Luke 6:20-49

May God’s Presence Increase In Us

Matthew 5-7 records a sermon we know as Jesus’ sermon on the mount. If you would like to do an in depth study of this sermon, you can go to some of my first posts on this blog. I did a 17 part study on it. In this passage, we find the same sermon, albeit shorter. It is basically a synopsis of what Matthew has given us. Some commentaries have said it is a different sermon with Jesus repeating several points from the sermon in Matthew. They call it the sermon on the plain, because Luke 6:17 tells us He came down to a level place. Whether or not it is the same or a different time, it does not matter. Being an itinerant rabbi, Jesus would most likely have repeated many things throughout His ministry. The important thing to focus on here is what Jesus says in this sermon. To give a background, Jesus has just chosen His 12 apostles. Many of His disciples are in the crowd listening and these are the words he gives them as they begin their journey as followers of Christ.

Vs 20-23 Then looking up at His disciples, He said: You who are poor are blessed, because the kingdom of God is yours. You who are now hungry are blessed, because you will be filled. You who now weep are blessed, because you will laugh. You are blessed when people hate you, when they exclude you, insult you, and slander your name as evil because of the Son of Man. “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! Take note—your reward is great in heaven, for this is the way their ancestors used to treat the prophets.

Jesus begins His sermon with several blessings. You who are poor are blessed. You who are hungry are blessed. You who now weep are blessed. You who are insulted, slandered, and hated because of the Son of Man are blessed. First, we must establish that Jesus is talking about our spiritual condition rather than our physical condition. In Matthew we read the following: blessed are the poor in spirit. In other words, blessed are those who recognize they can’t do anything about their own spiritual condition. They understand, God is the only One who can fill us up, thereby the kingdom of heaven is ours. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. When we pursue God, he will fill us with His presence and we will drink the living water and thirst no more. Blessed are those who mourn their sin. You will find joy and laughter in the forgiveness that God offers. Blessed are the persecuted when it is because of the Son of Man. He will sustain you, be with you, guide you and reward you.

Still, these seem like oxymoron’s. How can the poor, hungry, weeping and persecuted really be blessed? To better understand this concept, we need to understand the true meaning of the Hebrew word for blessed – Baruch. This is not a word just invoking care, it is a sacred word, that instills and increases God’s presence in our lives. On Shabbat, Jewish people all around the world begin the evening with a blessing of the bread and wine – Baruch Ata Adonai – Blessed are You Oh Lord. In all reality, we cannot bless God, so, through this blessing, we acknowledge who God is. He has given us the gift of Shabbat and has chosen to bless us with His very presence. The problem we have today is the loss of awe in God’s blessing. Where I live, the word is used everywhere for everything. At the grocery store, the cashier will say, “have a blessed day” before I leave. When we feel sorry for someone we say “well bless their little heart.” This is not what is being said here. When God says baruch, He is saying “You who are poor – I will increase in your life by giving you my kingdom. You who are hungry, I will increase in your life by filling you up with Me. You who now weep, I will increase in your life by bringing you laughter in spite of everything. You who are persecuted, I will increase in your life by rewarding you greatly in heaven. In fact, you will leap for joy!”

How is all this possible? Isaiah 61:1-3 tells us, “The Spirit of the Lord God is on Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance; to comfort all who mourn, to provide for those who mourn in Zion; to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, festive oil instead of mourning, and splendid clothes instead of despair. And they will be called righteous trees, planted by the Lord to glorify Him.” It is possible because God has sent us His Son to bring us the good news. Jesus has been anointed and He is ready to increase our joy, increase our worship, increase our laughter by us being blessed with more of His presence. In turn, we acknowledge this by saying Baruch Ata Adonai – Blessed are you O Lord.

Vs 24-26 But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your comfort. Woe to you who are now full, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who are now laughing, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for this is the way their ancestors used to treat the false prophets.

The Greek word for woe is ouai, which means alas and is an expression of grief. Jesus is expressing His grief for those who miss out on the blessings of God. You believe you are rich, and don’t need God? This is in contrast to those who are poor in spirit. These are people who believe they have everything they need without God. Woe, you have already received your comfort because you refuse to acknowledge your need for God’s comfort. You think you are filled up and believe you do not need to fill your life with the things of God? This is in contrast with those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. Woe, you will find in the end that you will be hungry and never truly filled. You believe you’ve done nothing really “bad” and do not need to mourn your sin? This is in contrast with those who mourn their sin and seek God’s forgiveness. Woe, you might be laughing now, but soon you will weep. You seek only people’s admiration and the values of the world? This is in contrast with those who are persecuted for the sake of the Son of Man because they seek what is truly valuable, the kingdom of God. Woe, you will eventually find the world is lacking and false. Even those who lift you up now will turn against you.

It is God’s desire to bless us – to increase His presence in our lives. It is His desire to fill us up with good things. It is His desire for us to have abundant lives in Him. It is His desire to forgive us, fill us with joy, wipe away our tears, bring us into His very presence. Woe to those who choose to look for the things of this world instead. They will eventually find themselves in poverty, hungry, mourning and empty.

