Luke 7:6-10 So Jesus went with them.
He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. 7 That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” 10 Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.
 
THE centurion understood unifying authority, didn’t he? The power of his own position depended on two things. First, he needed to obey the authority above. Disobedience would cause his removal. And second, his soldiers needed to obey him. Allowing a disobedient soldier to remain could create a rag-tag malfunctioning group acting on their own desires and pleasures. Such a “dis-unit” could not fulfil its mission. We all know this is true of any effective army, don’t we? Obedience is a key to winning battles and a war. Disobedience dooms an army to destruction.
   The Jews are as a disobedient army. God had formed Israel to be a nation to wage war against sin. But history shows the Jews’ did not unify with their Lord. They rejected the law and the prophets. Then the Authority of Heaven and earth comes to command his army. Jesus preached sermons, taught disciples and healed many. He spoke often of how he ministered in the Father’s authority. He implored his people to believe and live in his teachings: John 5:46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.” Still, too many of his “soldiers” said, “No.” As they refused Jesus’ authority, they were doomed to destruction.
   Sadly, it is the same today. God’s church is to be the army to “Deliver us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:13 NIV) to become “more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37b) But sadly, we are not one in unity with our Lord, but too often we prefer to be a rag-tag “dis-unit”. Jesus’ church lives with little faith in the Lord’s commands, his grace, his love, his cross and his resurrection. And it follows, doesn’t it, that a disobedient church is doomed to destruction.
Our only hope is to submit to the Lord’s commands, to be one with Jesus as the centurion was. See how Jesus responded to his submission to Jesus. “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” Do you think Jesus thought, “Finally! Someone believes in me. Finally! Someone believes my commands. Finally! Someone is not trying to be God! Finally! There is an obedient servant in the Kingdom of God. Finally! I have a spiritual warrior to be one with me against sin.”
   It is no surprise Jesus healed the centurion’s servant. The centurion humbly submitted to Jesus’ authority. He believed. Salvation came to his household. Evil was defeated. The battle was won. The centurion, his servant and his household were unified with Jesus’ authority that day. Are you?
 
Prayer: Forgive me for my pride to say, “No.” to you, Father. Stir me to live more and more under your authority. In Jesus’ name I pray for this, amen.
 

Luke 7:1-5 When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 There a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 3 The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, 5 because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 
 
THE sermon “on a level place” (Luke 6:17), also known as Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1b he went up to a mountainside and sat down) is completed. (See September 19 lesson to learn how this is generally considered to be the same sermon.) Our Savior now goes to minister the gospel’s transformational power to his chosen people, the Jews. But in the Father’s providence, the first person Jesus encounters is actually not “his people”, but he is a Gentile. He is one from a foreign land not descended from Abraham. Does he deserve to hear the gospel, too?
   He certainly does. See the Father’s plan announced in Genesis 18:18Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. Then note the Son’s mission “to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:19). Indeed, this gentile will be among the first of “the nations” to experience the power and glory of the Lord’s favor through Jesus’ saving power.
   You see, the centurion was a Roman commander of 100 men. Representing Rome, he was the Jews’ enemy, the embodiment of a Gentile nation’s oppressive power over Judah. Rome took from the Jews. Rome did not help them. The centurion had authority to do about anything he wanted in Capernaum to keep order.
   But see what the centurion wanted to do to fulfill his mission. He chose to be an exception to Rome’s oppression. The centurion chose to help the Jews, building their synagogue. The Jewish elders viewed him with respect. What do you think motivated him to act with such a helpful mercy into his “enemy’s” culture?
   We can answer this as we “visit” another centurion at his household in Acts 10. There you will meet, as the apostle Peter did, Cornelius: Acts 10:1-3 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
   From there Acts writer, Luke (Yes, he is the same as the gospel writer.) described how the Holy Spirit directed Peter to go to Cornelius’ home to proclaim the gospel with this result: Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. Thess Roman citizens were transformed under Peter’s gospel preaching and the Holy Spirit’s power.
   In a like manner, the Holy Spirit is the reason the centurion in Capernaum sent for Jesus. Inside this Roman, God’s favor of salvation was working long before this. The Father’s sovereign plan and purpose for this centurion was to form mercy in his heart. The centurion’s mercy to the Jews would ultimately lead to the servant’s healing.
   This is the power of Kingdom authority in everyday life. In his just-completed sermon, Jesus taught, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” (Luke 6:27b) When Jesus healed the centurion’s favored servant, the centurion and the servant both experienced the Lord’s favor. The centurion had “loved his enemies” as he helped the Jews. The Jews had loved the centurion as they urged Jesus to go to the sick servant. The Lord, then, rewarded their love. This man of authority experienced a far greater authority in Judah than himself or Rome.
   God the Father chose this centurion and Cornelius to see Jesus as Lord. The Spirit quickened their spirits to seek the Son. The Son’s saving power became real before them.
   As you call Jesus, “Lord”, remember with a grateful heart that the Lord’s favor of his teaching is the true authority for your life.
 
