Luke 6

Jesus' claims to forgive sins raised the eyebrows of the Pharisees, who were also scandalized by his willingness to associate with tax collectors and other "sinners." Now, in chapter 6, they are closely watching Jesus and attempt to turn the tables on him, to prove he is nothing but a common law breaker who violates Sabbath restrictions.

His responses (v. 3-5 and 8-11) challenge their Sabbath interpretations, extensive rules and regulations about what they could and couldn't do on the seventh day of the week. I like how Jesus values people's needs and showing compassion more than those rules. What do you know about the Jewish Sabbath? Do you think it has any applications for Christians and does it have any meaning for you personally?

Jesus takes another important step in his ministry that fills the rest of this chapter. He chooses an inner circle of apostles -- or "sent ones" -- and extensively lays out the philosophy of his kingdom to the disciples in what could be called the sermon on the plain.

Notice the role of prayer before he chooses the apostles (v. 12). We've already seen him turn to God at other significant points. I can't emphasize enough how foundational prayer was in Jesus' relationship with God. We need to follow his lead, connecting to God regularly through prayer. On another note: Have you ever memorized the names of the 12 apostles? I'd challenge any of you to try and learn and recite them for us on Sunday.

As I read the "blessed" statements, or the Beatitudes (v. 20-23), they take me back to 4:18-19, where Jesus used the writings of Isaiah to announce that the downtrodden would be the focus of his ministry. Again, do these people that Jesus blesses sound like you or me? Or would it be easier for us to identify with those in v. 24-26 to whom Jesus says "woe to you?"

So what's the righteous response to hatred, abuse and disrespect? Jesus gives us a barrage of answers that seem somewhere between challenging and impossible (v. 27-31), and insists on a higher standard for his followers (v. 32-35). Verse 31 provides the key to understanding why this is imperative. We call this the Golden Rule. Jesus' focus here stands in contrast to the Pharisees' Sabbath rules, alluded to earlier.

With brief parables (v. 39-45), Jesus asserts the disciples' need for his guidance and teaching, denounces those who hypocritically judge others (using extreme hyperbole to make his point), and declares that such people's actions will eventually unmask the true attitude of their hearts. 

What do you think of the parables that we've encountered so far (in this chapter and earlier)? Are they understandable? Do any of them ring true?

Jesus tells a final parable (v. 46-49) that serves as a call to action -- a good way to end any sermon. It predicts ruin amidst the storms of life for those who hear his instructions but don't actively follow them. Let's see if we can decipher what it means on Sunday. Bring your ideas!