Thoughts From Luke - Day 24

                           Luke 6:17-26

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 coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, ¹⁸ who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, ¹⁹ and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
²⁰ Looking at his disciples, he 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 Blessed are you when people hate you,
    when they exclude you and insult you
    and reject your name as evil,
        because of the Son of Man.

²³ “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.

²⁴ “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 everyone speaks well of you,
    for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.

 

      Jesus has just picked his 12 disciples and he is going to start giving them some heads up on what they are in for. First of all he says that they are going to be poor. As opposed to those that have everything on this planet and are so comfortable that they don't need Jesus and don't live for eternity, the disciples will have nothing. They won't have a home, they will share all money, they won't carry a suitcase, but that is okay because when this life is over they will have access to everything in Heaven and direct access to the King not only then, but now. Makes me ask myself, how much effort am I putting into making money versus getting to know God and using the money to make a difference eternally? That is so much better than being rich now. I think of the old song by Jim Reeves, I'd Rather Have Jesus...

 

I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold,
I'd rather be His than have riches untold;
I'd rather have Jesus than houses or land,
Yes, I'd rather be led by His nail-pierced hand.

Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin's dread sway
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.

 

       Secondly, Jesus says that they are going to be hungry. I think we forget this aspect of discipleship. They didn't have a home, they had little money.. where would they get food? They were at the mercy of people's generosity to feed them. Their very existence would rely on people being kind to them. How humbling is that? How scary is that? Next time you see someone needing food, think of the disciples. If you feed them picture feeding the disciples. I know exactly where my next meal is coming from and I need to miss a few. Jesus tells the disciples, "I'm going to build your faith and trust by depending on me for your very existence." I remember my last mission trip to Honduras, I packed so much food for myself that I didn't finish it all.

 

      Third, Jesus says that they are going to weep now and laugh later as opposed to those who are laughing now and weeping later. Jesus was a "man of sorrows, acquainted with grief". What does that mean? I think we get some insight from early in the passage when we see the crowds coming. They were there because of desperation. Things weren't going well in their lives. They had diseases, they were demon possessed and were so desperate that they pushed through the crowd just to maybe touch Him. Where were all the other people? They were relaxing at home, eating, partying, laughing, oblivious both to the pain of people all around them and the presence of God just minutes away from them close enough to touch. I think Jesus is telling the disciples, your life is from now on going to be consumed with needy people. Like the dementors on Harry Potter, they are going to suck you dry. But be of good cheer because there is a party waiting for you at the end that is beyond imagination and well worth the wait.

     Lastly He tells them that people are going to dislike them, speak badly of them, exclude them, mock them and we see that today. We claim to know the truth and that there is Truth out there. There is one way to get to God and people need to come to Jesus to be saved. No matter how we try to sugar coat it or be winsome, intellectual, accepting, non-exclusive, the fact of the matter is that mankind is sinful, separated from God and on their way to Hell unless they repent and call on God for mercy. That is an offensive, narrow message and if you believe that, you can forget ever winning a popularity contest no matter how hard you try. Jesus told the disciples, you picked the losing team - that is if the score was finalized here on Earth. You are on the winning team actually but you don't win till you die. How's that for a pep talk? The rest of the song goes...

I'd rather have Jesus than worldly applause,
I'd rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide fame,
I'd rather be true to His holy name.
Than to be the king of a vast domain
And be held in sin's dread sway
I'd rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today...

   Is this true of you? Is it true of me?