WELCOME
PRAYER
SONG
SILENCE
Luke 6.25-
Milk
August 11th 2019
Okay last week, Jesus began addressing the disciples on the plain and we covered the “blessed” (who were poor) and ended with the observation that he will now turn to the “woes” where he delivers the opposite teaching to those standing there who were well off, saying:
24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
We talked about the difficulty of just taking this statement at face value and came to understand that this seems to be speaking of those who make riches their primary focus and goal in life.
This brings us to the second and third woes Jesus delivers to that group there, saying:
25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
Of course, Jesus uses full (perhaps literally) but I tend to think that he is speaking symbolically.
“Woe unto you that are full!” Not hungry? Perhaps but even moreso woe to those who live for wealth, have it, and do not have a care in the world as a result.
They are full today, but there was coming a time – perhaps in their actual material future and perhaps in the eternities beyond – where they would not longer be satisfied with their abundance and or wealth – it would not satiate them.
Therefore, “the woe” with Jesus saying that they shall hunger.
I can’t help but wonder if in all of our lives (meaning the lives of the human race) those who focused solely on the fullness of this life and not on anything of the Kingdom) will hunger for truth and light but will not receive it. This seems to fit what Jesus is teaching overall.
In harmony with this thought or attitude that would be prevalent among those who live for today without a care for tomorrow Jesus adds:
“Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
Same thing. Surely He cannot mean literally or actually but again, he appears to be speaking of overall scope or world view of the individual involved.
Laugh now, YOU will mourn and weep.
This was certainly true of them in light of the coming destruction but I am of the personal opinion that it is also true for all of us depending on how we choose to live our lives.
I say this of course because I am of the opinion that the law of the harvest is eternal and always in the purview of a just God. Others disagree with me but I am convinced that what we sow here will contribute to what we reap there.
Finally, he gives the reveres that he gave to the poor and the bad things people would say to them when he adds:
And 26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
Matthew doesn’t include this and so it appears that he was speaking of a segment of society that was present there on the plain who appear to be sort of “universally well spoken of” – the Pharisees.
Again, isn’t it interesting that Jesus tells the people there that they ought to rejoice when people speak evil of them and that they ought to mourn when they walk about well spoken of in that world.
I think that there is something to that relative to what the world applauds and what the world looks down on.
At verse 27 through 36 Jesus presents a sort of flip around on the ways of the world verses the ways of God’s children, and explains how what appears to be acceptable and normative by the flesh or worlds standards are really not the ultimate reality for those who are God’s.
So lets first read our text and then come back and go verse by verses as Jesus continues and says:
27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.
30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
Okay, back to verse 27. Jesus has told the popular people to mourn or have woe when people speak will of them – after all, he says, the false prophets in the Tanakh were spoken well of (were they not) and what did that give them.
At verse 27 Jesus now launches into some instructions on how His followers aught to respond to ill treatment, saying
27 But I say unto you which hear, “Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,”
I’m not so sure there are any more difficult directive in all of scripture than this for the simple reason it is human nature to feel justified when we have ill-feelings or ill-will toward those who hate us or those who are our enemies. In the end this teaching (contained in verses 27 through 36 is the ultimate challenge in the realm of dying to self.
Listen to it again as Jesus says plainly (to those who hear, by the way):
27 But I say unto you which hear, “Love your enemies,
The word Love there is agapao your enemies. How radical can you get! Our enemies are what make our lives miserable, who challenge our peace and well being, who test our metal and think and share the absolute worst views of who we are with others! And Jesus tells the people on the PLAIN (and I want to point out that this teaching was to HIS disciples) “LOVE YOUR ENEMIES!”
In my world this is impossible without His Spirit abiding and guiding and moving me to think and be like He is. For truly, in this case, is such almost impossible with man but possible with God.
The next point he follows up with which is no surprise is
“do good to them which hate you,”
I say this is no surprise because as we have pointed out over and over again, AGAPE LOVE is a VERB – an action. It is NOT a feeling!
