Gold for the heart

Luke 6

The Lord exposes our harsh thinking

1 And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the sown fields; and his disciples plucked the heads of grain, and ate, rubbing them in their hands. 2 And certain Pharisees said to them, Why do you do what is against the law to do on the sabbath days? 3 And answering them Jesus said, Have you not read so much as this, what David did, when he was hungry, and those that were with him; 4 How he went into the house of God, and took and ate the showbread, and also gave it to those that were with him; which is against the law for anyone to eat except for the priests? 5 And he said to them, The Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

The law of God said that men were to leave the corners of their fields unharvested so that the poor of the land could come and glean food. Jesus and the disciples were doing that (Leviticus 19:9,10).
Israel’s leaders had twisted God’s law into rules that man served instead of showing man how to live rightly before God.
This made God look petty and harsh.
The Lord of all was there with them, showing them the right way to live.

Acts 10:38 …preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (He is Lord of all).

He knows our thoughts

6 And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 And the scribes and Pharisees watched him to see if he would heal on the sabbath day so that they might find something to legally accuse him of. 8 But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man that had the withered hand, Get up, and stand out in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. 9 Then said Jesus to them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? To save life, or to destroy it? 10 And looking round about on them all, he said to the man, Stretch out your hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other. 11 And they were filled with madness; and discussed one with another what they might do to Jesus.

1 Chronicles 28:9 the Lord searches the hearts and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts.

He heals ALL those tormented by unclean spirits

12 And in those days that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. 13 And when it was day, he called to him his disciples: and from them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; 14 Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) Andrew his brother, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon called Zelotes, 16 Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, who also was the traitor. 17 And he came down with them and stood in the plain, along with the company of his disciples and a great multitude of people out of all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; 18 And those that were tormented with unclean spirits: and they were healed. 19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for power came out of him healing them all.

‘Apostles’ means ones sent.
God desires to heal man’s broken relationship with his Maker most of all.

Exodus 15:26 I am the Lord that heals you.

He blesses His disciples with mighty blessings

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 that are hungry now: for you will be filled. Blessed are you that weep now: for you will laugh. 22 Blessed are you when men hate you and ostracize you and insult you and scorn your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy: for behold, your reward is great in heaven: for their fathers treated the prophets in the same way.

The Lord gives the kingdom of God to those who overcome by faith.

Revelation 3:21 To him that overcomes I will grant to sit with me on my throne, even as I also overcame (evil) and have set down with my Father on his throne.

24 But cries of grief to you that are rich! For you have received your consolation. 25 Woe to you that are full! For you will hunger. Woe to you that laugh now! For you will mourn and weep. 26 Woe to you when all men will speak well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets. 27 But I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 Bless those that curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. 29 And to him that strikes you on one cheek offer the other also; and he that takes away your cloak do not forbid him to take your coat also. 30 Give to everyone that asks of you; and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. 31 Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. 32 For if you love those that love you, what thanks do you have? Sinners also love those that love them. 33 And if you do good to those that do good to you, what thanks do you have? Sinners also do the same.

‘Woe’ means cries of grief.

Philippians 4:19 my God will supply all you need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Our Father, the Most High, is kind and merciful to all

34 And if you lend to those of whom you hope to receive, what thanks do you have? Sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But you, love your enemies and do good and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward will be great, and you will be the children of the Highest: for he is kind to the unthankful and to the evil. 36 You therefore be merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Revelation 21:7 He that overcomes will inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he will be my son.

Psalm 36:5 Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens, and your faithfulness reaches unto the clouds.

37 Do not judge, and you will not be judged: do not condemn, and you will not be condemned: forgive, and you will be forgiven: 38 Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, men will give into your bosom. For with your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.

Matthew 6:14 If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

39 And he spoke a parable to them, Can the blind lead the blind? Will not both of them fall into the ditch? 40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect will be as his master. 41 And why do you stare at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but not see the log that is in your own eye? 42 Or how can you say to your brother, Brother, let me pull out the speck that is in your eye, when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first cast the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to pull out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

The log in our own eye is pride.
The log in our own eye is taking the Lord’s place as judge of others.
The log in our own eye is loving other things more than God, the Maker and Source of all things.
‘Hypocrite’ means false face.
The word ‘perfect’ means complete.

Colossians 2:10 And you are complete in Him who is the head of all principality and power.

43 For a good tree does not bring forth corrupt fruit; nor does a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs of thorns: they do not gather grapes from brambles. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth what is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Proverbs 23:7 as a man thinks in his heart so he is.

