Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 6:20-26 "THE FOURTH SET OF CONTRASTS"
Day 75 – Luke 6
Text: Luke 6:20-26
THE FOURTH SET OF CONTRASTS
“Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you,
and revile you, and cast out your name as evil,
for the Son of Man’s sake.” Luke 6:22
“Woe to you when all men speak well of you,
For so did their fathers to the false prophets.” Luke 6:26
The true Disciple must be prepared to accept one more set of difficult circumstances. They must be prepared to suffer not just poverty, or hunger, or even tears! They must be prepared for unbridled hatred! That must be one of the most difficult teachings to understand, let alone accept!
Yet, there was no mistaking the tone of the Lord’s voice, nor the solemnity and the gravity of the words of Jesus. If they were really going to make it as Disciples, they must be mentally, emotionally and spiritually tough! A less-prepared individual would collapse under the stress and strain.
HATRED -THE MASK OF DEEP EVIL
Many of us who live in a country that is well governed, would probably never fully comprehend the weight of the words of Jesus. However, we are aware that what Jesus said is only too true. There is much hatred, and with that intolerance, existing in the world.
We read of hatred fueled by racial prejudices. In the name of ethnic cleansing, thousands are slaughtered as if they were animals. Hatred is also fed by fanatical religious sentiments. People can end up being so emotionally involved in the name of religion that they kill in the name of their faith. .
Hatred has been the bane of humanity. The history of mankind has seen millions killed, instigated and fueled by dark and deep human hatred. Hatred is only the mask of evil that sits deeply in the human heart!
THE DISCIPLE MUST BE PREPARED TO SUFFER
Jesus warned His disciples in no uncertain terms that they must be prepared to suffer, if they really wanted to be identified with Him. Jesus had already encountered expressions of hatred. When He was teaching in a local Synagogue the people rejected His teaching. Not content with verbal rejection, they wanted to throw Him down a cliff. They almost succeeded in murdering Him (Luke 4:28-29).
The Scribes and Pharisees had already shown their true colours. They were filled with mindless rage against Jesus (Luke 6:11). They went into a huddle, and “discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus” (Luke 6:11).
What lay ahead? Jesus warned His Disciples that worse things lay ahead.
1. People would hate them, with possible open hostility. (Luke 6:22)
2. People could “exclude them”, that is, they could “ostracize” them. (Luke 6:22)
3. People would “revile” them, that is “speak evil of them”. (Luke 6:22)
4. People could “cast out their name as evil”. (Luke 6:22)
These things could happen to those who identified themselves as Disciples of Jesus. They would have to suffer for the sake of the Name of Jesus. Would they be prepared to suffer? Jesus said that they would be “blessed” indeed if they could endure such suffering and hardship!
THE NATURAL DESIRE TO BE WELL-SPOKEN OF
Deep down all of us, we like to be well-spoken of. We want people to like us. We want people to say nice things to us and about us.
It is difficult, jarring and painful to hear of people speaking ill of us. We all have to struggle very hard when people harbour and display unbridled hatred. It is one of the most painful experiences of life to have to endure hatred.
In a very frank and candid statement, Jesus warned that those who speak good things of us may not be genuine or sincere people. In the Old Testament, there were numerous examples of people who practised flattery, for their own personal and selfish reasons.
False prophets were well-liked, because they never spoke up against the evil practices of wrong doers. They would proclaim blessings of peace even though war was on the horizon.
A CLASSIC OLD TESTAMENT EXAMPLE
Jeremiah was an example of one who had to endure suffering. He had prayed and wept for the nation of Israel. But instead of appreciation and gratitude, his countrymen became his detractors and plotted to kill him. His own “friends” who lived in the city plotted to murder him (Jeremiah 11:18-23).
The weeping prophet had to grow up and fast! Over the years as a true prophet of God he had to endure much. He experienced what Jesus described here in His message to His Disciples.
He experienced poverty. He had to suffer hunger. He wept much. He was hated by many, especially by the wicked kings of Judah (Cf. Jeremiah 22, 25 etc). Jeremiah suffered much, and yet at the end of the day, he was the one who was truly blessed of God. Those who scorned him, mocked him, mistreated him cruelly – they all perished, dying terrible deaths!
ARE WE AFRAID OF BECOMING DISCIPLES BECAUSE OF HARDSHIP?
Jesus never promised “a bed of roses”. Let us beware of a “Christian” message that promises “wealth and health”. Let us consider carefully what Jesus taught His Disciples. His words are still relevant to us today.
Let all who have a genuine faith in the Lord Jesus fortify their hearts and be challenged to follow Him, no matter the cost that must be paid!