SO when Jesus loves, Love your enemies and follows it up with, “Do Good to those who hate you,” he is not speaking of passive thoughts of kindness but beneficial actions toward those who otherwise are de facto out to get us.
Don’t love them in the gushy sense, Jesus says, but DO GOOD – the HIGHEST FORM OF LOVE – the unconditional verb – to those who hate you.
How sublime and radical and earth changing this advice turns out to be – therefore how difficult, how impossible for human flesh, how Godly when acted out.
Again, the link to faith cannot be overlooked because when or if someone is able to actually follow this advice it has to be the product of trusting God and His will and ways so much (Faith) that they are moved to take actions that are otherwise impossible for mere mortals.
He elaborates at verse 28 adding:
28 Bless them that curse you and pray for them which despitefully use you.
The lived out reality of this is such a rarity that in my estimation by it we are able to truly see who are truly His – by THIS type of love.
Jesus takes the lesson to another level and says at verse 29:
29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also. 30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
At this point Jesus ascends to some new heights because he steps away from recommending love for enemies and those who hate our persons, but to loving those (showing loving, generous, benevolent, merciful actions) toward those who invade our material and physical well being.
Look out!
What is intriguing about this teaching is it is not wholly new to Jesus. All the way back in proverbs 25:21 we read
“If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:”
I am not so sure that in the face of being punched or maligned or taken advantake of that many people would “feel” benevolence or love for the attacker, but here is where Christians make a choice and choose to do or follow the Lord and his command.
Paul echoes this teaching from Proverbs and from the Lord when he writes in Romans 12:17-20:
17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
In other words, the kindnesses shown toward those who despise and use and hate us will serve to bring them to a place of burning self-reflection, which is a good thing in God’s eyes so in and through well doing the Christian has victory.
At this point we are given a bit of the Golden Rule where he says:
31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
Here Jesus takes his listener down a road of comparisons. He has advised his listeners to do to men what they would like to have done to them and then adds:
32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
Over and over again Jesus reminds his listeners and others throughout the Gospels that there is no reward for doing what everyone else does in this life.
He is calling men and women to be His disciples and to not just live like the rest of the world. Here he points out that sins love those who love them – so what’s the big deal in that? But to love someone who hate you and despise you? Now that is reaching some new heights in selfless living. He goes on at verse 33:
33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
Makes sense, eh? Someone watches your dog as a favor, what good have you done when you watch their cat in return? Quid pro quo is of the Law and really has no true basis when Agape Love is concerned. It serves and acts without the expectation of payment or reward.
In fact quite the opposite – it acts when there is not only no reward but punishment! Jesus seems to be saying that it is in these circumstances when God steps in a sees real goodness.
A final example at verse 34:
34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
Over and over and over again we learn that the Christian is acting out of Agape love first for God and then for neighbor.
Such a love is selfless and not intent on rewards. Quite the opposite. Such a love is not predicated on a return, but on giving to those who do NOT deserve anything except our wrath!
Radical. Jesus summarizes these verses from verse 27 to 35 now and says:
35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
And we arrive at the reality of true Son and Daughterhood of God – they will
Love their enemies
Do good to those who hate them
Lend hoping nothing in return
With the promise – which must be received in faith – that God will reward all who live in such a fashion greatly (that is a form of real faith) and those who follow these instructions will actually be called the Children of the Highest – why?
Jesus says it right here: For He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
And he summarizes this all up in verse 36 saying:
36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
As we recall, mercy is when we withhold punishment on those who deserve it – you know, from our enemies, and those who hate us and despitefully abuse and use us.
To treat them well and with love is a form then of mercy – and God is merciful – and treats us well when we don’t deserve it. So it now makes sense that those who are truly Children of the Highest would also be merciful toward those who do not deserve it meaning their enemies and those who hate them.
The teaching on the plain continues, similar in content to the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, and Luke now has Jesus say (let’s read to the end of the chapter).
