Luke 6:17–26

6th Sunday after Epiphany

¹⁷7 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, ¹⁸who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. ¹⁹And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all. ²⁰And 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! ²³Rejoice 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.

In C. S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia, one enters into the land of Narnia and finds it in the dead of winter. A winter that has lasted 100 years, ever since the White Witch gained control of the kingdom. “It was always winter, but never Christmas.” Shortly after the reader enters into this land, he discovers that Aslan has returned; the great Lion who was the creator and true ruler of Narnia. Upon the news that Aslan once again roamed the land the first signs are seen. Santa Claus appears for the first time in 100 years. Then flowers appear, green leaves are seen, and frozen rivers begin to melt. The curse of the White Witch is beginning to lose its power and grip on the land.

This is not just a tale from the imagination of one of the 20th Century’s foremost intellectuals and authors; this is the history of our world. For since the fall of Adam and Eve, this world has been under the power of Satan and the curse of sin, which is death.

The world and all who live in it have been subjected to sin’s reign and power. We are captives of our sinful flesh and fallen human nature. Together with the entire creation we groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption. The entire creation is subjected to frustration, not by its choice, but by the choice of Adam. It groans in pain as it awaits its liberation from bondage and decay and hopes for the glorious freedom of the children of God.

This all translates into the pains and sorrows we suffer today. We see it in sickness and disease. We see it in the deterioration of our bodies with age as our once healthy body slowly deteriorates and becomes crippled and filled with pain. The whole creation deteriorates and suffers under the curse which God placed on it at the time of Adam’s sin.

As we watch we see the evils of man and the sinful heart. We see the destruction of war, terror, violence and hatred.

We see our own hearts which are cold and selfish. Though we call ourselves Christians, we say things to hurt others then enjoy watching them squirm with pain. We even enjoy sowing the seeds of division and enjoy seeing strife among friends or families, and then can’t wait to share the news with all we know. We gossip and slander and lie all to satisfy our lusts and self-centeredness. Our hearts are evil and wicked and when left unchecked are just as capable of wickedness as anyone else. What a shame for those who bear the name of Christ.

We take offense of every little thing someone else says or does and then begrudge having to forgive them. We would rather carry around bitterness and hard feelings than forgive and live in peace and love with one another. Sinful hearts would rather wallow in their sin than rest in the love and fellowship of the family of Christ.

Indeed, our hearts are captive to sin and capable of nothing good of themselves. The only way to describe our world is that it is under the curse of sin. Sin wrought upon it by Satan and death which is the curse of sin.

But at the time of Adam’s sin, God made a promise. He promised a Seed who would crush the head of Satan and thus destroy his reign and undo his works.

In our text today we read that Jesus was teaching and healing. Crowds of people came to him from all over Judea and Jerusalem. From the seacoast cities of Tyre and Sidon. They came to hear him teach and to be healed of their diseases. Those with unclean spirits were cured and the evil spirits cast out of them. Such was his power that one only needed to touch him and his healing power came out and healed them.

Like the flowers that bloomed in Narnia and the rivers that began to melt, these miracles of Jesus and his healing power flowing out from him onto the people were but signs. Signs that the winter of captivity was turning into the spring of new life. Signs that Satan’s reign was being taken from him and the kingdom of God was being established. Signs that this man Jesus was the promised Seed who would crush the head of Satan and undo his works. They were signs of hope. Signs that the kingdom of God was about to come and the kingdom of sin and death about to be overturned.

Jesus came to confront and destroy the kingdom of Satan; the kingdom of this world. Jesus came to be in conflict with our culture, for the society of this world is the realm of the devil. Thus we who are followers of Jesus live in opposition to the society around us. Often that means that as followers of Jesus we suffer, we are opposed, we are the poor, the hungry and outcast of society.

And Jesus began to teach the people. He lifted up his eyes and beheld the crowds of followers and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. 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! Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for behold your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.”

