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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Wednesday, 28 February 2024:
Luke 6:1 — On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads grain, rubbing them in their hands.
Take some time this morning to meditate upon Luke 5 and 6. In Luke 5, we see Jesus working very hard, travelling, calling His disciples, ministering to the needs of many, and healing in miraculous ways. Chapter 5 ends with the Pharisees challenging Jesus for ministering to “sinners” while failing to fast like they did. Then, we turn to chapter 6 where Jesus and the disciples, having fully invested themselves in ministering to the needs of others are so hungry they are plucking grain in the fields just to get something at all to eat. You are pretty hungry when you are rubbing grain together in your hands to eat kernels. Yet the Pharisees, in their comfortable, prideful self-righteousness, challenged Jesus and the disciples for not obeying the law — “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” Jesus described his actions by comparing them to David’s actions when David was starving. Consider the difference between religion and true faith and worship, between self-righteousness and love, between legalism and grace, between pride and humility, between belief and discipleship. Consider the life Jesus modelled for the church, a life that truly gave all in faith and love. Jesus didn’t have a mega-church; He simply did the will of the Father in all He did. Notice also how Jesus responded to arrogant critics while famished – unemotionally with the word of God. How do you act when you are really uncomfortable and treated unfairly?
Also, the Law can only be understood within the context of God’s will, revealed through the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit and genuine relationship with God, the “experts” of the Law saw Jesus’ actions as sin.
Luke 6:12-13 — In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles….
Jesus modelled decision-making for us. His decisions came out of tremendous prayer.
“It was common knowledge among the disciples that they would find Jesus praying during the early morning hours. When they needed Him, they knew to go to the place of prayer. When Judas betrayed Jesus, he led his cohorts to Jesus’ place of prayer.
Every time the Lord Jesus faced an important decision, He prayed. When He was being tempted to do things by the world’s methods instead of the Father’s, He prayed (Matt. 4). When it was time to choose His disciples, He prayed the entire night (Luke 6:12). The Son of God spent a whole night in prayer before choosing the twelve disciples. How long might it take us in prayer to clearly determine our Father’s will?
Because Jesus was so often surrounded by crowds, He knew He must find a quiet place so He could clearly hear His Father’s voice. Jesus had many people seeking to influence the direction of His life. His disciples wanted Him to go where the crowds were (Mark 1:37). The crowds wanted to crown Him king (John 6:15). Satan tempted Him to make compromises in order to draw a following (Matt. 4:3, 6,9).
Jesus knew that His mission was not to attract a crowd, but to remain obedient to His Father. It was prayer that set the agenda for Jesus’ ministry (Luke 6:12). Prayer preceded the miracles (John 11:42-43); prayer brought Him encouragement at critical moments (Luke 9:28-31); prayer enabled Him to go to the cross (Luke 22:41-42); and prayer kept Him there despite excruciating pain (Luke 23:46). Follow the Savior’s example, and let your time alone with God, in prayer, set the agenda for your life.” (Henry T. Blackaby)
– Mark 1:35 — Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
– Luke 5:16 — But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
– Luke 22:44 — And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
Jesus prayed continuously, passionately, and intensely. When challenges came, He prayed even more. Also, Jesus made it clear that some problems can be solved by nothing but prayer — “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” (Mark 9:29) Jesus modelled the sort of prayer which the Bible teaches us is effectual: fervent (vehement) and perseverant prayer, not just desultory, casual, or dull. The prayers of the righteous come from the depths of the heart and are, as Paul described, a continual struggle, a wrestling within, or a pouring out of the soul before the Lord. (Colossians 4:12) However, this intense prayer is not desperate or hopeless prayer but rather confident prayer on the sovereignty, sufficiency, and providence of the Lord – “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” (1 John 5:14) “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:5-7)
– Ephesians 6:18 — Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints….
– 1 Thessalonians 5:17 — Pray without ceasing….
– Romans 12:12 — Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
– Colossians 4:2 — Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
– James 5:17 — Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.
– 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 — Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
How is your prayer life?
Luke 6:16 – …and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Judas was originally hand-picked by Jesus, chosen by God. Yet, he became a traitor. Judas claimed faithfulness but became unfaithful. However, Jesus remained wholly faithful – He never fired Judas as the group treasurer, though He knew Judas had been stealing money, and He never kicked Judas out of the group. When Judas had decided to betray Jesus to those who would persecute and kill Him, Jesus washed His feet, not just to facilitate the fulfillment of prophecy but because Jesus embodied love, faithfulness, forgiveness, and hope, trusting in the Father’s providence.
Luke 6:20-23 – 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.”
Jesus’ approach to conquering the world is to change hearts, turning them to true love for God and others.
Jesus is described in this chapter as poor, hungry (remember the grain?), hated, insulted, and rejected. It appears that He intended for His words on radical giving and total sacrifice to be taken literally, yet the modern church wants to make this metaphorical or philosophical.
Luke 6:24-26 – 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, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.
The Pharisees who criticized Jesus’ disciples for plucking and eating grain in the grain fields were rich, full, and did not have the heart to give as Jesus commanded or to follow Jesus in faith and love. However, they viewed themselves as more religious and righteous than anyone else.
Jesus says that true Christianity is uncomfortable, painful, and humiliating, not because of your foolishness, but rather because of your loving sacrifice to God and to others around you.
Luke 6:27-35 – But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
Everyone feels they ‘love’ someone but what separates true Christians from unbelievers is their love for their enemies and those who are truly hard to love, because love is a gift without benefit to the giver (other than fulfilment of purpose). When a branch (a person) connected to the vine (Jesus) bears fruit, it gets nothing from the fruit (see John 15). The fruit is costly to the branch and vine but only beneficial to others. The impact of the vine’s sacrifice is immeasurable since the fruit will multiply indefinitely. As someone once said, “Anyone can count the number of seeds in an apple, but no one can count the number of apples in a seed.” True love, the kind of love which loves the unloving, is powerful and can change the world. Only through the love of Christ can someone truly love the unloving with joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, and contentment.
