Old Testament Reading: Psalm 1

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” (Psalm 1, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 6:46–49

“‘Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord, ’and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.’” (Luke 6:46–49, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

You probably have noticed that preachers often conclude their sermons by delivering some kind of exhortation to the congregation to obey or apply what has been taught. There are good reasons for this, the most obvious being that God’s word is always to be obeyed. Yes, it is to be believed in the mind and cherished in the heart, but those with a true and lively faith are to strive to live in obedience to the Scriptures in thought, word, and deed. God’s word is to be applied – it is to be put into practice. 

And you will notice that Jesus concluded his sermon on the plane with a call to obedience. In this sermon, Jesus calls his disciples to perceive that they are blessed in him, even if they suffer in this world. He has called us to love our enemies and to do unto others as we would have them do to us. He has called us to avoid the judgmental and condemning attitude that is so common among religious people and to forgive and treat others with generosity. Jesus calls his disciples to be merciful, gracious, and kind, for God is merciful, even to those who hate him, and he has certainly been gracious to all who are in Christ Jesus. He has forgiven us all of our sins, and so we are called to forgive as we have been forgiven. 

I think you would agree with me that these ethical teachings of Jesus are challenging. But Christ insists that his followers obey him. We are to obey God’s moral law in thought, word, and deed. And we are to adopt the mindset and attitude that is here prescribed in the sermon on the plane. But pay very careful attention to this: Jesus is not interested in having disciples who merely listen to him. And neither is he interested in having disciples who merely believe the doctrine he teaches. No, he insists that his followers do what he commands. 

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The Question: Why Do Some Call Jesus “Lord, Lord”, And Not Do What He Tells Them? 

Notice the question that Jesus asks at the beginning of this conclusion to his sermon. Verse 46: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” 

The tone is rather confrontational, would you agree? Why this confrontational tone?

Well, let us consider Jesus’ audience again and the setting of this sermon. Jesus had just named his twelve apostles. There were others who were following him too. In fact, Luke tells us that it was a great multitude that gathered around him to hear his teachings and to be healed by him (Luke 6:17-19). Without a doubt, this was a mixed group. What did most of them share in common? They were interested in Jesus. Most of them probably claimed to be his disciples or followers. Evidently, many of them called him “Lord”. But there must have been diversity. I’m sure that there were differing levels of understanding and commitment. Some were well aware of who Jesus was and what he required of them, and they were all in. But others were undoubtedly ignorant and uncommitted. Some, I’m sure, were present on that day only because they wished to be healed by Jesus so that they might benefit from him in some way. And some were present only because they were curious to know what this Jesus was all about. In fact, we know that this was a mixed multitude because Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve, and Luke has already warned us that he would become a traitor (Luke 6:16), proving that he was no true follower of Christ, but was a false professor! 

And so Jesus spoke very directly to this mixed multitude. He warned them from the beginning that to have him as Lord and Savior would involve living in obedience to him. True disciples of Jesus will strive to keep Christ’s commandments. They will strive to live in obedience to the moral law of God. They will also strive to obey these ethical teachings of our Lord, which in no way conflict or compete with the moral law, but are a true and pure application of the moral law to the minds and hearts of those who follow Jesus.    

The question that Jesus posed to his listeners is itself powerful, rhetorically speaking. The question,  Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?, highlights the absurdity of calling someone “Lord”, and yet not obeying them. To call someone “Lord” with no intent or effort to obey them is a contradiction. Those who do this are rightly called liars and hypocrites. 

And Jesus is certainly Lord. He is Lord in that he is a master to be obeyed. And more than this, he the Lord, that is to say, the Lord God Almighty, come in the flesh. 

Luke carefully establishes this fact in his gospel. First, he uses the title “Lord” to refer to God. This he does many times in the early chapters of his gospel. For example, in 1:6 Luke speaks of Zachariah and Elizabeth as being “righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord” (Luke 1:6, ESV). And in 1:16 it is said of John the Baptist that “he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.” So then, God is the Lord. And this is, of course, consistent with the Old Testament use of that title. God is the Lord. Next, Luke shows us that Jesus Christ is the “Lord”. For example, in Luke 1:43 Elizabeth calls Mary, “the mother of my Lord”. Jesus is the Lord come in the flesh. In Luke 1:76 it is said of John the Baptist that he will “be called the prophet of the Most High; for [he] will go before the Lord to prepare his ways…”. When John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus he prepared the way for the Lord. And in Luke 2:11 the angel of the Lord spoke to the shepherds in the field saying, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11, ESV).

Jesus is Lord. He is God with us – God incarnate. He is the Savior of all who come to him by faith. But to have him as Savior you must have him as Lord. As Paul says in Romans 10:9-10, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Romans 10:9–10, ESV).

So then, it is good and right to call Jesus “Lord”. But here in the conclusion to his sermon on the plane, Jesus warns those who would call him “Lord” with no intention or effort to obey him in their way of life. This is a contradiction, an act of hypocrisy, and a false profession. And those who call Jesus “Lord” with their lips but deny him with their lives should not be confident that they have him as Savior. The rest of the passage makes this very clear. 

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Those Who Come To Christ, Hear His Words, And Obey Him Are Likened

To A House With A Strong Foundation, Which Will Surely Stand 

I have said that the question Jesus asks is powerful in and of itself for it reveals the absurdity of calling Jesus Lord while not obeying him. Lords are to be obeyed! That is the point!  But Jesus sharpens his point through the use of a pair of similies – a simile being a figure of speech that compares one thing with another.

In 6:48 we read, “Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.” (Luke 6:47–48, ESV)

Here Christ describes what someone who makes a true profession of faith is like. The person who, one, comes to Christ (by faith), two, hears his words (or his commands), and three, obeys him, is compared by our Lord to a well-built house with a foundation that is strong and deep, able to endure even the floodwaters. 

In this simile, the house itself represents the very life of a person who has made a profession of faith. The digging down to the bedrock so that the foundation of the house is set on something firm and immovable represents a true and authentic faith in Christ – a faith that is accompanied by sincere repentance and heartfelt obedience. What then does the flood represent? Two things: One, the trials and tribulations of this life, including persecution. Two, the floodwaters represent the final judgment.

How will it go for the person who has true faith in Christ when the trials and tribulations of life beat against them? What will become of their profession of faith? It will stand! For it is true faith, grounded in Christ as Savior and Lord, that they have. And how will it go for the one who has true faith in Christ on the day of judgment? Again I say, they will stand. They will stand, not because they are righteous in and of themselves, but because they stand on Christ and have his righteousness as their own.   

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Those Who Hear Christ’s Words But Do Not Obey Him Are Likened

To A House With No Foundation At All, Which Will Surely Fall

And what are those who hear Christ’s words but do not obey him compared to? Christ compares these to a house with no foundation at all. And we are told that this house will surely fall. 

Look at verse 49: “But the one who hears [Christ’s words] and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great” (Luke 6:49, ESV). 

One thing to notice about the comparison that Jesus makes between the two houses is that they look the same (or at least similar) on the surface. If I were to show you a picture of two houses, one with a deep foundation, and the other without any foundation at all, you would probably not be able to tell the difference between the two, for they they would look the same on the surface. But there is in fact a great difference between a house with a solid foundation and a house with no foundation at all. And you would quickly see the difference when floodwaters come and beat against those houses. The one that is built atop a deep and firm foundation will not be moved. But the one that lacks a foundation will quickly begin to crumble and will be swept away. 

