November 2, 2025 Sermon

Sermon title:  “Luke's Beatitudes”

Scripture:  Luke 6:20-31

(Other lectionary suggestions include Daniel 7:1-3 and 15-18, Psalm 149, and Ephesians 1:11-23.)

Luke 6:20-31

Blessings and Woes

20Then he looked up at his disciples and said:  “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 22“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. 23Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets. 24“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. 25“Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. “Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep. 26“Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.

Love for Enemies

27“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. 30Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

          Yesterday was All Saints Day, and we Disciples tend to ignore that church holiday. Being raised a Presbyterian, I too was not “exposed” to that holiday. But it’s not a bad thing. In my mind, All Saints Day follows Halloween, which allowed all the evil spirits to frolic. Now that the evil spirits have had their day, it’s time for the Saints to have theirs. I don’t know that that’s true, but it does seem to make sense in our culture that tends to mix superstition with religion. If you have a better idea, let me know!

          The sermon title, “Luke’s Beatitude,” reminds us that the Gospel of Matthew has the “original” Beatitudes - But Luke has his version, too, and we get those today. Says the British scholar N. T. Wright, “There are two particularly astonishing things about (Luke’s) instructions. First, their simplicity:  they are obvious, clear, direct and memorable. Second, their scarcity. How many people do you know who really live like this? How many communities do you know where these guidelines are rules of life? What’s gone wrong? Has God changed? Or have we forgotten who he really is?”

          I'll be quoting a minister who says that part of Jesus’s approach is a “topsy-turvy” approach, saying such things as the last shall be first and the first last. In one of the Old Testament books, the people are given the choice of choosing blessings or curses. Jesus does the same thing. And he also says, “Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you.” And this is the place where he says, “turn the other cheek.” And he also says that if anyone would take away your coat, “do not withhold even your shirt.”

          Our Scripture reading for today ended with...“Give to everyone who asks of you, and if anyone takes away what is yours, do not ask for it back again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.” We, of course, know that last line as the Golden Rule. Amen.

Pastor Skip