Luke 6:20, 24
The Gospel of Luke • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction:
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Please turn back in your Bibles to Luke 6
We’re going to begin by reading verses 20-26.
Last week we had concluded our study...
…with a brief survey of the first Beatitude:
Blessedness of Spiritual Poverty
-But we didn’t really discuss:
The collective nature of the Beatitudes, or
Their function within the broader context of the S.O.M.
I feel like these introductory matters are necessary enough...
…to a proper understanding of the S.O.M....
…that they warrant our taking the time to:
back up a little
discuss them now
examine verse 20 and verse 24 in greater detail this morning.
-Someone joked with me last week:
“so, that was just a teaser?”
(referring to what I had said about our discussion...
...of spiritual poverty being only preliminary)
But it really was.
And that’s because it’s a really deep and profound subject...
…which has a lot of emphasis throughout the scripture...
(Particularly in the New Testament)
It’s countercultural and counterintuitive in every age...
And we need to have a thorough understanding...
…of what it means for those of us who either:
already are a part of the Messianic Kingdom, or
by the grace of God, wish to become one of its citizens.
-So after we look at the introductory matters...
…we’re going to focus the remainder of our time on it again.
So, let’s begin by reading the whole list.
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.
Click Off
Pray
(5 minutes)
Throughout the centuries...
…Christians (and non-Christians alike for that matter)...
…have struggled to figure out exactly what to do with the S.O.M.
If you think through some of its content...
…you’ll see why it could be a difficult task.
For instance consider the verses we just read:
The Blessed (of God) are the hungry, poor, sad, and hated!
What do you do with that?
What about Jesus saying:
Matthew 5:20 (ESV)
20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Or How about this one?
Matthew 5:28 (ESV)
28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
or:
Matthew 5:29 (ESV)
29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.
What do you do with that?
How about this?
Luke 6:28 (ESV)
28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
And, of course the most frightening and enigmatic of all:
Matthew 7:21–23 (ESV)
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven...
22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not . . . do many mighty works in your name?’
23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
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(3 minutes, 8 total)
-Because of these hard sayings...
…many different interpretive frameworks have arisen throughout the years:
-The Early Church tended toward a somewhat woodenly literal interpretation of it.
But, of course they didn’t walk around:
hand-less
with empty, bloody eye sockets.
This selective literalism most likely helped to give rise...
…to monastic culture within the Church.
-A few groups (Anabaptists, etc.) did try to apply its teachings:
literally
universally
Here too, it tended toward a form of monastic separatism...
…just on a broader scale.
The problem, of course, is that such an outcome is self-refuting.
It violates a principle that the S.O.M. itself espouses:
Matthew 5:14 (ESV)
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Matthew 5:16 (ESV)
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
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You can’t do that in an esoteric cult
You can’t do that behind the walls of a monastery.
-Now, others have viewed the S.O.M. as:
An exposition of the law of Moses
(i.e., showing its true essence)
(Some validity to that!)
-Others (Like Luther) viewed it as a “heightening” of the Law...
…with the aim of inducing repentance.
(You have heard… but I say, etc.)
(You can certainly see where it could drive you...
…to recognize your need of an alien righteousness!)
-Some, just say that its demands are...
…not intended for the present age...
But will become applicable in a...
...future eschatological kingdom...
…where Jesus’ reign will be more visibly absolute.
-Some digress even further and say that:
It wasn’t meant...
It isn’t applicable...
…to gentile Christians AT ALL.
I would suggest that those last two views...
…be disregarded in their entirety!
They’re novel, and unfaithful...
…and ought to be summarily rejected!
(4 minutes, 12 total)
-So, How should we understand it?
In what framework should it be viewed?
Well, as I suggested last week...
I believe we should view its over-arching theme...
…to be the Kingdom of God/Christ...
…that Jesus was AT THAT VERY TIME...
…beginning to establish through the appointment of:
His 12 Apostles.
One commentary summarized it like this:
(I like it)
It is the classic statement of the ethics of the kingdom of God. - The Reformation Study Bible
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-We saw last week how...
…Jesus had opened up with the topic of:
The Nature of the Kingdom...
The necessary constitution of those who would populate it.
-And, not only is it the consistent theme of the Beatitudes...
Matthew’s account refers back to it repeatedly!
In fact, concludes the sermon by quoting Jesus saying:
Matthew 7:21–24 (ESV)
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven...
24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
You see, Brethren, this is the...
Presently valid,
Universally applicable,
Eternally authoritative.....
…instruction for the Household of Faith!
We would be woefully remiss to cast it off.
To do so, would be to build our house in the sand.
And we know what happens to the house that’s built upon that shifting foundation, don’t we?
-So, with that in mind...
...let’s begin what will be our weeks-long look at...
…this firm foundation...
…that Jesus has given for the building of His Kingdom!
-He begins it with the pronouncement of:
Blessing
Curse.
(7 minutes, 19 total)
Let’s read our two verses again:
Luke 6:20 (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.
Luke 6:24 (ESV)
24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
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Notice, that He doesn’t just promise blessing and curse...
