Luke 6:17-49 Comments by Stephen Ricker
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Jesus Teaches on the Plain
Comments for Study 13

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Memory Verse: 6:22-23
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Outline
A MAP OF JESUS' MID-MINISTRY TRAVELS
A MAP OF GALILEE
A MAP OF PALESTINE IN JESUS' TIME
A CHART COMPARING JESUS' PARABLES

I. Blessed People (17-26)

Jesus' Mid-Ministry Travels

>1. Where had this large crowd who gathered around Jesus come from?

* Luke 6:17 "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 coast of Tyre and Sidon,"

* The sermon on the plain recorded in Luke 6:17-49 is not the same event as the sermon on the mount recorded in Matthew 5:1-7:29. The meaning here is different than the sermon that Matthew records.

* Jesus main point in this sermon is what it means to be his disciple, his follower, and what should be the result of following him.

* "He went down with them" -This sermon took place right after Jesus chose his twelve apostles. (Luke 6:12-16) This was his first lesson for them to understand, learn, and practice.

* "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"

* "from the coast of Tyre and Sidon"

>Who was in the crowd?

* Luke 6:18-19 "who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all."

* "who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases"

* "Those troubled by evil spirits were cured"

* "the people all tried to touch him"

* "because power was coming from him and healing them all"

>Who did Jesus address this message to?

* Luke 6:20a "Looking at his disciples"

>2. From Jesus' point of view who are blessed?

* Luke 6:20b-23 "he said, "Looking at his disciples, he said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets."

* "Blessed"

* "you who are poor"

* "hunger now"

* "weep now"

* "you will laugh"

* "when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil"

* "because of the Son of Man"

>What are the rewards of the blessed?

* "yours is"

* "the kingdom of God"

* "you will be satisfied"

* "you will laugh"

* "because great is your reward in heaven"

* "For that is how their fathers treated the prophets"

>From Jesus' point of view who are the miserable people?

* Luke 6:24-26 "But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets."

* "woe to you"

* "who are rich"

* "who are well fed now"

* "you who laugh now"

* "when all men speak well of you"

>What is in their future?

* "for you have already received your comfort"

* "for you will go hungry"

* "for you will mourn and weep"

* "that is how their fathers treated the false prophets"

>3. How is Jesus' viewpoint different from the viewpoint of worldly people?

* What the world says will make you happy, Jesus says makes us miserable. What the would says makes us miserable, Jesus said will make us complete.

* "Rejoice in that day and leap for joy"

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>How can we have Jesus' viewpoint?

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II. Love Your Enemies (27-36)

>4. How does Jesus define "enimies"?

* Luke 6:27-28 "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."

* "But I tell you who hear me"

* "Love your enemies"

* "do good to those who hate you"

* "bless those who curse you"

* "pray for those who mistreat you"

* "hate you... curse you... mistreat you"

* "love... do good to... pray for"

>How should a disciple show love practically in each encounter with one who has acted like an enemy?

* Luke 6:29-31 "If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you."

* "If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also."

* "If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic."

* "Give to everyone who asks you"

* "if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back."

* "Do to others as you would have them do to you."

*

>5. What kind of reward should a disciple expect from acting in love toward enemies?

* Luke 6:32-36 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."

* "'sinners'"

* "what credit is that to you?"

* "Then your reward will be great"

* "you will be sons of the Most High"

>Why is it important to know this?

* "because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked"

* "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."

* This kind of witness will move the hearts of our enemies. They won't expect it. They will see that we are different.

III. Do Not Judge Others (37-42)

>6. What are the practical reasons given by Jesus why disciples should not judge others?

* Luke 6:37-38 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

* "Do not judge... condemn..."

* "you will be"

* "Forgive"

*

>7. What is the main point of Jesus' discipleship?

* Luke 6:39-40 "He also told them this parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher."

* Jesus wants us to love like God loves. He wants us to be like him.

*

>8. Why are we not qualified to judge others?

* Luke 6:41-42 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

* We are sinful. We do not know all the facts. We often mistake truth for a lie, and a lie for the truth. We judge without knowing all the facts. Our past often clouds our judgment. We often ignore the truth.

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>What must we do in order to have sufficient spiritual discernment to help others?

* "first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

*

>What does it mean to take a plank out of one's eye?

* "plank" -Plank here is our sinful nature, our sinful habits, and the results of sin.

* Sin distorts our view.

* A hypocrite can never judge correctly.

*

Fruits of the Spirit

>9. What is necessary if a disciple's life is to bear the fruit which Jesus demands? (43-45)

* Luke 6:43-45 "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."

* "No good tree bears bad fruit"

* "nor does a bad tree bear good fruit"

* "Each tree is recognized by its own fruit."

* "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart""

* "the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart."

* "For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."

*

IV. A Wise Man and a Foolish Man (46-49)

>10. What does Jesus' parable about the wise and foolish builders teach his disciples about how to grow spiritually?

* Luke 6:46-47 "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? 47 I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice."

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>What must be a disciple's attitude towards Jesus words?

* Luke 6:48-49 "He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."

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>Towards the Bible?

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