You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
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What a great song to sing before you preach.
I ought to stand up here every Sunday and have y'all sing, Give Me Jesus to me.
Tell me that whenever you want to.
Give me Jesus.
We're looking at God's Word this morning in Luke 6.
And we're studying through Luke's Gospel together.
His careful account of the historical events surrounding in particular Jesus of Nazareth.
We've seen already that this is good news of great joy for all people.
A Savior.
A Savior who will rescue and reshape all sorts of people in relationship with Him.
And we're going to see more of what that good news of great joy for all people looks like this morning.
I'll be honest, as we're getting started, there are several sermons in this passage.
I'm going to try not to preach all of them.
But we're going to start reading at verse 12.
As we read the first few verses, I will stop to give you a couple mini sermons
before we get to the verses on which we will focus this morning.
Luke 6 at verse 12.
In these days, He went out to the mountain to pray,
and all night He continued in prayer to God.
Really mini sermon?
Jesus prayed all night to His Father.
The perfect Son of God who needs sleep, just like we do,
is fueled for all the significant things He's about to do
by this intimate relationship with His Father.
If Jesus needs to pray like that, how much more do we?
Verse 13.
And when day came, He called His disciples and chose from them 12 whom He named apostles.
Simon whom He named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John,
and Philip and Bartholomew and Matthew and Thomas,
and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot,
and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who became a traitor.
It's hard to miss what Jesus is doing here in this passage, isn't it?
As He's calling out this 12, He's creating this unique new community, isn't He?
In fact, 12 men.
Like the 12 tribes of Israel,
He's reconstituting the people of God with these leaders of the community.
To be led by Him into the promised land,
to be sent out by Him on His mission.
And I love how He does it as you read through the list of the apostles here.
Very ordinary men.
No particularly impressive resumes on the list, right?
Fishermen.
Tax collectors.
Some of them very politically liberal.
Some of them politically conservative, as it were in those days.
One working for Rome.
Another likely working passionately against Rome.
But that's the people of God, right?
A band of natural enemies who love one another for Jesus' sake, D.A. Carson says.
In the next verse, we're going to find that the broader group of Jesus' followers
involves a number of Gentiles coming from a long way.
Throughout Luke, many women will be highlighted among Jesus' followers.
Unheard of in the culture of His day.
This rabbi is creating a unique new community
unlike any other group that follows any other religious leader.
Let's keep reading.
Verse 17.
And He came down with them and stood on a level place.
He's about to preach what we call the Sermon on the Plain.
On the level place.
With a great crowd of His disciples
and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem
and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, Gentile region.
Who came to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases.
And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured
and all the crowd sought to touch Him for power came out from Him and healed them all.
What brings all of these diverse people together?
Why are they all there in this one place?
It's a very unique leader, isn't it?
They're all there for Jesus for one reason or another.
His kingdom is coming in word and deed again together at the same time, right?
Some of them are there to hear Him.
To hear Him teach.
Others are there to get healed.
Others to be released from oppression.
But unlike the Pharisees we read about last week looking to trip Jesus up,
they're all there for a different reason.
They're desperate to get near Jesus.
To touch Him even.
Notice in these few verses, just as we're getting started this morning,
the heart of God on display.
What happens after Jesus spends the entire night in prayer with His Father?
Having His heart aligned with God the Father's,
what happens when He walks down from there?
He's got people on His heart, doesn't He?
He's got people He wants to call into special relationship with Him.
There are relationships to establish.
Hasn't that been God's heart since He created us?
To have those relationships?
They're sick to heal.
They're lost to rescue.
A new community of people to teach and shape in a new and unique way.
Don't miss God's heart that's on display as Jesus moves out of prayer with Him.
So a unique new community that this gracious and powerful leader is creating.
And He begins to tell this new community what it will be like as God's people.
And here's where we're going to slow down a bit this morning.
Jesus doesn't tiptoe into the water with the new community.
He dives right into the deep end.
Give your attention to God's Word at verse 20.
And He lifted up His eyes on His disciples and said,
Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil on account of the Son of Man.
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy,
for behold, your reward is great in heaven,
for so their fathers did to the prophets.