6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.
43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.
Alright, back to verse 37 and 38 where Jesus says:
37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
The term translated “Judge” here (Krino) is where we get the word criticize – which best means to separate and censor sharply and unfairly condemn.
It does not mean to assess – it means to assess unrighteously and with that assessment to condemn or separate as a result.
I can assess that Bill is not very reliable when it comes to meeting his obligations but I will not condemn him as an individual and part ways with him as a result.
See the difference. The reason why unrighteous criticism is so detrimental to the human soul is because we are not privy to all the factors that are involved in such an overall criticism – we don’t know all the factors that would justify dividing and condemning a person for the things they have apparently failed in doing.
So the command, Judge not is better understood as condemn not.
Condemn not and you will not be condemned.
Again, this a continuation on the topic of mercy for to withhold unrighteous criticism of a person who seems to deserve it is a form of mercy, and as James 2:13 says
For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy triumphs over judgment.
Its what we hope for from God relative to us, isn’t it – that He would be far more merciful to us rather than just – and so here the Lord explains that if we want to escape harsh criticism from God we ought to be merciful to all and therefore avoid harshly condemning them since we do not possess all the facts behind their actions.
Frankly, verse 37 comes off as extremely conditional when we think about it.
Listen to what it says again:
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged
Condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned
Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
Don’t harshly criticize and divide from and you will not be harshly criticized.
Don’t pronounce guilty and you will not be pronounced guilty.
Forgive others and you will be forgiven.
What is fascinating to me about these three statements is that each of them appear to place our standing with God in our own hands and they altogether appear to exist outside of being forgiven for sin by faith in Jesus Christ.
I mean, Jesus is talking about behaviors here – choices on how people are to receive others – and in each of them he plainly says that IF we (Judge, condemn or don’t forgive) we will be Judged, Condemned, and not forgiven, and IF we refuse to Judge and Condemn and choose to forgive others, we will not be Judged, Condemned and we will be forgiven.
Nothing about faith and being saved from our sins here.
Of course we have to take all factors into account when trying to assess scripture, including the passages on salvation by faith and so to me we once again see both views having application –
Those who are His, and follow Him in faith (meaning those whom He has saved in and from their sin) WILL withhold condemnation, judgement and will be forgiving – because they ARE His disciples.
THEREFORE those who are His disciples by faith will not be condemned and will receive forgiveness.
And not only these things but Jesus adds:
38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
This line supports the idea of reaping what we choose to sow and the scriptures are replete with examples of this when it comes to our attitudes toward the poor.
Proverbs 19:17 says
He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
Ecclesiastes 11:1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
Jesus said in Matthew 10:42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
The writer of Hebrews (in 6:10) said
“For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.”
Note that in all of these verses the discussion is about generously giving to the poor and needy and to the Saints who are in need.
They are not about giving to a church or institution. But the scripture is clear – when someone – especially a believer is in need, have pity and mercy toward them – this the Lord will not forget – which brings us all the way round circle to the principle of reaping what we sow.
Even Paul’s advice to the believers at Corinth refers to the poor (though it is used by institutional religion to line its coffers) says:
2nd Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.
So back here, Jesus gives this advice to those who are His:
38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Reaping what we sow – and it appears in this case that Jesus is speaking to what happens in this life as he says that if we give with good measure, pressed down (compact) and running over “MEN WILL GIVE INTO YOUR BOSOM” meaning, other people here will be generous with you.
It’s not a name it and claim it promise in my estimation. To me it’s a rational observation: If we are stingy and tight toward those in need others (men) will be stingy and tight toward us and our needs. (our bosom).
At verses 39-40 Jesus (or Luke’s rendering of Jesus words) seems to insert a bit of a warning or illustration into his sermon about the wisdom of learning and following and being a disciple of one who is equipped to lead and teach.
It’s an odd insertion in my estimation – at least at first glance, but perhaps Jesus says these words here as a means to reiterate that he is not just waxing philosophical here with them but that he actually lives and does the things he is suggesting that they do.
