Doing The Gospel

“Doing the Gospel”

Luke 6:27-38

Raise your hand if you live by these instructions from Jesus all the time?

Anyone?

Why not?

What’s gone wrong?

Is Jesus way off base?

Does He expect too much of us?

Theologian N.T. Wright says the following about these instructions from Jesus in Luke Chapter 6: “This list is all about the God you believe in—and about the way of life that follows as a result.”

And he continues, “We must admit with shame that large sections of Christianity down through the years seem to have known little of the God Jesus was talking about.”

This may be true, but I’d like to be a bit more introspective about these words this morning.

And the reason for this is that I must admit, in shame, that large sections of my life down through the years make it appear that I have known little of the God Jesus was talking about.

At the same time, I must admit, that if it weren’t for words such as these I would have a very hard time worshiping and giving my life to try and follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

The reason for this is that these words ring true, do they not?

This is the WAY we are supposed to live.

This is the WAY life should work.

This is THE ANSWER to all our problems.

If we could just learn to love one another—even our enemies, if we could do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, pray for those who mistreat us, turn the other cheek and do to others as we would have them do to us there wouldn’t be any violence.

There wouldn’t be any revenge.

There wouldn’t be any divisions or class or prejudice.

Property and possessions wouldn’t be nearly as important as making sure our neighbor was all right.

Life would be exuberant, different, astonishing.

And imagine if just a few people around us or just one lived like this…

…people would stare.

And people did stare at Jesus because this is how He lived.

It

It’s the reason the crowds gathered and power was flowing out of Jesus and people were being healed and transformed.

In Christ, they were getting a glimpse of the way people are supposed to relate to one another.

Jesus’ whole life was one of exuberant love, mercy and generosity—giving all He had to give to everyone who needed it.

And finally, when they struck Him on the cheek and ripped His coat and shirt off His back, He went on loving and forgiving.

And He didn’t show love only to His friends, but to His enemies, weeping over the city of Jerusalem that had rejected His plea for peace.

He was the true embodiment of the God of Whom He spoke.

He was God in the flesh.

There had never been anyone like Him before He arrived and there has not been anyone like Him since He returned to heaven.

But there have been millions upon millions of people who have been transformed by His life, His teachings and His love.

And this is the proof that He is still alive.

If we didn’t have the example of Christ to go by…

…if we didn’t have His words and teachings…

…and if His Holy Spirit were taken from this world—this life of ours would be hell, indeed.

There would be no hope.

There would be no love.

There would be no reason to live.

And that is why, when I live as if I don’t know the God Whom Jesus talks about, I am unhappy, unfulfilled, lost and in the dark.

But when I take hold of that for which Christ has taken hold of me, I am filled with life…

…an inner life, an inner peace, an inner love that has little or nothing to do with what is going on around me.

Jesus is the Light in the darkness.

He is the Life in a dead world.

He is the Truth in a world of lies.

And when we make the decision to follow Him, we are born anew.

And we begin a journey of seeking to be like Him.

But boy, it sure is difficult.

And as far as I know, there is no person who has done it perfectly.

So, how can I judge other people…trying to take the speck of dust out of their eye while I have a whole log in my own eye?

My friends, Christianity is a journey.

It is not a destination.

And I think part of the message in what Jesus is telling us this morning is that we need to be more patient with one another.

We need to be more empathetic.

We need to help one another every chance we get.