But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
Woe to you who are full now,
for you shall be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you shall mourn and weep.
Woe to you when all people speak well of you,
for so their fathers did to the false prophets.
Will you pray with me?
Father, these words are perhaps not hard to understand,
but that's part of our difficulty with them.
And they're hard to hear for many of us.
And so Holy Spirit,
would you not allow us to miss them?
Would you speak to our hearts very clearly
in a way that we know is your voice,
that we can hear and follow,
and in a way that points us to treasure Jesus
more than we ever have.
We ask it in his name.
Amen.
Imagine with me this morning that late one night,
some thieves break into the Target store
down the street here.
They get in,
they disable the alarm system,
they spend a couple of hours in the store,
and they leave at the end of the night
with absolutely nothing.
They don't take a thing.
Instead, what the thieves do is they spend the evening
in the store swapping a bunch of price tags around.
So what happens is the next morning,
before anyone notices what has happened,
shoppers are there turning up their noses
at $700 pairs of socks
and walking out with flat screen TVs
for $3.99?
They're avoiding the $200 candy bars on the shelf,
but they're purchasing formal dresses
for less than a dollar.
Can you imagine how shocking it would be
if you were one of those shoppers
who'd walked in there?
How many TVs or dresses would you buy for that much?
A lot more than you did otherwise, I bet.
The thieves are making out great, aren't they?
All they had to do was swap some price tags
to change what was really valuable,
and they did a lot of damage
without taking a thing.
Jesus enters into a world
where that is very much what has happened.
What's truly valuable has been swapped,
and he wants to swap some price tags back
in some equally drastic and startling ways.
Actually, it's going to make $700 socks
and $4 TVs seem like no big deal
in comparison to what Jesus has to say.
Jesus says to his followers,
to this new community,
I want to tell you who's really important,
what's really valuable,
what the good life really looks like,
what fullness is,
what it means to have a full life,
and you may not recognize it.
Try for just a minute to make a list
of the things that you would think of as blessed.
What does it mean to be blessed?
Come on, you use that word all the time.
You're a church person.
I'm blessed, I'm blessed.
We're all blessed.
What does that mean?
What does it mean to you to be blessed?
Really try to think of some specifics.
What are the things you pray for most often
for yourself and for others?
What do you want for your kids?
What would it look like for them to be blessed?
What's valuable?
Come on, be honest for a second,
like we didn't already read the passage.
Like you don't know what Jesus is about to say.
What would you have answered?
What are those things in your mind
that make up being blessed?
Now listen one more time
as Jesus gathers his followers around
and says, listen, here's what's valuable.
What are they expecting to hear?
Hey guys, let me tell you.
Here's what's valuable.
Blessed are the poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you shall be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you shall laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
when they exclude you and revile you
and spurn your name as evil
on account of the Son of Man.
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy.
For behold, your reward is great in heaven,
for so their fathers did to the prophets.
What in the world is he talking about?
I mean, seriously?
Certainly Jesus is joking.
We all know that this is not actually true,
but he's not joking.
He's dead serious as we will see further.
He begins this address
with compassionate comfort for the have-nots.
For those who don't have,
he says take heart.
Though you experience emptiness now,
you will know fullness forever.
Look briefly at the list he's talking about.
The poor,
those who don't have money,
who don't have influence,
who are outsiders in society,
looked down on,
left out,
because they didn't have any of those things.
Those who are outsiders in society
are the first ones who are in
in Jesus' new community,
aren't they?
The poor.
They're blessed.
Jesus is indeed bringing great joy
for all people.
In fact,
the poor aren't just sneaking in
like one here and one there,
kind of making their way in
and infiltrating his kingdom.
No,
they own the place.
Yours is the kingdom of heaven,
Jesus says.
Take heart.
There's the hungry now.
They're hungry now
and are told they will one day be full.
Satisfied.
Take heart,
Jesus says.
You have a provider
who will fulfill forever.
Never.
Then Jesus says,
blessed are you who weep now.
Maybe not what you think of as blessing,
but is that you?
Those who weep now?
