Loving God, your blessing surpasses any earthly riches or accolades, leading us into life in all its fulness.  Teach us to trust you in all things, and to follow where you lead, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

            I have a friend who’s a pastor south of the border.  She told me that a lot of people in her State disagree with Jesus when it comes to the Sermon on the Mount (or the sermon on the plain, as we heard today).  They don’t trust a gospel that proclaims, “blessed are the poor, or the hungry, or those who mourn.”  At the same time, it is possible that some of us might not trust this gospel either.  After all, who doesn’t want to be rich and full and laughing and well-liked?  Does Jesus want us to be miserable for some reason?  Perhaps we need to dig a little deeper into this particular gospel!

         One of the first things that we might want to know is that Jesus’ teaching would have been just as mind-blowing in the first century as it is now.  “Blessed are you who are poor” is a radically different use of the word blessed (or makarios in Greek).  In looking at the history of how this word makarios was used, it referred to the Greek gods, or to those who had died, or to the rich and powerful, or to those who had big and beautiful things (Stoffregen).  Those who were blessed existed on a higher plane than everybody else.

         However, in today’s gospel, Jesus comes down to a level place with his disciples, and a crowd, and people who had come from all over the place (Lk. 6:17).  He is on the same level as all those who hear him, and when he speaks, it is directly to those who are his disciples (or, students).  Jesus speaks directly to those who are destitute, and hungry, and wailing, and mocked, and excluded, and pronounces them “blessed” in the kingdom of God.

         In case those statements are not mind-blowing enough, Jesus also pronounces some woes on those who are listening to him.  It is important to note that these are not curses, but warnings.  

Woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.  Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry.  Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.  Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets (Lk. 6:24-26).

One has to wonder how many of those listening to Jesus continued to be his followers.

         Undoubtedly, Jesus was trying to get everybody to pay attention.  There are also some good reasons to give warning to those who are rich and full and laughing and have good reputations.  One of the biggest causes for such a warning is that those who have more than enough are inclined to see no need for God.  If I am able to buy everything I need, and lots of people speak well of me, and I can eat my fill of whatever I want, why would I need to trust in God?

         At the same time, it is not a sin to have riches, or to have enough to eat, or to laugh, but it is a sin to think only of yourself when there are others who are poor and hungry and weeping and excluded and mocked.  In fact, it is even worse if we are part of a Christian community, and have more than enough, and ignore the needs of others. Surely, this is at least part of what Jesus was teaching, in addition to challenging the popular assumption that riches were a sign of God’s blessing and favour.

         Instead, in the kingdom of God – in the community of believers – in God’s economy – blessing is to be found in being part of the body of Christ, where both joys and sorrows are shared, and where those who are hungry are fed.  There is also a sharing of resources, whether that be time or talent or treasure, in the hopes that the love of God will be experienced by all those who come near.  It is a community that embraces both rich and poor, acknowledging that the greatest treasure is to be found in the love of God that is ours through Christ.

         Of course, this is not to say that it is easy, but with God, all things are possible.  We are, as Luther liked to say, both saint and sinner, but God works through us and gives us the Holy Spirit anyways.  In fact, we might even be part of both groups in today’s gospel, receiving both the blessings and the woes.  After all, all those who are addressed ultimately belong to God – just like the earth and all that is in it (Ps. 24:1).

         The question was asked earlier as to Jesus perhaps wanting us to be miserable for some reason.  In the end, this could not be any further from the truth.  In fact, God would like to see all people full enough to be laughing, and having enough to live on, and able to rejoice and leap for joy.  God would like to see all people placing their trust in the only one who can give life in all its fulness and springs of living water.  For, all those who trust only in themselves or in earthly things will be sorely disappointed, for only the Creator of all that is good can give eternal life.  Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Epiphany 6(C)                                  Luke 6:17-26

February 16, 2025                           Jeremiah 17:5-10

St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor Lynne Hutchison

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