Why Jesus’ Commands are not Legalism—Luke 6

— Luke 6

 
 
Click here to advance the slides.
Use the right and left keys on your keyboard to go forwards or backwards.

Matthew 5:19-22

  1. So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
  2. For I tell you, unless your righteousness goes beyond that of the experts in the law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
  3. “You have heard that it was said to an older generation, ‘Do not murder,’ and ‘whoever murders will be subjected to judgment.’
  4. But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother will be subjected to judgment...

Where is the Grace?

Luke 6: Context

  1. And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon,
  2. who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.
  3. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.

Context

Upside down

  1. And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:
    Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
  2. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.
    Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
  3. Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!
  4. Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven;
    for so their fathers did to the prophets.

1. These commands are all upside down (v.20-26 —Upside-down Blessings and Woes)

Woes

  1. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
  2. Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.
    Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.
  3. Woe to you, when all people speak well of you,
    for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

Luke 6:27-38 —Upside-down Behaviour

  1. But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies,
    do good to those who hate you,
  2. bless those who curse you,
    pray for those who abuse you.
  3. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also,
    and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.
  4. Give to everyone who begs from you,
    and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.
  5. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

More Upside-down Behaviour — v.27-38

Luke 6:32-34

  1. If you love those who love you,
    what benefit is that to you?
    For even sinners love those who love them.
  2. And if you do good to those who do good to you,
    what benefit is that to you?
    For even sinners do the same.
  3. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive,
    what credit is that to you?
    Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.

Luke 6:35

  1. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return,
    and your reward will be great,
    and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

Luke 6:36-38

  1. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
  2. Judge not, and you will not be judged;
    condemn not, and you will not be condemned;
    forgive, and you will be forgiven;
  3. give, and it will be given to you.
    Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.
    For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.

v.39-49 —Living like you Talk

The speck in the eye

  1. He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?
  2. A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
  3. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?
  4. How can you say to your brother,
    ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’
    when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye?
    You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye,
    and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

Trees and Fruit

  1. For no good tree bears bad fruit,
    nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit,
  2. for each tree is known by its own fruit.
    For figs are not gathered from thornbushes,
    nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.
  3. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good,
    and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil,
    for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Parable of the two houses

  1. Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?
  2. Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like:
  3. he is like a man building a house,
    who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.
    And when a flood arose,
    the stream broke against that house and could not shake it,
    because it had been well built.

Parable of the two houses

  1. But the one who hears and does not do them
    is like a man who built a house
    on the ground without a foundation.
    When the stream broke against it,
    immediately it fell,
    and the ruin of that house was great.”

The Preaching of Jesus—Luke 6

  1. All the commands are all upside down
  2. You would have to be pretty convinced Jesus was right to do them
    • Faith
  3. The Gospel according to Jesus
  4. Back to the original question—how does this relate to grace?
  5. Putting it into practice

Is Jesus being legalistic?

2. You would have to be pretty convinced Jesus was right to do them

3. The Gospel according to Jesus

4. Back to the original question—how does this relate to grace?

5. Putting it into practice