Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

When someone is a new disciple of Jesus, a period of re-orientation is needed. After beginning his Galilean ministry and after designating 12 men to be his apostles, Jesus taught his new followers about how his Kingdom works he taught them the principles by which his Kingdom operates and around which their lives as his followers were to be organized.

This orientation is needed because by nature we are completely mis-oriented. By nature we assume that Jesus’ Kingdom works the same way this world works. As Jesus orients us to life in his Kingdom, however, we quickly find out otherwise. The principles on which Jesus’ Kingdom runs are the exact opposite of those on which the world runs. In Jesus’ Kingdom, everything seems upside down.

As is the case with someone who is new to a company, the fastest way to become oriented is not simply to read about the rules but to see them put into practice. In the same way, disciples of Jesus do not blindly put into practice the principles that run his Kingdom. They do so having already seen Jesus embody those principles to the fullest. They do so having seen Jesus use those principles to conquer the Kingdom of this world.

In Jesus’ Kingdom, everything seems upside down. But we see life from the perspective Jesus’ Kingdom affords, we are seeing life as it really is. As Martin Luther wrote, “A theology of glory calls evil good and good evil. The theology of the cross calls the thing what it actually is” (Heidelberg Disputation, thesis 21 ).

YOU ARE BLESSED WITH FRUIT, RATHER THAN CURSED WITH WOES, SOLELY ON ACCOUNT THE LORD CHRIST NOT BY ANY WORK OF MAN.

We Know Jesus as Our Lord and Savior

He has revealed his almighty power to us.

He came to proclaim good news to the poor.

He came to proclaim liberty to the captives.

He came to bring recovery of sight to the blind.

He came to give liberty to the oppressed.

He came to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

All of these things, which we heard Jesus proclaim in the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth, we it on display in today’s Gospel reading.

Luke 6:17-19 “A large number of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, as well as from the coastal area of Tyre and Sidon . . . came to listen to him and to be healed of their diseases. Those who were troubled by unclean spirits were also cured. The whole crowd kept trying to touch him, because power was going out from him and healing them all.”

They saw “in Christ” resided the answers to all their prayers.

They saw “in Christ” that they could finally be set free from all their ailments.

And so, Jesus set free those who were held in bondage to sin, death, and the devil. He restore sight to those who were blind and preached good news the poor. All of this was Jesus’ proclamation of the time of God’s favor to all humanity.

And this time of God’s favor to humanity continues to this very day as Jesus continues to speak to us even now.

He has spoken to us his gracious Word of blessing

These beatitudes are blessings from God—fruit that results from abiding in Christ.

The one who is Blessed is one whose thoughts and heart is away from himself, or man.

OT reading put it like this: Jeremiah 17:7-8 “Blessed is anyone who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by water. It sends out its roots to the stream. It does not fear the heat when it comes. Its leaves will remain green. It is not concerned about a time of drought. It does not stop producing fruit.”

We are NEVER righteousness, but how wonderful it is to know that we who have been washed in blood of Christ are now righteous. We receive the very righteousness of Christ Himself when we are united to Him in holy baptism.

The beatitudes are never something we do. Rather, we are blessed with fruit because we are “in Christ”. The result is we are blessed!

Nor are these beatitudes things we “earn” by what we do. Rather, these are conditions we live in as we live by faith in who God is, and the gifts He delivers to us in His Word and Sacraments.

We get wound up around the axel when we place the emphasis on ourselves, or on something we must be doing; some sort of spiritual discipline we must engage in.

Just as the serpent deceived Eve in the Garden by twisting God’s Word, so today the devil is still doing the same to us.

The devil is still prowling around like a roaring lion looking to devour us by convincing us that it is all about what we do. Today the world is barking at us to trust in man.

But our Lord God, speaking in our OT reading, put it like this: Jeremiah 17:5-6 “This is what the Lord says. Cursed is anyone who trusts in mankind, who seeks his strength from human flesh, and who turns his heart away from the Lord. He will be like a juniper bush in the wasteland. He will not see good things when they come. He lives in a dry place in the wilderness, in a salty land where no one lives.”

Life in this world is a fine line that we walk. The world, for example, calls suffering and weakness bad. Almighty God, however, told St. Paul, 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, because my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Suffering and weakness directs our focus and attention upon the One who has all power and dominion over these things.

This caused St. Paul to sing in praise: “Therefore I will be glad to boast all the more in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may shelter me.”

God’s gracious Word of blessing is that YOU ARE BLESSED WITH FRUIT RATHER THAN CURSED WITH WOES, SOLELY ON THE ACCOUNT OF THE LORD CHRIST, NOT BY ANY WORK OF MAN.

The world will hate us when we listen to Christ instead of man, and the world’s powers.

But know that you are blessed because you are united with Christ in His death and resurrection. You are a brand new creation, no longer held captive by the world, nor the words of man. The Lord’s favor rests upon you by faith. You have been set free in Christ.

Blessed are you when people hate you . . . on account of the Son of Man. When we are apart of the work of the Son of Man, when we are “In Christ”, clinging to the promises of Christ, we are seen as evil by the people and forces of this world, and of Satan’s kingdom.

If we are NOT “in Christ,” then we would fit very well with those who see things through the deceptive lens that the evil one desires to place upon us. But because we are “in Christ,” we are hated by all. Luke 6:23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy because of this: Your reward is great in heaven!”