Prayer: I pray, Father, for my “enemies’ who are suffering disease, poverty, hunger or despair. Holy Spirit, quicken their spirits to seek the Lord’s saving power. Amen.

Luke 6:45-48 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. 46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
 
IF you ever need convincing that living into Jesus’ teaching is vital to your Christian life, then dwell on these words. You are as you live. Wrong thinking floods out into wrong speaking and living. Right thinking flows out into right words and living.
   The question for you, though, may not be, “Should I live into God’s Word, to do and be good in Jesus?” But your bigger question may be, “How much doing Jesus’ teachings is good enough?” As in every other question related to our relationship with Jesus, the answer to this question comes in the lordship of Jesus in your life. To do Jesus’ words, you first seek the Spirit’s power to live as he did: 1) Jesus knew the Scriptures. 2) The Savior taught the Scriptures [Know that we all teach in some way.]. 3) The Lord lived the Scriptures. 4) Our High Priest rested in the Scriptures’ authority.
   Another way to see Jesus’ life as a man in light of this passage is to say, “Jesus built his house on the Father’s foundation in the power of the Spirit.”
   Live as the Lord lived. Be built into his “Kingdom and the power and the glory forever” (Matthew 6:13 KJV) Then you will be able to answer, “How much good is good enough?”
 
Prayer: Teach me to live in you, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Luke 6:43-44 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers.”
 
ONE way Jesus’ teaching becomes so personal is his agriculture – or crop and animal illustrations. Even if you have never cared for an animal, worked a garden or field, vineyard or orchard, you understand the practical aspects of Kingdom living. This fruit illustration points you to know that true goodness in life comes only as the gospel – the good news of salvation – is your life’s true food.
   “Good” is a common word that Jesus elevates to a heavenly meaning. See, for example, how he does so in Matthew 19:16-17 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” 
   Yes, “good” here means to be of God. Jesus points out that as one looks or acts in a good way, he is only good as he obeys God’s commandments. The apostle Paul, teaching as Jesus taught, also wrote this in Romans 7:18-19 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing.
   Romans 7 is mainly about Paul’s frustrations to live as good a life he truly desires. He longs to be good in God.
   Anything we do that seems good is not good unless it is done on the foundation of the good news – the gospel of salvation. Attempting to live in a “good” way from the world’s point of view will only produce a futile life, empty of meaning and purpose. We will be left hungry for soul-sustaining fruit. Rejoice that God has given to you good fruit in his commands and in his Savior to nourish your body and fill your soul’s hunger for righteousness. The gospel is the good news – God’s news – given so that “surely goodness and love will follow (you) all the days of (your) life, and (you) will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalms 23:6)  
 
Prayer: You are good, O Lord. Fill me with the fruit of your salvation. In Jesus’ name, amen.  

Luke 6:41-42 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
 
YOU don’t need me to explain what this means. We all know how easily we can see someone else’s faults, even their sins, while neglecting to see our own faults and sins. 
   Why is this so? The answer is simple and it’s complex. Simply speaking, such “other vision” is a condition of our sin nature we inherited from Adam. Look at Adam’s response when God asked him in Genesis 3:11b “Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” Adam responded. 12 The man said, ‘The woman you put here with me – she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then Eve points the blame away from her in Genesis 3:13 The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”   
   Yes, it’s easy to see others’ sin, and reject responsibility for our behavior. How does this change? How do we see our plank and not be concerned of others’ “specks”? The short answer is: submit to the cross.
   See our own “plank” requires we steadfastly set our eyes upon Christ’s excruciating croos for our salvation. With humility and grief, know that Jesus’ shed blood and broken body is the Father’s only way to remove the plank from our soul. The cross is God’s way to bring us out from Adam’s and Eve’s shame, to gratefully look into the Lord’s eyes again.
   Seeing others’ speck while avoiding your own plank separates you from the Lord. Remember in Jesus’ preaching at the sermon on “a level place” (Luke 6:17) that he coomands us Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.  He teaches us elsewhere to Luke 10:27 “'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and, Love your neighbor as yourself.” You cannot live do these teachings if you do not first see the plank in your eye.
    Confession and repentance should have been the first couple’s proper response to God’s question, “Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” These must be our first steps, too. Examine yourself. Consider God’s Word. How does your life measure up? Seek his strength and power for healing the weaknesses in your faith walk. Rejoice Jesus has paid the full price for your sin. Be eager for his cleanisng. Be gracious to love God, love others witht the forgiveness Jesus offers to you.  
 
Prayer: Change my heart, Lord, to repent of my sins and to forgive others’ sins. Amen.          
 
