The Sermon on the Plain (Part 1) - Luke 6:12-26
[Title Slide] The Sermon on the
Plain
(Luke 6:12-26)
So
far in our journey through the gospel of Luke, we have seen a lot of activity
from heaven and through the work of the Holy Spirit. The priest Zechariah has a
vision of the angel Gabriel next to the altar of incense in the temple. He
didn’t believe the angel that he and his wife were to have a son. They were old
and his wife had never been able to get pregnant. The angel struck the old
priest mute because of his unbelief. Zechariah was unable to speak until his
son was born. The angel Gabriel visited Mary and announced that she would bear
the Son of God and she would name him Jesus, acknowledging that Jesus is the
promised messiah come to Israel at last. Mary believed. She visited her cousin
Elizabeth and the baby John leapt in her womb at the sound of Mary’s greeting!
Then both Elizabeth and Mary filled with the Holy Spirit broke out in praise to
God for what was happening!
On
the night Jesus was born, angels announced the birth of the Messiah to
shepherds. Eight days later Jesus was presented at the temple, as was the
custom. Simeon was led by the Spirit to look upon the face of Israel’s
salvation. Anna, an elderly prophetess, also testified that Jesus is the
Christ. Mary pondered all these strange and wonderful events and treasured them
in her heart.
Jesus
grew up in the spirit of God and wisdom and began his earthly ministry. He
first was baptized by John in the river Jordan. The Holy Spirit descended from
heaven like a dove and filled Him. And then the Spirit sent Jesus into the
desert to be tempted by the devil, a sort of preparation for his ministry.
Jesus proved to be able to stand against the devil’s temptations to use his
power and position for selfish ends or to pervert him towards idolatry. Filled
with the Spirit He returned to Galilee. His preaching was marked with divine
authority, distinguishing from the preaching of their usual rabbis.
He
went to Capernaum on north shores of the Sea of Galilee and preached in their
synagogue. He liberated a demon-possessed man. The demon called Jesus the Holy
One of God, acknowledging his divine origin and supreme power as God’s messiah.
He
called his first disciples, Simon, Andrew, James and John, all fisherman. Jesus
performed the miraculous catch of fish. Dumbfounded and amazed they dropped
everything and followed as his disciples. They watched him cleanse a man of
leprosy, make a lame man walk, cure a man with a withered hand! Sings and
wonders accompanied His message that the Kingdom of God had come near. He drew
crowds! And the crowds gave concern to the religious leadership that Jesus was
a false prophet misleading Israel’s poor. They question him, oppose him, and
consider what they must do about him.
And
that brings us to today. [Slide]
Jesus goes up a mountain side to pray. The Sea of Galilee is surrounded by high
hills. Jesus was likely near Capernaum on the northern coast, so he would’ve
gone up in elevation to get away from the city and the crowds to be alone with
God. And why did he do this? He went up the mountainside to make a decision
about his ministry. Jesus needed time to think and pray about his followers.
Which ones had leadership quality? Which ones showed promise as future builders
of His church?
Consider
the example of our Lord! Never make a decision without consulting God. I
usually go with my gut on decisions, without consulting God. And I find that I
have some wins and more disappointments. I wonder what would have happened if I
had followed Jesus’ example and really put a decision to prayer.
Are
you having difficulty making a decision? Wait upon the Lord and He will make
your paths straight. God will make it clear.
Jesus
was planning the future of His church, so He spent the entire night in prayer,
listening for His Father’s direction, gaining insight, inspiration, and
strength. In the morning He called his disciples to join him. Out of these
disciples he chose 12 to be apostles.
Why
12? Why not 6 or 7? Why not 100? The number of disciples who followed Jesus
were as many as 500 at the time of his death, for the apostle Paul reports the
risen Lord Jesus appearing to 500 at one time. Fifty days after His
resurrection there were 120 disciples gathered in the upper room on the day of
Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the church. There were women
among the disciples. Mary, the mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Luke names
more women at the beginning of Luke 8, Joanna and Susanna; and many others.
These women were helping to support Jesus’ ministry out of their own means.
The
reason Jesus chose 12 apostles is for its symbolic meaning. Israel was a nation
of 12 tribes in its early days. The tribes carried the names of the 12 sons of
Jacob (Abraham’s grandson) who was later known by the name Israel. If you know
the history, Israel split, 10 tribes to the northern kingdom and 2 tribes in
the south in Judah. The northern kingdom fell to Assyria and Judah fell to
Babylon. God restored Judah and the nation served as a vassal state under the
Persians, then the Greeks, and now in Jesus’ day, Rome. Jesus was building a New
Israel, with a large crowd of disciples and 12 apostles leading them.