…commensurate to the level of obedience/disobedience...
He describes the:
Character
Attributes...
…of those who are (both):
the Bless-ed of God
Accursed
You see, he doesn’t use the word:
“Blessed” (Verb)...
...As though he was saying that God will bless you...
…if you make yourself poor...
He’s using the word:
“Bless-ed” (Adjective)...
...Which would be to say that this is the type of person...
…upon whom the covenant blessing (favor) of God rests!
-How counterintuitive!
-Even today!
Wealth is/has almost always been...
…thought to be a great indicator of God’s blessing.
So often (not always)… the opposite is true!
So often… it is his judgment!
Look at verse 24 again.
Jesus makes the opposite pronouncement...
…upon the opposing category of people.
And if you’ll notice, He does that...
...for every beatitude in Luke’s account!
He says:
Luke 6:24 (ESV)
24 “But woe to you who are rich...
Whereas the poor were pronounced with:
Joy
Happiness
The favor of God...
The rich are being warned of:
sorrow
dread
horror
WOE!
-Now, you may be thinking:
“You’ve got some explaining to do!”
“Last week, you said that he was talking about “spiritual" poverty.”
That it was a condition of the heart...
NOT the condition of a bank account.
Matthew had recorded:
Matthew 5:3 (ESV)
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
But Luke said only:
Luke 6:20 (ESV)
20 . . . “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
and:
Luke 6:24 (ESV)
24 “But woe to you who are rich...
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Implying that:
They’re NOT “bless-ed”
The Kingdom of God is NOT theirs.
So, did I mislead you last week?
I don’t think so.
However, if it were to be as simple as it sounds...
Then we must be willing to accept that...
…and conform our lives to it!
-Woe unto us if we turn our money into mammon!
-Woe unto us if we cling to it...
…and let go of the Will of God...
…as it is decreed within the Word of God!
-And You see, that’s the problem.
And, that’s how the two accounts reconcile.
-There’s a connection between the physical and the spiritual.
They’re never entirely separated.
(And know this… this warning is for you! …and me!)
As Pastor Scott pointed out last week...
…by global and historical standards...
…every person in this room is “rich.”
Where we stand on the scale of our particular economic setting...
…is not the main point, though.
The disposition of our heart toward material things...
…is the main point!
And it’s how the two passages work together.
Notice what Luke says:
Luke 6:24 (ESV)
24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
The point is: your affections.
Where do you find your comfort
What brings you joy
What satisfies you
What does your heart desire
Those with the necessary spiritual poverty...
…are never able to be “consoled” by lesser things.
-As I mentioned before, The N.T. is replete with this same imagery:
For example...
After having exhorted his disciples to pursue...
...the interests of the Kingdom above all else...
Jesus said:
Luke 12:32–34 (ESV)
32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
This exhortation had been preceded by a warning:
Luke 12:15–21 (ESV)
15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
16 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully,
17 and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’
18 And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” ’
20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’
21 So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”
The point is this:
Matthew 6:24 (ESV)
24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
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-Ultimately, the love of money is SELF-serving.
We lust after it because we want:
Temporal security
To impress other people
The power it brings to us
The pleasure it brings to us
The prominence it brings to OURSELVES.
But, the one who has poverty of the spirit...
The one who is broken over:
Their sin
Their own native corruption...
…is not self-serving...
…but serves another Master!
And he/she gets their:
pleasure
fulfilment
comfort
consolation...
…through His exaltation...
…and not their own!
You see, a persons relationship to money...
…is just an indicator of the true condition of their soul!
It simply shows:
Who they’re living for
In what/whom they place their trust
To whom their chief allegiance lies.
-Does this mean that money is inherently sinful?
Of course not!
But the love, lust, longing for it is!
This is what the Christian’s disposition...
…toward money ought to be:
(and notice how God-ward the motivation is)
Proverbs 30:8–9 (ESV)
8...give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,
9 lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
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The glory of God ought to be what shapes our desire for material things!
And this is what true spiritual poverty...
…will produce within us!
-But it doesn’t come naturally.
It’s a work of the Spirit of God!
(15 minutes, 34 minutes)
And we see that clearly in Jesus’ encounter with the Rich Young Ruler:
Mark 10:17–31 (ESV)
17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.
19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’ ”
20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.”
21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God!
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
28 Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.”
29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel,
30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.
31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
That’s the ethic of the Kingdom, brethren.
Whoever exalts himself...
God will humble in judgment.
But, whoever humbles himself before God,
Confessing his sin
Recognizing his need of an alien righteousness
Looking to Christ in Faith to provide that righteousness...
...God will exalt!
He’ll swing the gates of His kingdom wide open...
…and He’ll say on that last day:
“Welcome home, good and faithful servant”
“Come on in and rest… be comforted”
“Receive your consolation”
But, Those who receive their consolation in the here and now...
…will forgo it in the age to come.
-For whom will you live?
Which master will you serve?
You need to choose wisely this morning.
You’re going to need his grace to do so.
Why?
Mark 10:27 (ESV)
27 ...“With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”
I implore you to look to Him this morning
Pray
8 minutes, 42 total