So you can see that Christ is here warning his audience of the possibility and great danger of making a false profession of faith. He is calling those who hear him to respond with true faith, which will always involve true repentance and a striving after an obedient and holy life. Or to put the matter in another way, to have Jesus as your Savior you must have him as your Lord. And lords are to be obeyed. Especially this one. For he is the Lord of Glory. To call Jesus Lord, but not obey him, is an empty and false profession of faith. It is a contradiction – an act of hypocrisy. Those who make such a false profession of faith will look just like those who make a true profession for a time. Both will call Jesus, “Lord, Lord” for a time. Both will walk in the company of Jesus’ disciples for a time. But the difference between the true believer and the false professor will become apparent when the floodwaters come. When trials, tribulations, and persecutions arise, those who have made a false profession will fall away. Certainly, the house of every false professor will be swept away on the day of judgment, “and the ruin of that house [will be] great”. But those who have true faith – those who have dug down deep to build their life on the bedrock of Christ Jesus the Lord will stand. They will stand, not because they are strong in themselves, but because their lives are truly built on the firm foundation of Christ the Lord. 

I do wonder how many of those who gathered around Jesus to hear his sermon on the plane were true disciples of his and how many were false. It’s impossible to know for sure. 

One thing we do know is that there were times in Jesus’ earthly ministry when great multitudes followed him. Great multitudes surrounded him here on the plane in the beginning. Later, great multitudes followed him into the desert to hear him and to eat the bread he provided. But in the end, very few stood with him.  

As I have said, we do know that Judas Iscariot was a false professor, and he was one of the twelve! He was one of those who followed Jesus superficially and for a time with the hopes of selfish gain. But when the time came for Jesus to suffer on the cross, and as Jesus spoke more and more about the suffering that his disciples would endure, Judas showed himself to be a traitor. He was a house with no foundation at all. The floodwaters swept him away. 

Now contrast Judas with Peter, the leader of the apostolic band. Peter was not perfect. In fact, he stumbled badly. For a time, it looked like he too had fallen, when he denied his Lord three times on the night of his trial — the night before his crucifixion. But Peter stood in the end. And why did he stand? Why did his house not fall? He stood because his profession of faith was rock solid and true. He stood because Jesus was truly his Savior and Lord! He stood because Jesus Christ made him stand. 

Now let us picture the church today. Here I am referring to the many thousands of visible churches that are scattered throughout this nation and world – churches just like this one here. These churches are made up of people who call Jesus “Lord” with their lips. And I do wonder how many of these are houses with a firm foundation, and how many are foundationless. God knows. And time will tell. But between now and the day of judgment the question of Jesus must be raised: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” Those who have Jesus as Savior will have him as Lord, and the Lord must be obeyed. 

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Reflections

I do hope that the meaning is clear. I would now like to offer a few contemplation on this text. 

The first and most obvious question I must ask is, what about you? Is Jesus truly your Lord? Have you come to him in faith, heard his words, and obeyed him? Have you turned from your sin to walk in obedience?

Now the question on the minds of many will be: what is meant by obedience? Those who know God’s moral law, who understand the teachings of Jesus concerning what that law requires and forbids, and who have a clear view of themselves, will readily admit that they do not obey Christ perfectly, but daily violate his commandments in thought, word, and deed. No one obeys Christ perfectly, friends. Can we agree on that? In fact, did not Christ just warn us about seeing the specks in the eye of others while not seeing the log in our own eye? Clearly, Jesus expects that his disciples will continue to struggle with sin. Indeed, the rest of the Scriptures make this point very clear. True Christians – even the very best of them – are imperfect. We must continually war against sin, but we do not always win.  So what is meant by obedience? Or to put it another way, if it is true that disciples of Jesus will war against sin all the days of their life and will reach perfection only in the life to come, then what distinguishes the true and false believer as it pertains to obedience? 

Five things come to mind: 

Firstly, a true follower of Christ will turn from sin and to obedience initially, that is to say, from the beginning. This is why faith and repentance are often mentioned together in the Scriptures. To turn to Christ savingly involves turning from sin initially. Stated negatively, no one should think that they have Jesus as Lord and Savior if they will not turn from their sin in the beginning. 

Secondly, a true follower of Christ will turn from sin and to obedience intentionally. By this, I mean that true disciples of Christ will intend to not sinning further and they will intend to obey Christ from that day forward. Stated negatively, no true disciple of Jesus has this attitude. I’m forgiven. It does not matter if I sin. In fact, I plan to go on sinning, because Jesus is my Savior. If that is your attitude and intention, then I doubt that Jesus is really your Lord. And if he is not your Lord, then he is not your Savior.  

Thirdly, when true disciples of Jesus sin, they will do so sorrowfully. God disciplines his children. The Spirit convicts those who belong to him. Those who love Christ sincerely will be grieved when they have sinned against him. Stated negatively, false professors care little about their sin. They may be concerned about the consequences of their actions. They may worry about being caught and exposed. But they will not sorrow over their sin as a true disciple of Jesus would.  

Fourthly, true disciples of Jesus will turn from sin and walk in obedience habitually. 1 John 3:6-11 says this very clearly. “No one who abides in [Christ] keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother” (1 John 3:6–10, ESV). So then, though it is not about perfection, but habit, or practice. The true disciple of Jesus will turn from sin and obey Christ the Lord habitually. 

Fifthly, the true disciples of Jesus will grow in holiness progressively. They will mature. They will, over time, put sin to death and walk in the ways of Christ more and more.

This process of turning from sin and learning more and more to walk in obedience to the Lord is called sanctification. To be sanctified is to be set apart and made holy. God sanctifies all who are united to Christ by faith, and all who are united to Christ by faith are called by God to progress in their sanctification. 

I would like to read what our confession of faith says about sanctification. It is very helpful. If you listen carefully, you will hear support for everything I have just said about obedience. 

CHAPTER 13 – OF SANCTIFICATION

Paragraph 1. They who are united to Christ, effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection, are also farther sanctified, really and personally, through the same virtue, by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them; the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified, and they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces, to the practice of all true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

Paragraph 2. This sanctification is throughout, in the whole man, yet imperfect in this life; there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part, whence ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war; the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.

Paragraph 3. In which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail, yet, through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part doth overcome; and so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, pressing after an heavenly life, in evangelical obedience to all the commands which Christ, as Head and King, in His Word hath prescribed to them.

What a beautiful statement this is. And it is true. All true disciples of Jesus – all who are united to him by faith, effectually called and regenerated – are also sanctified. Though it is true that corruptions and imperfections remain and that there is a war to be fought against the sinful flesh, none who call Jesus “Lord” sincerely will go on to live a life marked by perpetual disobedience. On the contrary, all who have Jesus as Lord really and truly will live a life marked by obedience, and they will progress in it.  

Now, there is another question that must be addressed given all that has been said about obedience: Are we justified (declared innocent and made right before God) by faith in Christ alone or by our obedience? Some after hearing all of this talk about the necessity of obedience might wonder, is it our obedience that saves us then? Do you understand the question? If it is true that obedience is necessary, then is it our obedience to Christ that saves us? 

By no means. Brothers and sisters, don’t ever forget this. We are made right before God by the grace of God alone and through faith in Christ alone. It is impossible to be justified before God by our obedience for three main reasons. 

One, were all born in sin. We were born with Adam’s guilt imputed to us and with a corrupted nature. Obedience cannot fix that problem. Only Jesus can. He atoned for sins on the cross. He lived a perfect life so that he has a righteousness of his own to give. And he has sent forth the Spirit to regenerate sinners to heal their corruption. 

Two, we ourselves have committed many sins already. This means that we are lawbreakers. We are guilty sinners who deserve God’s judgment. No amount of obedience today can fix the problem of guilt from past sins. If someone commits murder, he is a murderer. The guilt of the crime stays with him, even if he is resolved to love and never murder again from that day forward. Present obedience cannot fix the problem of guilt from past sins. 