Some of you have dealt with more pain
and shed more tears already
in your life
than you ever anticipated
doing in your entire life.
Than most people ever do.
You ever had one of those days
you just keep crying?
Do you have a grief in your past
that every time you think about it,
the tears just flow?
You can't seem to stop.
Some of us do.
A lot of times,
just living in this world
can make us feel like
we will never smile broadly
or laugh deeply again.
We feel insignificant.
Forgotten.
Downcast.
Jesus would take your hand this morning
and He wants you to hear Him
saying tenderly to you,
blessed are you who weep now.
You're blessed.
There will be joy again.
You will laugh again.
One day I will wipe away
every tear.
Take heart.
Be of good cheer.
He's caring for you.
And finally,
He tells them that this
strange,
blessed life of His followers
will involve being hated.
What you've always wanted, right?
Excluded.
Slandered.
Notice importantly there,
it's on account of Jesus,
the Son of Man.
Your allegiance to Him.
Not being reviled
on account of your abrasive attitude.
That doesn't count.
And here Jesus says,
not just take heart,
but even what?
Rejoice.
Not just hang in there.
Not just it's not as bad as you think.
Rejoice.
Leap for joy.
How many times do you leap for joy?
You don't do that a lot.
Here's a great opportunity
to leap for joy.
Why?
Your reward is great in heaven.
The picture here is of people
who are poor,
hungry,
tearful,
outcast.
They experience emptiness
perhaps for years,
but they know Jesus.
They follow Jesus.
And He promises
an eternity of fullness
that far outweighs today.
Eternity is way more valuable
than today.
He's saying.
Notice the message here
is not go be.
It's not a go be message.
Go be poor
or hungry
or outcast.
That's not the goal.
That's clear from the fact
that the blessedness
is not in the state itself
because He says
the hungry
will be satisfied.
Those who weep now
will laugh.
So it's not
just getting there,
go be poor
or go cry more.
He's saying something different.
He's saying
the have-nots
will become haves
because they have
Jesus
forever.
That's how
the have-nots
will become haves
because they have Jesus.
You've seen that joy
on the face
of a poor person,
haven't you?
Perhaps sickly thin,
maybe grieving deeply
over loss
of something significant,
someone loved
and at the same time
worshiping Jesus.
You've seen Him,
haven't you?
Maybe here in Huntsville.
Some of you have seen Him
in an orphanage
in Peru.
Maybe somewhere else
that you've gone
and maybe
if you're anything like me
you've had that moment
where you thought
I'm actually a little jealous.
I'm seeing something
in their eyes
and in the way
their heart cries out
in worship of Jesus.
Have you thought
like I have?
Man,
when Jesus is all you've got
He sure seems precious.
They sure treasure Him.
So Jesus is swapping
some price tags here.
This is not what
His followers were expecting.
He speaks to the have-nots
and tells them
what the world deems
worthless
is actually valuable.
worthless.
But then He turns
to the have's
and He tells them
what the world
deems valuable
is actually
worthless.
don't miss the strength
of Jesus' warnings
here.
It's coming from
the same
compassionate heart
but when Jesus says
woe to someone
you better pay attention.
He doesn't do it often
but it's serious
when He does.
He says to the have's
woe
beware
watch out
danger
though you experience
fullness now
you will know
emptiness
forever.
Don't skirt these words
verse 24
but woe
to you who are rich
for you have received
your consolation.
Woe to you
who are full now
for you shall be hungry.
Woe to you
who laugh now
for you shall mourn
and weep.
Woe to you
when all people
speak well of you
for so their fathers
did to the false prophets.
What do you want me to say?
That He's not talking
to you and me?
I wish I could.
But Jesus consistently
has strong warnings
for those with money.
We can't dodge them.
He says it's hard
for the rich
even to enter
the kingdom of God
harder than squeezing
a camel through the eye
of a needle.
In the parable
of the sower
it's the deceitfulness
of riches
that chokes out
seed on the thorny soil.
When Jesus says
you can't serve
two masters
it's
who's the second master
you can't serve God
and what?
Money.
Perhaps like us
Jesus' disciples
are taken aback.
