Loving God, teach us to put our trust in you and to treasure your love and salvation above all else; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today's gospel could perhaps be given the title, "Jesus Levels with his Disciples." They had been up on the mountain. Jesus had chosen the twelve who would become apostles. Jesus had been doing miracles all over the place and healing people. And then, they hear what Jesus really has to say.

You can bet that at least some of them were wondering what they had gotten themselves into! After all, Jesus' teaching seems so different from what they would have been told all their lives. They would have been told that it is the rich people who are blessed. They would have been told that an abundance of possessions is a sign of God's favour. So what is Jesus doing pronouncing, "Woe to you who are rich" (Lk. 6:24)?

It would seem that it is basically a question of trust. Do we place our trust in ourselves and in human things, or do we place our trust in God? The truth is that those who have an abundance of earthly riches are far more likely to place their trust in themselves. If I have worked hard and have invested wisely and have made a nice life for myself, what do I need God for? I've got food. I've got everything I need. Why would I need to bring God into the picture?

On the other hand, if I am truly destitute - depending on others for even the smallest of handouts - I'm going to know how much I need help. I'm going to know what it means to put all my hope in God. I'm going to go and gladly listen to Jesus, because he is actually speaking a word of hope for me! Everybody else might ignore me, but not Jesus. He talks to me as if I actually matter! My trust is going to be in him.

But what about us? Who are we in today's gospel, and where do we place our trust? What is the message of Jesus for us, today? Really, what we are given in today's gospel is a glimpse of the kingdom that Jesus came to inaugurate. And the first image of this kingdom is a very powerful one.

The scene opens with crowds of people gathering around Jesus and reaching out and trying to touch him. The healing power of Jesus is so great that all of them are healed. We read that "power came out from him and healed all of them" (Lk. 6:19). What a powerful image! It is the nature of Jesus to heal.

Next, Jesus begins to teach the people. He teaches them about the great levelling that will occur in the kingdom of God. Those who weep will laugh and those who laugh will weep. Those who are hungry will be filled and those who are filled will be hungry. Riches and poverty will mean nothing, for all are equally loved in the eyes of God, and all will have enough - none too much and none too little. Those who have been persecuted and hated for their faith will be honoured and rewarded. Earthly honours and rewards will mean nothing.

The questions that can be heard in this gospel include, "Where are we placing our trust?" and "What is ultimately most important?" As to the question about misplaced trust, the first reading from Jeremiah might be helpful. Jeremiah also has a statement of blessing and curse - of blessing and woe. In Jeremiah we read: "Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength, whose hearts turn away from the Lord" (Jer. 17:5).

Ahh! - Could this be what Jesus is getting at? Could this be why he says, "Woe to you who are rich"? Could it be because they trust in themselves and thus turn away from God? The image in Jeremiah is also a profound one. Those who trust in themselves are compared to a shrub in the desert - on their own with no source of life to draw on.

On the other hand, those who trust in God are compared to a tree planted by a stream of water (Jer. 17:7-8). Even in times of extreme heat or drought, there is a source of life right there - the same sort of life source that is there for those who trust in God. The image is not all that different from the living water that Jesus describes in the gospel of John (Jn. 4 & 7). Those who trust in God have a source of renewal and of strength. Those who trust only in themselves have nothing when their earthly resources disappear.

So, this is where the question reasserts itself as to what is ultimately the most important. Certainly, if we believe Jesus, then learning to place our trust in God is absolutely huge. If it takes us losing everything to do it, God can do that. If it takes us losing every ounce of strength so that we can't do it ourselves, God can do that, too. At some point, we need to come to the realization that there is one who is far more powerful than we are and who holds both life and death in his hands. Even the breath of life that is in us comes from God, and when our faith and our trust is in God and in Jesus Christ, we will not be disappointed. However, earthly things can and will fail, just like a shrub sitting by itself in the desert.

At the same time, living out our faith in Jesus Christ is just as important. It is the difference between building a house on the sand or building it on the rock (Lk. 6:46-49). It is part of being a caring community in Christ. If we were to read all of Luke 6, we would get a pretty good idea of what it means to live our faith. It means sharing in such a way that none have too much and none have too little. It means loving our enemies and doing good to those who hate us. It means doing to others as we would want them to do to us. It means withholding judgment and condemnation, and being quick to forgive. It means giving generously and not expecting anything in return. It means showing mercy and turning the other cheek. All of these things are there in Luke 6.

These are the things that describe a disciple of Jesus Christ. These are the things that describe a citizen of the kingdom of God. These are the things that describe a member of a caring community in Christ. Only when you can do all of these things are you perfect (and you won't even know it because of your great humility!). Only when you can do all of these things do you not need the power of the Holy Spirit at work in your lives. The truth is that you won't be able to do all of this perfectly. This is why we need to be constantly growing - growing up into Christ (Eph. 4:15). As we become more and more Christ-like, we start to see ourselves and others as God does - as precious children who have been redeemed and loved.

As this truth sinks in more and more, we begin to understand that it is God's favour that really matters. Today's gospel reminds us that God's favour and other people speaking well of us are not necessarily the same thing. People can speak well of false prophets, and people can say nasty things about those who live as disciples of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, it is what God has to say that matters.

Anthony de Mello asks the question as to how many people are obsessed in one way or another with what other people think. How many people are obsessed with impressing others? How many people are obsessed with making sure that they are not criticized? De Mello asks these questions and then asks, "Who will set us free from this?" - set us free, because this is bondage and not freedom. It is what God has to say that really matters, and God says to us through the Scriptures, "if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed" (Jn. 8:36).

Where do we put our trust, and what things are ultimately most important?

"Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit" (Jer. 17:7-8).

Let us remain rooted in Christ, the source of all life, that we might continue to learn and to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Epiphany 6(C) Luke 6:17-26

February 11, 2007 Jeremiah 17:5-10

St. Luke's Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor Lynne Hutchison Moore

? 2007 Lynne Hutchison Moore All Rights Reserved