Three,  it is impossible to be justified before God by our obedience because the obedience we offer up to God now is tainted by many imperfections. We do not always obey. And even when we do obey, we find that our obedience is impure. Perhaps our motives are wrong. Perhaps our love for God and others is less than it should be. 

Brothers and sisters, we are not saved by obedience. Obedience (or good works) cannot be the reason or ground of our salvation. We are justified before God through faith in Christ alone. He has atoned for sins. He gives us his righteousness. He redeems us and makes us whole. This he does for all who trust in him. 

What then is the relationship between faith and obedience? True faith will always be accompanied by obedience. We obey because we have been forgiven. We obey because we have been cleansed. We obey because we have been regenerated and renewed. We obey because we love God, and we know that we love him only because he first loved us. We obey, brothers and sisters, not to be saved, but because God has saved us. He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and has adopted us as his own. How could we not obey him, if Jesus is truly our Savior and Lord?

I have one last question to address: How can we know for sure that we are true disciples of Jesus and not false professors? Here in our passage, Jesus has warned us about the possibility and great danger of making a false profession of faith. How can we know for that we are true disciples of Jesus and not false professors?

There are two questions that we must be asked::

One, are you truly trusting in Jesus as he is offered to you in the gospel? Stated differently, do you agree that you are a sinner in need of a Savior? Do I understand the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ? And have you turned from your sin to trust in Christ alone for the forgiveness of your sins? You can probably see that these questions all have to do with the condition of your mind and heart. How can a person know for sure that they are a true disciple of Jesus and not a false professor? I suppose the first thing they must do is look inward to examine their mind and heart and ask, am I sincere? 

But there is another question to ask, and this one is more concrete, measurable, and less subjective: Is there any external evidence that the faith that is in your mind and heart is true? Stated differently, are you producing good and godly fruit? Or to put it yet another way, is your profession of faith accompanied by a change – repentance from sin and obedience to the commandments of the Lord?   

The Apostle John says, “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments” (1 John 2:3, ESV). John is addressing the question of assurance here. How can we know that we really and truly have come to know Christ? How can we know that we are true disciples of his? Here him again: “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments” (1 John 2:3, ESV)

So then, obedience to Christ does not bring us salvation, but it does help us to be sure of our salvation, for it is an evidence that our profession of faith is true. Brothers and sisters, to have Jesus as Savior one must confess that he is Lord. And lords are to be obeyed, especially this one.

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 75

“TO THE CHOIRMASTER: ACCORDING TO DO NOT DESTROY. A PSALM OF ASAPH. A SONG. We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds. “At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity. When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn; do not lift up your horn on high, or speak with haughty neck.’ ” For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up, but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another. For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs. But I will declare it forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. All the horns of the wicked I will cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up.” (Psalm 75, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 6:37-45

“‘Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.’ He also told them a parable: ‘Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.’ ‘Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take 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 take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.’ ‘For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.’” (Luke 6:37–45, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

Brothers and sisters, it has been a true joy for me to study Jesus’ Sermon on the Plane (as it is traditionally called) and to deliver these sermons to you over the past couple of weeks. As you know, this teaching from Jesus begins in Luke 6:20 and runs through to the end of the chapter. Here Jesus gathers his newly called disciples and his twelve apostles to himself and he begins to teach them. He delivers sayings to them, and you will notice that the sayings are all about attitude and outlook resulting in a way of life. The Christian faith is a way of life, brothers and sisters. And to live in the way that Christ has commanded, we must perceive the world and think according to his word. 

I think it is very significant that these sayings of Jesus are the first things that he said to his disciples (after they were officially called and gathered). First words are very important, wouldn’t you agree? The first words spoken (especially to a newly formed group) set the tone. They establish a direction. And so we should pay very careful attention to these sayings of Jesus which he delivered at first to his disciples.

Now, it must be acknowledged that these sayings of Jesus were not the first things that the disciples of Jesus had learned and believed. These men who followed Jesus knew the Old Testament Scriptures very well. They believed that the Scriptures are the Word of God. They knew the God of the Bible. And they knew the promises that God had made concerning a Savior or Messiah who would eventually come into the world. They believed that Jesus was the Messiah, and this is why they followed him. The point that I am making here is that these disciples of Jesus were not novices. They were not ignorant of the Scriptures. They were not unaware of the promises of God. These men knew the Bible, brothers, and sisters. They understood the storyline of Scripture and the history of God’s work of redemption. Stated in theological terms, they had a solid understanding of the doctrine of Scripture, God, creation, man, covenant, sin, and salvation in Christ. Did they have a lot to learn? Yes, in some ways they did. They had a lot to learn about Jesus the Messiah, how he would accomplish our redemption, and the nature of the New Covenant and the eternal kingdom that he came to inaugurate. Yes, they had a lot to learn. But they were by no means lacking in Biblical and theological foundations. Many of them possessed a true and lively faith. And so Jesus did not begin teaching his disciples as we typically do, by providing answers to questions like these: Who is the first and chiefest being? Ought every one to believe there is a God? How may we know there is a God? What is the Word of God? Etc. They knew these doctrines well. Christ did not need to lay down these doctrinal foundations. And so he presented them with ethical teachings – teachings about the attitude, outlook, and way of life that his followers were to adopt. 

In the Sermon on the Plane, Jesus demanded that his disciples see and know for certain that those who follow him are truly blessed. They are blessed even if they are hungry, poor, despised, and mistreated in the world. They are blessed because to them belongs the eternal kingdom of God. And in contrast to this, those who choose the riches of this world and the respect of others over Christ, are truly in a woeful condition. They may be full now, but they will be eternally hungry. They may laugh now,  but they will weep eternally. This is the opposite of how the world sees things, but Christ commands his followers to take this view. This we learned in Luke 6:20-26. 

And in Luke 6:27-36 Jesus commands his followers to love even their enemies. Those in the world love their friends. Those in the world love those they consider to be lovely or worthy. The world hates its enemies and is accustomed to returning evil for evil, insult for insult, and blow for blow. But Christ commands his followers to be different.” Love your enemies”, he says. “do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them” (Luke 6:27–31). In Luke 6:35 Christ summarizes this teaching, saying, “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:35–36).

Of course, this is a review. And I have provided this review, not only to remind you of what we have learned but so that you might see that Jesus continues to address the attitude or ethos of his disciples in the passage that is before us today. We have heard him say, “Blessed are you… (Luke 6:20-26), and “Love your enemies…” Here Christ says, “Judge not, and you will not be judged”. This whole passage, which begins in Luke 6:37 and ends in verse 45, is about the judgmental attitude that Christ forbids.   

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Judge Not

In verses 37 and 38, we find four commands. Two are negative and two are positive: “Judge not”, “condemn not”, “forgive” and “give”. So, Christ’s disciples are not to judge or condemn; they are to forgive and give. This is to be our attitude towards others. We are not to be judgemental or condemning. Instead, we are to be forgiving and generous.

Notice that after each one of these commands, we find a general description of how we will be treated by others should we obey. “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you.”.

In the second half of verse 38, we find a brief illustration concerning the charity and generosity that we are to show to others and the charity and generosity that will be returned to us. When Jesus says, “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap”, we are to picture a merchant being generous with their customer. 

To give a modern example, if you go to Rite Aid to buy a pint of ice cream, what are you thinking as the clerk fills up the container? Press it down, press it down, and fill it up to the brim! You probably don’t say it out loud, but you are hoping that the clerk is generous with you. If you were to purchase a bag of grain, you would be hoping that the merchant would shake it together so that the grain settles in the bag and you get more. If you were purchasing olive oil, you would want the merchant to fill the bottle up to the point of overflowing. 