Hold on
there goes a TV
for nothing.
Are you serious?
Riches are a good sign.
In that culture
riches were a sign
of God's blessing.
Right?
God must like me.
I must be one of His.
He's taking care of me.
Don't we often think
the same way sometimes?
God is blessing me.
How do I know?
Because my business
is growing
and my health is good
and keep on going
down the line.
I don't know what things
you wrote down earlier
but if you'd had long enough
those would have been
on the list wouldn't they?
Jesus says beware.
In my kingdom
level of godly living
does not equate
to level of material blessing.
In fact there's
an inherent danger
in having money.
In feeling fulfilled
in life.
In being on the inside
all the time.
And that danger
is that you have so much
that you will miss
your need
for the eternal treasure.
It's a danger
Jesus speaks against
time and time again.
You'll miss your need
for the eternal treasure.
You'll miss that
you already have
your reward.
That you've received
your consolation already.
Consolation
may seem like
a strange word to you.
It's the same word
used earlier in Luke
when Jesus is the
consolation of Israel.
The one they've been
waiting for.
The consolation is
Jesus himself.
You miss
Jesus.
He says
woe to you
if you have
much stuff.
If life is
basically good.
If people
basically like you.
Full pockets.
Full bellies.
full hearts.
Full status.
If you will.
You will be
empty
forever
if you don't
have
Jesus.
And be honest.
What is the value
of 80
years
or more
of feeling
fulfilled
compared
to an eternity
of experiencing
deep
emptiness?
holiness.
Listen,
this is not
merely about
scolding
those who
make six figures.
Jesus is
calling
all of us
to treasure
him.
And when the
treasure chest
is full
of other things
beware.
Watch out.
Be warned.
It clings
to you.
It settles
you there.
the way
this new
community
Jesus'
kingdom
functions
it's about
needing
not having.
Puritan
Thomas Watson
said
until we
see our
poverty
we will
never
see
Christ's
value.
See
in his
kingdom
there's only
one king.
There's only
one
with a lot
to offer
and the
rest of us
come
how?
Poor
nothing
in my
hands
I
bring
so that
we can
cling
tightly
to
and
treasure
the
king.
That's
how it
works.
Our
culture
has swapped
a lot
of price
tags
on us
and many
of us
have
bought
right in.
Rich
means worthy
and poor
means unworthy
which
looks like
among other
things
external
image
valued
above
internal
character.
Self
determination
being
whatever
you want
valued
above
reflecting
God's
image.
Control
of your
life
valued
above
trusting
God
and
leaning
into
relationship
with
him
in
difficult
times.
See
having
money
helps
get
all
those
things
we
value
doesn't
it?
And I
say
we
intentionally
because
we
in the
church
have
in
many
ways
the
very
same
values
as
all
of
the
people
around
us
don't
we?
The
price
swapping
thieves
have
duped
us
too
haven't
they?
Changing
what's
really
valuable
for
something
worthless.
So
what's
Jesus
doing
in this
opening
address
to
his
new
community
of
followers?
He's not
just trying
to confuse
them
is he?
will
help us
understand
how to
apply it
to
ourselves
if we
can
see
what
he's
doing.
What
he's
doing
here
is
he's
preparing
them
for
what's
ahead.
These
challenging
words
are
preparatory
for
his
followers
for
what
he's
going
to
call
them
to
tangibly
and
specifically
in
terms
of
lives
of
sacrifice
and
self
denial.
Preparing
them
also
for
what
they
will
face
in
terms
of
opposition
and
persecution
from the
world.
And he
knows that
to prepare
them for
either of
those
things
they must
have their
hearts
clear on
what's
really
valuable.
So he's
focusing here
in these
verses
inward
on their
hearts
right?
With
words
that carry
undeniable
outward
tangible
implications
we
we can't
miss.
He does
it with
the
have
nots.
What
about
the
days
you're
in
need
or
suffering
for
Jesus?
You've
been there
or you
will be
there.
How does
a have
not
know
if he's
really
treasuring
Jesus?
What
would that
look like?
