Luke 6:20-26

 Luke 6:20-26

The Sermon on the Plain is very like The Sermon on the Mount, but with a different context. Both were directed at Jesus' disciples. In this context, Jesus has just begun to be rejected by the religious elite and they were filled with rage beginning their discussions that would one day lead to his murder. Having been rejected and then appointing His apostles, Jesus tells his disciples that a completely different system of values and priorities needs to be theirs.  Notice the contrast that Jesus sets up:

Blessed are you who are poor         vs Woe to you who are rich!

Blessed are you who hunger         vs Woe to you who are well fed! 

Blessed are you who weep         vs Woe to you who laugh! 

Blessed are you when men hate you vs Woe to you when men speak well of you!

The list could have been nearly endless, but Jesus provides examples enough to demonstrate that the values of the world’s system are the opposite of the values of His kingdom. We ought to also note that the blessings are kingdom values, and relative to behavior. If a person is poor because they have given up all for the kingdom, they are blessed. But if they are poor as a result of addiction, or gambling, or investments and get-rich-quick schemes, there is no blessing there. These are kingdom values not circumstantial ones.

The four woes Jesus presents are a near perfect description of any self-centered culture especailly ours. What more could a person want other than to be well off, satisfied, having fun, and well liked? How much of our energy is directed at one of these four? But the result is that in the long run, none of them lasts. They all end in vanity and emptiness.

The Lord points out that with every blessing or woe there is a judgment. With each statement there are two parts-the current situation and the end result. The values of the world will always focus on the current condition. The disciple will always focus on the Kingdom condition. If all we look at are the current conditions, it makes no sense to be a disciple.  But if what Jesus says about the Kingdom condition is true only a fool would desire the values of this world.

Blessed are you who are poor, you possess the kingdom of God.

Woe to you who are rich there is nothing more for you.

Blessed are you who hunger now, you will be satisfied.

Woe to you who are well fed now, all you have to anticipate is hunger.

Blessed are you who weep now, you will one day laugh.

Woe to you who laugh now, you will live in deep regret. 

Blessed are you when men hate you, in the Kingdom you will be in great company.

Woe to you when men speak well of you, popular opinion is wrong and you are in the wrong company.

“Lord, help me to live the values of Your Kingdom and not this world. AMEN”