the Greek world such commands are usually intended to gain power over one’s enemies or to shame them

vv. 32-34, Jesus expounds on the exaltation by reasoning what sense does it make to only direct love to those who love back; the heathens do this. Jesus is calling His disciples, His people, to be exceptional and distinct from the status quo.

Summarize:

Jesus’ Kingdom is naturally in conflict with the way of the world, which is self-oriented; Jesus’ Kingdom is other oriented

vv. 35-36,

vv. 35-36, Jesus brings clarification to this higher calling: “for He Himself (God) is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful”

Summarize:

This Merciful, Other-Oriented Kingdom living is ultimately a reflection the Father’s character and should therefore be imbedded in the character of the inhabitants of the Kingdom of God.

Big Idea:

Living in the Kingdom of God is backwards land, as far the world is concerned: the weak exalted over the strong, the high humiliated to the low. God’s Kingdom is a kingdom of mercy and to inhabit such a kingdom, citizens of such a city cannot expect to stay without conformity to the character of the King of this city.

Heart- Do I buy it?

(20-30 min)

Open the discussion for any questions.

(Let group answer these questions)

What should we praise God for? (Rejoice)

What should we confess to God? (Repent)

What should we ask God for? (Request)

What should we lift up to God? (Sacrifice)

What should we live out for God? (Service)

To be a professing Christian is to partake in the lifestyle intrinsic to the Kingdom of God. Christians are called to conform to this “backwards” way of living. (?)

Hands- So What? How then should I live?

(10-15 min)

Walk with God: What does Kingdom Living look like personally in your walk with God?

Keep Christ first: What does Kingdom Living look like personally when we keep Christ first?

Keep sin out of your life: What does Kingdom Living look like personally when you are keeping sin out of your life?

Personally, I would say there is humble meekness about the Christian, marked by distinguishable mercifulness.