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 criticisms against Jesus’ church are 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? Truly it is. Many have even labeled discipleship as a very radical way of life! Yes, it is extremely different and difficult to live in these ways Jesus preaches to us here.
    Who is the root of this extreme mercy? Of course, he is our extreme God. Jesus identifies him here as, “The Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” Through his incarnation, Jesus has testified to God’s extreme kindness, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
    God’s merciful love to save you is the reason he commands you, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”
    Now, is mercy irrelevant? Surely the one who has no intention to do as Jesus teaches would have no thoughts of mercy. 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 respond to it. Jesus even said God’s unused mercy is irrelevant in his parable: Luke 8:16a “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed.”
    In contrast, the extreme gospel becomes relevant when you live it: Luke 8:16b “Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.” Light the world in Jesus’ extreme salvation. Be extremely relevant.
 
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for going to the extreme cross for me. Your death is relevant to my life forevermore because 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? A desire among some Christians is, “I want to know God’s will for my life.” Well, here it is. Do it. God’s will is very plainly stated in the ways Jesus commands you to respond to his grace.
    Likely you have heard these “do” teachings, especially verse 31 “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” 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, “You are good.” You are eager for them to say, “I forgive you. I want to help you.”
    But what if we aren’t good? What happens if we are doing wrong? Do we really want someone to “do” to us with correction? Is it a good thing to be helped with, “You need to adjust your walk with Jesus.” “The only right thing for you to do is forgive.” Our culture, it seems, has become trapped in inappropriate “do good” affirmation. Proper admonishment seems out of place to even correct or challenge children in their errors.
    Yes, we must “do” to others with kind words and godly encouragement, helping hands and a generous spirit. Please be mindful, too, that the Bible teaches you it is good, right and necessary to correct one another. Paul reminds of this scope of speaking God’s Word in his epistle to  his trusted helper: 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”
    Our LORD God wants us to experience the full life Jesus promises us. (John 10:10) We can do so only when we learn the full ways of God and live his complete truth. This is the only way the world will know the benefits of doing God’s will on earth
    Know and do unto others God’s will, so they will know God’s will, too. Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.
    Remember these are Jesus’ ways of love. Love as Jesus does.
 
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.”
 
The world needs a way away from woe. It’s a terrible place to be.
 
IN this sermon before multitudes on a level place (Luke 6:7) Jesus preached these four woes in direct contrast to the four blessings of verses 22-23. He didn’t condemn material wealth and personal success. But when Jesus said, “Woe.” he warned destruction is sure if one lived in life’s physical pleasures with no consideration for God. Money and a good personality do not save; in fact, they can cause one to be prideful and lead one to destruction.
    “Woe” is dramatic judgment written 55 times in the prophets’ and wisdom books to warn idolatrous and God-mocking people everywhere God condemns the disobedient to complete destruction. This doesn’t change in the in the gospels and in Revelation. “Woe” is also written 37 times when our gracious Savior and his angels warn, “Woe!” to the unrepentant.
    The world lives on the verge of destruction. We need Jesus. Our Savior  has clearly preached the Word. He requires us to confess what the prophet woeful Jonah confessed in the fish’s belly: Jonah 2:9b “What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord.”
    How great is Jesus’ love! He warns us to, “Go and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11)
     Be ever mindful our natural, woeful souls need the Holy God’s redemptive blessing: Colossians 1:21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.
    A righteous God could have justly remained our enemy. Yet, with love in his essence, redemption on his lips, nail wounds in his hands, and an empty tomb behind him, our risen Savior offers you a way away from woe, so you can be holy with God in his eternal Kingdom.
    What will you do in response to such a glorious Creator and Savior? As we continue, we’ll see Jesus preaches his ways into God’s blessed happiness.
 
Prayer: Turn my mind away from the world’s dangers. Teach me the ways into you. In your name I pray. Amen. 

Luke 6:20-22 Looking at his disciples, Jesus said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 22 What happiness it is when others hate you and exclude you and insult you and smear your name because you are mine! 23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.”
 
JESUS’ beatitudes – blessing teachings – are contrary to our view of life. Who can be poor, hungry, grieving or hated and see it as a blessing?
    From Matthew’s gospel we can understand that being poor is poor in spirit. You understand your sin limits your relationship with Jesus. In response, you are then eager to seek Jesus’ forgiveness. You experience God’s happiness when you know God’s grace brings you from sin’s separation into the Savior’s eternal redemption.
    To be hungry is to desire to consume God’s Word. John 6:32 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” You will be blessed to know consuming, believing and living God’s Word satisfies your soul’s spiritual hunger.
    To mourn is to grieve over your sin and the world’s sin. In response to this sadness, you know God’s blessings in the freedom of your confession and repentance. You will find blessing, too, of God’s presence when you are eager to share the gospel message. 2 John 3 Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.
    Do you mourn for another’s unbelief? Pray for God’s mercy to change those sorrowful circumstances into the joy of his salvation. Rest in his response.
    Or have you ever known isolation or abuse because you stand with Jesus? Then rejoice you belong to the Lord! “You are mine!” he says. Embrace that truth. He will reward your faithful stand. Mark 13:13 “All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
    With a mind set on the King’s ways, you will “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” (James 1:2-3)
   
Prayer: Lord God, keep my eyes on you in all circumstances to remember your great love. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Luke 6:20-22 Looking at his disciples, Jesus said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 22 What happiness it is when others hate you and exclude you and insult you and smear your name because you are mine!”
 