Here Christ is commanding his disciples to be generous with others. I think it is right for us to see that this is an extension of the command to love even your enemies and to do unto others as you would have them do unto you, which we encountered in the previous passage. Christians are to love. Christians are to be generous. We are not to have a judgemental, condemning attitude towards others. Instead, we are called to be gracious and kind. We are to forgive. We are to give. And we are not to be stingy with our forgiveness and in our giving. Instead, we are called by Christ to be generous. We are to forgive and to give abundantly. Remember, we are to be merciful just as our heavenly Father is merciful (Luke 6:36)! We are to treat others as we would like to be treated.

And then Christ clearly states the principle of reciprocation with these words: “For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” The meaning is this: in general, those who are generous to others will have others be generous to them. Those who forgive others will tend to be forgiven. Those who give to others will often be given unto. But those who judge others harshly, and those who condemn others unfairly, will find that they will be harshly judged and condemned. This principle of reciprocation will play out in our human relationships, and there is also a sense in which it will play out in our relationship with God. God will richly bless those who are generous and kind to others. He will forgive those who forgive and abundantly give to those who give abundantly. And certainly, this principle will play out in eternity. 

These teachings of Jesus are very clear, wouldn’t you agree? But some will muddy the clear waters of Jesus’ pure teaching by pushing these sayings of his into contexts they were not intended for. “Judge not”, Jesus says. Does this mean that there is never a time for human judgment? Is a courtroom judge wrong to sentence a convicted criminal? Would the convicted criminal be right to quote the words of Jesus to the judge at his sentencing? Jesus says “Judge not”! That is absurd. Judges are right to judge justly given the office they hold within society. Genesis 9:6 and Romans 13:1-7 make this very clear. If Jesus means that there is never a place for human judgment when he says, “Judge not”, then we have a contradiction, for in these passages (and others) he gives civil magistrates the authority to judge and calls them to do so according to truth and justice. 

And I might also ask, is a pastor or church wrong to judge a professing Christian in matters of church discipline? If it is your view that all human judgment is forbidden because Jesus said, “Judge not”, then you have a problem. For the same Jesus who said “judge not” also said, 

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 18:15–18, ESV)

That sounds like judgment to me. In fact, Christ uses legal language in this passage when he speaks of charges and witnesses and verdicts that are binding. So then, in one place Christ commands his disciples to “judge not”, but in another place, he commands them to judge. 

And consider what Paul the Apostle says about church discipline in 1 Corinthians 5. At the conclusion of a lengthy passage on that theme, he says,  “For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. ‘Purge the evil person from among you.’” (1 Corinthians 5:12–13). Here Paul agrees with Jesus when he commands the Corinthians to judge the sinning and unrepentant church member and to “Purge the evil person from among” them.

So what is going on here? How can it be that the Scriptures command us to “judge not” in one place, and to “judge” in another? It’s all about context. Here in Luke 6, Jesus is addressing the mindset, attitude, and disposition of his disciples. He is not forbidding all judgment. He is forbidding a certain kind of judgment though. Specifically, he is forbidding a judgmental spirit in his disciples. 

As I was thinking about how to bring clarity to this point, five words came to my mind. All of them start with the letter “P”. 

The first word is “Pharisee”. Here in this passage, Jesus forbids his disciples from having the judgemental attitude of the Pharisees.  Do you remember how some of the Pharisees treated Jesus and his disciples? We were told about it in Luke 5. The Pharisees and their scribes kept a close eye on Jesus and his disciples, watching and waiting for them to slip up so that they could accuse and condemn them. Their judgments were not according to God’s law but were according to their man-made rules and regulations. Their judgments were harsh and without love and mercy. When Christ says, “judge not” and “condemn not”, he certainly has the attitude of the Pharisees in view. 

The second word that came to mind is “position” or “place”. When Jesus says, “judge not” he means that we are not to have a judgemental and condemning attitude leading us to judge others when it is not our position or place to do so. There are some things that only God can judge. God alone sees the hearts of men. And God alone will judge fully and finally on the last day, condemning those not in Christ to eternal punishment. This he will do through Christ the Son. It is not our place to judge and condemn as only God can. Position or place must also be taken into consideration in matters where humans are permitted (and even called) to judge. Think of criminal cases. May humans judge in criminal cases? Yes. But is it everyone’s place to judge and condemn in a civil case? No. The police officer, judge, jury, and correctional officer all have a special role to play given their place or position. And consider the family. Whose place is it to judge and discipline the children? Typically, it is the mother and father’s place. And the same can be said about the church. In matters of discipline, elders are called to lead and oversee. And local churches are, for the most part, to mind their own business.  If a child in another family is rebellious, it is the mother and father’s responsibility to judge and to discipline. If a Christian in another congregation is sinning, it is the church of which they are a member’s responsibility to call them to repentance. Judgemental people will often stick their noses in other people’s business and judge and condemn from afar when it is not their place to do so. The words of Paul in Romans 14:4 come to mind. “Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another?”, he asks. 

The third word is “proportionate”. Jesus forbids his disciples from judging and condemning in a disproportionate way. Judgemental people, like the Pharisees who judged Jesus, tend to judge harshly and without mercy. They judged him for healing on the Sabbath. They judged him for plucking grain on the Sabbath. They were harsh in their judgments. They judged without mercy, all the while being blind to their own sin. 

The fourth word is “pleasing”. Jesus would have his disciples judge in a way that is pleasing to our God who delights to show mercy. If God is merciful even to his enemies, and if he has been so gracious to save sinners through faith in Christ Jesus, then how could we who have been treated so kindly by our God, treat others with such harshness? A judgemental and condemning spirit does not please our Lord, for we are called to be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful. 

The fifth word that comes to mind is “perception”. Jesus forbids his disciples from judging without a clear perception (or view) of the sin. First, we must see our own sin, and then we will be able to accurately perceive (or see) the sins of others. 

Notice that the rest of the text is about perception, or seeing. First, Christ warns against following teachers who are blind. After this, Christ warns his followers to take the log out of their own eye before they try to take the speck out of their brother’s eye. And finally, Christ warns his disciples about judging the hearts and minds of others, for whether a man is good or evil will become clear, for men will be known by their fruit. 

Before we go on to consider Jesus’ instruction about judging with clear sight or perception, let us be sure that Jesus’ command is settled in our minds and hearts. “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:37–38, ESV). May the Lord have mercy on us and help us overcome our judgmental, critical, and condemning attitudes. May he give us the grace to be generous, kind, forgiving, and merciful to others, just as our Father in Heaven is merciful.

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Remove the Log From Your Own Eye To See The Speck In Your Brothers

As I have said, in the remainder of our passage Christ focuses his attention on the need for his disciples to have a clear perception of sin. First, we must see our own sin clearly. Only then we will be able to think rightly about the sins of others.

First, Jesus warns his disciples about spiritual blindness. Those who are blind should not be followed. And if these disciples and apostles of his were to be good leaders in the church in the future, they would need to have a clear perception of sin, starting with their own. Otherwise, they would be like the Pharisees who were judgemental.

In verse 39 we read, “He also told them a parable: ‘Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?’” The meaning of the parable is clear. If someone is blind, they will need someone who can see to lead them. And so it is with the relationship between a disciple and a teacher. Teachers (or leaders) must see things clearly if they are to teach and lead others. Here Christ warns us to not follow teachers who are blind. Certainly, he had the self-righteous Pharisees in view. They should not be followed because they were blind to their own sin. They were therefore judgemental of others. And do not forget that Jesus was preparing many of these disciples of his to be future leaders within his church. If they were to lead well, they would need to have a clear perception of sin starting with their own. Only then would they be able to judge others with a right and merciful judgment.

