A STUDY OF THE BOOK OF LUKE
A Sermon with Eternity in Mind
Luke 6 SCC 3/20/16
TRADITIONS
MUST BE CHALLENGED DUE TO THEIR RELATIVE VALUE
Following Jesus is
better than Sabbath keeping 1-5
Here
is a controversy about picking grain on the Sabbath. The Pharisees complain
about the disciples picking grain as Sabbath breaking v 1-2. Jesus’ response
was not to deny it, but to give an example where David did that which is not lawful v 3-4. The point is some values are lord
over other values and the Son of Man is
Lord of the Sabbath v 5. Jesus is
greater than the Sabbath, so following Jesus is better than Sabbath keeping.
NB: What’s interesting is that there
is no evidence that the apostles kept a Sabbath day. Even if one assumes they
met on Saturday or Sunday, there is no evidence they considered that a rest
day. Jesus did not accommodate traditionalism because of its relative value.
What is lawful/unlawful to do should be determined by
the Word of God not tradition. We should be determined to know nothing more
than the Bible knows. Tradition should not simply be modified by the Bible.
That assumes tradition is the foundational authority.
Saving a life is
better than Sabbath keeping 6-11
Jesus is
healing in the Synagogue on the Sabbath v 6-7. Jesus, knowing the Pharisees
were watching hoping to accuse him of wrongdoing said, I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do
harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to destroy it? v
8-9. So life saving is more important than Sabbath keeping. Jesus was
especially irritating to the Pharisees concerning the Sabbath and the
Synagogue. They put more significance in these than in theology and morality. This
is probably why the Pharisees were filled
with rage v 10-11. God was not supposed to hear sinners or Sabbath
violators yet right in front of them God endorses this. At their wits end the
Pharisees not sure what to do have the conviction that something must be done.
Their mindless irrational plotting begins.
NB: The question Christ forced was,
“Who is Lord around here?” If tradition is lord, then follow it. If Jesus is
Lord, then follow Him. But following
Christ inevitably results in breaking tradition. Traditions have several values: (1) they create teachable moments and
(2) they help bring chaos to order. But traditional values will also be: (1)
polluted with worldly values, (2) limited in what they teach, and (3)
competitive with the Bible. Unlike the Bible, traditions dull the senses and make
people dull, complacent, and unmovable. Jesus did not go over well in
synagogues. In Nazareth they tried to kill him. In Capernaum they tried to trap
Him. But when He offended both the Sabbath and the synagogue, the Pharisees were filled with rage, and discussed
together what they might do to Jesus. Traditionalists value their
traditions not for what they teach but who they control—the masses. So make
another choice.
CHOOSE
TO IDENTIFY WITH PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW JESUS NOT TRADITIONS
Jesus prays and
decides 12-13
Before
choosing the Twelve Jesus withdrew and spent all night in prayer v 12. Calling
them disciples and then apostles indicates they were to function as his
representatives and mouthpieces for the message of the kingdom v 13. The
pattern was that the multitude chose to follow Him, but He chose the twelve
apostles. Jesus’ leadership responded to the crowd but initiated when it came
to choosing leaders. Respond to the crowd and initiate toward potential leaders
is Christlike.
Jesus identifies
with the ordinary 14-16
Jesus
brings into this important group a wide variety of ordinary men; a fisherman, a
tax collector, a political revolutionary, a skeptical man who later wanted
clear proof of Jesus’ resurrection, and even a future traitor. The choice of
Judas Iscariot is not an accident but itself was part of a series of events in
which God’s hand was at work.
Jesus continues to
be popular 17-19
With
Jesus team now assembled, Luke summarizes Jesus’ work in the region and amongst
the people. Jesus healing continues to draw people to him v 17-18. The crowd
was also interested in his teaching. Luke continues to stress Jesus’ power
drawing people to him v 19. Some have come to him while others have rejected
him. The division will grow only more intense and eventually more violent. Some
will serve him for life and receive special instruction, teaching and authority
from him. The leaders of the church age did not emerge by accident or vote but
were hand picked.
