The Joyful & The Miserable, Part 1
Sermon 21 in Series
Luke 6:20-26
[20] And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:
“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
[21] “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
[22] “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! [23] Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
[24] “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
[25] “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.
“Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.
[26] “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.
1. How are the accounts of the Sermon on the Mount/Plain similar in Matthew and Luke? How are they different and what does this suggest about the emphases/purposes of the two authors?
2. In what ways does the world twist our understanding of the “good life”? What practically happens when we lose sight of heaven’s perspective?
3. How does this passage encourage us to live by faith and not by sight? How can we allow the “now” to overshadow the “then”?
4. What do Matthew’s beatitudes contribute to our interpretation of Luke’s? What are some pitfalls we should avoid in rightly interpreting Luke?
5. How do Luke’s themes of the big reversal and the danger of riches aid our understanding of these beatitudes and woes? How do they challenge the thinking of the wealthy Christian?
6. How would these words have been heard by the 12 Apostles in particular? What do they communicate to Christians facing persecution throughout the church’s history?
References:Psalm 73 (corporate reading); Matthew 5:1-12; Acts 1:22; Galatians 1:4; Hebrews 11:9-10; 2 Corinthians 5:7; 4:16-18; Luke 16:23, 24; 18:9-14; 2 Corinthians 7:10; James 4:9-10; Luke 1:52-53; 4:18; Amos 6:1, 4; 1 Timothy 6:17-19, 10; James 1:10; Luke 5:11, 28; 9:58; Matthew 19:27; 10:22; James 2:6; 5:5-6.