In verse 40 Jesus says, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” If your teacher is blind, then you will be blind too. But if your teacher sees clearly, then you will see clearly too, once you are fully trained. 

That Jesus is warning against spiritual blindness, and particularly blindness concerning sin, is made clear in verse 41. There Jesus says, “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take 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 take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye” (Luke 6:41–42, ESV).

This is a powerful picture that Jesus paints, don’t you agree? Can you imagine someone with a large beam of wood stuck in their eye being concerned with the fact that others have specks or small splinters in their eyes? It’s absurd. The man with a beam of wood in his eye is blind. He cannot see clearly to remove the speck in the eyes of others. 

By the way, everyone knows that the eye is a very delicate part of the body. If someone has a speck in their eye they will need help removing it. But the one who helps remove it will need to be very careful. They will need a steady hand and clear sight. And so it is when addressing the sin of another. Great care must be taken. A steady hand is required. Certainly, clear sight is needed. The one who has splinters (or a plank! ) in his own eye is in no condition to help others with the speck in theirs. The only thing they should be concerned with is removing what is in their eye. And only after that will they be able to see clearly to help others with what is in theirs. 

The Pharisees had beams of wood in their eyes. They were sinners in need of the Savior, but they did not see it. They thought they were righteous. And yet they spent their time looking for faults and sins in others. They were judgemental hypocrites. They were blind leaders. And so Jesus warned his hearers to not follow them or to be like them. The disciples of Jesus, and especially those who would lead within his kingdom, would need to live according to a different ethic. They would need to acknowledge their own sin from the beginning (no one came to Christ as Savior unless they see their sin and their need for a savior). And the disciples of Jesus will need to live a life of constant repentance. Or to use the language of Jesus, his disciples will need to be primarily concerned with the logs and specks in their own eyes. And only then will they be able to see and think correctly about the sins of others. 

It is not difficult to understand how this works. In the Christian life, we will have to deal with sin – our own sin and the sin of others. We are called to help one another with sin. We are to encourage and exhort one another to turn from sin. Sometimes we must confront sin in others. In some instances, when sin is not turned from, judgments must be made by the church with the elders of the church in the lead. Now imagine how different that process would be in a church filled with self-righteous, judgemental, hypocrites in comparison to a church filled with men and women who are aware of their own sin, are humble and repentant, and are filled with kindness, compassion, and love because they have experienced the kindness, compassion, and love of God. The church filled with (or led by) self-righteous, judgemental, hypocrites will do great damage to others (both will fall into the pit). But the church filled with (and led by) those who are more concerned with the log in their own eye than the speck in their brothers, will be a great help to fellow sinners saved by the grace of God who are walking in the Way.     

Do you wish to avoid the judgmental and condemning attitude that Jesus forbids? Do wish to abundantly forgive and generously give as Christ commands? Do wish to have a clear view of the sin of others so that you might help them on the Way? Then focus first on the log that is in your own eye. Only then will you be able to “see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.” 

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A Good Tree Will Bear Good Fruit, A Bad Tree Will Bear Bad Fruit

There is one last section for us to consider today. It is a famous passage. I suppose that it could be considered all by itself. But I see a connection here to the them of judgment. 

In verse 43 we read, “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks’” (Luke 6:37–45, ESV).

The general principle being taught here by our Lord is that the words of men and women, and the actions of men and women flow from the heart. If a person’s heart is good and pure it will produce good, pure, and holy words and deeds. But if the heart of a person is evil, it will naturally produce evil words and deeds. This is what Christ means when he speaks of trees and fruit. Trees with good roots and sap will produce good fruit. Trees that are diseased in the root and sap will produce diseased fruit. And if you are uncertain about the kind of tree that you are dealing with as you examine the trunk, the branches, and the leaves, you be sure once you examine the fruit. An apricot and peach tree might have a similar appearance (at least to the novice). But all will know the difference between them once they bear fruit. 

This teaching from our Lord helps us to understand how human behavior works. It is important for is to understand that our words and actions flow from the heart. Therefore, true and lasting change will take place in us only when the mind and heart are changed. The Christian is changed and begins to walk in a holy way because God, by his grace, renews us in the inner man through Christ the Son and by the Spirit. This renewal takes place before we trust in Christ. It is called regeneration or new birth.  And this renewal continues throughout the Christian life. This progressive and ongoing renewal is called sanctification. Real and lasting change takes place only when we are renewed in the inner man, and this renewal is by the grace of God. Christ’s teaching about good and bad trees producing good and bad fruit helps us to see this. 

But what does this teaching have to with judgment? I think what we have here is a warning to not judge the hearts of men, their thoughts or their intentions. God alone can see the heart. He knows what is in the heart of every man. But the heart and mind of man is hidden from our sight. We can only judge by what we see and hear. And here Jesus tells us that the good and the evil will be known by their fruit. 

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Reflections

I’ll move this sermon toward a conclusion by offering a few reflections on the text we have considered. 

The teaching of Jesus to “judge not” is vital to the Christian community. A church will not thrive – it will likely not survive – if it has a judgemental spirit. 

A judgemental spirit will hinder the spread of the gospel.

A judgemental spirit will hinder sanctification. 

A judgemental spirit will stifle love.

A judgemental spirit will not bring glory to our God, who is merciful, gracious, and kind.   

It is no wonder that Jesus presented this teaching to his disciples soon after calling them. The judgemental spirit of the Pharisees was a great threat to them, and so Jesus warned them, “‘Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.’”

Old Testament Reading: Amos 6:4-7

“Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves out on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall, who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David invent for themselves instruments of music, who drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph! Therefore they shall now be the first of those who go into exile, and the revelry of those who stretch themselves out shall pass away.” (Amos 6:4–7, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 6:17-26

“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, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all. And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, 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. But woe to you 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. Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.” (Luke 6:17–26, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

We come now in our study of Luke’s Gospel to what has been called, Jesus’ Sermon on the Plane. This sermon is very similar to the sermon of Jesus that is recorded in Matthew’s Gospel, which is called the Sermon on the Mount. In fact, I misspoke last Sunday when, in passing, I referred to this sermon in Luke’s Gospel as the Sermon on the Mount, and only realized my error after the fact. To set the record straight, Luke records for us the Sermon on the Plane, for in Luke 6:17 we read, “And he [Jesus] came down with them and stood on a level place…”, and then in 6:20 we read,  “And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20, ESV), etc. So, Luke records for us a sermon that Jesus preached in a level place, or a plane.

As I have said, the Sermon on the Mount, as recorded in Matthew 5:1-7:27, and the Sermon on the Plane, as recorded here in Luke 6:20-49, are very similar, but they are not the same. And one might wonder why are they different. The answer is simple, I think. Jesus preached a lot. He had standard sayings that he would repeat over and over again but with some variation. Matthew and Luke were both concerned to record for us the sayings of Jesus. But that does not mean they were both recounting the exact same sermon. In Luke, we appear to have an abbreviated version of the sayings of Jesus. It seems that Jesus delivered an abbreviated version of, what we call, the  Sermon on the Mount when he came down from the mountain to this level place with his disciples.

As we turn now to Luke’s Gospel, let us pay special attention to Jesus’ audience. Some have errored in their interpretation and application of these sayings of Jesus, and I think that many of these errors can be traced back to a failure to identify Jesus’ audience. Who was Jesus preaching to? That is the question.

Back in Luke 6:12 we read, “In these days he [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles” (Luke 6:12–13, ESV). After this, the apostles are named. And then in verse 17 we read, “And he came down with them”, that is to say, with the twelve, “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…” (Luke 6:17, ESV). 