The love of Christ love enemies but also forgives endlessly and gives abundantly, expecting nothing in return. Everyone gives when they think they will be repaid or get something out of the deal. Christian giving reflects the grace of God, unmerited, priceless blessings given through great sacrifice and received freely. This doesn’t make any sense in the world’s economy.
Luke 6:35, 36 – But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
Jesus demands radical, totally selfless love from those who would follow Him; He expects you to treat others the way He has treated you. This is true worship.
Luke 6:36 – Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
What motivates us to mercy is the example of God’s mercy bestowed upon us. Our gratitude and true faith are revealed in our mercy, particularly when mercy is personally costly and risky. What is truly costly is truly valuable, a gift worth giving.
Luke 6:37-38 — Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.
Perhaps the most misrepresented verse in the Bible – “Judge not….” The popular use of Jesus’ words is to suggest that Christians have no business telling others what is right or wrong. The other popular interpretation is that you can only point out another person’s sins when you are perfect, and since you are not, keep your mouth shut. Unfortunately, most Christians spend little time in the Bible; so, when they are confronted with this misinterpretation of Jesus’ words, they accept it. However, God calls his people to “judge” throughout the Bible and, at times, to rebuke and to correct others. Didn’t John the Baptist lose his head for calling out Herod’s adultery? Have we forgotten Both John the Baptist’s and Jesus’ “Brood of vipers” and “whitewashed tombs” comments or Jesus whipping the moneychangers out of the temple? In Luke, following the topic verse for these comments, Jesus goes on to talk about judging others’ character by the fruit of their lives. 1 Corinthians 6 is all about “judging.” However, there is a right and wrong way to reveal the truth of sin to others:
First, it must be with the right motives – coming from a heart of genuine love for the sinner with a desire to help and not to hurt. As the pastors says, if your words generate more heat than light, remain silent.
Second, it must come from God’s word and the conviction of the Holy Spirit – we do not judge from our opinion.
Third, it must come from a position of humility rather than self-righteousness – we are but starving beggars telling other beggars where to find bread.
Fourth, it must be done graciously, compassionately, and gently. Don’t be a jerk for Jesus.
Finally, as Jesus points out today, we are never to “condemn” in our judgment. We are to judge a person’s behavior based on what God would want from them or for them; we are not to “judge” the worth or value of the person in the eyes of God as if we were God Himself. We are never to presume we know how God sees another or what He is doing in their lives, and we are not the Judge who delivers the sentence; we are but jurors, peer sinners who merely point out what God’s word says. Our judgment should be in accordance with James 3:17 — “first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” We must warn people of sin but in love, with compassion, mercy, and gentleness, and graciousness. “Silence is consent.” To remain silent before sin, to ignore it, or condone it is truly unloving, cowardly, and negligent in our mission as Ambassador to Christ who begins His message with the word. “Repent.”
Luke 6:38 – …give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.
How does God measure His blessings to you according to Jesus?
Luke 6:40 – A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
Everyone has a teacher, whether they admit it or not. Who is your teacher, really? Is it a pastor, a celebrity, a family member, or a philosopher? You will always be limited by the limits of your teachers. Make your teacher and guide the Holy Spirit as you follow Jesus.
Luke 6:41-42 – Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, “Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,” when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.
The Fruit of the Spirit described in Galatians 5 is all about what is in our heart and character. Only from a position character can we teach others about character. Making disciples (the Great Commission) involves first being a faithful follower of Christ. To be a leader, you have to be going the right way so others can follow. In today’s readings, Jesus modeled the radical selfless sacrifice to which He calls us.
Luke 6:43-46 — For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
How do your actions reveal what is really in your heart?
Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?
You cannot call Jesus, LORD unless you really believe His and treat Him as LORD by following Him. What you really believe to be true, what you really honor, and what you really love will be revealed by your actions.
Luke 6:46 — Why do you call me ”Lord, Lord,” and not do what I tell you?
Do not claim to be a Christian and call Jesus “Lord” if you don’t seek to obey Him as the KING of Kings. If you take the sin God abhors lightly, you need to check your heart and the truth of your faith.
Luke 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.
What you truly value most and place at the center of your life will determine everything else you do. If Jesus isn’t at the center of your life and the foundation of your life, your life is meaningless and destined for destruction.
Luke 6:48 – And when a flood arose….
Everyone goes through the floods or storms of life, but those whose life is built on the foundation of Jesus Christ will not be shaken while those whose foundations are something else will be destroyed. Lay your foundation on the Rock before the storm hits.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 28 February 2024: Make your Savior your LORD too by obeying Jesus in every way. His greatest commandment was love. Love Him by loving others unconditionally. Learn appreciate more fully God’s love for you by loving others, naturally growing in your love for others as you grow in that appreciation and fellowship with Him and others. Take up your cross by forgiving and giving to those who don’t deserve. Make it your challenge today to respond to every negative action by others with positivity, grace, and mercy. Share in the suffering of Jesus by accepting the hurt that hurting people do in order to reveal to them the type of love you have received from Jesus. Make this a part of your life testimony. Of course, as Jesus said, to be able to do this, you my “Deny self” and be willing to follow Him to that “cross.” In that, you will truly fellowship with Jesus, truly worship Him, and truly honor Him. (Luke 6:40-48)
Prioritize prayer this day forward – “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) “I have so much to do today that I’m going to need to spend three hours in prayer in order to be able to get it all done…. Work, work from early until late. In fact, I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” (Martin Luther)
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 