Vs 27-36 “But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If anyone hits you on the cheek, offer the other also. And if anyone takes away your coat, don’t hold back your shirt either. Give to everyone who asks you, and from one who takes your things, don’t ask for them back. Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. If you do what is 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 to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

How do we cultivate those things which inspire the blessings of God? We walk the narrow path and the hard road. We love when everybody around us is full of hate. We bless when the world curses us. We give when mankind takes from us. We pray when everyone around us mistreats us and disparages us. We treat others as we would want to be treated, not how we are being treated. It is so easy to get caught up in the moaning and groaning of things. We lament how we, as believers in Jesus Christ, are being treated by the world. “It’s not fair.” We have “rights.” We act surprised when people hate us and want to cause us pain, when all along Jesus has told us it’s going to happen. He has given us specific instructions on how to act when happens and promises us God’s presence will increase in our lives when we stand firm in the truth. Instead of the moaning and groaning we are to repay all this grief with the love of Christ. It means nothing if all we do is treat each other with kindness and love (although sometimes we don’t even do that). As Jesus says here – even sinners do that. It means a lot more when we treat our enemies with the same love and respect. I believe these last couple of years have been a very specific test for the church. Lots of things were thrown at us and we did not always react with the kindness and love like we should have. The world is watching us. When they see us whining, hear the unkind words we have to say and witness our unkind acts, they conclude we are no different than anyone else. If God’s presence is real in our lives, we will love, do good, and expect nothing in return. We will not lament the circumstances we are living in. We will not be unkind and insist on our rights. Instead, we will be merciful to those around us and pray they will come to know the everlasting presence of God in their lives.

Vs 37-42 “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 back to you.” He also told them a parable: “Can the blind guide the blind? Won’t they both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. “Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but don’t notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself don’t see the log in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck in your brother’s eye.

This is why God warns us about judging others. Before I go on, I want to set something straight. This verse is often a very popular excuse for being tolerant of all things. Jesus is not saying we should tolerate sin. This is not a call for unconditional approval or an acceptance of universal teachings or lifestyles. (The next part of Jesus’ sermon will banish this idea!) No, this is a warning to look at what is in our hearts. In other words, what is the reasoning behind our judgment? What’s really our motivation? Do we judge others because we want to appear more righteous or better than them? Do we look down on people because of the things they’ve done in their past? Do we dismiss people because of their sin? This is a heart issue. We either judge people out of godly love or out of self-righteousness. We must discern which one it is.

Instead of self-righteousness, we are to have the mercy of God. Instead of thinking we are better than them, we are to be humble, knowing God has forgiven us much and forgive others in that same way. Instead of wanting to appear holier than thou, we are to see people as God sees them. Instead of withholding because they “don’t deserve it”, we need to remember the countless gifts God has bestowed on us even though we don’t deserve them. God gives to us in abundance – until it runs over. Rather than showing them how great we are by trying to “fix” their problems, taking that little speck out of their eye, we need acknowledge the log in our own eye and walk along side them leading them to the One who can fill their needs and redeem all things. We must get our heart right. We need to be in tune with God and allow His presence in our lives to overflow to others.

Vs 43-45 “A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit. For each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs aren’t gathered from thornbushes, or grapes picked from a bramble bush. A good man produces good out of the good storeroom of his heart. An evil man produces evil out of the evil storeroom, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.

As I stated above, not judging is not a call to tolerance of sin. As believers, we are called to bear good fruit. And where does that good fruit take root? In our heart: A good man produces good out of the good storeroom of his heart. In the same way, the evil man will also produce what is in his heart. I find it interesting that Jesus says “for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.” The tongue will always eventually speak what is in the heart. The book of James addresses this very issue in abundance. “If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, then his religion is useless and he deceives himself,” James 1:26. Pretty plain here. We are called to control what comes out of our mouth. When we are poor in spirit, hungering and thirsting after righteousness and mourning our sin, we submit to walk with God and speak His word. Another passage in James: “And consider ships: Though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. Consider how large a forest a small fire ignites. And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is set on fire by hell,” James 3:4-6. The tongue may be small, but it can certainly burn down everything we stand for in a small instance. Just one word can undo years of good. One word can render our message meaningless. One word. As a child you may have sung this song as I did. Oh be careful little eyes what you see… Be careful little ears what you hear… Be careful little tongue what you say. For the Father up above, is looking down in love. Be careful little tongue what you say.

Vs 46-49 “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say? I will show you what someone is like who comes to Me, hears My words, and acts on them: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn’t shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The river crashed against it, and immediately it collapsed. And the destruction of that house was great!”

Finally, Jesus brings His sermon to a grand conclusion. There are two kinds of people in the world. Those who hear the words of God and acts on them and those who hear, but do not act. He gives us two examples: they either build their house on the rock or build it on the sand. The test will be when the rains come, the floods rise and the river crashes against the house. One will stand and one will fall. When times get tough. When the stress threatens to swallow us up. When the things don’t go the way we want them to. These are the storms that tests our house. Throughout my life I have built both. I have let my temper get the best of me – and my house fell! I have been kind when most would not be – and my house stood. In this life, there is a constant need to sink that foundation in that Rock that is Jesus Christ.

In this sermon, Jesus lays out a path to righteousness, and a life abundant in joy and love. It is not an easy path. On the contrary, He has promised it will be full of persecution. There are going to be storms. But, He also promises, if we walk with Him, it will be blessed by God and His presence will increase measure upon measure in us. The question is, will we walk that path? Love like He loves, give mercy like He gives mercy, forgive like He forgives and act on what we have heard from Him? When we do, all the storms in the world that comes our way will not shake us and His presence will increase a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over.