Can you picture the scene? You have Jesus with the twelve apostles. And it is not only the twelve who were with him, but many other disciples of Jesus were there too. A disciple is a learner or follower. So there were twelve main disciples of Jesus. These are called apostles. But there were many other disciples too. Luke describes them as being a “great crowd”. And Luke also mentions “a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases…” (Luke 6:17–18, ESV). One thing that should be acknowledged is that those who came from Tyre and Sidon were most likely Gentiles. And this fits with the theme that has been building in Luke – Jesus is the Savior, not of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles too – he is the Savior of the world. And so it was not only Jews who followed him in the beginning, but some Gentiles too. 

This “great multitude” came from “ Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon… “to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.” (Luke 6:17–18, ESV). So, they did not only come to be healed physically and spiritually but to hear him. We have already witnessed this in Luke’s Gospel. The miraculous healings Jesus performed were, in part, a demonstration that his word was true. And in verse 19 we read, “And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.” Finally, in verse 20 we read, “And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God”, etc.

So, if I were to ask you the question, to whom did Jesus preach in his Sermon on the Plane, what would you say? Answer: he was speaking to his disciples. And by the way, the same may be said of the Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5:1 says, “Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 5:1–3, ESV).

So, Jesus spoke these words to his disciples. Stated negatively, he did not direct these sayings to the non-believing world. He was not preaching to the poor, in general, to the hungry, in general, or to those who weep and are hated in general. No, he was speaking to his disciples when he pronounced these blessings on them. You see, these people were blessed, not because they were poor, hungry, mournful, and hated, but because they were disciples of Jesus. And it was because they were disciples of Jesus, that Christ could say to them, “for yours is the kingdom of God”, “for you shall be satisfied”, “for you shall laugh”, and “for behold, your reward is great in heaven”.

Please understand, there is no inherent blessing in poverty. There is no inherent blessing in hunger, mourning, or persecution. But there is blessing (happiness) in Jesus. Those who are poor, hungry, mourning, and persecuted in Christ are blessed, for in Christ we have inherited a kingdom. In Christ, we shall be satisfied and laugh. In Christ and through faith in him,  we have a great reward in heaven. And it should also be said that those who are poor, hungry, mourning, and persecuted because of their allegiance with Christ or, to use the language of Luke 6:22, “on account the Son of Man!”, are especially blessed. You see, that was the reality for many who followed Christ in those days. They left everything to follow him (see Luke 6:11, 28), and they became outcasts. So poor were they that they had to pluck grain from the fields even on the Sabbath day to satiate their hunger.    

I wonder if you are beginning to see why it is vital for us to identify Jesus’ audience. This teaching, friends, is not directed to the world. Yes, some things are said about the non-believer in these sermons. And yes, there are truths stated in these sermons that may be applied to the non-believer. But the sermons are directed to the disciples of Jesus. 

This teaching is not directed to the non-believing world, and neither is it directed to civil governments. I do not want to spend too much time on this, but I have heard some say that Jesus’ teachings found later in this sermon regarding loving your enemies, being kind to the evil person, judging not, and forgiving, should be applied by our civil governments. The idea here is that Jesus provides civil government nations with a new, kind, and gentle civil law or ethic to replace the old, harsh, and judgemental civil law given to Old Covenant Israel. This view must be rejected. In fact, retributive justice is one of the only things that civil governments are to be concerned with (see Romans 13). Also, civil governments are to defend the nation against enemies. Jesus is not revealing a new civil law, here. He is not telling governments to judge not in a civil sense or to love their enemies in a civil sense. In fact, there are no civil laws given to the New Covenant people of God, for the New Covenant people of God are not a nation but are sojourners and exiles on this earth. Christ’s kingdom is not of this world. Common civil governments today have the moral and natural law of God as their guide, just as they always have. And civil magistrates are to use the sword that God has entrusted to them to punish wrongdoers and to reward those who do good. They are to concern themselves with retributive justice as it pertains to crimes against persons. And it is God’s moral law that informs us concerning what is just. So, while the Sermon on the Plane or Mount might apply to individuals who serve within civil governments in a personal way, it is certainly not a new civil law.  

And there is one more thing that I should say, even if it is just in passing. Jesus’ Sermon on the Plane and his Sermon on the Mount are not a replacement for the moral law of God as revealed in nature and summarised in the Ten Commandments. Yes, it is true. When Jesus goes up on the mountain to pray, when he calls his disciples to come up with him, and when he comes down and begins to teach, this is to remind of the book of Exodus and of Moses’ activities on Mt. Sinai. There Israel entered into a covenant with God. And there God’s Old Covenant people were given law to govern them – first the moral, and then civil and ceremonial laws. Jesus is presented here as a second and greater Moses. And yes, having called his disciples to follow him, and having appointed the twelve apostles (which is reminiscent of the twelve tribes of Old Covenant Israel), he does present them with kingdom ethics. But it is ridiculous to assume that these ethical teachings of our Lord were intended to replace the moral law of God which was written on Adam’s heart in the beginning, on stone at Sinai, on the hearts of God’s people in regeneration (Jeremiah 31), and by which all men will be judged on the last day, if not in Christ (Romans 1-3). The rest of the Scriptures are very clear that the moral law of God, which is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments, is ever binding. Christ did not relax the moral law in the least – not in his way of life, and not in his teachings. These sermons of Jesus are not opposed to the moral law. They are not meant to replace it but perfectly agree with what the Ten Commandments state. 

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The Christian Faith Is A Way Of Life

So what is the Sermon on the Plane? 

Here we find ethical teachings from Jesus for his disciples as it pertains to life in his kingdom. Here Jesus tells his followers how they are to live in this world as members of his New Covenant and citizens of his eternal kingdom. 

Dear friends, please hear me. The Christian faith is a way of life. This is the first principle that I want you to draw from our passage. The Christian faith is a way of life.

Now please do not misunderstand. The Christian faith is not merely a way of life. Before we can live in the way that Christ has called us to live, we must believe the truths that Christ has taught. We must believe the truths contained within Holy Scripture – truths about God, creation, man, sin, and salvation in Jesus Christ. We must believe what the Scriptures teach concerning who Jesus is and what he has done to accomplish our redemption. And we must also turn from our sins to trust in Christ as our Lord and Savior. And so I say, the Christian faith is not merely a way of life. It is a system of doctrine that must be believed. And it begins with heartfelt repentance, personal trust in Jesus, and a confession that he is Lord. But after that, the Christian faith is a way of life. 

Those who follow Jesus – those who believe his words, trust in his work, and say that he is Lord –  are called to walk in his ways. They are to obey God’s moral law, which is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments, just as Christ did. Indeed, it is this law – the moral law – that is written anew and afresh on the hearts of God’s people by the Spirit in regeneration. And those who follow after Jesus are to live according to his kingdom ethics as communicated here in the Sermon of the Plane, and in the Gospel According To Matthew, in what is called the Sermon on the Mount. The Christian faith is a way of life.

As a bit of an aside, did you know that the first Christians called themselves followers of “the Way”? This name for the early Christain church is used in Acts 9, 19, and 22. Why would the early Christians refer to themselves as the Way? For one, they believed in Jesus Christ who claimed to be “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), and “the door” through whom all must enter to be reconciled to God (John 10:7, 9). Jesus is the way, and Christians trust in him. Secondly, Christians do not only trust in Jesus, who is the way, they are also committed to walking in the way (or on the road or path) that Christ has modeled and commanded. Therefore, to be a disciple of Jesus is to be a  follower and learner of the Way. 

The Christian faith is a way of life.     

