The Lesson Of Blessing & Woe

THE LESSON OF BLESSING & WOE—Luke 6:20-26

A woman at a county fair placed a large basket of red apples on a table.

She put a sign in front of the basket which read: These apples are free to everyone, but take only one, God is watching you!

A little boy, Jimmy, studied the sign on the apples with interest.

He spied a large platter of chocolate chip cookies on another table & made a sign which he placed under the cookies.

His sign read: Take all these chocolate chip cookies you want because God is watching the apples.

Jimmy needed a lesson on God’s blessings.

Likewise Jesus’ disciples must take His lessons to heart.

Jesus taught His disciples a lesson of blessing & woe.

Followers of Jesus grasp the lesson of blessing & woe.

What are the possessions of those who take to heart the lesson of blessing & woe?

5 possessions of those who take to heart the lesson of blessings & woe.

1—Those who take to heart the lesson of blessing & woe

POSSESS THE KINGDOM OF GOD(:20, 24)

—Explanation—Argumentation:(:20, 24)

:20—“And turning His gaze on His disciples, He began to say, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.”

“Poor”—ptwcoV— Beggars, Destitute of wealth, Lowly, Helpless, Powerless— ‘One who only obtains his living by begging’. The poorest of the poor. As opposed to penhV— ‘One who is so poor he earns his bread by daily labor.’

“Yours is”—Possessed or allocated by second person(you).

*Possessed by you NOW...In your hands!

Mat. 4:13, 17—“...& leaving Nazareth, He came & settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun & Naphtali....“From that time Jesus began to preach & say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Mat. 10:5-7—“These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them, saying, “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, & do not enter any city of the Samaritans; but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

Lk. 17:20-21—“Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them & said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

Lk. 9:60—“And He said to another, “Follow Me.” But he said, “Permit me first to go & bury my father. But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go & proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.”

:24—“But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full.”

“Rich”—plousioV—Wealthy, Abounding in material resources.

“Are receiving/Have received”—apecw—Pres. Active—‘To hold back, keep off, prevent...To have wholly or in full.’

“Comfort/Consolation”—paraklhsiV— ‘A calling near, summons, (esp. for help).’ The Holy Spirit is called the “Comforter”—paraklhtov in Jn. 14:26.

*Getting your due right now!

Mat. 6:2, 5, 16—“When therefore you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues & in the streets, that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full....“And when you pray, you are not to be as the hypocrites; for they love to stand & pray in the synagogues & on the street corners, in order to be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full....“And whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance in order to be seen fasting by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.”

—Illustration:

Televised choice of spouse to the Prince of ?/Offered to those who accept conditions/POSSESS the KINGDOM

—Application:

?You Possess the KINGDOM OF GOD?

?You grasped the Kingdom of God?

2—Those who take to heart the lesson of blessing & woe

POSSESS SATISFACTION(:21a, 25a)

—Explanation:(:21a, 25a)

:21—“Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied....”

“Hunger”—peinaw—Idea of pinching. Be hungry or suffer want or be needy. To toil for daily subsistence.

“Satisfied/Filled”—cortazw—To fatten animals or satisfy one’s desire.

:25—“Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry....”

“Well-fed/Full”—empiplhmi— ‘In quantity’—Take one’s fill of, to glut.

—Argumentation:

Php. 4:11-13—“Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, & I also know how to live in prosperity; in any & every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled & going hungry, both of having abundance & suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”