 
 

Luke 6:39-40 He also told them this parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.”
 
JESUS very much wants you to live as he did during his life as a man on earth. The key to fulfilling Jesus’ will is to be trained in his teaching. Let’s look at some biblical understanding of “trained”.
   First, we see it here in the “blind parable”. Two blind men walking together into new territory filled with pits will certainly fall into one. How could they not? They don’t know the safe path to walk. However, if someone trains them to take “3 steps forward, 2 steps left, 8 steps right”, for example, they will be trained to “see” their way safely through. Three things must happen in this training: proper teaching, proper listening and proper doing. If one of these three is missing, the whole training process is useless. Effective raining is a three-step process between the trainer and the trained.
   See this, too, in the familiar Bible teaching on training in Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Understand that this doesn’t merely say, “Tell a child what to do, so he’ll be good.” Training is about following. Right training for a child begins with proper instruction to follow right examples. That means parents and others are to what they instruct. Children are quickly led astray when we teach one thing and walk another way. True training comes from properly speaking God’s truth, listening with learning ears and living into the truth. That means we teachers must study and know God’s Word, so we can correctly train the next generation. Also, know this is a process of working together. Help your children to know the Kingdom way and even to know when you make mistakes. A humble parent who can admit, “I was wrong.” is an effective trainer for Jesus.
    Jesus trained this way. He trained his disciples through his words and his life. In Acts, we see the Twelve apostles (Matthias had replaced Judas.) knew exactly how to live as Jesus. He had trained them onto the proper pathway into the Kingdom of God. Fully equipped, they began to train the world in Christ.
   Be trained up in Jesus’ words. Listen to his preaching. Trust his instructions. Walk into his teachings. Your eyes will be open to avoid a great many pitfalls down life’s pathway. If you make a mistake and fall in, know your training will give you the way to climb out and return to your journey with Jesus.
 
Prayer: Thank you for training me, Jesus. Amen. 
    

Luke 6:37-38 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 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 to you.”
 
WHAT is a “good measure” Jesus refers to here? He used an illustration based on the way grain was purchased and delivered. To get the most grain, one would press the grain and shake it down into a bushel basket. We used to do this on the farm. We would carry feed to cows in a bushel basket or burlap sack. Often we pressed and shook the feed down into the basket or sack, so we could carry more. Sometimes we would do this to save steps and feed more cows with one bushel. Other times we would do so in order to give more feed to the best cows. As they gave more milk, they had more to eat! They were rewarded for their production.
   Jesus’ preaching in his sermon “on the level place (Luke 6:17) tells us God desires to fill up his measure, his bushel basket, so to speak, so bless you for faithful living. Go back and see this reward promise in Luke 6:33b Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
   In this particular teaching, Jesus affirms God will bless you when you fill your heart with forgiveness. Forgive in Jesus’ name. Feed a large measure of mercy, gentleness and goodness into those who have hurt you or offended those you love. The more forgiveness you pour out to others, the more God will pack full his measuring basket with his blessings to nourish your spiritual life.  
   This is Jesus’ example. Forgiveness is a key to being a Christian. The apostle Peter quotes this from Psalm 16 on the Day of Pentecost as the church began: Acts 2:28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.   
   Pray to be forgiven. Be merciful to forgive others. Then see how the Spirit will fill you to the full measure of joy.
 
Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for your overflowing measure of forgiveness into my life. I want to pour it out onto others. Amen. 

Luke 6:32-36 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
 
TWO growing criticisms against Jesus’ church today is that it is 1) extreme and 2) irrelevant. Let’s consider these two charges here in light of Jesus’ teaching.
   Would you agree that following Jesus is extreme? I hope so. Many have even labeled disciples as a positively radical way of living! Yes, it is extremely out of our sin nature and the culture to live in these ways Jesus preaches to us here. Loving people who hate you, doing good to people who will harm you and giving to people who will cheat you are extreme acts of mercy.
   Who is the root of this extreme mercy? Of course, we can only see mercy in our extreme God. Luke defines him here as “the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” God’s extreme kindness has caused him to love even all of mankind who has hated him. That’s the reason you should “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
   Now, is that also irrelevant as the culture charges? Surely the one who has no intention to do as Jesus teaches would say such love is irrelevant. Just as a car purchased and left in the garage, just as a gift received and put on a shelf, just as a Bible kept in a drawer, God’s mercy is irrelevant to those who refuse to do it. Jesus even said God’s mercy would be irrelevant in his parable in Luke 8:16a “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed.” To make the extreme gospel relevant, we must put it into action. The gospel is the only way to light our way to eternal life. All else is darkness leading to woe for our souls. Luke 8:16b “Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.”
   Yes, the critics call the gospel “extreme” because it calls us to live in a particular way, worshiping one Lord with one faith. To an unrepentant sinner, the gospel way is an extremely irrelevant restrictive way. But in Christ the gospel is the extremely relevant “good news to the poor…freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind.” It is God’s mercy to release the oppressed that consistently proclaims the year of the Lord’s favor. (See Jesus’ mission statement in Luke 4:18-19)
   Be extreme to shut off the world and turn on God. Be extremely obedient to your Lord to demonstrate his mercy even to those who oppose you. Being as Jesus is extremely relevant to true Kingdom life.
 