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To Live According To The Way, Christians Must Know They Are Blessed In Christ Jesus

Here is the second principle that I want you to draw from our text: According to Jesus, walking in this Way will require a particular perspective, outlook, mindset, or philosophy. 

And what is that outlook? Well, according to our passage those who follow Jesus are truly blessed. They are truly blessed, even if they are poor, hungry, sorrowful, despised, and rejected in this world. And conversely, those who are rich, full, happy, and highly esteemed now and in this world, are in fact in a miserable condition, if they do not have Jesus as Lord and Savior. It seems backward and upside down, doesnt it? But Jesus is here teaching that those who wish to follow him and walk in his Way must have this mindset.

Notice that in verses 20-23, Jesus declares his disciples to be blessed. Notice what I said. I did not say that Jesus tells his disciples how to be blessed. Rather, he declares that his disciples are blessed. Can you see the difference? It is a matter of fact that those who have faith in Christ are blessed. 

Look at verse 20: “And [Jesus] lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor… Blessed are you who are hungry now…  Blessed are you who weep now…  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!” Here Jesus declares that his followers are blessed.

Listen to what the commentator, J.C. Ryle, says about this. 

“Let us first notice in these verses, who are those whom the Lord pronounces blessed. The list is a remarkable and startling one. It singles out those who are ‘poor,’ and those who ‘hunger,’ – those who ‘weep’ and those who are ‘hated’ by man. These are the persons to whom the great Head of the Chruch says, ‘Blessed are ye!’ We must take good heed that we do not misunderstand our Lord’s meaning, when we read these expressions. We must not for a moment suppose that the mere fact of being poor, and hungry, and sorrowful, and hated by man, will entitle anyone to lay claim to an interest in Christ’s blessing. The poverty spoken of, is a poverty accompanied by grace. The [lack] is a [lack] [prompted] by faithful adherence to Jesus. The afflictions are the afflictions of the gospel. The persecution is persecution for the Son of Man’s sake. Such [lack], and poverty, and affliction, and persecution, were the inevitable consequences of faith in Christ, at the beginning of Christianity. Thousands had to give up everything in this world, because of their religion. It was their case which Jesus had specially in view in this passage. He desires to supply them, and all who suffer like them for the gospel’s sake, with special comfort and consolation. 

Those who follow Jesus are blessed. This is true even if they suffer greatly in this world. And this is especially true if their suffering comes as a result of their leaving everything to follow Jesus. 

The question is, do you believe this? Do you have this perspective, outlook, mindset, or philosophy? Do you agree that the followers of Jesus are blessed – that they have every reason to rejoice and to be happy – even if they suffer many afflictions in this life an account of Jesus, the Son of Man? 

Brothers and sisters, with the passing of time I have grown more and more convinced that if a Christian is to walk faithfully in the Way,  then they must have this mindset. Stated negatively, if a disciple of Jesus lacks this mindset, or if they are uncertain about the fact that followers of Christ are blessed even if they suffer for his namesake now, then they will have a difficult time walking faithfully in the Way. They will definitely have a difficult time walking in the Way happily and with peace and joy in their hearts. 

At this point, we must observe that Jesus did not merely declare his followers to be blessed, he also gave the reasons. So these are not empty words of blessing being uttered by our Lord. Rather, these are true pronouncements based upon facts.   

Let’s read verses 20-23 again and pay special attention to the phrases that begin with the word “for”. The word “for” indicates that the reason for what has just been said is about to be given. “Blessed are you who are poor…” Why? we might ask. “…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” (Luke 6:20–23, ESV).

In this passage, Jesus demands that his disciples adopt this mindset. They are not to root their happiness and joy in the here and now and in their present circumstances. Instead, they are to remember the past, and they are especially to look to the future and root their happiness there. They are to set their hope and happiness on Christ and on the eternal reward that Christ has earned for them. 

First, Jesus urged his disciples to look to the past when he said, “for so their fathers did to the prophets.” We should remember that Jesus and his disciples were being severely criticized by the Pharisees and their scribes – the religious elite of Israel. And so Jesus reminds his disciples that their fathers – the people of Israel who lived under the Old Mosaic Covenant – often treated the prophets like this. The prophets old – the true ones – were often mistreated. They were despised and rejected even by their own people – the people of Israel. For an example of this, you may read of the trials of the prophet Jerimiah, how he was beaten and imprisoned by his own people, in Jerimiah 20 and 37. Jesus reminds his disciples of this history to show them that they are in good company when they are mistreated on account of Christ. And we who live now after the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ may add Christ himself and his apostles to the list. They all suffered. Christ warned his disciples that they would suffer for his name’s sake (see Luke 21:17). It is no wonder, then, that Christ began his ethical teaching by demanding that his disciples adopt this mindset. Without this mindset, they could not endure. So look to the past, brothers and sisters. Rember that Christ, the apostles, and the prophets were all despised and rejected in this world. And yet how do you view them? Do you consider them to be blessed or miserable people? If you have faith, you will say that they were and are the most blessed people! And so Jesus reminded his disciples of the faithful and blessed prophets of old to show us that we are in good company when we suffer for his name’s sake, just as they did. 

In this Sermon on the Plane Christ taught his disciples to not root their happiness in their present circumstances but to remember the past, and he especially directed their attention to the future and to their eternal reward. He reminds us that if we are united to him by faith, then we are truly blessed, for ours is the kingdom of God. Here is a reference to the eternal kingdom of God, the new heavens and earth. He is telling his disciples that this kingdom is theirs through faith in him. Christ came to establish this everlasting kingdom (see Daniel 7:27 and Luke 1:33). Those who have faith in him and follow in his way are brought into that kingdom, even now. And they will be brought safely into that eternal kingdom when Christ returns at the consummation. And there, in eternity,  we shall be satisfied. There, all of our mourning will be turned to laughter and everlasting joy.

Look to the future, brothers and sisters. Look to Christ and to the eternal reward that he has earned for you. Root your happiness in that! The soil of your present circumstance is dry. It cannot nourish you with true happiness. And if it is not dry now, it soon will be. But the soil in Christ’s eternal kingdom, which he has earned through his shed blood, will never dry, for it is watered by “the river of the water of life [which will flow, forever and ever,] from the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Revelation 22:1, ESV). Look to the future, brothers and sisters. Look to Christ and to the eternal reward that he has earned for you. Root your happiness in that!

So, does this mean that Jesus’ disciples will experience nothing but sorrow in this life? Does this mean that all of our comfort and joy will be experienced only in the life to come? Certainly not! Indeed, disciples of Jesus do enjoy many wonderful blessings and comforts in this life. I suspect if we were to pause now and ask everyone to testify concerning the blessings they in enjoy in this world, all of you would give thanks to God for many good things: food, water, clothing, shelter, family, and friends, not to mention a great measure of peace and prosperity. God does often pour out many earthly blessings on his people in addition to the blessings that are ours in Christ Jesus. But here Christ shows that even when his disciples suffer poverty, hunger, and persecution, they are still truly blessed, for their greatest rewards and enjoyments are not here, but are in heaven.  In fact, Christ teaches his disciples that they are to have this perspective and believe these things so strongly that they will be able to rejoice in the day of persecution.  

It’s interesting, this text is filled with adjectives that describe the reality of things. “Blessed are you… Blessed are you… Blessed are you…” These are not imperatives (or commands), as if Christ said, “be blessed”, but adjectives that describe reality. Blessed are my disciples, Jesus says. These adjectives are not to be obeyed but believed. But there is a string of imperatives (or commands) found at the end of this passage in verse 23. “Rejoice in that day…” What day? On the day mentioned in verse 22 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!” (Luke 6:22, ESV), “Rejoice in that day”, Christ commands. The word rejoice is in the imperative mood in the Greek. It is a command.  And “leap for joy”, Christ says. This too is a command.  