So
now the stage is set for the New Israel to be established. Just as God
established the nation of Israel by giving them the law of Moses at Mt. Sinai,
Jesus now lays out the moral code for the New Israel, his church.
In
the reading there are three types of people mentioned [Slide] The crowd, the disciples, and the
apostles.
The
crowd came from all over… Judea and Jerusalem to the south of Galilee
and Tyre and Sidon, up northwest on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Tyre
and Sidon was gentile territory. Judea was primarily Jewish. What can we know
about the crowd?
[Slide] He went down with them and stood
on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number
of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region
around Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear him and to be healed of their
diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured…
[Slide] First of all we learn they are a
very large crowd, a great number, and they are Jews and Gentiles. They came to
hear Jesus preach. Why? Because they had heard about him. They had heard there
was a new star rising in Galilee, healing the sick, exorcising demons. He was
bringing them hope. They came to hear him.
They
also came to be healed of their diseases and to be liberated from spiritual
enemies. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured. They came to be healed.
They came to be liberated. And sometimes Jesus threw in free food, which is
always a plus!
One
time, in John’s gospel in chapter 6, Jesus challenged the crowd. You’re only
following after me because of the food! You saw me miraculously multiply the 2
fish and five loaves, and now you want more. Work for food that lasts! Real
food is my flesh and true drink is my blood! That thinned out the crowd real
quick! What he meant was, I am the way to the blessed life, not your stomach.
The
crowd wants something from Jesus. That’s why they’ve come. And that is the
ministry of Jesus. Jesus had compassion for the crowd.
[Slide] Luke 6:17-18 reveals the ministry
of Jesus: to teach hope, restore health, and liberate lives, so that we might
live in holiness for God’s glory.
One more thing about the crowds. Crowds are fickle. They’re in it for themselves. The crowds are with Jesus only as long as Jesus is giving them what they want, or thrilling them as the next great thing in Palestine. Remember that in only five days, the crowd in Jerusalem went from welcoming Jesus on Sunday with palm branches shouting, “Hosanna, Lord save us!” to yelling, “Crucify him!” to Pontius Pilate on Friday.
[Slide] The crowd are spectators. They want
hope, healing, and liberation, free food, and spectacle! Remember how Jesus
confronted the people in his hometown of Nazareth? They said to Jesus, “Do some
miracles for us like we heard you did in Capernaum!” That did not go well! The
crowd is still self-centered, focused on their own agendas. But thankfully
there are those who step out of the crowd to follow Jesus into ministry. Disciples
move from self-centeredness to God-centeredness.
[Slide] Luke 16:17 tells us “Jesus went
down with them (his 12 apostles and maybe other disciples) and stood on a level
place. A large crowd of his disciples was there…”
There
was a large crowd of disciples waiting on Jesus to come down from the mountain.
Don’t miss the symbolism. The 12 tribes of Israel waited at the foot of Sinai
for Moses to come down from the mountain from his one on one with God. Moses
gave them the law. Now Jesus comes down from the mountain to a level place to give
the law for the new Israel, his church.
[Slide] What is a disciple? According to
my Bible dictionary, Disciples are students, pupils, followers of a teacher or
leader. Christian Disciples step out of the crowd and follow Jesus into
ministry with the crowd.
[Slide] Luke 6:13 says, Jesus called
disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles. What
are apostles?
•
Apostles
are disciples who have a special vocation to
•
Plant
churches
•
Train
Disciples and Equip for Ministry
•
Order
the life of the Church
•
Evangelism
(Spread the Gospel)
•
Continue
the ministry of Jesus
•
Teach
hope
•
Restore
health
•
Liberate
lives for holiness
[Slide] So let’s review. A great crowd of
people from all over, Jews and gentiles, came to hear Jesus preach. In this
gathering was a large crowd of disciples, and Jesus chose 12 disciples to be
apostles for his church.
[Slide] Luke 6:19 says “the people all
tried to touch Jesus, because power was coming from him and healing them
all.” Tuck that thought away, we’ll come
back to it. Power was coming from him.
This
huge assembly are on the plain waiting to hear Jesus teach and Jesus begins
with a series of Blessings and Woes. Another way to say it is, ‘how happy and
fulfilled are you” contrasted with “how sad and wanting are you.”
[Slide] Let’s look at the parallel
statements that open Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain.
How
happy are you if you are poor. You possess the Kingdom of God.
But
how sad for you when you are rich. In the new era you will receive little to
nothing because you’ve already had your comfortable lives. Ouch!
How
happy are you when you are hungry, for you will be satisfied.
But
how sad for you when you are well-fed now. In the new era, in the Kingdom of
God, you will walk away empty. Uh! Hmm!
