Following the Lord Jesus Christ: #32 The Sermon on the Plain

A Similar Sermon—but Different!

Of course, we remember the great Sermon on the Mount. It was Jesus’ first teaching recorded in the gospels. We arrive this time in a plain, having just descended from the mountain following Jesus and his newly appointed twelve apostles. Once there, we join with a crowd of his disciples and a great multitude from all around.

Luke 6:17-19 [NKJV]
And He came down with them [the twelve] and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases,
as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed.
And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.

At the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus had separated from the multitudes, and retreated up to a mountain with his disciples [Matthew 5:1]. But here on the plain are gathered the twelve apostles, his disciples, and a great multitude. The word that Jesus spoke, that could and would free them from the torment of evil spirits and heal any and all who would come, had continued to spread even farther abroad! And so, the Sermon on the Plain begins.

Jesus Declares True Blessings

Luke 6:20-23 [NKJV]
Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: “Blessed are you poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you,
And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake.
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.

The poor, or humble of spirit, who have turned to Christ will inherit the kingdom of God. Those deprived of the most basic necessities of life shall be supplied in abundance. Those in great sorrow shall be blessed with gladness from above. And any who are persecuted, rejected and reviled because they have followed the Lord Jesus will have great reward in heaven.

These “blessings” seem to be an echo from the Sermon on the Mount. However, Jesus added “woes” to this teaching, as a warning to those who place their trust in the things of the world.

Jesus Pronounces Woes to the Worldly

Luke 6:24-26 [NKJV]
But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
Woe to you who are full, for you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.
Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Those who have found comfort in their riches in this life will find none in the next. The fat and sassy who have filled themselves on earth, will be severely lacking at the judgment day. The men and women who care for no one and nothing else but their own pleasure, will end in great sorrow. And the people who live for the flattery of the crowds, will one day receive only heartache and misery.

Jesus Teaches to Love Your Enemies

Those who follow Jesus are instructed to share the love, kindness, and mercy of the heavenly Father, even (and especially) in the face of evil.

Luke 6:27-31 [NKJV]
But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.
To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.
Give (Lend) to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.
And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
But if you love those who love you, what credit 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 credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.
But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.
Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

Jesus most certainly taught his followers a new way of living. And there’s more!

Jesus Reveals Four Laws of Life

This first law could be summarized as, “You reap what you sow.” The corollary is, “Therefore, sow good things!”

Luke 6:37,38 [NKJV]
Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.

The next Law of Life tells us to choose our teachers very carefully. You, dear reader, and I have chosen to be “Following the Lord Jesus Christ” because we want to be just like him!

Luke 6:39,40 [NKJV]
And He spoke a parable to them: Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?
A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained [katartizo] will be like his teacher.

The next law: Check your perspective. Especially when tempted to find fault with others.

Luke 6:41,42 [NKJV]
And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?
Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

And this final law brings us back to, “You reap what you sow.” Only this time, it’s important to sow only good treasure in your heart. We don’t want to be handing out thorns and calling them figs.

Luke 6:43-45 [NKJV]
For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.
For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Build on the Rock

In this final exhortation, Jesus uses the allegory of building a house to impress upon us the importance of laying a deep foundation upon a rock.

Luke 6:46-49 [NKJV]
But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?
Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:
He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.
But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.

Yes, we are “builders for eternity,” building our lives upon the rock, Christ Jesus (I Corinthians 10:4). We are certainly the most “Blessed” in this life!

NEXT:  Following the Lord Jesus Christ: #33 A Centurion’s Servant Healed

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Luke 6:17-49 [NKJV]
And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases,
as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed.
And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.
Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:
“Blessed are you poor,
For yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now,
For you shall be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now,
For you shall laugh.
Blessed are you when men hate you,
And when they exclude you,
And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,
For the Son of Man’s sake.
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!
For indeed your reward is great in heaven,
For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.
“But woe to you who are rich,
For you have received your consolation.
Woe to you who are full,
For you shall hunger.
Woe to you who laugh now,
For you shall mourn and weep.
Woe to you when all men speak well of you,
For so did their fathers to the false prophets.
But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.
To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.
Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.
And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
But if you love those who love you, what credit 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 credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.
But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.
Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.
And He spoke a parable to them: Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?
A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained (katartizo) will be like his teacher.
And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?
Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.
For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.
For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?
Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:
He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.
But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.