NB: Be careful who you choose to
identify with in the church. Traditionalists will always have additional
agendas to obeying and following Christ. Their traditions keep people in
bondage not freedom. Traditions are designed to initiate the masses for the
purpose of controlling them by their agenda of power and influence. Christ
offended the traditionalists with the truth. Understand the truth, orient your
life around it, and expect the fury of traditionalists who will be offended by
your Historical/grammatical reality.
THE BEST CHOICE IS
TO EMBRACE JESUS AND HIS TEACHING NOT TRADITION
Pursue poverty and
rejection 20-26
Jesus
delivered the Great Sermon of Luke 6. The first thing He told the multitude who
had gathered there was, Blessed are you
who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of heaven v 20. He went on to tell
them they should consider themselves blessed if they were hungry, weeping, or
hated for His sake because their reward would be great in heaven v 21-23. On the other hand, He said, Woe to you who are rich, well, fed fed, laugh now and when all men speak well of you v 24-26 because you are receiving your comfort in full. Jesus avoided, and taught
believers to avoid, wealth and social acceptance, while favoring poverty and
rejection for following Him. The reason
was wealth and acceptance now is likely to be detrimental to rewards in heaven.
NB: We should consider ourselves
blessed by God when we are poor, hungry, weeping, or hated for Christ’s sake because
we will be blessed in heaven. Jesus said, be
glad in that day and leap for joy (Luke 6:30). The point is, you want to enter heaven with the scales balanced against
you in this life, as if life owes you something. So make sure you leave this
life having given more than you received. If you give yourself all your rewards
here, then you won’t receive any in heaven. The problem is we are from here not
from heaven. We like to say this world is
not my home I’m just a passing through but that’s hard because we are from
here. We are leaving here and we’re not coming back.
Pursue loving your
enemies 27-38
Jesus
went on to tell the multitude that they should love their enemies’ v 27. This
was a radical concept for Jews, who were taught all through the Old Testament
to destroy their enemies. But in the Law, God spoke to Israel nationally. Jesus
is speaking to people personally. Then he gives eleven examples of love your enemies in v 27-35: (1) Do good to those who hate you, (2) bless those who curse you, (3) pray for those who mistreat you, (4) whoever hits you on the cheek offer him the
other also, (5) whoever takes away
your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either, (6) give to everyone who asks of you, (7) whoever takes away what is yours, do not
demand it back (8) treat others as
you want them to treat you, (9) be
merciful just as your Father is merciful, (10) Do not judge (unjustly
attempting to balance the scales to bring justice personally) and you will not be judged, and (11) give
and it will be given you (God is in charge of all outcomes and those
outcomes have eternal consequences).
NB: The point is, love your enemies expecting nothing in return; and your reward
[in heaven] will be great, and you
will be sons of the Most High (6:35) That
is be sure you leave this world having given more than you have received, be on
the wrong end of justice. Leave having the scales of life tipped against you.
There is no way this mentality came out of the middle east
culture by the way. Where do you find this teaching in the Middle East
cultures? You don’t have to visit Israel and the West Bank very long to realize
there is no way the Gospel came from these cultures. The Gospel and this
teaching came from heaven!
Pursue the call to
obey Jesus 39-49
Here are
five short parables by which Jesus describes the importance of whom one follows:
(1) A blind man like you are cannot guide a blind man for each is
blind v 39 (2) A pupil like you is not above his teacher like Me (Christ) v 40 (3) the speck sin that is in
your brother’s eye, vs. the log more
obvious sin that is in your own eye which
is why you can’t follow each other v 41-42
(4) each tree is known by its own
fruit v 43-45. Atheist
philanthropists like a Fred Meijer in Grand Rapids is not producing good fruit
because it is all for this life. He said he wanted to give back to the city which
gave him so much. The city didn’t give him squat. God gave him what he had and
he refused to acknowledge that. (5) the
house with a foundation v 47-49 the word of God, and the house without any foundation build upon other
than a sufficient Bible.
NB: The point is, why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? If one
thinks through the options, it is obvious that the best choice is to embrace
Jesus and his teaching. This is the only way there can be eternal dividends
from one’s life.
SO WHAT?
1. Be willing to offend others who believe their traditions
have equal authority to God’s Word.
2.
Surround yourself with believers who believe that only the Bible is sufficient
truth for life.
3. Determine
to obey only Jesus teaching embodied with authority within the writing of the
apostles.