Luke 6 Soap

Good morning New Hope, this is Jeff Sheffer bringing today's SOAP and it comes from Luke chapter 6.  Please take a minute to read the entire chapter HERE.

Even though we are only a ¼ of the way into the gospel of Luke we are well past the chapters that we traditionally refer to as the “Christmas Story”.  But I feel like there is a still a tie back to chapter 2:14 where Luke records the heavenly hosts praising God and saying “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Before we dig into chapter 6 I want to give you a little set up.  Last Sunday in pastor Vicki’s sermon she led us in an exercise called “dwelling in the word”.  She read scripture from Luke 18 having to do with the town of Jericho, and blind man and Jesus.  As she read it we were to listen to a word or phrase that spoke to us.  For me it was the phrase “have mercy”.  Jesus said to the blind man, what do you want?'' and he responded ‘have mercy” on me Lord, I want to see.

In the middle of chapter 6 Luke records a very special teaching from Jesus, something called the sermon on the mount where we learn about this churchy word called the Beatitudes.  What exactly are these?

The Beatitudes are statements that are radical and bold that typically go against the our earthly culture and ways of the world.  Ironically their intent is to establish the kingdom of heaven on earth by bringing blessedness, true peace and freedom for all who dare to follow Jesus as his disciples.

Today we’ll focus on 32-36 from the sermon on the mount.

32 “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 children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.   36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Did you hear that?  Jesus is instructing us to what?  To Be merciful, just as the the Father is merciful to us. 

Is that radical?  Well when you consider what instruction comes along with this it is.  For example, loving only those that love you back is nothing special.  Being good to someone and expecting something in return for a “credit”?   Isnt this is how the world already operates?

Jesus is calling us to operate differently.  To take it to another level.  To give without expecting anything in return.  To be different from the world.  To be like the father when he gave the world a gift.  A babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger when the heavenly host of angels praised God saying Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!

Lord thank you for the gift of Jesus.  Thank you for your goodwill to us all.  Lord this sinner needs your goodwill, this sinner needs your mercy.  Lord daily we need your power, strength and love to operate in a way that is above this world.  Lord help us be merciful just as the father has been merciful to us.   Amen