And so Luke writes:
39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
In other words, when someone (a master) who is “blind” steps forward to teach others (disciples) who are blind, won’t both of them fall into traps and ultimate failures together? OF course they will. And in all probability Jesus was referring to the disciples before him following the Pharisees.
Therefore, seek to hear from teachers who have understanding superior and abilities to yours – “disciples are not above their masters” – therefore, seek to be LIKE your masters who are above you. And for that to work and be effective your master must be someone who is not LIKE you.
This is an indirect way of Jesus telling them that he is NOT blind as they were, but as they follow Him and His ways they will become like Him.
The line, “He that is perfect” is the same word used in the Gospels that describe mending fishing nets.
So, it does not mean perfection they way we think of perfection today, but it better means, “those who have been mended or repaired – repented, in this case, in a moral and religious sense.”
So, long story short, Jesus is saying that those who have been mended of their former ways will become like their master whose ways are naturally above their own.
A new teaching at verses 41-42
41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Matt 7:3
42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.
Pr 18:17
Mt 7:3;
It is possible that this teaching hearkens back to what Jesus said about the blind leading the blind in our verses before.
We can say this because the illustration revolves around the eye and one person attempting to correct another while that person has their own vision obscured – a situation which will lead to both men falling in the proverbial ditch.
So, his point in saying this here seems to be – don’t try to be a leader of others until your own life has been mended or fixed.
To do otherwise would be like trying to take a splinter out of your brothers eye when you have a giant piece of wood stuck in yours.
First, Jesus says, fix your self. Get mended. To do otherwise is to practice hypocrisy – the term Jesus himself uses.
And once you have gotten that beam out of your vision you will be in a position to help another.
At this point these teachings are sort of rolling over on each other because now Jesus appears to be speaking of those who have been mended, those who have gotten the beams out of their own eyes, and are therefore not blind, but are AS their master, able to bring about good things in the lives of others.
So he says:
43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Mt 7:16-17
44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
Mt 12:33
Mt 7:16
45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Mt 12:34-35
Interestingly, this teaching in its entirely is not found in Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount but Matthew does include it in Matthew 12:35.
Bringing all of this full circle, I see Jesus here as saying:
“Look (pun intended) – if the blind are following the blind both are going to wind up in a ditch.
“Those who repent and change and are mended will follow their master who is above them.
“There is no reason or logic for anyone, when they have a beam in their own vision (understanding, life) to try and be a leader or a fixer of others, so before you go and try to remove the issues in another person’s line of sight, mend yourself, and once mended THEN you can try to mend others.
“You see, a mended, a perfect, a well sigheted, a GOOD TREE will bring forth good fruit. IT will not lead others into a ditch. It will be tasty and fresh and uncorrupted because it is fruit from a good tree.
“But if you are getting bad fruit, blind fruit, fruit that leads people into a ditch, the overall tree is bad, and you have hitched your wagon to an un-mended tree.
And so he says (LISTEN)
43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, (meaning, are nutritious fig born of a thorn tree) nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes (meaning, we don’t gather grapes out from a bramble bush) and then he makes the point, saying
45 A good man out of “the good treasure of his heart” (a mended heart that can clearly see) bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart (a blind, unmended heart) bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Which again, comes back to one blind, beam in his eye man giving advice or trying to help others – out of the abundance of His HEART will his mouth speak.
And in these few words we find a formula, if you will, to discernment as a blind, unrepentant, unmended mouth cannot help but speak the contents of his or her heart.
And before you go off following him or her, listen to the content of their speech, their wisdom, their advice.
If it is not centered on the Lord, the master, and if it is a mixture of scripture with man-made wisdom, and if it does not make sense (relative to the Word of God – which shows the importance of studying the Word of God) they are not the one you want removing the splinter from your eyes.
We will stop here.
Question/Answers
Prayer
Nancy and Dave