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for going to the extreme cross for me. Your death is relevant to my life forevermore as I call you, “Lord and Savior.  By your extreme grace I have been saved. In your relevant love, I am alive in Christ. May I live to the extreme for you. Amen.
 

Luke 6:27-31 “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
 
DO you notice all the “do’s” in this Scripture? Oftentimes I hear, “I want to know God’s will for my life.” Well, here it is. One aspect of God’s will is what he wants you to DO to live in his grace now and forever.
   Likely you have heard these “do” teachings, especially verse 31, many times. This “Golden Rule” is popular in the culture as well as prominent in the church. We understand doing to others as we want them to do to us, don’t we?
   Perhaps we do if we think this is all about doing nice things to someone and having them do nice things for you. Surely you want people to “do” to you with respect and support, “Way to go. Great job. You are good.” You are eager for them to say, “I forgive you. I want to help you. Can I be your friend?”
   But what if we aren’t good? What happens if we are doing things that need correction? Do we really want someone to “do” to us with correction? Is it a good thing to be treated with, “You need to adjust your walk with Jesus to do as he teaches. The only right thing for you to do is forgive.”
   Our culture, it seems, has become trapped in inappropriate “do good” affirmation, refusing to correct or challenge even children in their errors. Certainly we must “do” to others with kind words and godly encouragement. The Bible contains many such admonitions to do proper affirmation. “You did it! That was great!” are important words.
   Please be mindful, too, that the Bible teaches you it is good, right and necessary to “do” correction to one another. God tells us what to do because he wants us to “do life” right. We are to learn and teach his ways, so the world will do more of God’s will here on earth. But arrogantly, we do not accept godly correction from even well-meaning friends in Christ. Could it be that many people disregard church, the Bible and God because they do not want to be treated with his truth?   
   The truth is, we need to feel badly about things we’ve done. (Remember “Blessed are those who mourn.”) And we must have a mind to learn how to do things correctly. This is the only means to improve our spiritual and physical lives. Humility and submission must be our guides to receive and do corrective teachings and encouragements. This is called sanctification – recognizing our sins and striving to replace them with biblical truth.
Do to others as Jesus has done to you. He has spoken correction. He has demonstrated true ways to live. Remember these are his ways of love, and we are to love in the same way – to serve, honor, forgive, and even to correct someone to point them to Jesus.  
 
Prayer: Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your great love to teach me what to do. Amen.   

Luke 6:24-26 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. 25 Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. 26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.”
 
WHEN Jesus said, “Woe.” he was defining various sins and promising doom. Destruction was sure if one did not repent. We see “woe” in dramatic succession in Ezekiel as the prophet conveyed God’s sure destruction on Israel’s unrepentant evil. Matthew 23 and Luke 11 also record Jesus speaking “woe” against the Pharisees, the “experts in the law” (Luke 11:46). Yes, the One who is Love, loves his people enough to tell them, “Sin will condemn you if you do not repent.” We don’t like that part of “Jesus loves you.” Very much. But know that when we tell someone, “Jesus loves you.” be mindful is love is so great, he calls us to “go and leave your life of sin”. (John 8:11)
In this sermon “on a level place” (Luke 6:7) Jesus preached these four “woes” in direct contrast to the four blessings of vss. 22-23. Judgment into Hell will come on those who do not realize the spiritual poverty of their sin. Hunger for God’s Word is essential to spiritual life. Further, there is sure condemnation for those who ignore the world’s need for the gospel. And Jesus announces woe against those who are popular because they tell the world as Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4:3c “what their itching ears want to hear.”  Jesus proclaimed that there is no room in the Kingdom for those who would rather please man than God. In summary, woe to those who are spiritually impoverished and do not desire true kingdom blessings.  
   We all must remember our woeful soul needs the Holy God’s righteousness. Because of Adam’s rebellion, we are all born into woe as enemies of God. Paul also teaches in Colossians 1:21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. A righteous God could have abandoned us to our sin. Yet, with love in his essence, instruction on his lips, nails in his hands, and an empty tomb behind him, our risen Savior offers you a way away from sin to be fully whole with God in his eternal Kingdom.
   What will you do in response to such a glorious Creator and Savior? In our next lesson, we’ll see Jesus gives you his ways into God’s blessed happiness.
 
Prayer: Fill me up, Lord Jesus, with you. I hunger and thirst for your truth. In your name I pray, amen.