What Kind of Life Are You Building?
Luke 6:17-49
Introduction
We are familiar with the Sermon on the Mount, surely one of the most profound messages in our Bible. Today’s text presents a Sermon on the Plain. “He went down with them and stood on a level place…” Lk 6:17. There are many similarities and few differences in the two. Both sermons begin with blessings and end with houses built on rocky or poor foundations. In between, there is much about loving enemies, giving generously, judging righteously. These are either the same sermon, or two similar sermons. If this presents a core of the teachings of Jesus, one would expect that he presented these ideas more than once.
The setting of this sermon is a time when Jesus was healing many (6:17-19).
Luke 6:17-19
He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, 19 and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
Last week we studied the calling of the disciples and the emphasis on hearing Jesus’ call. This week the emphasis remains on hearing Jesus.
Luke 6:46-49
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
The two builders that conclude Jesus’ sermon indicate to us that He is teaching us how to build the life that honors Jesus. The theme woven in through the sermon is faith, a theme that continues through the next two chapters. How do we build a life of faith?
1. BUILD A LIFE OF FAITH (6:20-26)
Luke presents four beatitudes, Matthew presents eight. Both present real life struggles with promised rewards or blessings when approached with faith. (6:20-23)
Luke 6:20-23
Looking at his disciples, he said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets."
The poor, hungry, weeping, and persecuted are all given promise of relief from their struggles. In Luke’s account, the sermon seems to focus more on physical situations with physical rewards. But these are not just physical conditions but spiritual realities. The poor in spirit recognize their dependence on God, the hungry long for righteousness, and the persecuted endure for the sake of Christ. These rewards come when we build our life with faith. When I trust Jesus to see me through the struggles of life, I can look for a time when I find relief and reward. Persevere in faith through the valleys of life.
Trust Jesus to avoid the trap of appearances. (6:24-26)
Luke 6:24-26
“But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.
Four woes for those who build life without faith/trust. The rich, well fed, laughing, and the well thought of can live life without the aid of God - so they think! This isn’t an instruction to avoid money, food, laughter, and a good reputation. Those are not sinful. Why are they woes?
-They tempt us to fail to rely upon self, not God.
-They warn us against being self-satisfied and focused on worldly comfort.
-They teach us that we invite divine judgment instead of blessing when we build a life without God.
Barclay: “The people whom Jesus called happy the world would call wretched; and the people Jesus called wretched the world would call happy. … The challenge of the Beatitudes is, ‘Will you be happy in the world’s way or in Christ’s way.”
Do we trust Jesus that this upside-down view of life is the true path to inner and eternal happiness? There are challenges!
2. CHALLENGES OF BUILDING A LIFE OF FAITH (6:27-49)
Enemies (6:27-30)
Luke 6:27-30
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you."
Barclay wrote, “There is no commandment of Jesus which has caused so much discussion and debate as the commandment to love our enemies.” Love, in this case, agape - a love that seeks the highest good for another. The measure is the Golden Rule: “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (6:31).
This reflects the merciful love of God for us (6:32-36).
Luke 6:32-36
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
A Judgmental Spirit (6:37-38)
Luke 6:37-38
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Judging and condemning is to be replaced by forgiveness and giving. We all have to make judgments about what is right or wrong. The judgmental spirit is not self-reflective, but only looks down on others.
The picture of the good measure pressed down draws on what happened in the ancient marketplace, where a seller placed grain in a container. Then he shook the container to get the grain to level out so that he could put more grain in the measure. God honors a compassionate spirit.
Our Influence with Others (6:39-45)
Luke 6:39-45
He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. 41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. 43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
It is important for us to clearly see ourselves in view of God’s mercy and grace so that we can help others build a life of faith. (6:39-42). Our lives are to bear fruit - spiritual fruit - that will help others to see and hear what the life of faith is about (6:43-45). There are many challenges to building a life of faith. Notice that most of these relate to the inner life of the disciple of Jesus!
WHAT KIND OF LIFE ARE YOU BUILDING?
Take inventory of your life
Rebuild any broken values that might be different from those of Christ.
Rebuild broken relationships by practicing agape love.
Rebuild a judgmental spirit by working on the plank in your own eye.
Rebuild the foundation by trusting Christ in obedience.
“How happy the world would be if Christ’s precepts were strictly obeyed. The chief causes of half the sorrows of mankind are selfishness, strife, unkindness, and lack of love. Never was there a greater mistake than to suppose that vital Christianity interferes with human happiness. It is not having too much religion–but too little–which makes people gloomy, wretched, and miserable. Wherever Christ is best known and obeyed, there will always be found most real joy and peace.” — J. C. Ryle
Conclusion
Jesus calls us to build a life on his values and teachings, not the world’s perspective.
Jesus calls us to build a life that treats others with mercy and grace - just as we have been treated.
Jesus calls us to build a life that others can see and follow so they can also enjoy the blessings of the Kingdom.
The power to live this life comes from listening to the Master. Luke 6:46-49 - we are building our lives on his trustworthy teachings so that we can stand when the storms come.
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Merry Christmas to a Broken Heart
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Discussion Questions
1. What do you think drew the crowds to Jesus? Was it His miracles, His teachings, or something else? How do you think the people felt as they experienced Jesus’ healing? How would you feel if you were in their place?
2. Why do you think Jesus begins His sermon with blessings and woes? How does this set the tone for His message? Which Beatitude resonates most with you and why? How can you apply it to your life today?
3. How does Jesus’ command to love our enemies challenge our natural instincts? How can we show love toward someone who has been an enemy to us?
4. In vs 37-42, Jesus gives several guidelines for judging the right way. How would you state these guidelines? If you follow these guidelines, what positive and negative effects might it have on your relationships? How can we avoid being hypocritical in our judgments?
5. How can we practice forgiveness in our daily lives? Why is it important to forgive others and ourselves?
6. What does Jesus mean when He says that a tree is known by its fruit? How can we apply this metaphor to our lives?
7. How can we avoid seeking satisfaction in temporary things? How do we develop hunger for God’s righteousness?
8. What else did you want to talk about today?
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Resources
Barclay, William. Daily Bible Study: Luke. Westminster Press, 1956.
Bock, Darryl. The NIV Application Commentary: Luke. Zondervan, 1996.
Krol, Peter. Sermon on the Plain: What it is & How it Differs from the Sermon on the Mount. https://www.logos.com/grow/nook-the-sermon-on-the-plain/
Ryle, J. C. Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke: A Commentary. Digital edition.