I'd
suggest
that
taking
Jesus'
words to
heart
means
a
have
not
would
not
pursue
value
in
the
places
that
the
world
does.
Just
think
about
the
basis
of
decisions
you
would
make
in
those
lowly
moments.
Do you
decide
about
the
job
you'll
take
based
on
what
it
will
pay
even
if
it
moves
you
away
from
fellowship
with
God
and
his
people?
Just
take
the
one
that
pays
more.
Do
you
soothe
your
tears
in
your
darkest
moments
with
false
promises
of
life
getting
better
and
strategies
to
fix
things
or
with
God's
promises
of
eternal
hope
and
plans
to
depend
on
him.
But
Jesus
particularly
is focusing
on the
hearts
of the
haves
with
some
obvious
outward
implications
for
them
isn't
he?
How
does
a
have
know
if
he's
really
treasuring
Jesus?
I
always
recommend
starting
with
what I
call
the
Jesus
challenge
from
the
encounter
with
the
rich
young
ruler
Jesus
tells
the
rich
young
ruler
to
sell
everything
he
has
and
give
to
the
poor
and
then
he'll
have
treasure
in
heaven
what's
Jesus
saying
hey
you
think
you're
a
have
but
you
really
treasure
Jesus
I've
got
a lot
of
stuff
but
I
treasure
Jesus
says
great
here's
how
you
can
start
giving
it
away
give
a
little
away
give
a
lot
away
how
does
it
make
you
feel
how
does
it
make
you
feel
when
you
start
thinking
about
the
particular
things
you
will
give
away
and
not
have
does
your
heart
kind
of
protest
a
little
bit
as
you
think
about
it
he's
not
calling
all
of
us
to
give
away
all
of
our
things
right
I
mentioned
this
challenge
several
years
ago
when
preaching
about
that
particular
story
and
several
of
you
told
me
it
was
hard
enough
just
thinking
about
it
you
didn't
actually
have
to
give
anything
away
you
just
had
to
think
about
what
it
would
feel
like
giving
away
things
like
money
control
comfort
so
forth
listen
we
have
to hear
Jesus'
warning
clearly
this
morning
don't
assume
your
heart
is
full
of
Jesus
if
your
life
and
your
bank
account
and
your
home
are
full
of
the
things
of
this
world
don't
assume
your
heart
is
full
of
Jesus
our
concept
of
fullness
is
so
small
it's
just
the
things
we
want
for
ourselves
and
for
our
lives
it's
too
narrow
that
longing
for
him
Jesus
is
teaching
us
that
we
must
begin
to
see
him
as
most
valuable
to
be
prepared
for
what
he
will
call
us
to
sacrifice
for
the
sake
of
having
him
he's
going
to
call
us
to
sacrifice
some
things
now
to
have
him
forever
this
passage
also
reminds
us
Jesus
is
preparing
us
for
what
we
will
face
in
this
world
with
a
different
value
system
from
his
following
in
Jesus
and
having
his
values
may
cost
you
financially
it
may
cost
you
professionally
may
cost
you
relationally
it
may
cost
you
physically
the
choice
between
valuing
today
and
valuing
someday
between
valuing
now
and
valuing
forever
is going
to become
increasingly
evident
you'll
face
reviling
and
perhaps
firing
from
a
co-worker
you'll
face
mocking
and
perhaps
exclusion
from
friends
you'll
face
hatred
and
perhaps
persecution
from
neighbors
if you
haven't
already
you
will
soon
and
you'll
have
to
have
decided
if
Jesus
is
worth
it
if
the
reproach
of
Christ
is
more
valuable
than
the
treasures
of
Egypt
you'll
have
to
make
that
decision
but
listen
here's
the
beautiful
opportunity
that we
have
in
those
moments
rather
than
just
thinking
oh
I've
got
the
chance
to
get
back
at
the
one
who
just
hurt
me
you
can
actually
show
them
the
true
treasure
that's
the
beauty
of
what
Jesus
is
doing
here
see
you
know
the
haves
we
know
the
haves
don't
we
and
they
need
to
know
Jesus
they
need
to
see
the
treasure
the
haves
next
door
who
fired
you
or
left
you
out
or
whatever
else
they
need
to
see
you
have
not
in
some
ways
walking
through
poverty
hunger
tears
or
rejection
whatever
is
brought
into
your
life
whatever
it
may
be
now
they
need
to
see
you
walk
through
that
and
not
act
like
you
lost
your
