Sermon for 16 February 2025, Epiphany 6, Luke 6.17-26

Let us pray: Fill us with your Holy Spirit, that through us, your light may shine in all the world. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

Being a Christian does not magically make you perfect nor wash away all your worries. It does call you to be true to God’s message of love, regardless of your circumstances. We often talk about the Body of Christ, recognising the variety of skills offered by church members, but more than just our abilities, we are all different, forming part of the kaleidoscope of humanity. We come with our gifts and problems, and we all leave with blessings from God our Father.

The gospel today is often called the Sermon on the Plain, contrasting with Matthew’s more famous sermon on the Mount, both contain the Beatitudes, phrases about ‘blessed are…’  But who was Jesus talking to?

You could imagine rings of different people present that day at the base of the mountain. Unlike Matthew’s version, where Jesus preached on the hillside, Jesus climbed the hill to pray with his many disciples. He chose twelve from that crowd of followers to be his closest, most trusted companions. From the start, they were a mixed bag, drawn from different walks of life. We know there were some Greek Jews, some fishermen and even a tax man. They certainly had their weaknesses. Remember that Peter denied ever knowing Jesus when things became dangerous, while Judas betrayed him for a handful of silver. And yet, never forget that Jesus called these men to follow him. He saw their potential as well as their flaws.

Jesus and his diverse followers returned to discover a large crowd gathered from near and far. They formed a third concentric ring of listeners surrounding the innermost twelve and the rest of the disciples.

Jesus could see how desperate those people were. People had limped, dragged or carried the sick for days, walking from far distant places to reach him. He healed all who needed it, with power going out from him. That is remarkable and worthy of being called a miracle, but Luke mentions it almost as an aside.

They came to be healed and stayed to hear what he had to say. Jesus began to teach his followers, but by addressing them in the second person, we, today’s listeners, are included, forming a further circle to listen and reflect on how his words affect us.

Through healing and teaching, Jesus, in word AND deed worked to achieve the reversal of suffering and the defeat of evil. This was his ministry in a nutshell.

 

When considering the Beatitudes, we often focus on the blessings and almost sweep the negative warnings to the side, they feel too uncomfortable to dwell on. What if we changed the emphasis, and considered how Jesus desired to help them all, regardless of how they behaved, to find a way to come closer to God?

He turned to the raggedy, hungry looking members of his followers, and asked  ‘How are you? Are you sad, hungry or afraid? Are you grieving the loss of someone dear to you?’

Some of them undoubtedly were. Some felt persecuted and feared for their lives after making a decision to follow Jesus. And likewise, we listeners are not immune to worries and suffering either. We get sick. We grieve.

He spoke directly to those who were in desperate situations. Through the ages, his words have been heard by people living through grief, war and famine. Jesus offers us kindness and hope in times of suffering. Wonderfully, he says that all will be well. By simply reminding us that we are blessed, even when those blessings are obscured by sadness. He told us there was hope, that God’s blessings would shine like a light in the darkness, even if it took a lifetime to complete.

There is a way of interpreting the bible called Liberation Theology that does something similar. It considers situations of oppression, originally in South American contexts, and tries to apply Christ’s teaching. Liberation theologians are more hands-on than book-based; they call for social justice to ease the terrible situations people find themselves in. Then through practical acts of love, they try to convey the same sense of hope that Jesus offered his followers. They try to share some of Christ’s light.

 

On the other hand, we know that there were followers of Jesus who were wealthy and well-connected to the most influential people in the land. One such person was Joanna, the wife of Chuza, King Herod’s palace manager. There must have been others in that gathering, curious about Jesus and his teaching but proudly dismissive of other poorer followers.

Jesus could see that loving God and neighbours was a challenge for them. Dangers lurk for those who don’t take life seriously, who are smugly satisfied with their lot, and who seek out or even rely upon the approval of others. Jesus was concerned for these people, who needed to realise that they were risking everything for temporary pleasure.

 

Unfortunately, we have more in common with this second group of people than we care to consider, and we need to take that seriously. We are rarely at risk of starvation or persecution, but we are often at risk of losing sight of God due to a tendency towards pride, self-satisfaction, or even needing to check how many likes we have on facebook.

Jesus tried to warn the listeners to become more aware and to change their ways. The Message bible translates the phrase ‘Woe to you’ as ‘there is trouble ahead’. It might have come as a surprise to them to hear that there was trouble ahead for them at all.

‘Don’t get cocky, he told those whose life felt safe and comfortable. ‘Consider others’, he tells us, who enjoy good fortune, cheap clothes and affordable electronic gadgets on the back of another’s labour.

Standing in the middle of those circles of listeners, Jesus warned or encouraged them, depending on their situation. Why? To call us all to turn to God, to recognise that we are loved and worthy of that love.

Despite our differences, we have something in common. We all approach Jesus to hear more about love and forgiveness, and we all dream of being healed where it hurts.

It is as simple and as complex as that.  The Lord be with you!