46 And why do you call you me, Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say? 47 Whoever comes to me, and hears my sayings, and does them, I will show you who he is like: 48 He is like a man that built a house, and dug deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream burst against that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded on a rock. 49 But he that hears, and does not do, is like a man that without a foundation built a house on the earth; against which the stream burst strongly and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

Luke 7

Jesus has all the power in the universe

1 Now when he had ended all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick, and ready to die. 3 And when he heard of Jesus, he sent the elders of the Jews to him asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they begged him earnestly, saying, He is worthy for whom he should do this: 5 For he loves our nation, and he has built us a synagogue. 6 Then Jesus went with them. And when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, Lord, do not trouble yourself: for I am not worthy for you to enter under my roof: 7 Therefore I did not count myself worthy to come to you: but say a word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I also am a man set under authority, having soldiers under me, and I say to one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it. 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned and said to the crowd that followed him, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel. 10 And those that had been sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.

This centurion knew who Jesus really is—the LORD of all.
He is he One who controls all of the power in the whole universe.
No one is worthy to be with Him or ask anything of Him but He wants us to be with Him and ask.
Faith comes by hearing the Word of God.

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.

Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

John 16:24 Up to now you have asked nothing in my name: ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Jesus raises the dead

11 And it happened the next day that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and many people. 12 Now when he came near to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and many people of the city were with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said to her, Do not weep. 14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that carried him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say to you, Arise. 15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. 16 And fear came on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet has risen up among us; and, God has visited his people. 17 And this rumor about him went throughout all Judea, and throughout all the surrounding regions.

1Thessalonians 4:16 the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ will rise first: 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so will we ever be with the Lord.

He proved that He is the One

18 And the disciples of John showed him all these things. 19 And John, calling to him two of his disciples, sent them to Jesus, saying, Are you the one to come? Or should we look for another? 20 When the men had come to him, they said, John Baptist has sent us to you, saying, Are you the one coming? Or should we look for another? 21 And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and to many that were blind he gave sight. 22 Then answering, Jesus said to them, Go your way, and tell John what things you have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the good news is preached. 23 And blessed is he, whoever will not be offended in me.

No other person in history has done what Jesus did.
He proved that He is the Son of God by calming the storm with a word, walking on water, curing every illness, feeding 5,000 with five loaves and two fish, and raising the dead.
If that is not enough proof for us then there will never be enough proof because we refuse to see and will burn in hell forever!

24 And when the messengers of John had departed, he began to speak to the people concerning John, What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 25 What did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, they that are gorgeously dressed, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts. 26 What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and much more than a prophet. 27 This is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you. 28 For I say to you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

Those in the kingdom of God do not have a sinful nature. They are able to focus on God and love Him with all their hearts.
John, though the greatest born among women, still had the Adam’s fallen nature inside him.

29 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God inside themselves, not being baptized by him. 31 And the Lord said, To what can I compare the men of this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling one to another, saying, We have piped to you, and you have not danced; we have mourned to you, and you have not wept. 33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and you say he has a devil. 34 The Son of man has come eating and drinking; and you say, Behold a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners! 35 But wisdom is justified of all her children.

Man’s fallen nature has two sides. The strong side, in pride, becomes self-righteous, the weak side indulges the pleasures of the flesh.
God sent a man with His message of love to each of these sides. Some turned to God from both sides. But many just made excuses not to believe.

36 And one of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him. And he went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. 37 And behold, a woman in the city, who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus reclined in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38 and stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he spoke within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what kind of woman this is that touches him: for she is a sinner.

‘In stupid zeal and eccentric piety the Pharisees became worse than the ungodly. For God's sake they became enemies of God, and for the fear of God they became scorners of God. Because of piety they became impious; for the sake of peace they disturb the peace; because of their love and holiness they became envious and unholy; in the interest of humility they became proud. Such is the fictitious piety of a stubborn mind and the hypocritical understanding of confirmed obstinacy. So great is man’s arrogance and his absolutely vain delusion.” Martin Luther, Romans.

He forgives

40 And Jesus answering said to him, Simon, I have something to say to you. And he said, Teacher, say it. 41 There was a certain creditor that had two debtors: the one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he forgave them both. Therefore, which of them will love him most? 43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said to him, You have judged rightly. 44 And he turned to the woman, and said to Simon, Do you see this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet: but she has washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45 You gave me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil: but this woman has anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Therefore I say to you, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little. 48 And he said to her, Your sins are forgiven. 49 And they that sat to eat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgives sins also? 50 And he said to the woman, Your faith has saved you; go in peace.

This parable is an analogy to our debt to God. We owe Him all our love.
If we do not love Him with all our hearts but we do criticize and judge others for their lesser sins then we are like the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18 who had been forgiven much but would not forgive the little that was owed him.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

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SUMMARY: Luke 6-7

The Lord exposes our harsh thinking
He knows our thoughts
He heals ALL those tormented by unclean spirits
He blesses His disciples with mighty blessings
Our Father, the Most High, is kind and merciful to all
Jesus has all the power in the universe
Jesus raises the dead
He proved that He is the One
He forgives