Welcome to Bible Study at afaithtalk.com! I’m so glad you’ve come. Today we’re in Luke 6, it’s another long one, but so worth the read. Before we begin, let’s pray.
Lord Jesus, this chapter is full of stories of You. Please reveal the things You want us to see, lead us through every word and and story and help us learn so we can live as You want us to. Lead Lord, it’s all about and for You. For Your glory, Lord.
Please read Luke 6:1-5
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath
1 One Sabbath while Jesus was passing through fields of standing grain, it happened that His disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. 2 But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what [a]is unlawful on the Sabbath?” 3 Jesus replied to them, “Have you not even read [in the Scriptures] what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him— 4 how he went into the house of God, and took and ate the [b]consecrated bread, which is not lawful [for anyone] to eat except the priests alone, and [how he also] gave it to the men who were with him?” 5 Jesus was saying to them, “The Son of Man (the Messiah) is Lord [even] of the Sabbath.”
Remember that story? Jesus knows the Scriptures. The footnotes are below but they won’t help you find that story.
1 Samuel 21:1-6. This grain they were eating was not in the temple, not consecrated bread, but Jesus is being questioned because it was the Sabbath. It must have been really difficult to live back then and there. Yet even today we are told to keep the Sabbath. So what can you do to make Sunday a more restful day?
Jesus our Messiah. Lord of every day.
Please read Luke 6:6-11
6 On another Sabbath He went into the synagogue and taught, and a man was present whose right hand was withered. 7 The scribes and the Pharisees were watching Him closely [with malicious intent], to see if He would [actually] heal [someone] on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse Him. 8 But He was aware of their thoughts, and He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward.” So he got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you directly: Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it?” 10 After looking around at them all, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” And he did, and his hand was [fully] restored. 11 But the scribes and Pharisees were filled with senseless rage [and lacked spiritual insight], and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
Watching with malicious intent. Even those considered Godly might not always see Him or hear Him or know Him well enough to recognize Him in Jesus. Senseless rage. Most rage is senseless rage. Lord help us take to heart the words in Your word that tell us anger should not be part of us but if it is to get rid of it quickly. For anger kills, it is so so deadly. Rage, an extreme form of anger, Lord, never let it enter our minds.
Yet look at what He does. Look at what He asks. Consider the question in the light of the times of rules and regulations against doing much of anything on the Sabbath. Certainly the answer must not be ‘to do evil’ is lawful. It must be ‘to save a life’ but still instead of answer they seethe with fury.
We kind of all need to answer that question, what we might do with Jesus. I choose to love and obey Him. You must choose for yourself, as Joshua tells the people in Deuteronomy 30. 15 “Listen closely, I have set before you today life and prosperity (good), and death and adversity (evil); 16 in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk [that is, to live each and every day] in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments (precepts), so that you will live and multiply, and that the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you are entering to possess.
It is a choice we all have every day. Choose today whom you will serve.
Please read Luke 6:12-19
Choosing the Twelve
12 Now at this time Jesus went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. 13 When day came, He called His disciples and selected twelve of them, whom He also named [c]apostles (special messengers, personally chosen representatives): 14 Simon, whom He also named Peter, and his brother Andrew; and [the brothers] [d]James and John; and Philip, and Bartholomew [also called Nathanael]; 15 and Matthew (Levi, the tax collector) and Thomas; and [e]James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot; 16 Judas [also called Thaddaeus] the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor [to the Lord].
17 Then Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place; and there was a large crowd of His disciples, and a vast multitude of people from all over Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to listen to Him and to be healed of their diseases. Even those who were troubled by unclean spirits (demons) were being healed. 19 All the people were trying to touch Him, because [healing] power was coming from Him and healing them all.
Don’t you love how they are listed in pairs? Peter and Andrew, James and John, Matthew and Thomas, James and Simon, Judas and Judas Iscariot. Always accompanied. Very rarely will Jesus ask us to go alone.
“_____the people were trying to touch Him, because [healing] power was coming _______ Him and healing them _____.
He was the best thing to ever happen to this planet. Yet look at what God has created for our enjoyment. Something to just have amazement over. Jesus will return and it will be even better. But there is beauty to behold in nature all over the world.
Please read Luke 6:20-23
The Beatitudes
20 And looking toward His disciples, He began [f]speaking: “Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are you who are poor [in spirit, those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for the kingdom of God is yours [both now and forever]. 21 Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are you who hunger now [for righteousness, actively seeking right standing with God], for you will be [completely] satisfied. Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are you who weep now [over your sins and repent], for you will laugh [when the burden of sin is lifted]. 22 Blessed [morally courageous and spiritually alive with life-joy in God’s goodness] are you when people hate you, and exclude you [from their fellowship], and insult you, and scorn your name as evil because of [your association with] the Son of Man. 23 Rejoice on that day and leap for joy, for your reward in heaven is great [absolutely inexhaustible]; for their fathers used to treat the prophets in the same way.”
Your association with the Son of Man matters. Every blessing comes from God. Yet there will be opposition in this world. Rejoice.
Please read Luke 6:22-26
24 “But [g]woe (judgment is coming) to you who are rich [and place your faith in possessions while remaining spiritually impoverished], for you are [already] receiving your comfort in full [and there is nothing left to be awarded to you]. 25 Woe to you who are well-fed (gorged, satiated) now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now [enjoying a life of self-indulgence], for you will mourn and weep [and deeply long for God]. 26 Woe to you when all the people speak well of you and praise you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way.”
Judgment is coming. Where is your faith? What do you have faith in? May our faith be only in Him. Trusting Him with every moment of our lives.
