Reading the Bible Everyday – Luke 6

Joy: You’re listening to the Lifting Her Voice podcast, Episode #50.  Today we’ll read the 6th chapter of Luke together:  Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath, not the other way around; the Twelve are named; and Luke reports on the Beatitudes.

Welcome to the Lifting Her Voice podcast.  I’m your host, Joy Miller, and I invite you to grab your Bible and join me as we simply read God’s word together.  Some things require discipline and sometimes that’s just not easy to muster by yourself, no matter how badly you want to do it or how much you know you should.  It’s just easier to do it with a friend.  So refill your coffee or tea, get comfortable in your favorite chair and follow along as I read aloud.  I’m so glad you’re here!

I want to share my heart with you for a moment.  Simply said, I love reading the Bible and I think everyone – especially Bible-believing Christians – should read it systematically every day.  I think I’ve said that before, but I want you to know that’s why I do this podcast every day.  I get a huge charge out of looking at my stats and see people listening in France and Australia and South Korea and Chile and Tanzania and so many more than I ever expected in the United States.  I am believing that each of you will tell your friends and your friends will tell their friends and that by opening the Word every day, we will be more knowledgeable about the Word itself, we will be able to defend our faith, and we will be able to share the Gospel with a desperate world who doesn’t even know what it’s hungering for.  Now for the call to action: It would be so appreciated if you would write a review of the podcast wherever you listen.  It really does help spread the word.  Thank you.

Luke Chapter 6:1 On a Sabbath, He passed through the grainfields. His disciples were picking heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. 2 But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 3 Jesus answered them, “Haven’t you read what David and those who were with him did when he was hungry- 4 how he entered the house of God, and took and ate the sacred bread, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat? He even gave some to those who were with him.” 5 Then He told them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” 6 On another Sabbath He entered the synagogue and was teaching. A man was there whose right hand was paralyzed. 7 The scribes and Pharisees were watching Him closely, to see if He would heal on the Sabbath, so that they could find a charge against Him. 8 But He knew their thoughts and told the man with the paralyzed hand, “Get up and stand here.” So he got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you: is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” 10 After looking around at them all, He told him, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was restored. 11 They, however, were filled with rage and started discussing with one another what they might do to Jesus. 12 During those days He went out to the mountain to pray and spent all night in prayer to God. 13 When daylight came, He summoned His disciples, and He chose 12 of them-He also named them apostles: 14 Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; 15 Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; 16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. 17 After coming down with them, He stood on a level place with a large crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They came to hear Him and to be healed of their diseases; and those tormented by unclean spirits were made well. 19 The whole crowd was trying to touch Him, because power was coming out from Him and healing them all. 20 Then looking up at His disciples, He said: Blessed are you who are poor, because the kingdom of God is yours. 21 Blessed are you who are hungry now, because you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, because you will laugh. 22 Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you, insult you, and slander your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. 23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! Take note-your reward is great in heaven, because this is the way their ancestors used to treat the prophets. 24 But woe to you who are rich, because you have received your comfort. 25 Woe to you who are full now, because you will be hungry. Woe to you who are laughing now, because you will mourn and weep. 26 Woe to you when all people speak well of you, because this is the way their ancestors used to treat the false prophets. 27 “But I say to you who listen: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 If anyone hits you on the cheek, offer the other also. And if anyone takes away your coat, don’t hold back your shirt either. 30 Give to everyone who asks from you, and from one who takes away your things, don’t ask for them back. 31 Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them. 32 If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do what is good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners to be repaid in full. 35 But love your enemies, do what is good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. 37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure-pressed down, shaken together, and running over-will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” 39 He also told them a parable: “Can the blind guide the blind? Won’t they both fall into a pit? 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. 41 “Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but don’t notice the log in your own eye? 42 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself don’t see the log in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck in your brother’s eye. 43 “A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit. 44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs aren’t gathered from thornbushes, or grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 A good man produces good out of the good storeroom of his heart. An evil man produces evil out of the evil storeroom, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. 46 “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say? 47 I will show you what someone is like who comes to Me, hears My words, and acts on them: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. When the flood came, the river crashed against that house and couldn’t shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The river crashed against it, and immediately it collapsed. And the destruction of that house was great!”

Did you notice the second heading in the Christian Standard Bible while Luke was going thru the Beatitudes?  “Woe to the Self-Satisfied.”  When I read the text, I used to be tempted to wonder if it was bad if I had money.  I thought perhaps I shouldn’t get too comfortable or laugh too much or be careful about getting too many compliments.  I struggled with reconciling these things with John 10:10 where Jesus says He came to give life more abundantly.  I understand that he may define abundance a little differently, but He isn’t unaware of the conflict, I’m sure.  But it seems it can all be explained in that heading, can’t it?  It’s not bad to have money.  There is plenty of good laughter in the Bible.  James tells us that all good things come from above.  But it starts to go bad when those things become idols; when we replace our love for God with love of things in the world.  That is what Jesus is warning us about.  Let’s pray.  Oh, Father, help us to always think the best of You.  Obliterate these thoughts that sneak in and cause us to think You are some big, mean Father who is ready to punish us at a moment’s notice and who wants to keep us from having any fun.  Please forgive us for sometimes hanging on You this undeserved label.  Help us to see that everything You provide and expect is for our good and Your glory; that You are a loving Father.  Help us not to be self-satisfied but to always see Your arm of generosity and to give You thanks.  Amen.

Thank you for joining me here today.  I pray God will grow in you what has been planted and watered here.  In this time of unprecedented struggle worldwide, we can look to God for guidance and comfort.  Be sensitive to those in your circle of influence who need a word of encouragement and invite them to join us.  If you like this show, it would be great if you give it a five-star review.  Don’t forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  See you right here tomorrow.  Be well!