He pronounced the blessings; the beatitudes. But of whom do these beatitudes apply? To no one do they apply more fully than to Jesus himself. Blessed are the poor: He is the one who became poor in order to give us the kingdom of God. Blessed are the hungry: He was the one who suffered hunger in order to satisfy us. Blessed are they that weep: He was the one who wept so that we could laugh. Blessed are the reviled: He, more than anyone, was hated and excluded and reviled and spurned so that we could leap for joy and receive a great reward in heaven.

God’s blessings are the rewards that properly belong to Christ for his accomplishments. Jesus is the one who humbled himself to become a man. He is the one who lived a life of perfect obedience, who suffered, who died to atone for our sins, and who rose again. He is the one who believed with unswerving faith the words and promises of the Father. The blessings apply to Jesus first of all. Christ himself is the blessed one.

All of God’s blessings are in Christ and so every believer receives all of God’s blessings. The blessings which Christ earned are received by every one who is baptized into Christ and has faith. By virtue of our being baptized into Christ we share in his life and receive all of God’s blessings. There are no degrees of blessing. Some believers do not have more than others. In Christ we each one share all the blessings of Christ. In Christ we are heirs of the kingdom. In Christ we who hunger today shall be satisfied on the last day. In Christ, we who weep today shall on the last day laugh. In Christ, we who are reviled and spurned for his name shall leap for joy. For as Christ’s reward in heaven is great, so shall ours be great, for we are IN HIM.

The sufferings of this present age in the kingdom of sin and death shall one day end. For Christ, the Seed, has crushed Satan’s head and cast off his rule. By his death he has destroyed him who holds the power of death. The Son of God appeared to destroy the devil’s work and rescue us from the dominion of darkness. God, through Jesus Christ, reconciled to himself all things. He disarmed the powers and authorities of this world. We were dead in our sins, but in Christ we are forgiven of all our sins. In baptism we are buried with Jesus and raised with him through faith in the power of God.

Though we sorrow today, tomorrow we shall rise with Christ and reign with him eternally. Though we hunger today, tomorrow we shall be fed at his banquet table forever. The Lord’s Supper is but a prelude to that eternal banquet feast.

But Jesus says, “woe to those who are rich for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.” Those who refuse to repent and believe in Jesus shall not share in the rewards of Christ. Those who continue to live in sin and choose to remain slaves to sin shall not receive the blessings of Christ. Jesus life and teaching stands in direct opposition to culture and society. Jesus did not come to please or appease society or to be culturally relevant. Jesus came precisely to confront, challenge and destroy the culture because culture and society are part of the devil’s kingdom. Those who insist on receiving the benefits and praise and glory which society offers, are the ones Jesus proclaims these woes upon. “Woe to you who want to be rich with the glory, fame and power of this world,” declares Jesus. “Woe to you who want to continue in the kingdom of Satan and live in its lusts and pleasures.”

Therefore, repent of your sin and believe in Jesus Christ. Put to death whatever belongs to our earthly nature; sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed. Rid yourselves of anger, rage, malice, slander, and put on the new man, renewed in the image of the Creator. Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. For by repentance and faith we enter into Christ and share his blessings.

The blessings he pronounced in the beatitudes are not rewards for our efforts or something we do. Rather they are Christ’s rewards for his obedience. And whenever the believer is incorporated into Christ by baptism and faith, the life of Christ becomes his life. By grace the blessing of Christ becomes the inheritance of the believer. The beatitudes come to describe each and every believer.

Therefore, put away your sinful thoughts, words and deeds. Turn your back on your selfish and greedy lusts. Turn to Jesus in faith for the forgiveness of sins and you shall receive the blessings of Christ in eternity.

For Christ has conquered. Christ has by his death put to death the devil and destroyed his works. Christ is the Seed who crushed the head of Satan and disarms his power and rule. Christ is the one who restores us to the image of God; that image which man once bore. The rule of sin and death has come to an end. Therefore put off the works of sin and await your heavenly reward with joy and thanksgiving.

Amen.