Luke 6:17-26
New Living Translation
17-19 When they came down from the mountain, the disciples stood with Jesus on a large, level area, surrounded by many of his followers and by the crowds. There were people from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from as far north as the seacoasts of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those troubled by evil spirits were healed. Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he healed everyone.
20 Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said,
“God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours.21 God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied.God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh.
22-23 What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way.
24-26 “What sorrow awaits you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now.What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now, for a time of awful hunger awaits you.What sorrow awaits you who laugh now, for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow.What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets.
REFLECTIONS:
Thoughts from Matt:
The Jesus I know is so different from the Jesus I see. The Jesus I see is often violent, uncaring, spiteful, and oppressive. He applauds the righteous and rich and is focused on preserving an earthly kingdom. He's really quite a bully.
The Jesus I know healed the sick, comforted the grieving, fed hungry crowds, and ate with sinners. He also called out religious leaders as "broods of vipers" and "whitewashed tombs," because they were more concerned with the letter of the law than with the heart behind it, even flipping tables of those who exploited temple-goers for profit.
This same Jesus blesses the poor, the hungry, and the grieving and assures sorrow for the rich, prosperous, and haughty. And our imaginations need not stretch far to see the relevance of verse 26 in this Americanized Christianity: "What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets."
The words and ways of Jesus have never been popular, because they require us to count the cost and prepare to lay our lives down for others — even those who may, by all measures, not deserve it. This Jesus I know is not the Jesus I see.
In 1934, Dietrich Bonhoeffer shared these words in a sermon on 2 Corinthians 12:9, "Christianity stands or falls with its revolutionary protest against violence, arbitrariness and pride of power and with its plea for the weak Christians are doing too little to make these points clear rather than too much. Christendom adjusts itself far too easily to the worship of power. Christians should give more offense, shock the world far more, than they are doing now. Christians should take a stronger stand in favor of the weak rather than considering first the possible right of the strong." The Jesus I know isn't always polite, but he is always good.
PRACTICE:
Outward Mindset Application
Think of someone with whom you share different values. Pray for their well-being.
Non-Violent Communication Question of the Week
Do relationships ever feel like they get in the way of your to-do list? What would it look like for maintaining healthy relationships to be a part of your to-do list?
Pathways toward Centeredness
Pick a day to turn off your TV and social media apps. Go to bed early.
Questions for Reflection
If you were to write your own Beatitudes, who would you bless (“blessed are the_______”)?
“Liturgy” refers to the habits and practices humans use to form community around shared values and meaning. At Church at the Park, we desire to be a community of practice, becoming people who see the world through the eyes of the marginalized, making meaning through the lens of pain and suffering, and committing ourselves to non-violence in a wounded world. This weekly email is intended to provide pathways of practice for becoming the type of people who embody these values.
Many of our reflections on each week's text come from other sources. If you're interested in reading more of what inspires us, here our our two favorite reflections.
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