I haven't been reading the Bible much lately. As any ordinary Christian will tell you, that's not a good thing. After many years of reading and studying the Word, I just seemed to grow tired of it. I decided to take a break, and that "break" has lasted for quite a while, but now I think it's time to end the Bible-abstinence.
Where to start? After a couple of fitful stabs, I've settled on the "sermon" of Jesus recorded in Luke's account, beginning in chapter 6, verse 20. This is Luke's version of the more familiar "Sermon on the Mount" found in Matthew's Gospel. Here in Luke it is more aptly called the "Sermom on the Level Place" [see verse 17].
Jesus has gathered a huge following from all around Judea. He has healed many. On this particular occasion, according to Luke, "all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all."
That power is the background of this sermon. The sermon actually derives its relevance and believability from this demonstrable evidence of supernatural power. Apart from this backdrop of the miraculous, this sermon is downright nonsense.
That's because Jesus says the most remarkable and counterintuitive things here. And he starts out with some of the most counterintuitive statements of them all.
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." [Luke 6:20-21]
I'm going to leave that there and come back to it tomorrow (or whenever I get to it). This would be a good time for anyone reading these words to marinate on these two verses. They will be a balm to your soul.
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