Can we just pause for a moment and acknowledge the fact that to the non-belive this sounds like the behavior of a crazy person? Why in their right mind would rejoice, and even leap for joy, on the day when they are hated, excluded, reviled, and spurned as evil by others? The reason that this sounds like the behavior of a crazy person to the non-beliver is that the reaction does not seem to fit the reality of the circumstance. 

But as I have said, Christ is calling his disciples to see things differently. He is calling (even commanding them) to take a different perspective. And it is not an imaginary perspective that they are to take. Christ is not commanding his disciples to detach from reality and to live in a fantasy world so that they might respond to persecution with rejoicing. No, he is calling them to see how things really are and to respond thus. 

I said there is a string of commands found in verse 23. The first is the word “rejoice.” The second is the word “leap”. And the third is the most important, for it is the foundation for this behavior. It is the word “behold”. Here Christ commands his disciples to “look and see” that their “reward is great in heaven” (Luke 6:23, ESV). This reality is the reason for our rejoicing, always, and even in the face of persecution. “Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven…” (Luke 6:23, ESV). This is about mindset. Here Christ commands his disciples to have an eternal mindset. They must if they are to walk faithfully with him. They must if they are to have his joy and peace. 

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To Live According To The Way, Christians Must Remember That Those Who Do Not Follow Christ Live Under God’s Wrath And Curse 

There is one more point that needs to be drawn out of this passage before we move to some suggestions for application. This point will be brief. To live according to the way of Christ, Christians must see that they are truly and eternally blessed in him, and they must also see that those who do not follow Christ are, in fact, under God’s wrath and curse. 

This perspective is clearly set forth in Luke 6:24-26. Here Jesus pronounces “woes” upon the non-beliving. The first word is a word of contrast. “But woe to you 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. Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets” (Luke 6:24–26, ESV).

I need not say much about the particulars of this passage, for the meaning should be clear to you as you contrast it with the “blessings” passage we have just considered. In brief, Jesus declares those who do not follow after him, perhaps out of a fear of losing the wealth and status they now enjoy in the world, as being in a state of intense hardship, distress, disaster, and horror (Johannes P. Louw Nida,  242). The Greek word translated as “woe” is very strong. When Jesus used it he was exclaiming that those who do not follow after him are in a very pitiful, hard, and horrifying state of being, even if they be very rich, comfortable, and highly esteemed in this world.  

And just like with the pronouncement of blessings, the pronouncement of woes are rooted in reality. “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.” In other words, you have experienced the hight of your comforts. “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.” The hunger that Christ speaks of here is an eternal and spiritual hunger. “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.” Again I say, this is eternal.  “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets”. So then, these rich and highly esteemed ones who refuse to align with Christ out of fear of losing their worldly riches and honor, are in bad company, historically speaking. For it was the false prophets that were often honored within Old Covenant Israel. 

Please listen again to J.C. Ryle’s: 

“Here, however, no less than in the preceding verses, we must take care that we do not misapprehend our Lord’s meaning. We are not to suppose that the possession of riches, and a rejoicing spirit, and the good word of man, are necessarily proofs that people are not Christ’s disciples. Abraham and Job were rich. David and St. Paul had their seasons of rejoicing. Timothy was one who had a good report from those that were without. All these, we know, were true servants of God. All these were blessed in this life, and shall receive the blessing of the Lord in the day of his appearing. 

Who are the persons to whom our Lord says, ‘Woe unto you?’ They are the men who refuse to seek treasure in heaven, because they love the good things of this world better, and will not give up their money, if need requires, for Christ’s sake. – They are the men who prefer the joys and so-called happiness of this world, [over] joy and peace in believing, and will not risk the loss of the one in order to gain the other. – They are those who love the praise of man more than the praise of God, and will turn their backs on Christ, rather than not keep in with the world. – These are the kind of men whom our Lord had in view when he pronounces the solemn words, ‘Woe, woe unto you.’ He knew that there were thousands of such persons among the Jews, thousands who, notwithstanding his miracles and sermons, would love the world better than him. He knew well that there would always be thousands of such in his professing church, – thousands who, though convinced of the truth of the gospel, would never give up anything for his sake. – To all such he delivers an awful warning. – ‘Woe, woe, unto you.”

Friends, things are not always as they appear. Though the rich and highly esteemed ones of this earth may appear to be the happiest of all people, in fact, they are in a miserable condition, if not in Christ, for they remain under God’s wrath and curse, and they will have his wrath poured out on them at the final judgment unless they turn from their sins to trust in Christ and follow him. But of course, their perspective would need to change if they are to follow Christ. They would need to come to see Christ and the kingdom of Christ as being far more precious than the pleasures of this world.   

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Conclusion

I’ll conclude now by making five brief suggestions for application. 

Firstly, I wish to speak directly to our young people, and to those who are new to the faith. I want to ask you, do you have this perspective that Jesus commands? To you see the world according to the truths that Christ has here revealed. To be very direct, when you think of the rich, powerful, and famous in the world, what do you think? How do you perceive them? Do you think of them as being the most blessed – the most happy and satisfied – people in the world? Or do you think of them as being in a miserable condition, if they are not followers of Jesus? And what do you think when you consider someone who is poor and unpopular, and yet strong in the faith? Do you see them as pitiful? Or do you see them as blessed and happy? I’m pleading with you, young person, to see the world according to the truth of Christ. To be a faithful and happy follower of Jesus requires this perspective.

Secondly, I wish to speak to those who are more advanced in years and mature in Christ. Do not let your guard down, brothers and sisters. Even if you gained this heavenly and eternal perspective in the past, do not think that it won’t be challenged. It may be that you or someone you love comes under affliction in the future and the Evil One will tempt you with evil thoughts to question the goodness of God towards his people. Even the Psalmist Asaph was troubled by thoughts like these. In Psalm 73 he says,  “Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked…” (Psalm 73:1–3, ESV). And after a long description of the prosperity of the wicked, he says, “But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end. Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin. How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!” (Psalm 73:16–19, ESV), etc. So here in Psalm 73 we have an example of one who was mature in Christ who was tempted. He almost lost the heavenly and eternal perspective that he once had. And how did he regain it? By coming in the temple of the living and contemplating these truths again in light of God, the final judgment, and eternity. To those who are mature in Christ I say, be sure to maintain the heavenly and eternal perspective that you now have. 

Thirdly, I wish to speak to those who are suffering affliction now to say, if you are in Christ Jesus you are blessed. It is fact. But you do need to perceive it. You are blessed in Christ, for yours is the kingdom of God. You shall be satisfied there. You shall laugh there. Indeed it is true, Your reward is great in heaven. Those who are suffering on account of their devotion to Christ especially need to be reminded of this truth. 

Fourthly, I wish to speak to those who experiencing prosperity and comfort in this life. What should I say to you? Oh yes, the Apostle Paul told me what I am supposed to say to you. He wrote to Pastor Timothy, saying, “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life” (1 Timothy 6:17–19, ESV).

Fifthly, and lastly, I wish to speak to those who are listening who have not yet believed upon Christ to follow him in the Way. I pray that you would come to see yourselves as being in a most miserable and woeful situation. Apart from Christ, we remain in our sins and under God’s wrath and curse. Apart from Christ we will be judged on the last day and go to eternal punishment. But in Christ, there is the forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, and the sure promise of life everlast in the new heavens and earth which Christ has earned. I plead with you to turn from your sins, to trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, confessing that Jesus is your Lord and Savior.