Sermon Tone Analysis

FROM GOOD TO GOLDEN -

~ Pastor Rob Tevis

Today we are going to continue our series on the Sermon on the Mount by looking at a passage in Luke, chapter 6. “Wait a minute!”, you might be saying.

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is in the Gospel of Matthew, not Luke!

What are you doing?

The section of Scripture that we are going to look at today is a called a parallel passage to the Sermon on the Mount.

Both Matthew & Luke record Jesus’ greatest sermon.

Both recordings are similar, but each are for a different audience, and a different time and place when Jesus gave this sermon.

Luke's version is shorter, so I thought to myself, "Cool.

We get the cliff-notes version of Jesus' Sermon.

I like shorter!" Then after studying the passage in Luke, I realized that Luke's is not a condensed version of Matthew.

Luke's version has similarities that might show that he used the same source materials as Matthew, but the setting was different and even some of words and emphasis are different.

Both, however, tell us the same thing, this where they are parallel.

Taking them together, we discover how radical Jesus was.

These two passages together tell us: Jesus came on the scene and was in the business of establishing a new Godly Kingdom.

How do I know?

Geography

Read with me Luke 6:17-19.

The first version in Matthew was on the mount and the second version in Luke was on the plain.

You see, the first century Jewish audience would have immediately picked up on that.

Twice in the life of God's people before Jesus came: God established a revolutionary Kingdom by giving us the Ten Commandments.

A whole nation was formed under the two times that the Ten Commandments were given: once as a nomad nation after Numbers 20 and then a nation with borders after Moses spoke the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy 5.

The Kingdom that was established under the Ten Commandments was called Israel.

The first time was up on a mountain called Mount Sinai.

The second time, however, was on the plains near a city called Beth Peor.

Moses was even buried in this second spot (Deut.

34:5-6).

The Ten Commandments brought a people together.

It was their rallying point and established a brand new Kingdom on the earth: a theocracy where God was in charge.

As we begin our series on Jesus' Greatest Sermon we have to realize that here in Luke, this sermon was not given on a mountain side, but on a plain.

Just like the Ten Commandments - once on a mountain and then on a plain.

So just by the settings we get that Jesus was coming to establish a revolutionary new kingdom based on what God wants!

This Kingdom is not with borders, but established in lives.

A Kingdom that has no territory, but has withstood 2000 years of scrutiny; no race of people, but has encompassed the globe; no common language, but is understood everywhere; no defining culture, but transcends culture; and no government, but has ruled the lives of millions.

Wouldn’t you want to be part of that?

Here in Luke 6, we find that Jesus has come to get radical.

Jesus has come to transform a people and create His Kingdom in their lives.

You see, I believe that the words we will hear in Luke 6 are the greatest words ever spoken that still have the same power today to change lives, yours and mine, then when Jesus said them 2000 years ago.

Let’s read them – LUKE 6:20-26

Blessed are the poor - hungry - weeping - hated - these are not things that we hold up as things we want in our lives.

Kids don't say that they want to be poor or hated when they grow up.

Is Jesus saying that there is no chance to be blessed if you are wealthy, well fed, full of laughter, and popular?

Let's face it - even the poor in America are richer than the richest in other countries.

This means that we Americans have no hope to be blessed.

Is that what Christ is talking about here?

The World values being rich, being full, laughing, being popular – and being self-made, independent people.

The world would say that these kind of people that Jesus says WOE to are the BEST!

Christ, however, says that to follow me, to be part of my revolution, I don't want you to be the BEST; I want you to be BLESSED.

He wants to move you from giving your life to being better than all the rest, keeping up with the Joneses, being the best, TO BEING BLESSED.

He wants to move you to a life full of God's ways.

A life that gets its sustenance from a powerful source.

A life filled with joy.

A life that God will reward.

A BLESSED LIFE.

Jesus tells us that in order for us to be part of His Kingdom, we need to ask ourselves an important question: Who do you depend on?

Christ wants to bring a new identity in your life.

He wants you to be part of His Kingdom and it will take you asking yourself, "Do I depend on Christ for my richness, for my spiritual food, for my joy, for my reward?

OR “do I depend on God?"

Well, do you really want to answer that question?

Take a look at your family schedule.

Do you fill it with sports, TV, school, work, and family activities?

Or is there time for you and God?

Who do you depend on?

In just 6 verses, Christ is calling us to move from trying to be the BEST to being BLESSED.

Move from being good to being GOLDEN!

James 4:8-10 (NLT) - Come close to God, and God will come close to you.

Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.

Let there be tears for what you have done.

Let there be sorrow and deep grief.

Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy.

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.

He asks, "Who do you depend on?"

READ LUKE 6:27-38

In the last section, Jesus asked, "Who do you depend on?"

Here Jesus is asking, "Who do you love?"

He says some startling things, doesn't He?

He tells us to LOVE OUR ENEMIES!

• Do good to those who hate you

• Pray for those who abuse you

• Don't get even with those who slap you

• Give even more to those who ask of you

• Lend and expect nothing in return

• And oh yeah, don’t judge people, like the world does!

WOW! Jesus, can we go back to the "Being blessed" part?

Everything here flies in the face of what we have been taught since we were kids.

We were taught that if someone bullies you, you use whatever means necessary to retaliate.

We were taught to look out for those who want to take from you and to put people in their place, especially our enemies.

How do you love an enemy?

Jesus is not just addressing those "enemies" from other nations that we are at war with.

You may be tempted to say that Jesus is talking about enemies that are across the sea, like the Muslims who have a jihad against us.

The truth is: we probably will never come face to face with one in our lives.

Very few do.

But Jesus is talking your enemies that live in the same neighborhood:

• A friend who stabbed you in the back.

• An ex who trampled all over your heart.

• A parent who hurt you deeply.

• A co-worker who used you to get ahead in the company.

• A school-mate who gossiped about you.

Whoever stabbed you in the heart - this is who Jesus is calling you to love!

Love is not what you think of doing to these people.

But Jesus asks, "If you are part of my Kingdom, who do you love?"