Luke Bible Study, Day 13
Today’s passage: Luke 6
Focus verse: He went down with them and stood on a level place. (Luke 6:17)
You may have heard of Jesus’s best-known sermon, the Sermon on the Mount, which Matthew records in his biography of Jesus. The sermon gets its name because it happens on the side of a mountain—a mount, if you will.
Luke also records a lengthy sermon, but this one doesn’t occur on the side of a mountain. Instead, it happens on a level place, a plain or possibly a plateau. To distinguish this sermon from the one Matthew records, let’s call this one the Sermon on the Plain.
Before Jesus delivers his Sermon on the Plain, something significant happens. The people flock to Jesus, not only to hear him, but also for him to heal them from their diseases and cure them from their evil spirits. And here’s the interesting part.
Luke says all the people try to touch him, because power flows from him, the power to heal.
After Jesus meets the physical needs of the people, he’s ready to teach them—and they’re ready to listen.
Jesus begins with a series of encouragements to those who struggle. He starts each one saying, “Blessed are you . . . ,” which he follows up with a promise of provision.
He moves to a series of warnings to people who seem to have it good. He starts each one of these saying, “Woe to you . . . ,” which he follows up with a somber look into their future. Through these two series, Jesus lifts the downtrodden and warns the prosperous.
Next, he talks about loving our enemies and showing mercy, just as God shows us mercy. Then Jesus warns against judging others and the importance of forgiving. To the degree we forgive, we will receive forgiveness.
Don’t rush past this.
To receive full forgiveness from God, we must forgive others fully. To be forgiven, we must forgive.
Then he slips in a parable about the foolishness of a blind person trying to lead another blind person. A second parable considers the hypocrisy of trying to help someone overcome a minor problem when the first person’s dilemma is greater.
Jesus moves from this into another example. We can identify a tree by the fruit that grows on its branches. So, too, good people do good things, but evil comes from those with evil hearts.
To wrap up his Sermon on the Plain, Jesus contrasts wise builders with foolish ones. The wise ones build on a solid foundation, which is what we do when we put Jesus’s words into practice.
The Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain have similar passages, but they’re different events.
Because Jesus speaks to many groups, in many places, it’s logical that he tailors each message to his audience, giving them precisely what they need to hear.
Jesus also gives us what we need to hear when we need it. All we need to do is listen to what he says—and then obey.
Questions:
How well do we do at forgiving others?
When God speaks to us, how well do we listen?
[Discover more in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5–7.]
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Read more about the book of Luke in Dear Theophilus: A 40-Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus through the Gospel of Luke, now available in ebook, paperback, and hardcover.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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