Please read Luke 6:27-28
27 “But I say to you who hear [Me and pay attention to My words]: [h]Love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies, [make it a practice to] do good to those who hate you, 28 bless and show kindness to those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
Pay attention to His words.
Love, bless, show kindness, pray for, even to those who don’t treat us well or are evil towards us.
It is such a good way of life we have been called to walk. Your faith must be real faith to even attempt it.
Please read Luke 6:29-31
29 “Whoever [i]strikes you on the cheek, offer him the other one also [simply ignore insignificant insults or losses and do not bother to retaliate—maintain your dignity]. Whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you. [j]Whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. 31 Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.”
The Golden Rule – do unto others what you would have done unto you. Or in Jesus’ words, “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.”
Please read Luke 6:32-36
32 “If you [only] love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 If you lend [money] to those from whom you expect to receive [it back], what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners expecting to receive back the same amount. 35 But love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies, and do good, and lend, [k]expecting nothing in return; for your reward will be great (rich, abundant), and you will be sons of the Most High; because He Himself is kind and gracious and good to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36 Be merciful (responsive, compassionate, tender) just as your [heavenly] Father is merciful.”
Merciful: compassionate, responsive, tender.
For a human, who displays mercy in your life?
Look at the promise! “Your reward will be great and you will be sons of the Most High” so love, and do good. It is a very great life we’ve been called to.
Please read Luke 6:37-38
37 “[l]Do not judge [others self-righteously], and you will not be judged; do not condemn [others when you are guilty and unrepentant], and you will not be condemned [for your hypocrisy]; pardon [others when they truly repent and change], and you will be pardoned [when you truly repent and change]. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over [with no space left for more]. For with the standard of measurement you use [when you do good to others], it will be measured to you in return.”
The standard of measurement you use will be measured to you in return. Measure extravagantly for He knows even every hair on your head.
Please read Luke 6:39-42
39 He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man guide [another] blind man? Will they not both fall into a hole in the ground? 40 A student is not superior to his teacher; but everyone, after he has been completely trained, will be like his teacher. 41 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice or consider the log that is in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, allow me to 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 (play actor, pretender), 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.”
Think of yourself realistically. Focus on Him and trust Him with every moment of your life and You will find real life.
Please read Luke 6:43-45
43 “For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. 44 For each tree is known and identified by its own fruit. For figs are not picked from thorn bushes, nor is a cluster of grapes picked from a briar bush. 45 The [intrinsically] good man produces what is good and honorable and moral out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart; and the [intrinsically] evil man produces what is wicked and depraved out of the evil [in his heart]; for his mouth speaks from the overflow of his heart.
Be careful what you store in your heart. Fill it with good treasure and you will produce good and honorable and moral actions and words. But whatever [word] comes out of the mouth comes from the heart,”
Matthew 15:18a and Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, immovable] rock and my Redeemer.
Romans 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
Please read Luke 6:46-49
A Secure Foundation
46 “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not practice what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and obeys them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 he is like a [far-sighted, practical, and sensible] man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and yet could not shake it, because it had been securely built and founded on the rock. 49 But the one who has [merely] heard and has not practiced [what I say], is like a [foolish] man who built a house on the ground without any foundation, and the torrent burst against it; and it immediately collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”
Practice what He tells you. Listen and Obey. And you will find you cannot be shaken. Your foundation is secure, your foundation is on the Rock of rocks.
Lord, I give you my past, my present, my future. I give you my heart, my mind, my soul. I give you my memory, my personality, my dreams and expectations. I consecrate my whole life to You, Lord.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand.
All other ground is sinking sand.
Footnotes
Luke 6:2 See note Matt 12:2.
Luke 6:4 Or showbread; lit bread of presentation.
Luke 6:13 In general usage the word “apostle” (Gr apostolos) means “sent one” or “messenger.” In this passage and others in reference to the “twelve,” the word “apostles” is used in a technical sense of the twelve disciples, and later Paul, whom Jesus chose. An apostle was one who had witnessed Christ’s resurrection (Acts 1:21, 22) or (in Paul’s case) had seen the resurrected Christ (1 Cor 9:1, 2). They validated their apostleship by performing “signs and wonders and miracles” (2 Cor 12:12), and were the foundation of the church.
Luke 6:14 The sons of Zebedee and Salome. Salome is believed to be a sister of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Luke 6:15 Also called James the Less or James the Younger. His mother Mary (Gr Maria) is believed to be a sister or sister-in-law of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Luke 6:20 In vv 20-22 Luke lists four of the nine Beatitudes recorded by Matthew and follows them with four antithetical woes in vv 24-26.
Luke 6:24 The four woes (vv 24-26) are addressed to those who lack spiritual perception and are oblivious to the importance of Jesus’ message of salvation.
Luke 6:27 The key to understanding this and other statements about love is to know that this love (the Greek word agape) is not so much a matter of emotion as it is of doing things for the benefit of another person, that is, having an unselfish concern for another and a willingness to seek the higher good for another.
Luke 6:29 In this context the “slap” is not an act of violence, but more likely an insult or violation of one’s rights.
Luke 6:30 Probably a prohibition against frivolous legal action.
Luke 6:35 Or not despairing at all.
Luke 6:37 This is not a prohibition of judgment, nor is it a command to stop using godly wisdom, common sense, and moral courage together with God’s written word to discern right from wrong, to distinguish between morality and immorality, and to judge doctrinal truth. There are many judgments that are not only legitimate, but are commanded (cf John 7:24; 1 Cor 5:5, 12; Gal 1:8, 9; 1 John 4:1-3; 2 John 10); however, you cannot judge another if you are committing the same type of sin.