Remember
true food and true drink is Christ. Don’t work for that which perishes. You
can’t take it with you! Jesus taught, “Whoever wants to save their life will
lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. What good is it for
someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?”
(Luke 9:24-25)
How
happy are you when you weep now for in the kingdom of God your weeping will
turn to laughter! But those who are laughing it up now will find themselves
weeping. Paul warned the church…
“If
there is no resurrection of the dead (and therefore no judgement before God),
then go ahead, eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good
character.” Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there
are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame. (1Co 15:32-34)
And
the last of Jesus’ prologue to the Sermon on the Plain:
How
happy are you when people hate you! The prophets of old were hated too!
Consider it an honor when you are snubbed or mocked or persecuted in any way
because you are a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Our
current society here in the good old USA is becoming increasingly hostile
towards the church of Jesus Christ. A Washington state high school football
coach, who prays midfield with his team at games, was fired when he refused to
cease this practice. Coach Joseph Kennedy’s case is going before the Supreme
Court. The news suggests he is abusing his position as a state funded employee,
and crossing the line between church and state. I remember a time only 30 or so
years ago when team prayers were expected. Remember watching the movie,
Hoosiers? Bring it in! The team circled up and prayed before the big game.
As
our society grows more hostile toward the church, you will face persecution. I
pray we don’t get to the point of torture and public executions, but don’t be
ashamed of the name of Jesus. Don’t be afraid to be persecuted for His name and
for the righteousness He stands for. American Christians no longer enjoy the
favored status we once did. But remember that one day every knee will bow and
every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God. (Php
2:10-11)
So
be happy when you are persecuted for being associated with Jesus.
The
apostle Peter wrote to the church, “If you are insulted
because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of
glory and of God rests on you. …if you suffer as a Christian, do not be
ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.” (1Pt 4:14, 16)
If
the church is going to emerge from this time of decline and great turmoil, it’s
going to take disciples, who step out of the crowd of spectators, to lead in
ministry. Christ calls each of us to be
in ministry in the authority of His name, to go and proclaim the good news of
Jesus Christ. Lead your friends, relatives, associates, and neighbors to the
fellowship of the church, and teach others to do all that Jesus has taught us
to do, namely love one another.
But
if you let your fear of what other people think speak louder than Christ’s call
to go, then how sad for you. How sad for this country, where young people are
killing themselves because of a lack of hope. How sad for us all.
Hear
the good news! Christ has called us to the blessed life, the abundant life! And
it begins with prayer. [Slide]
Remember all the people were trying to touch Jesus because power was coming out
of him? Where do you suppose that power comes from? Power comes from the Spirit
of the Lord.
The
Holy Spirit empowers the church to speak with divine authority just as Jesus
did. Jesus will give the words to say when it’s time to share the gospel with a
friend of neighbor or coworker. Be an encourager. Share your faith.
The
Spirit empowers the church to help restore health. Methodist Hospital was
started as a compassionate outreach of the church to the poor and underserved. Health
ministries offer blood drives, health coaching, exercise groups, yoga groups
and so forth. A visit to the home or
hospital with someone who’s sick, a card or flowers sent to encourage, will add
life the them and help restore health. But most vital to restoring health is
prayer. Pray for sick. Pray with them for healing.
The
Spirit of the Lord empowers the church to liberate lives, so that they can be
free to live lives for God’s glory.
Liberation ministries take on all kinds of forms. Grief recovery,
Addiction recovery, Survivors of Child Abuse Recovery, Veterans groups for
PTSD. Churches house food pantries and
clothing closets for those in need, to help lift the burden of poverty. Social
justice causes reveal Christians, throughout the ages, leading for change. The
anti-slavery movement of the 19th century, the university system of
higher education was started by disciples of Jesus. UIndy was started by the
church. DePauw in Greencastle, started by the church. Harvard and Princeton,
Ivy League universities started by the church.
As
disciples of Jesus we are recipients of His name and authority, and Yes… His
power… to be in ministry with the crowd. And the crowd desperately needs
Christ. And Christ needs you.
[Slide] It all begins with prayer. Prayer
to access the amazing grace of God, to be filled with His love and peace.
Prayer to rest in Jesus’ lifegiving presence and operate from a peaceful center.
Prayer to be filled with the Spirit and empowered for ministry. Prayer to
decide how you will minister and to whom. Take time this week to pray and wait
on the Lord to guide your next steps. Who needs to hear your story of life and
faith? Who needs your compassionate prayers? Who needs you to stand with them
in the storm?
Next
time we’ll talk more about the Sermon on the Plain and the code that governs
the lives of disciples. Blessed are we! Blessed are we!
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