IN Matthew 5:3-11 you can read more of this same “blessed” teaching, known as the Beatitudes. “Beatitude” means “blessing”. Some translations use “happy” for “blessed”.
    How does God define his blessing? The fundamental essence of blessing is written in Numbers 6:23-27 “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: 24 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” 27 So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.’”  Notice that the blessing – the true happiness – will be fulfilled when the LORD’s face is upon his people. The essence of kingdom happiness is to be in a personal face-to-face relationship with God.
    This blessing instructs the priests to teach Israel to keep God’s name foremost on their minds. Mindful of God’s name, they would remember and know he is holy, Almighty Creator, the great Deliverer, Lawgiver and Provider. He is  the LORD, who instructed the tabernacle’s construction, so he could meet with them face-to-face in the desert.
    To meet with one face-to-face is the most intimate way to talk with that person, isn’t it? We even see this truth in the terms “Facebook” and  “Facetime” in our modern communications. These technologies are designed to erase the distance between friends as we see each other’s faces. Sadly, these things have become a substitute for true personal connection. To look into another’s eyes is the best way to be truly personal with them.
    When you believe in Jesus’ love, forgiveness and salvation, you know you can meet him face-to-face, don’t you? The very personal God created mankind to be with him in a true happiness that surpasses all hardships and disappointments.
    The beatitudes are God’s desire for his creation. Submitting to God’s kingdom way is the way you will discover a true, contented happiness face-to-face with the risen Lord.
    We’ll examine next what these particular blessings mean. They seem opposite of our thinking, don’t they?
   
Prayer: I pray, Father, that I am happy in Jesus. Amen.

Luke 6:17-19 He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, 19 and the people all tried to touch him because power was coming from him and healing them all.
 
THIS account of Jesus’ teaching is generally considered to be the same sermon in Matthew 5-7, known as the “Sermon on the Mount” Some think it is a sermon with the same message in a different place. No matter. Jesus is preaching and performing kingdom essentials; it is vital we are attentive to hear the Living Word. We’ll examine his sermon points in the next lessons.
    But first, let’s focus on God’s power at work. We would say that Jesus is on a crusade to call people to repentance. How exciting to know a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases! Jews and Gentiles walked miles and days to Capernaum’s rural areas. They came from foreign countries and far away from within Judea to hear the Lord and to experience his mercy.
    Jesus began something extraordinary here. These kinds of gatherings became the seeds of the kingdom of God growing and expanding. We can consider the multitudes in Acts 2 when Jews were in Jerusalem from many provinces. Three thousand who heard Peter’s first sermon committed their lives to Jesus and were baptized that day. Eager crowds continued to come to the apostles and evangelists. This has never stopped. Eager crowds have come to countless Spirit-anointed evangelists for 2,000 years. God’s true Word is a powerful magnet to collect those who hunger and thirst for God’s righteousness.
    Even more, each Christian has an opportunity to gather with others at least once a week, to experience Jesus’ true preaching and healing mercies. God’s power was not reserved only for those Jesus met during his incarnation. He is here right now welcoming you to know him the same way that crowd on the level place knew him that day. We pray this is your experience.
   
Prayer: Lord, I want to hear your truth and know your mercy. Amen.    
 

Luke 6:13-15 When morning came, Jesus called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: 14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas, son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
 
WHEN Jesus began the kingdom of God on earth, he set apart 12 men to be apostles of God’s gospel. “Apostle” means messenger. Those named in this Scripture were the first people anointed to tell the good news of God’s mercy to forgive sins through the blood of Jesus’ Christ. Matthew 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 
    The entire Bible is a story of many God chose to protect the world with his Word and to advance his purpose: Noah to build the ark, Abraham to father a nation, Moses to give the law, Rahab to open Jericho to Israel, Hannah to commit Samuel to the Lord and David’s lineage to continue the earthly line of Jesus. God also appointed faithful prophets who fought for God’s truth. The Twelve, who Jesus commissioned that day, then fulfilled God’s purpose he had begun with faithful servants of the past. Notice that Luke placed Jesus choosing the Twelve immediately after his nighttime prayer (Luke 6:12).
    Let’s note two things about the apostles. First, the apostles’ name list is different in the gospels. As with Simon Peter, some apostles had a second name the gospel writers used. Some used the Greek form of the men’s names, and some used Aramaic.
    Second, the common question is, “Why choose Judas Iscariot? The Father know Judas would betray the Son!” The Father chose Judas to be the betrayer in order to fulfill God’s sovereign plan to save your soul. Yes, this is difficult to fully understand. Still we must trust all things in the entire Bible are God’s ordained will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. (Matthew 6:10)
    In both Judas, the Betrayer, and the faithful apostles, we understand we all need God’s power and authority to direct our lives. Judas rejected God’s authority. He refused Jesus, and he perished. The other apostles obeyed God’s authority, and they built the church. Ephesians 2:19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
    Follow Jesus’ example. Be prayerful and willing to understand how God’s authority is directing your life to fulfill his purpose for your life.
 