true
treasure
forever
and
for
that
you'll
need
a
community
like
Jesus
is
creating
right
here
I
believe
that
is
together
having
our
hearts
shaped
towards
what
is
truly
valuable
we
together
as a
community
must
swap
some
price
tags
it'll
look
like
a lot
of
things
and
we'll
get
to
talk
more
in
coming
weeks
but
for
starters
we
must
value
the
poor
in
our
city
and
not
just
value
them
expect
that
they
have
much
to
teach
us
about
fullness
and
blessedness
rather
than
merely
valuing
climbing
the
social
ladder
move
toward
them
and
find
out
when
you
get
there
that
you
haven't
moved
down
toward
them
that
there's
blessedness
there
we must
value the
reputation
of Christ
more than
the
reputation
of our
new
kitchen
we must
value
time
with the
suffering
and the
lost
rather than
merely
valuing
time
with the
comfortable
and the
religious
multiple
families
in this
body
alone
right
now
are
wrestling
with
young
adult
children
who
want
to
take
the
good
news
of
Jesus
Christ
overseas
to
distant
and
dangerous
countries
and it's
hard
because they
love their
kids
and they
taught them
to treasure
Jesus
but
that much
did I
mean I
really wanted
them to
treasure
Jesus
some of
those
parents
and
grandparents
are actually
considering
going
themselves
to
places
where
they
know
there's
a real
possibility
they won't
see their
kids or
grandkids
again
they're
wrestling
with that
loss
we must
value
the eternal
glories
of Christ
more than
the earthly
glories
of Southwood
what would
we do
if we
truly
treasure
Jesus
above all
else
what would
that look
like
what if
we
individually
or
corporately
found
ourselves
to have
given
away
so much
that we
were really
in need
and we
got to
find out
for ourselves
and for
our kids
if Jesus
was really
serious
when he
said this
if he was
really serious
that there
was blessing
and fullness
to be found
there in
not
having
that's the
eternal
blessing
he wants
us to
find
the treasure
we would
get to
show
our
neighbors
and our
co-workers
and our
friends
the one
he wants
them to
be enamored
with
more than
our stuff
it's
Jesus
if we
get that
treasure
we'll have
that treasure
to offer
to others
the king
who calls
us only
where he
has already
gone
Jesus
stands
before
these
followers
gathered
around
him
when he
says
these
things
having
already
laid
aside
the
glories
and the
privileges
and the
joys
and the
riches
of heaven
and become
right among
them
poor
and hungry
and lowly
and outcast
Jesus
pulled the
greatest
price tag
swap
ever
didn't he
he pulled
the
incalculable
price tag
off those
heavenly
glories
and placed
it on us
didn't he
that's what
I value
relationship
with us
was so
valuable
to him
that he
would give
up the
comfort
and the
privilege
of heaven
to suffer
for us
and he
restores
that relationship
with us
forever
that relationship
that was
always so
precious to
the heart
of God
to be in
close
relationship
with us
Jesus
restores
forever
he's so
worthy
he's so
valuable
whatever
he calls you
to sacrifice
wherever
he calls you
to go
he'll always
be worth it
let's pray
Jesus we
believe that
but we
struggle to
believe that
there are
so many
other things
we treasure
and
would you
work in our
hearts this
morning
that we
might truly
cry out
give me
Jesus
that that
might be
the longing
of our
hearts
not just
that those
words would
be on our
lips
momentarily
but that
that would
be the
longing
and the
deep
desire
of our
hearts
that we
would have
you
and be
found
with nothing
else to
our credit
but an
eternal
treasure
we're
going to
need you
to change
some
things
in our
hearts
but I
know you
will do
that
Holy Spirit
work in
us
give us
more of
Jesus
make us
satisfied
joyful
and fulfilled
in him
for more
information
visit us
online
at
southwood.org
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h
you