LAY DOMINICANS Central Province USA

Sunday’s Gospel Message (Luke 6:17, 20-26)

“He….stood on a level place” This summary of Jesus’ teaching has been called the “sermon on the plain” in contrast to Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount” (Matt. 5-7) Luke may be describing the same event, but not necessarily. Most likely he reported standard features in the “keynote address” Christ likely repeated often when presenting His kingdom. The features we find here surely are basic elements in Christ’s present kingdom, and foundational to our life as citizens in it. Jesus’ focus on His disciples (v. 20) makes it clear this sermon is for us.

“Blessed are you” ( Luke 6:20-23). The blessing Jesus referred to is the unique joy experienced only by those who participate in His kingdom. Note that Jesus used the present tense here: “Blessed are you.” Out of what others call deprivation flow the unique joy of experiencing God’s living presence/ We who look beyond the material world not only have great reward in heaven, but even as we suffer we “rejoice in that day and leap for joy.” What a mistake to assume that joy and blessing depend on our bank balance. Or well-stocked closets. Joy and blessing flow out of relationship with the Lord, and are dependent only on our closeness to Him.

“Woe to you who are rich” (Luke 6:24-26). The woes stand in direct contrast to the blessings. The misery Luke associated with wealth in not rooted in riches themselves, but in the impact of riches on the individual. The wealthy are tempted to seek satisfaction in the things they can buy now, rather then giving priority to the world to come, and tend to ignore spiritual realities. And the wealthy seem to consider what others think of them more important that what God thinks. James 2:6-7 seems to assume, as Luke here may, that anyone in the first century who was wealthy had gained his or her riches at the expense of someone else. Whatever their source, Christ clearly taught that riches are deceitful. Rich or poor, we must learn to depend solely on the Lord.