1stBBC
To whom is the blessing and to whom is the woe?
Luke 6:20-26 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.
This is not an ethical standard. It is a private message. It is an established truth related to man’s salvation.
He was refused, murdered, accused, not always because He was misunderstood, but many times because He truly was.
1Co 1:18 For the word of the cross is folly …
But also true …
John 3:19 the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.
Many came …v. 17 to hear him and to be healed of their diseases and v. 19 sought to touch him
They came to hear and even if they loved that too, unless they do something, their will be no blessing. This was stated at the end of His sermon.
Luk 6:47-49 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
To whom is the blessing and to whom is the woe?
1. to the poor
v. 20 Blessed are you who are poor …
Compared to Math 5:3 they are the “poor in spirit”
They are the those who know about their poor spiritual condition and not the poor in wealth.
Luke 18:13 … standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ’God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
Pro 16:19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Isa 66:2 All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.
The woe on the other hand (v. 24) "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.”
Psa 113:7 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap
Isa 57:15 … and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit
Psa 49:16-20 Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him. For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed, --and though you get praise when you do well for yourself-- his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light. Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
2. to the hungry
v. 21 Blessed are you who are hungry now
Compared to Math 5:6 they are the ones “who hunger and thirst for righteousness”
Not the hungry for the earthly bread.
Luk 14:15 When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, "Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!"
Psa 34:10 The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
Psa 107:9 For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.
Rev 3:17 … and I need nothing
Psa 42:1-2 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
The woe on the other hand (v. 25) " Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.”
Luk 16:24 And he called out, ’Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’
3. to those who weep
v. 21 "Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.”
Who weep for repentance and not on earthly things.
2Co 7:9-10 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
Ecc 7:3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.
Jam 4:9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
Psa 126:5-6 Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
The woe on the other hand (v. 25) "Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.”
4. to those who are hated
v. 22 “Blessed are you when people hate you” but for what reason?, “on account of the Son of Man”
Mat 10:17-18,21-22 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
v. 23 “that day” which means not everyday
Act 2:47 praising God and having favor with all the people.
Act 5:13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem.
But it will come, and will be accepted joyfully for His name.
Act 5:41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.
v. 23 “so their fathers did” and v. 26 “so their fathers did”
Jer 5:31 the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?
The woe on the other hand (v. 26) " Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.
To whom is the blessing and to whom is the woe?
Are you poor, hungry, weeping, and hated? Are you blessed?
Pastor Tony Skaff
2006
