The Sermon in a level place, Luke 6:17-49

Jesus Ministers to Many People

(Matthew 4:23-25)

6:17 Then Jesus came down with them and stood on a level place, along with many of his disciples and a large gathering of people from all over Judea, Jerusalem, and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Even those who were being tormented by unclean spirits were being healed. 19 The entire crowd was trying to touch him, because power was coming out from him and healing all of them.

Jesus Pronounces Blessings and Judgment

(Matthew 5:1-12)

20 Then Jesus looked at his disciples and said,

“How blessed are you who are destitute,
because the kingdom of God is yours!
21 How blessed are you who are hungry now,
because you will be satisfied!
How blessed are you who are crying now,
because you will laugh!

22 “How blessed are you whenever people hate you, avoid you, insult you, and slander you because of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because your reward in heaven is great! That’s the way their ancestors used to treat the prophets.

24 “But how terrible it will be for you who are rich,
because you have had your comfort!
25 How terrible it will be for you who are full now,
because you will be hungry!
How terrible it will be for you who are laughing now,
because you will mourn and cry!

26 “How terrible it will be for you when everyone says nice things about you, because that’s the way their ancestors used to treat the false prophets!”

Teaching about Love for Enemies

(Matthew 5:38-48)

27 “But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who insult you. 29 If someone strikes you on the cheek, offer him the other one as well, and if someone takes your coat, don’t keep back your shirt, either. 30 Keep on giving to everyone who asks you for something, and if anyone takes what is yours, do not insist on getting it back. 31 Whatever you want people to do for you, do the same for them.”

32 “If you love those who love you, what thanks do you deserve? Why, even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks do you deserve? Even sinners do that. 34 If you lend to those from whom you expect to get something back, what thanks do you deserve? Even sinners lend to sinners to get back what they lend. 35 Rather, love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind even to ungrateful and evil people. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

Judging Others

(Matthew 7:1-5)

37 “Stop judging, and you’ll never be judged. Stop condemning, and you’ll never be condemned. Forgive, and you’ll be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A large quantity, pressed together, shaken down, and running over will be put into your lap, because you’ll be evaluated by the same standard with which you evaluate others.”

39 He also told them a parable: “One blind person can’t lead another blind person, can he? Both will fall into a ditch, won’t they? 40 A disciple is not better than his teacher. But everyone who is fully-trained will be like his teacher.

41 “Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you don’t see the beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you’ll see clearly enough to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

A Tree is Known by Its Fruit

(Matthew 7:17-20)

43 “A good tree doesn’t produce rotten fruit, and a rotten tree doesn’t produce good fruit, 44 because every tree is known by its own fruit. People don’t gather figs from thorny plants or pick grapes from a thorn bush. 45 A good person produces good from the good treasure of his heart, and an evil person produces evil from an evil treasure, because the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.”

The Two Foundations

(Matthew 7:24-27)

46 “Why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but don’t do what I tell you? 47 I will show you what everyone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. 48 They are like a person building a house, who dug a deep hole to lay the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the floodwaters pushed against that house but couldn’t shake it, because it had been founded on the rock. 49 But the person who hears what I say but doesn’t act on it is like someone who built a house on the ground without any foundation. When the floodwaters pushed against it, that house quickly collapsed, and the resulting destruction of that house was extensive.”
Luke 6:17-49

and

The Beatitudes

5:1 Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called sons of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely
say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be
glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they
persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Salt and Light

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness,
how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything,
except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they
put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In
the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your
good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

The Fulfillment of the Law

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not
the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law
until everything is accomplished. 19 Anyone who breaks one of the least
of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called
least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these
commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell
you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and
the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of
heaven.

Murder

21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not
murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I
tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to
judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable
to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of
the fire of hell.

23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there
remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your
gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your
brother; then come and offer your gift.
25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to
court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand
you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer,
and you may be thrown into prison. 26 I tell you the truth, you will
not get out until you have paid the last penny.

Adultery

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But I
tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already
committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes
you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to
lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into
hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw
it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for
your whole body to go into hell.

Divorce

31 “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a
certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his
wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an
adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.

Oaths

33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do
not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ 34
But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s
throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem,
for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 Simply let your
‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’; and your ‘;No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from
the evil one.

An Eye for an Eye

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for
tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone
strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if
someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak
as well. 41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two
miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the
one who wants to borrow from you.

Love for Enemies

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your
enemy.’ 44 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who
persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He
causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the
righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what
reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And
if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others?
Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly
Father is perfect.

Giving to the Needy

6 “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be
seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in
heaven.
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as
the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored
by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what
your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then
your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Prayer

5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to
pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by
men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 6
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your
Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in
secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling
like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many
words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need
before you ask him.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,

10 your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.

11 Give us today our daily bread.

12 Forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13 And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from the evil one.’

14 For if you forgive men when they
sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if
you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your
sins.

Fasting

16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they
disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the
truth, they have received their reward in full. 17 But when you fast,
put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that it will not be
obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is
unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward
you.

Treasures in Heaven

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and
rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and
where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole
body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole
body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is
darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love
the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You
cannot serve both God and Money.

Do Not Worry

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will
eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more
important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look
at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in
barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more
valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to
his life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field
grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even
Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that
is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and
tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O
you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’
or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans
run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you
need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all
these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry
about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has
enough trouble of its own.

Judging Others

7 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you
judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will
be measured to you.
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and
pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to
your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the
time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the
plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the
speck from your brother’s eye.
6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs.
If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and
tear you to pieces.

Ask, Seek, Knock

7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and
the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he
who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10
Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then,
though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how
much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask
him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to
you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is
the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But
small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a
few find it.

A Tree and Its Fruit

15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing,
but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will
recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from
thistles? 17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree
bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree
cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is
cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will
recognize them.
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom
of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in
your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many
miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away
from me, you evildoers!’

The Wise and Foolish Builders
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
Matthew 5:1-7:29
Also see: Luke 6:17-49


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