Prayer: Father, open my mind to know you. Open my heart and hands to serve you with wisdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
 
 

Luke 6:12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray and spent the night praying to God.
 
ONE of those days Jesus went to pray. The power of darkness was striving against Jesus’ ministry. The devil has boldly tempted our Lord. Healing hundreds – thousands – would have caused overwhelming fatigue. The Pharisees persistently opposed and minimized Jesus’ authority and grace. Jesus’ closest disciples often wondered, “What does your teaching mean?” How did Jesus, fully man and fully the Lord of Hosts, do when these and other challenges came against him and the Kingdom of God?
    Jesus goes for help. This is the third time Luke has told us of Jesus’ determined desire to be with the Father. (See also Luke 2:49 and Luke 5:16.) As revealed at Jesus’ baptism (Luke 3:21-22), the Father and the Spirit are intimately involved and immediately available. The Spirit gives him the power and discernment to know how to fulfill the Father’s mission. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon him” (Luke 4:18a). The Son’s words came from the Father: “The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” (John 14:10) You could compare Jesus going to pray to the tired pastor going to his leaders to say, “I need help.” Or he is the worn-out missionary who longs for rest from the unstoppable oppression around him. He is the husband and father who needs some quiet time to be strengthened in the roles the Lord has given to him. He is as the weary wife and mother who needs revived strength for all the responsibilities life requires.
    The incarnate Son of Man needed some quiet, empowering time to be fully engaged with the Father and the Spirit. His personal time in prayer was the way to strengthen his personal relationship with his people.  
   
Prayer: Humble my heart, Lord, to consistently and lovingly seek your help. In the Spirit’s power I pray. Amen. 

Luke 6:6-11 On another Sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. 7 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. 8 But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” 10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. 11 But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.
 
We take a second look at this Scripture.
 
THE Pharisees’ self-made Sabbath laws kept them from tasting the sweet water of Jesus’ healing. They should have remembered God’s revelation to their forefathers in the Exodus.
    When God delivered Israel from Egypt’s bondage, he took them into a desert, so he could plainly reveal his healing grace to them. When they were three days without water, Israel came to Marah, a spring with only bitter water. Then the LORD responded to the people’s anguished plea, “What are we to drink?” The Lord showed Mose a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. Then God told his people a key to his character, “For I am the Lord, who heals you.” 
    The LORD then expanded his grace. He led Israel to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water. Life is in God’s sweet healing!
    The same God, who gave water to his nation in the desert, healed a man’s shriveled hand one day in Israel. The experts in the law should have remembered God’s holy character. Exodus 15:26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians.”  (Scriptures from Exodus 15:24-27) Listen to, learn, love and live God’s Word.
    How tragic the ruling Jews’ response to Jesus’ healing was to discuss what they might do to Jesus! If the Jews had refused God’s healing at Marah, they would have died. The Pharisees rejected God’s grace. They would perish.
 
Prayer: Holy Spirit, keep my eyes, ears and heart open to drink the sweet water of your healing grace. Amen.  

Luke 6:6-11 On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. 7 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. 8 But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” 10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. 11 But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.
 
THE Pharisees always challenged Jesus’ grace. On a Sabbath day, they were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus. There was no specific law that prohibited Sabbath healing. But the Pharisees considered it unlawful to care for minor injuries or illness. Imagine their response to Jesus healing a debilitating disease! This was a greater “work” that the Pharisees believed could wait until the next day. Yes, it could, but Jesus’ work here was more about healing the shriveled soul. Jesus wanted to free the Jews held captive to man-made Sabbath rules
    Jesus encountered this Sabbath-healing opposition often in his ministry. He had this very same conversation with other Pharisees in Luke 14:3 Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” 4 But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away. Note, when Jesus asked the question, the Pharisees had no answer. They feared to confront the Truth.
    Isn’t this remarkable? God’s creation power had come to earth “to release the oppressed” (Luke 4:18c). Here is the One who spoke the heavens and the earth into existence. He is the One who established a Sabbath: Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. 2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.  
    In his grace, the God of heaven and earth reveled his power to give new, restored life to mankind. How sad for the Pharisees to say, “Not today.”
    Are you aware of the gracious ways God adds to your life? What is your response?
 
Prayer: Open my eyes, Lord, to see and know the many ways you so graciously heal me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.