“Then He (Jesus)looked up at his disciples and said:” In Luke 6 Jesus chooses 12 people to be His disciples. He then calls His new church He just formed together and preaches His first sermon to them. This is the first sermon Jesus preached to His new congregation as a foundation for His church.
“Blessed are you who are poor”
“Blessed are you who hunger now”
“Blessed are you who weep now”.
“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you” “
“But woe to you who are rich”
“Woe to you who are well satisfied with food”.
“Woe to you who laugh now”
“Woe to you when all people speak well of you”
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you”
“bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you”
“To the person who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other as well”
“the person who takes away your coat, do not withhold your tunic either”
“Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your possessions back”.
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?”
“If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?”
“If you lend to those from whom you hope to be repaid, what credit is that to you? “
“love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back”
“He is kind to ungrateful and evil people”
“Be merciful”
“Do not Judge”
“Someone who is blind cannot lead another who is blind”
“You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye,”
“Each tree is known by its own fruit.”
“nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit”
“the evil person out of his evil treasury produces evil, for his mouth speaks from what fills his heart”
Say I planted a new church today. I walked the streets and reached out to people, and I invited neighbors, friends, co-workers and other to attend the first service. Then at the first service, for my first sermon, I preached the above sermon. No one would come back the next week.
Jesus talks about a house that is built upon a good foundation. The above sermon is the “good foundation” He preached His church would be built on. If this sermon would drive people away today, then what foundations are our churches built on today?
Jesus’ words haunt and convict me this morning both personally and as a leader in His church: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do what I tell you?”
My family, I pray this morning you will simply reflect on Jesus sermon which is the true foundation your life and “The Church”, and his words, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do what I tell you?” I know I will for a while. Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.
“ I am asking you to please share your reflections and prayers with us in the comment box below.