Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 6:39-45 ; Matthew 7:3-5 "A CHALLENGE TO BE "PERFECTLY TRAINED"
Day 80 – Luke 6
Text: Luke 6:39-45 ; Matthew 7:3-5
A CHALLENGE TO BE “PERFECTLY TRAINED”
The teachings of the Lord Jesus must have seemed very difficult to His Disciples then (and now). What was Jesus’ point? What was He seeking to do?
The goal that Jesus had in mind, as He taught His Disciples was well captured in the following words,
“A Disciple is not above his Teacher
But everyone who is perfectly trained
Will be like his Teacher.” Luke 6:40
JESUS AS THE PERFECT AND EXEMPLARY TEACHER
When Jesus taught the Beatitudes, when He taught His Disciples how to rise above hatred, and how to love enemies, He was in fact seeking to train them to walk in His footsteps. He knew the importance of being “perfectly trained”. Only when the Disciple is thoroughly trained would he be able to be like his Teacher.
The lessons may be hard, the application may seem impossible, but the Disciple must ever remember the lofty aim his Teacher has in mind. He wants His Disciples to walk in His footsteps. He wants them to be trained, perfectly trained. He looked forward to the day when they too could be called “teachers” in their own right. They would one day train others to become disciples. However, before that day can dawn, they must seek to be “perfectly trained”.
DANGERS OF BEING IMPERFECTLY TRAINED
The dangers of being “imperfectly trained” are only too obvious to Jesus. He raised up some of these problems.
1. “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?” Luke 6:39
The imperfectly trained disciple is like a blind man. The inadequately trained disciple may feel that he has quite a bit of knowledge and thus he feels that he is ready to lead others. A little knowledge is indeed a dangerous thing. A little knowledge gives a person a heady sense of power. He feels ready to lead others. He not only endangers himself, he endangers others. He warns His disciples that they must seek to be perfectly trained, or they too would run the danger of being guilty of being “blind leaders” .They themselves would fall into the ditch one day, and so will those who follow them.
2. “First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother’s eye.” Luke 6:42
The second problem is closely linked to the first. The danger of “hypocrisy” is a problem that prevails in the days of Jesus right up till today.
The teachings of Jesus are so deep, and so soul-searching that the true Disciple recognizes the fact that he is terribly weak, inadequate and sinful. He recognizes that he is unable to love his enemies. He recognizes that he hates his enemies and would rather see them punished than be forgiven.
The false disciple is one who abuses the teachings he has learned. He applies the teachings of Jesus to others, without first seeking to submit himself fully to the training of the Master. The false disciple is exposed as nothing more than a pretender. He is little more than a hypocrite.
He sees faults in other people. However, he fails to see his own weaknesses and sins. He attacks the sins he finds in the lives of people, but ignores the fact that he himself is as wretched and miserable.
With dark humour, Jesus challenged such an application of His teachings. He forbids any of His Disciples to judge or to condemn others (Luke 6:37). They must recognize their own weaknesses. Their process of being trained by their Teacher must surely help them to see their own personal weaknesses. He who sees his own faults humbly is unlikely to point an accusing finger at others.
“EVERY TREE IS KNOWN BY ITS OWN FRUIT” Luke 6:44
What distinguishes one person from another? What distinguishes one disciple from another? How do we tell which one is true, if both cite the Scriptures?
Jesus taught His Disciples to discern the true worth of a person by looking at the “fruit” that the individual bears in his life,
“For a good tree does not bear bad fruit,
Nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.
For every tree is known by its own fruit.” Luke 6:43-44
It is one thing to claim that one is a Disciple of Jesus. It is another thing to prove it by the fruit of one’s life. The challenge is not just to know the teachings of Jesus but to exhibit those teachings in one’s life.
“FOR OUT OF THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART HIS MOUTH SPEAKS…” Luke 6:45
The point of Jesus’ teaching was driven home forcefully – as always. He never taught only to tickle the mind. He sought to reach the heart. He sought to change the lives of His Disciples through His teachings.
He recognized that ultimately a person speaks from his heart. The axiom He taught still holds true,
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good;
And an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil;
For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45
The true disciple must therefore guard his heart carefully. The words that he hears from the mouth of The Teacher must impact the heart deeply. Where there are sins, they must be repented of, and forgiveness sought. He must have a changed heart. He must not be his old wicked, vindictive self.
He must become more and more like his Teacher. His heart must be so full of the goodness of his Teacher, he bears good fruit. How we must be challenged to examine the state of our heart.